Ashutosh Sharma is a Secretary to the Government of India since January 2015, heading the Department of Science and Technology (DST), where he helped initiate several new programs related to: infrastructure and human capacity building; innovation and startups; R&D in advanced manufacturing, waste processing, clean energy and cyber-physical systems; industry-academia cooperation; science communication; women scientists; and major international collaborations in the areas of priority for the nation.
Ashutosh received his PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNYAB; 1988), his MS from the Pennsylvania State University (1984) and B.Tech. from IIT Kanpur (1982). He has been a professor (1997-), an Institute Chair Professor (2007-) and the Head (2003-05) of Chemical Engineering, and the founding Coordinator of Nanosciences Center and Advanced Imaging Center at the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur.
Ashutosh’s research contributions are highly interdisciplinary, spanning a wide spectrum in nanotechnology; thin polymer films; nanocomposites and devices in energy, health and environment; functional interfaces; micro/nano-mechanics of soft matter; nano-patterning and nanofabrication; colloid and interfacial engineering; biomaterials & biosurfaces; wetting and adhesion. He has published over 350 peer reviewed papers, filed over 15 patents, given over 150 invited or key note conference presentations and mentored a successful nanotechnology startup.
Ashutosh is a recipient of numerous honors and awards including the inaugural Infosys Prize in Engineering and Computer Science, TWAS Science Prize of the World Academy of Sciences, Bessel Research Award of the Humboldt Foundation, J. C. Bose Fellowship, S. S. Bhatnagar Prize, Homi J. Bhabha Award of UGC, The Syed Husain Zaheer Medal and the Meghnad Saha Medal of INSA, Distinguished Alumni Awards of IIT Kanpur and SUNY Buffalo, Firodia Award, the Life-time Achievement Award of the Indian Science Congress and several Doctor of Science honoris causa, including from SUNY Buffalo, and Jadavpur University.
Ashutosh is an elected Fellow of The Indian National Science Academy, The Indian Academy of Sciences, The National Academy of Sciences, India and Indian National Academy of Engineering, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and the Asia-Pacific Academy of Materials. He has also served on the Councils of the first two. He has been an associate editor of ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Proceedings of Indian National Science Academy and ASME Journal of Micro- and Nano-Manufacturing and has been on the editorial boards of several journals: Carbon; ACS Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; Current Science; Nanomaterials and Energy; Chemical Engineering Science; Journal of Colloid and Interface Science; Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering and Indian Chemical Engineer.
Ashutosh’s other interests are in ancient history and philosophy, poetry and art.
Scientific Details: http://www.iitk.ac.in/che/as.htm/
