Pratidhvani - Humanizing Science

Arnab Mukherjee is a professor of chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune, India. He is also associated with the Data Science Department at IISER Pune. His webpage: https://www.iiserpuneccblab.com/ In this episode, we go into granular details about his educational experiences and how he got interested in science. He highlights how chasing marks turned from a boon to a curse with a stunning narrative of his student career. There are some profound lessons to learn from his experiences.  His research interests include computational chemistry and biophysics. Specifically, he and his group work on “various topics ranging from drug-DNA intercalation, DNA structural change, single water entropy, protein folding and protein-DNA binding, dynamical recrossing and internal friction in proteins and machine learning. He also collaborates with experimental colleagues in projects such as synthetic ion channels, spectroscopic investigation of molecular recognition, etc.” Listen as we humanize science.   References : ·         “Arnab.” n.d. Mysite. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.iiserpuneccblab.com/about-me. ·         “‪Arnab Mukherjee - ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=omAZhSEAAAAJ&hl=en. ·         “Arnab Mukherjee - IISER Pune.” n.d. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/chemistry/people/faculty/regular-faculty/arnab-mukherjee/302. ·         “Arnab Mukherjee CCB Lab IISER Pune.” n.d. Mysite. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.iiserpuneccblab.com. ·         “Chemical Principles II - YouTube.” n.d. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyqSpQzTE6M_B9L6Ik0vPzfgVQ879VqXZ. ·         NPTEL-NOC IITM, dir. 2019. History of Thermodynamics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdIJOG-g6QE. ·         “Teaching.” n.d. Mysite. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://www.iiserpuneccblab.com/contact-me.

Dibakar Roy Chowdhury is a professor of physics at Mahindra University, Hyderabad. https://www.mahindrauniversity.edu.in/faculty/prof-dibakar-roy-chowdhury/ With a rich background in research, including stints at prestigious institutions like Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Australian National University, Dr. Roy Chowdhury has significantly contributed to our understanding of light-matter interaction at the micro-nano scale. Listen to this ‘emergence’ series, where we explore his groundbreaking research in metamaterials, plasmonics, and more through his academic journey until now. Specifically, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of doing experimental research at a private university in India. Listen as we humanize science. References : 1.       “Dibakar Roy Chowdhury.” n.d. Mahindra University. Accessed May 14, 2024. https://www.mahindrauniversity.edu.in/faculty/prof-dibakar-roy-chowdhury/. 2.       “‪Dibakar Roy Chowdhury - ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed May 14, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=63q8bcwAAAAJ&hl=en. 3.       “Dibakar r Chowdhury (@DibakarRC) / X.” n.d. X (Formerly Twitter). Accessed May 14, 2024. https://twitter.com/DibakarRC.  

Note: The audio in the first 10 minutes is of lower quality Sundar Sarukkai is a philosopher who specializes in the natural and social sciences. His webpage : https://www.sundarsarukkai.in/ He has made significant contributions to the field as a professor and visiting faculty at various institutions. Sarukkai is the author of numerous books, including “Philosophy for Children,” "Translating the World," "Philosophy of Symmetry," and "What is Science?" He has also co-authored works exploring Indian philosophy, caste, and democracy. Sarukkai is the founder of Barefoot Philosophers, an initiative to bring philosophy to children and the public. With his diverse expertise and passion for accessible philosophy, Sarukkai is a captivating thinker in the intellectual landscape. Listen as we humanize science. References : 1.      “Sundar Sarukkai, Philosopher, Writer | Barefoot Philosophers.” n.d. Sundar Sarukkai. Accessed May 4, 2024. https://www.sundarsarukkai.in. 2.      Barefoot Philosophers, dir. 2024. A Conversation with Sundar Sarukkai - Philosophy of Science Workshop (2024). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XszjdsCvCV4. 3.      Christ University, Bangalore, dir. 2023. Dr Sundar Sarukkai Talk on Philosophy and Literature. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tL1GbPYkfs. 4.      DC Books, dir. 2024. The Cracked Mirror: An Indian Debate on Experience and Theory | Sundar Sarukkai | Babu Thaliath |KLF. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMMoI0ZQgS0. 5.      Toor, Sanchit. 2023. “‘The Challenge Was to Produce a Language, Not Just Use What Is Accepted as Correct’: Sundar Sarukkai.” Text. Scroll.In. https://scroll.in. April 22, 2023. https://scroll.in/article/1047684/the-challenge-was-to-produce-a-language-not-just-use-what-is-accepted-as-correct-sundar-sarukkai.

