Ashutosh Sharma | |
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| Born | (1961-08-22)22 August 1961 (age 64) Ajmer, Rajasthan, India |
| Alma mater | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Pennsylvania State University University at Buffalo |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemical engineering,nanotechnology |
| Institutions | IIT Kanpur |
| Doctoral advisor | Eli Ruckenstein |
Ashutosh Sharma (born 22 August 1961) is an Institute Chair Professor andC V Seshadri Chair Professor at the Department ofchemical engineering ofIndian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He is the founding Coordinator ofDST Thematic Unit of Excellence on Soft Nanofabrication and Chairman ofCentre for Environmental Science and Engineering at IIT Kanpur.[1] He is best known for his pioneering research work in the areas of colloids, thin film, interfaces, adhesion, patterning and in the fabrication and application ofself-assembled nano-structures.[2][3][4][5]
Ashutosh Sharma got hisB.Tech degree inchemical engineering fromIndian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), India, in 1982. Sharma graduated with amaster's degree fromPennsylvania State University in 1984 and three years later obtained his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from theUniversity at Buffalo, where he worked with ProfEli Ruckenstein.[2]
He was a member of the editorial board ofChemical Engineering Science from 2007 to 2010. Prior to it, he served on the editorial board of theJournal of Colloid and Interface Science (2000-2002) andCanadian Journal of Chemical Engineering (2006-2008). Then, from 2011 to 2013, he was in the editorial board ofNanomaterials and Energy journal. From 2012 to 2014, he served as an associate editor of theJournal of Micro - and Nano-Manufacturing. From 2013 to date, he has been serving as an associate editor ofACS Applied Materials & Interfaces journal.[6]
He was appointed as thesecretary,Department of Science and Technology,Government of India on 9 January 2015 and served there till 31 August 2021.[7] He also served as President ofIndian National Science Academy from 2023 till 2025.
He is an electedfellow of prestigious societies such as theAcademy of Sciences for the Developing World,Indian National Science Academy,Indian National Academy of Engineering,Indian Academy of Sciences andthe National Academy of Sciences, India.[8] In 2002, he received theShanti Swarup Bhatnagar award in engineering sciences for his "original pioneering contribution to the understanding of the behaviour of thin films and other highly confined nanoscale systems".[9] In the next year, he was awardedHerdillia Award by theIndian Institute of Chemical Engineers. Again, in 2007, he was awardedDistinguished Alumnus Award from theIndian Institute of Technology inKanpur.[10] And in the year of 2010,Infosys Science Foundation have awarded him withInfosys Prize in Engineering and Computer Science for his "scholarly scientific contributions in the broad areas of nanoscale surface pattern evolution, instability, and the dynamics of thin liquid and solid films and soft matter.".[11]
He is also a recipient of the 2008TWAS Prize[12] and in 2017 of theH K Firodia award for his pioneering work on colloids, film interfaces, adhesion etc.[13]He is a recipient of thePadma Shri award in 2025, India's fourth-highest civilian award, for Contributions to Science and Public Service by theGovernment of India.[14]
