Meet Our Speakers
Inspiring minds from science, innovation & beyond
Prof. Santanu Mukherjee
Department of Organic Chemistry, IISC Bangalore
Prof. Santanu Mukherjee is a Professor in the Department of Organic Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. After earning a PhD from the University of Cologne, Germany (2006), he pursued postdoctoral research at the Max-Planck Institute für Kohlenforschung and Harvard University. His research focuses on enantioselective catalysis, particularly the development of new catalytic transformations and innovative concepts in asymmetric synthesis.
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Prof. Somnath Dasgupta
Geological Studies Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
Prof. Somnath Dasgupta is a renowned geologist with over 35 years of teaching, research, and leadership experience at Jadavpur University, IISER Kolkata, and as Vice-Chancellor of Assam University. A Ph.D. from Jadavpur University, his work focuses on geochemistry, metamorphic and ore petrology, and Precambrian geology. He is a Fellow of major science academies and recipient of top national and international honours including the National Mineral Award, J.C. Bose Fellowship, and D.N. Wadia Medal.
Prof. Siddhartha Sankar Jana
School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata
Prof. Siddhartha Sankar Jana is a Professor at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. His lab studies gene regulation, molecular interactions and signalling pathways controlling key cellular processes, focusing on nonmuscle myosin II. Using mouse models and cell lines, the group explores noncoding RNA regulation, splicing, migration, vesicle trafficking, mechanosensing and drug delivery.
Prof. Santosh K Misra
Department of Biological Sciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Prof. Santosh Kumar Misra (Ph.D., IISc) is a Professor in the BSBE Department since 2018. After postdoctoral and research scientist positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, he now leads a lab developing novel biomaterials for cancer management, focusing on biosensors for disease detection, 3D-printed drug-delivery devices, and stem cell–based regeneration of hair follicles and muscles, including innovative platforms such as “nano-muscles,” “tooth-binders,” and “medi-caps.”
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Prof. Ajit M. Srivastava
Raja Ramanna Chair Professor & Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar
Prof. Ajit M. Srivastava is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI). His research spans quark–gluon plasma, relativistic heavy-ion collisions, astrophysics of neutron stars and pulsars, gravitational waves, cosmology (including cosmic strings, CMBR and inflation), topological defects, and laboratory cosmology using liquid crystal experiments and analogue gravity. He earned his Ph.D. in Theoretical High-Energy Physics from Syracuse University, USA, under Prof. A.P. Balachandran, following an M.Sc. in Physics from IIT Kanpur and a B.Sc. from Allahabad University. After research associate positions at the University of Minnesota and the University of California, Santa Barbara, he joined the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, where he served in various academic and administrative roles including Officiating Director. He retired in August 2022 as Professor (H+).
Prof. Prem Prakash Pandey
Associate Professor & Department of Mathematical Sciences, IISER Berhampur
Dr. Prem Prakash Pandey is an Associate Professor in Mathematical Sciences whose research focuses on the use of group-theoretic methods to study class groups of number fields and related topics. Passionate about teaching and discussing celebrated problems in mathematics, he has been a key organizer of the International Conference on Class Groups of Number Fields and Related Topics for the past eight years. He completed his early schooling in Uttar Pradesh, earned his Master’s degree in Mathematics from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, and obtained his Ph.D. from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Chennai. An avid trekker, runner, cyclist and badminton enthusiast, he continues to blend his academic interests with a love for outdoor pursuits.