Mayurika is a cancer biologist and a senior faculty member at IISER Pune : https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/biology/people/faculty/regular-faculty/mayurika-lahiri/289 In this episode, we discuss her intellectual journey, how she became interested in molecular and cancer biology, her initiatives related to breast cancer research, and her role in the Genome India project. We had a wonderful conversation about various aspects of science in India and tried to understand it through the lens of gender equity. Mayurika speaks about women's representation in science and how and why it should improve. There are many interesting strands in this conversation, and each branch enriches the discussion. Listen, as we humanize science. References : 1.      “Mayurika Lahiri - IISER Pune.” n.d. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/biology/people/faculty/regular-faculty/mayurika-lahiri/289. 2.     “Webpage of Her Lab.” n.d. Lahirilab. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://lahirilab.wixsite.com/lahirilab. 3.     “Dr. Mayurika Lahiri: A Flagbearer of Breast-Cancer Research.” n.d. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://scicomm.iiserkol.ac.in/docs/1/pages/mayurika.html. 4.     IISER Pune, dir. 2019. Episode 4, SciTalk@SMC Feat. Dr. Mayurika Lahiri (Associate Professor, IISER Pune). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNIpb2cywtg. 5.     IISER Pune Science Activity Centre, dir. 2023. International Women’s Day Celebration: Talk by Dr  Mayurika Lahiri. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=S4l1HYxSKaE. 6.     “Mayurika Lahiri (@MayurikaLahiri) / X.” 2024. X (Formerly Twitter). April 12, 2024. https://twitter.com/MayurikaLahiri.  

Snigdha is a computational soft condensed matter physicist and a senior faculty member at IISER Bhopal: https://sthakurlab.iiserb.ac.in/. She uses computational physics to explore a variety of soft matter systems, including active matter and, of late biological systems. In this conversation, we discuss her journey as a physicist and how she developed an interest in soft condensed matter. We also discussed leadership in physics, as she has been the Chair of her department and a Dean at IISER Bhopal. There are many things to learn from Snigdha, and I enjoyed this discussion on topics related to physics and the pursuit of science. Listen as we humanize science. References: 1.     “Sthakur Group.” n.d. Accessed April 16, 2024. https://sthakurlab.iiserb.ac.in/. 2.    “‪Snigdha Thakur - ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed April 16, 2024. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=q3X-5pQAAAAJ&hl=en. 3.    Fourth Paradigm conference, dir. 2020. Designing Synthetic Nano Motors by Snigdha Thakur, IISER Bhopal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J8F2Wd9AzM. 4.    “Principal Investigator | Raymond Kapral Research Group.” n.d. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://sites.chem.utoronto.ca/rkapral/content/principal-investigator. 5.    Raman Research Institute, dir. 2018. Biomimetic Behaviour of Synthetic Particles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9BVx8_4D-k. 6.    “Sunil Kumar’s Home Page.” n.d. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://physics.iitm.ac.in/~sunil/. 7.    Thakur, Snigdha, and Raymond Kapral. 2012. “Collective Dynamics of Self-Propelled Sphere-Dimer Motors.” Physical Review E 85 (2): 026121. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.85.026121.

