How to become a chemist
- July 16, 2021
A Chemistry and Physics teacher in India has been awarded a prestigious PhD degree from a prestigious university.
The Doctorate of Chemistry at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was conferred on Aseem Kumar for his contribution to the study of the molecular mechanism of energy conversion and is the highest awarded in the field of chemistry in India.
The award is in recognition of his achievements in teaching chemistry to young students at the university.
Kumar’s doctoral thesis is titled The Mechanism of Energy Conversion and is titled: “The role of the nuclei in energy transfer.”
“This was one of the most challenging areas of research to me and I am thankful to the institute for their efforts,” said Kumar, who was awarded the PhD degree in April 2016.
The post-doc was awarded a National Medal of Technology by the President of the Indian Council of Scientific Research.
“The chemists of the world are learning from me and will be doing the same.
I am looking forward to teaching my students in the future.
I look forward to being a chemist in future,” Kumar told NDTV.
The student’s doctoral dissertation has been accepted by the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NISA) in Hyderabad, where Kumar will work in collaboration with Professor Aseemanand.
“In our country there are many chemists who have been awarded PhDs.
This is a major milestone for us.
We have a lot of chemists in the country who have also won PhDs,” said Dr Arvind Singh, Director, JNU Centre for Advanced Chemistry.
Kumar’s thesis, which was published in Science, was one among several articles submitted for publication in Science.
The PhD is a joint award between the NISA and the Institute of Technology Sciences, Hyderabad.
“I am grateful to the university for giving me the opportunity to pursue this career,” said the student, who will also receive a post-graduate diploma in the Faculty of Science and Technology.
“I hope that in the long run I will be able to share my knowledge with the public through my research.
I would like to take this opportunity to share this knowledge with others.
I feel that this will help to increase the number of chemisists in India.”
Kumar is the first Indian PhD student from the country to receive the award.
It is the second time that a PhD has been conferred on a postgraduate student from India.
In 2013, Indian chemists awarded a PhD to Aseema Sharma who was also the first postgraduate graduate from India to receive a PhD in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science.
Kampanika Kannan, Director of Science at NISA, said the institution was looking forward with great interest to Kumar’s academic and professional future.
“We have always looked forward to the opportunity of seeing how the chemistry of the future will be developed and we are delighted to be able, in collaboration to the faculty and students of the Institute, to offer this honour to Asem Kumar,” she said.
