Arnab Bhattacharya

Areas of Work

Arnab Bhattacharya is a scientist, science communicator and tinkerer.

Semiconductor Optoelectronics: At TIFR Prof. Bhattacharya’s group works on the epitaxial growth and characterization of compound semiconductors, especially III-nitrides, and bulk crystal growth of Ga₂O₃, and transition-metal dichalcogenides.

Frugal Engineering: Development of low-cost experi­ments and STEM resources for school and college level, and for solutions to global health issues (e.g. extensive work on N95 mask decontamination)

Science communication and outreach activities

Pioneered, curates and hosts “Chai and Why?” a popular fortnightly Science Café in Mumbai, running without a break since 2009. Chair of TIFR’s Science Popularization and Public Outreach Committee, responsible for significantly scaling up TIFR’s outreach efforts, especially to under-served communities, Developed several engaging lec-dems on various topics. Popular lectures on optoelectronics, materials, semiconductors and general science topics at colleges and high-schools.

Initiated a research study on understanding high-school students' knowledge, beliefs and attitude towards vaccination. This includes trying to gauge their awareness of vaccine preventable diseases, vaccines, and vaccine hesitancy. (Collaboration between HBCSE, Tata Memorial Hospital and Dept. of Biological Sciences, TIFR.

Physics education – novel experimental setups for high-school/UG education and outreach, e.g. using smartphone sensors.

Was actively involved with high-school research-based science fairs at the international (ISEF, ISWEEEP) and national (INSEF, WISF) levels. Chaired Scientific Review Committee of IRIS, the Indian National Level Science Fair 2007-2009, Mentor for the Indian team for the ISEF (2005-2010), and for ISWEEEP (2010-2014) international science fairs.

Invited/Plenary/Keynote talks on science outreach, inquiry-based learning, low costs experiments etc. at national (IITs, IISERs, state S&T commissions etc) and international events e.g ICMAT 2019, Singapore, Forum on the Internationalization of Sciences and Humanities,2018, Berlin; British Council’s Global Education Forum 2014, Miami; Sri Lanka Science Fair, Colombo 2007; ISEF Educator’s Academy 2006, Indianapolis etc.

Volunteer service: Founder mentor of a non-profit, Science Society India; Member, N95decon (2020-21) IndiaCovidSOS (2021); Member OSA Global Health Working Group (2021-23)

Member, Programme and Planning Committee, Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai;Ex-officio roles: Member of the Governing Council of AEES, Academic Board of UM-DAE-CEBS, Chair, National Steering Committee on Science Olympiads and Vigyan Pratibha National Steering Committee

Awards/Distinctions

Indira Gandhi Prize for the Popularization of Science, Indian National Science Academy, 2017

Chevening Rolls-Royce Fellowship for Science and Innovation Leadership, University of Oxford, 2012

Homi Bhabha Award in Science Education 2010

Indian Semiconductor Association - Technoshield Award 2009 for research excellence (Lab)