Sudipta is a molecular biophysicist who uses light and spectroscopy to study biologically relevant questions. He is a Professor at TIFR, Mumbai: http://www.biophotonics.co.in/ In this episode, we discussed what drew him to biophysics, his journey in establishing biophotonics as a research area in India, his motivation to start the FCS workshop and his thoughts on science in India. There are many other strands of discussion related to the pursuit of science, which the listeners may enjoy and learn from. Listen as we humanize science. References: 1.     “Biophotonics Lab.” n.d. Biophotonics Lab. Accessed April 12, 2024. http://biophotonics.weebly.com/. 2.     “‪Sudipta Maiti - ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed April 12, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=_exYXS8AAAAJ&hl=en. 3.     “Sudipta Maiti (@SudiptaMaiti13) / X.” 2024. X (Formerly Twitter). February 8, 2024. https://twitter.com/SudiptaMaiti13. 4.     Berg, Jeremy M., Lubert Stryer, John L. Tymoczko, and Gregory J. Gatto. 2015. Biochemistry. 8th ed. edition. New York: WH Freeman. 5.     Eaton, William A., and H. Peter Trommsdorff. 2013. “Robin Main Hochstrasser (1931–2013), Giant of Physical Chemistry.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 (23): 9189–90. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1307692110. 6.     “Fluorescence India.” n.d. Accessed April 12, 2024. https://fluorescenceindia.org/. 7.     “Measuring Serotonin Distribution in Live Cells with Three-Photon Excitation | Science.” n.d. Accessed April 12, 2024. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.275.5299.530. 8.     “Watt W. Webb.” 2024. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Watt_W._Webb&oldid=1194542920. 9.     “Watt Webb, Biological Imaging Techniques Pioneer, Dies | Cornell Chronicle.” n.d. Accessed April 12, 2024. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2020/11/watt-webb-biological-imaging-techniques-pioneer-dies. 10.  Zipfel, Warren, Chris Xu, Elliot Elson, and Sudipta Maiti. 2021. “Memorial Viewpoint for Watt W. Webb: An Experimentalist’s Experimentalist.” The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 125 (11): 2793–95. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01045.

Youtube video version: https://youtu.be/hVAYYaoB_uE Link to the original blog : https://backscattering.blog/2023/09/15/oliver-heaviside-a-maxwellian/

Jayant Murthy is a distinguished Senior Professor at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru. His research focuses on space missions, interstellar dust, and diffuse radiation fields. With a rich scientific background, a deep love for teaching and notable contributions to the discipline, Murthy's work exemplifies excellence in astrophysical research. Explore further at Jayant Murthy's website: https://www.iiap.res.in/people/personnel/murthy/Jayant_Murthy/Home.html In this episode we discuss his biography. He explained how and why he became interested in astronomy and astrophysics. His ventures in teaching and a freewheeling discussion on science, rationality and society. Jayant was recently commemorated with the naming of asteroid "(215884) Jayantmurthy" by the IAU, acknowledging his significant advancements in ultraviolet astronomy and space missions. We explore how that happened. There are many other interesting strands in the conversation. Listen, as we humanize science. References : Jayant Murthy [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.iiap.res.in/people/personnel/murthy/Jayant_Murthy/Home.html (accessed 4.2.24). ‪Jayant Murthy‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬ [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=Gdv6OEsAAAAJ&hl=en (accessed 4.2.24). Bureau, T.H., 2024. Asteroid named after Bengaluru Professor. The Hindu. Henry, R.C., 2005. The mental Universe. Nature 436, 29–29. https://doi.org/10.1038/436029a IIAstrophysics [@IIABengaluru], 2024. We are happy to announce that the asteroid 2005 EX296 has been named as “(215884) Jayantmurthy” by @IAU_org in honour of Prof Jayant Murthy! He is Honorary Prof & former acting director at IIA. @dstindia @doot_iia @asipoec @fiddlingstars @SPG_IIA https://t.co/E1k6MytYsY. Twitter. International Astronomical Union | IAU [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.iau.org/ (accessed 4.2.24). Jayant’s Class Presentations [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.iiap.res.in/people/personnel/murthy/Jayant_Murthy/Teaching.html (accessed 4.2.24). Kumar, A., Ghosh, S.K., Hutchings, J., Kamath, P.U., Kathiravan, S., Mahesh, P.K., Murthy, J., Nagbhushana, S., Pati, A.K., Rao, M.N., Rao, N.K., Sriram, S., Tandon, S.N., 2012. Ultraviolet imaging telescope (UVIT) on ASTROSAT, in: Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Presented at the Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, SPIE, pp. 455–466. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.924507 Latest Updates | Astronomical Society of India [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.astron-soc.in/ (accessed 4.2.24). Murthy, J., Henry, R.C., Overduin, J., 2023. Dust scattered radiation in the galactic poles. J Astrophys Astron 44, 82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12036-023-09973-5 Professor Richard Conn Henry [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://henry.pha.jhu.edu/rch.html (accessed 4.2.24). Singh, K.P., et al., 2014. ASTROSAT mission, in: Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Presented at the Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, SPIE, pp. 517–531. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2062667 Slide 1 [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.iiap.res.in/people/personnel/murthy/Jayant_Murthy/Teaching_files/history_of_astronomy/siframes.html (accessed 4.2.24). Zachariah, P., 2024. ‘Our world is built on basic science, and part of basic science is rationality.’ The Hindu. ಡಾ. ನಳಿನಿಮೂರ್ತಿ | Dr. Nalini Murthy – Hemanth Sahitya, n.d. URL https://hemanthsahitya.com/book-author/d-nalinimurthy/ (accessed 4.3.24).

Umakant is an atomic physicist who is innovating on quantum optical technologies. What motivated him to study this fascinating area ? What has been his journey in atomic physics, quantum optics and the resultant technologies? We discuss this and many other things in this episode. Umakant Rapol, an accomplished experimental physicist, is known for his innovative research in quantum technologies. He is currently Professor of physics at IISER. Pune, Physics Department, Pune - India.  http://sites.iiserpune.ac.in/~umakant.rapol/team/ His research interests are in the area of Atomic Physics and Quantum optics. He has an active research group at IISER – Pune, working in the areas of Ultra-cold atoms and ions for precision Optical Metrology, Quantum Information processing and Quantum optics and in Quantum technologies ranging from Quantum computing to Quantum sensors. His work explores the dynamics of quantum systems, focusing on atom optics and quantum information processing. Leading a research group at IISER Pune, Umakant conducts pioneering experiments in quantum information processing and quantum optics, advancing the field of quantum technologies. With a solid foundation in fundamental physics and extensive experience in experimental research, Umakant Rapol is a key figure in the realm of quantum research, making significant contributions to the development and application of quantum technologies. Listen as we humanize science.  References : 1.       Umakant Rapol (@RapolUmakant) / X [WWW Document], 2021. . X (formerly Twitter). URL https://twitter.com/RapolUmakant (accessed 3.23.24). 2.       Atomic physics and quantum optics Lab - Team [WWW Document], n.d. URL http://sites.iiserpune.ac.in/~umakant.rapol/team/ (accessed 3.23.24). 3.       Indian Institute of Science, n.d. URL https://iisc.ac.in/events/remembering-prof-vasant-natarajan-1965-2021/ (accessed 3.23.24). 4.       ‪Umakant D. Rapol - ‪Google Scholar [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=VaQjNL8AAAAJ&hl=en (accessed 3.23.24). 5.       Umakant Rapol’s lab - Home [WWW Document], n.d. URL http://sites.iiserpune.ac.in/~umakant.rapol/ (accessed 3.23.24).

Sandhya Koushika is a Neurobiologist and a faculty member at the Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai : https://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/koushika/people.html Her research focuses on understanding cargo transport in neurons, a critical process for nervous system development and preventing neurodegenerative diseases. In this free-wheeling conversation, we discuss her biographical journey and how she got interested in science and became a biologist. We discuss the story of trials and tribulations while exploring this path. There are many interesting strands in this conversation, including thoughts on science in India, science careers, perseverance, curiosity, and many other facets of the philosophy of science. There is a nice segment in Tamil and Hindi and a discussion on books that have influenced her. Listen, as we humanize science….  REFERENCES: 1.      Sandhya Koushika (@WormlockHolmes) / X [WWW Document], 2024. . X (formerly Twitter). URL https://twitter.com/WormlockHolmes (accessed 3.20.24). 2.      Home: The Koushika Lab [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/koushika/index.html (accessed 3.19.24). 3.      Menon, G., Koushika, S., 2010. Takes two to tango. Nature India. https://doi.org/10.1038/nindia.2010.30 4.      Koushika, S., Barua, D., 2010. Removing barriers in Indian biosciences. Nature India. https://doi.org/10.1038/nindia.2010.51 5.      People: The Koushika Lab [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/koushika/people.html (accessed 3.19.24). 6.      Research: The Koushika Lab [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/koushika/research.html (accessed 3.19.24). 7.      Sandhya Koushika, 2024. . Wikipedia. 8.      Sandhya Koushika, Department of Biological Sciences, TIFR, Mumbai [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/S_Koushika.html (accessed 3.19.24). 9.      ‪Sandhya P. Koushika - ‪Google Scholar [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?hl=en&user=c4zDSQ8AAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate (accessed 3.19.24). 10.  Thattai, M., Koushika, S., 2009. Life sciences in India: looking back, looking forward, looking great. natindia. https://doi.org/10.1038/nindia.2009.84  

Hyperlinks on my blog : https://backscattering.blog/2017/11/13/colourful-sky-in-leonardos-eye/

Deepak Dhar is an Indian theoretical physicist known for his research on statistical physics and stochastic processes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepak_Dhar In 2022, he became the first Indian to receive the Boltzmann Medal, the highest recognition in statistical physics awarded once every three years by IUPAP. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023. In this episode, we discuss his biography and explore how and why he became interested in science. When he was at Caltech, Deepak was Richard Feynman's teaching assistant. He narrates some fascinating stories regarding Feynman. Further, we discuss scientific thinking, and how he looks at biology from a physics viewpoint. There is also a small segment in Hindi, and many other strands of conversation, which are engaging, educative and fascinating. Listen, as we humanize science. References : 1.      ‪Deepak Dhar - ‪Google Scholar [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=dl1wQfwAAAAJ&hl=en (accessed 3.3.24). 2.      Dhar, D., 1990. Self-organized critical state of sandpile automaton models. Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 1613–1616. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.64.1613 3.      Dhar, D., Ramaswamy, R., 1989. Exactly solved model of self-organized critical phenomena. Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 1659–1662. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.63.1659 4.      India in Focus: Prof. Deepak Dhar Honoured with the Boltzmann Medal | Principal Scientific Adviser [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.psa.gov.in/article/india-focus-prof-deepak-dhar-honoured-boltzmann-medal/4219 (accessed 3.3.24). 5.      The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences, 2024. . Wikipedia. 6.      The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences [WWW Document], 2021. URL https://web.archive.org/web/20210212111540/http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/MathDrama/reading/Wigner.html (accessed 3.3.24).  

Anisa Chorwadwala is faculty member at the Department of Mathematics, at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune, India. https://sites.google.com/site/anisa23in/ In this episode we discussed how and why she got interested in mathematics, an interesting segment on learning in mother tongue, her journey through economic and social barriers. How she overcame them, and how she is brings in an element of culture to her work. Also discussion on women in mathematics and her work related to it. Anisa is an expert in Shape Optimization Problems. An active member of the academic community, she has been involved in various research activities and programs. Anisa's dedication to her field is evident through her participation in training programs and interacting with students. With a strong focus on academia and research, Anisa Chorwadwala continues to make significant contributions to the field of Mathematics and her academic community. References : 1.      Anisa (@Anisa93030121) / X [WWW Document], 2023. . X (formerly Twitter). URL https://twitter.com/Anisa93030121 (accessed 2.23.24). 2.      ‪Anisa Chorwadwala - ‪Google Scholar [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=7um-qAkAAAAJ&hl=en (accessed 2.23.24). 3.      Anisa Chorwadwala - IISER Pune [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/mathematics/people/faculty/regular-faculty/anisa-chorwadwala/253 (accessed 2.23.24). 4.      anisa23in - Anisa [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://sites.google.com/site/anisa23in/anisa (accessed 2.23.24). 5.      anisa23in [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://sites.google.com/site/anisa23in/ (accessed 2.23.24). 6.      I know NOTHING! [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://forsureforsure.blogspot.com/ (accessed 2.23.24). 7.      Mathematics, I.W. and, n.d. Indian Women and Mathematics [WWW Document]. Indian Women and Mathematics. URL https://iwm.org.in/ (accessed 2.28.24).  

Akhlesh Lakhtakia is a distinguished Evan Pugh University Professor and Charles Godfrey Binder Professor within the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Pennsylvania State University : https://sites.esm.psu.edu/~axl4/ As per Penn state website, he (recently) served as an expert consultant for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, as chair of the U.S.-India Higher Education Partnerships Committee and as a Jefferson Science Fellow (his term ended recently). With over four decades of academic excellence, Lakhtakia is renowned for his pioneering research in complex material electromagnetics, particularly sculptured thin films, chiral materials, and biomimetic applications. As a leading figure in his field, Lakhtakia continues to inspire and influence the next generation of researchers and scholars. In this episode, we discuss his journey from Lucknow to Pennsylvania, scholarship, writing process, life as an academic, and his recent efforts to build Indo-U.S. relations in higher education. Listen, as we humanize science. References : 1.     “Akhlesh Lakhtakia.” 2023. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Akhlesh_Lakhtakia&oldid=1169384975. 2.     Website: Accessed February 17, 2024. https://sites.esm.psu.edu/~axl4/. 3.     “Akhlesh Lakhtakia - Evan Pugh University Professor - Penn State University | LinkedIn.” n.d. Accessed February 17, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhlesh-lakhtakia-767556109. 4.     “‪Akhlesh Lakhtakia - ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed February 17, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=wC7o_VAAAAAJ&hl=en. 5.     “Biologically Inspired Design: A Primer | SpringerLink.” n.d. Accessed February 17, 2024. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-02091-9. 6.     “Craig Bohren.” 2023. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Craig_Bohren&oldid=1192250085. 7.     “Jefferson Science Fellow - Lakhtakia Bio.” n.d. Accessed February 17, 2024. https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/Jefferson/PGA_377438. 8.     Lakhtakia, Akhlesh. 2013. “So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye!” Journal of Nanophotonics 7 (1): 070198. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JNP.7.070198. 9.     Nehru, Jawaharlal, and C. D. Narasimhaiah. 1989. India Rediscovered. Oxford University Press. 10.  Robbie, K., M. J. Brett, and A. Lakhtakia. 1996. “Chiral Sculptured Thin Films.” Nature 384 (6610): 616–616. https://doi.org/10.1038/384616a0. 11.  “The Far Side Comic Strip by Gary Larson - Official Website | TheFarSide.Com.” n.d. Accessed February 17, 2024. https://www.thefarside.com/.  

Balasubramanian Ananthanarayan is a Professor at the Centre for High Energy Physics, Indian Institute of Science: https://chep.iisc.ac.in/Personnel/pages/anant/index.html His research interests include low energy physics at high precision, beyond the standard model physics at colliders, and collider physics, particularly focusing on the 'new physics' that can be uncovered at the International Linear Collider with polarized beam. He has also been involved in a project developing the theory of unitarity bounds to obtain precise information on form factors. Additionally, he blogs and has contributed articles to Resonance and Current Science. Ananthanarayan is also known for his sense of humor, as evidenced by his light-hearted anecdotes and favourite poems.   References: 1.    “B Ananthanarayan.” n.d. Accessed February 13, 2024. https://chep.iisc.ac.in/Personnel/anant.html. 2.    “B. Ananthanarayan.” n.d. Accessed February 13, 2024. https://chep.iisc.ac.in/Personnel/pages/anant/index.html. 3.    “‪B Ananthanarayan - ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed February 13, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=jJZMQiIAAAAJ&hl=en. 4.    “B Ananthanarayan (@bananthanarayan) / X.” 2021. X (Formerly Twitter). November 30, 2021. https://twitter.com/bananthanarayan. 5.    Ananthanarayan, B., Sumit Banik, Souvik Bera, and Sudeepan Datta. 2023. “FeynGKZ: A Mathematica Package for Solving Feynman Integrals Using GKZ Hypergeometric Systems.” Comput. Phys. Commun. 287: 108699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2023.108699. 6.    Ananthanarayan, B., and Subhendra Mohanty. 2021. “The Accelerating Universe: Evidence and Theories.” The European Physical Journal Special Topics 230 (9): 2051–53. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-021-00259-x. 7.    “Anant-Observations.” n.d. Accessed February 13, 2024. https://anant-observations.blogspot.com/. 8.    “Welcome to The Institute of Mathematical Sciences | The Institute of Mathematical Sciences.” n.d. Accessed February 13, 2024. https://www.imsc.res.in/.  

Suresh joins me from the Zanzibar (Africa) campus of IIT Madras ! Suresh Govindarajan is a theoretical physicist and a professor in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. https://physics.iitm.ac.in/~suresh/index.html He specializes in String Theory, and his research interests include conformal field theory, black holes, statistical physics, combinatorics, and mathematical physics. Suresh is also an avid long-distance runner who runs marathons and other long-distance events. In this 'free-running' conversation, we discuss his biographical journey. His trials and tribulations in constructing a career as an academic, his wonderful story of how he overcame barriers during his PhD and postdoc, and how and why he took up a new challenge when he was around 40: marathon running. Listen, as we humanize science. References : “Suresh Govindarajan DLM (@modularform) / X.” 2024. X (Formerly Twitter). February 4, 2024. https://twitter.com/modularform. “Personal - Suresh Govindarajan.” n.d. Accessed January 31, 2024. http://sgovindarajan.wikidot.com/personal. “IIT Madras Zanzibar Campus | Empower Your Future with IIT.” n.d. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://zanzibar.iitm.ac.in/. “Prof. Suresh Govindarajan | Faculty | IIT Madras Zanzibar.” n.d. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://zanzibar.iitm.ac.in/schools/engineering-and-science/faculty/prof-suresh-govindarajan. “Refined Counting of Higher-Dimensional Partitions - Boltzmann.” n.d. Accessed January 31, 2024. http://boltzmann.wikidot.com/refined-counting. “Suresh Govindarajan.” n.d. Accessed December 28, 2023. https://physics.iitm.ac.in/~suresh/. “‪Suresh Govindarajan‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬.” n.d. Accessed December 28, 2023. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=s6In0_oAAAAJ&hl=en. “Suresh Govindarajan’s Other Home Page - Suresh Govindarajan.” n.d. Accessed December 28, 2023. http://sgovindarajan.wikidot.com/. “The Partitions Project - Boltzmann.” n.d. Accessed January 31, 2024. http://boltzmann.wikidot.com/the-partitions-project. “Zanzibar.” 2024. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zanzibar&oldid=1199920039.

Susmita Adhikari is an Assistant Professor in the Physics Department at IISER Pune. She obtained her PhD in Astronomy from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and has held postdoctoral positions at The Kavli Institute of Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, and the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics at The University of Chicago & Fermilab. Her research focuses on cosmology, astrophysics, dark matter halos, and structure formation. She studies the formation and structure of dark matter halos, the co-evolution of galaxies within them, and the connection between cosmic structure formation and the sources of gravitational waves. She uses theory and simulations to interpret observations of gravitationally bound objects, aiming to understand the underlying nature of dark matter and gravity.In this conversation, we discussed how she got interested in physics and how it evolved into a research career in astrophysics. We discussed her experience of studying and researching in India, and the USA; how she got interested in dark-matter haloes and cosmology. Also, we discussed her interest in Odissi and other forms of classical dance. Listen as we humanize science. References : “Susmita Adhikari - IISER Pune.” n.d. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/physics/people/faculty/regular-faculty/susmita-adhikari/382. “Susmita Adhikari - INSPIRE.” n.d. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1671322. “Susmita Adhikari (@susmita_a) / X.” 2024. X (Formerly Twitter). January 26, 2024. https://twitter.com/susmita_a. International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, dir. 2023. From the Edge of a Dark Matter Halo  by Susmita Adhikari. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYVjO6hqI7I. TEDx Talks, dir. 2021. The Weight of Darkness; Dark Matter and Universe | Susmita Adhikari | TEDxTKMCE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-7c3uiZkjA.

Atikur Rahman is an Associate Professor of Physics at IISER Pune, where he leads the Nano Energy & Quantum Transport Lab. https://atikurrahmanl.wixsite.com/scientist-site His research focuses on understanding fundamental charge transport properties and applications of quasi-1D (nanowires and nanotubes), 2D materials, and mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures. His group studies electronic transport properties under varying temperature, magnetic field, and light conditions to understand the effects of interactions and disorders on the charge transport properties of quantum confined systems. They use various experimental techniques, including electrical, optical, and optoelectrical measurements, to characterize nanodevices. The group has extensive experience in synthesizing 2D and 1D materials, nanodevice fabrication, and tuning materials properties through nanotexturing. They are also involved in building new experimental setups and encouraging students to set up new measurement capabilities. In this conversation, we discuss his research journey; and how and why he got interested in condensed matter physics and related technologies. Listen..as we humanize science... References : “‪Atikur Rahman‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬.” n.d. Accessed January 13, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=ue65bNkAAAAJ&hl=en. “Atikur Rahman - IISER Pune.” n.d. Accessed January 13, 2024. https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/physics/people/faculty/regular-faculty/atikur-rahman/321. “Atikur Rahman (@atikur321) / X.” n.d. X (Formerly Twitter). Accessed January 23, 2024. https://twitter.com/atikur321. “Home.” n.d. Scientist-Site. Accessed January 13, 2024. https://atikurrahmanl.wixsite.com/scientist-site.

Shivakumar Jolad works as an Associate Professor of Public Policy at FLAME University, Pune, India. His primary research interests are social policies focused on Education, Migration, and Human Development. He studies the structure of the schooling system, education policy, and governance in India. He has also worked on gaps between Language Diversity and Medium of Instruction in India. His other work includes: assessing the impact of COVID-19 on unorganized sector workers, food security and psychological distress of migrant workers, and tracing the migration and urbanization history of metropolitan cities in India.  Jolad has a PhD in Physics and a doctoral minor in Demography from Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA. Before joining FLAME University, he taught at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar  India. medium page: https://shiva-jolad-46811.medium.com/ References : “Prof. Shivakumar Jolad | Faculty - FLAME University.” n.d. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.flame.edu.in/faculty/shivakumar-jolad. “‪Shivakumar Jolad‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬.” n.d. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Yp43tdkAAAAJ&hl=en. “Shivakumar Jolad (@shivakjolad) / X.” 2023. X (Formerly Twitter). December 6, 2023. https://twitter.com/shivakjolad. Jolad, Shivakumar. 2023a. “Demography in Service of ‘Other’ Social Sciences.” Medium (blog). May 22, 2023. https://shiva-jolad-46811.medium.com/demography-in-service-of-other-social-sciences-6cfef9fae568. 2023b. “The Constitution and Its Gandhian Alternative.” Medium (blog). October 7, 2023. https://shiva-jolad-46811.medium.com/the-constitution-and-its-gandhian-alternative-b2599c9ed4c4.

Ashish Arora is an Assistant Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune, India. https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/physics/people/faculty/regular-faculty/ashish-arora/374. His research interests include experimental condensed matter physics, magneto-optics, 2D materials (semiconductors and magnets), and low-dimensional physics. He is also deeply interested in public outreach of science and has a YouTube channel and Facebook page called “India’s Science Theatre.” Links in the references below. This episode discusses his intellectual journey from childhood till now. Through this journey, we learn how he developed an interest in experimental physics and how he motivated himself to overcome hurdles during his PhD. Listen…as we humanize science… References : “Ashish Arora – IISER Pune.” Accessed January 6, 2024. https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/physics/people/faculty/regular-faculty/ashish-arora/374. “Playing with the Wonder Materials.” Accessed January 6, 2024. https://www.uni-muenster.de/news/view.php?cmdid=10757&lang=en. “‪Ashish Arora‬ – ‪Google Scholar‬.” Accessed January 6, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=2GyHZQMAAAAJ&hl=en. India’s Science Theatre | Facebook. n.d. Accessed January 6, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/groups/sciencetheatre/. Science Quiz for All: Scientists of India [S01E07]. n.d. Accessed January 6, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwhVEvoOp3Y.