Other Fulbright Grants India: Fulbright-Kalam Fellowship for Doctoral Research

Sushmita Gouraha

Sushmita Gouraha is pursuing her Ph.D. from the Department of Hydrology at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, under the guidance of Prof. D. S. Arya and Prof. Piyush Srivastava. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of urbanization on changing rainfall patterns over a complex/ mountainous terrain. She completed her BE from the Government Engineering College Raipur, Chhattisgarh, and M. Tech from the National Institute of Technology Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Growing up in a small town, surrounded by its vibrant tribal culture and natural beauty, Sushmita felt deeply connected to her roots and harboured a desire to serve the community by understanding and addressing environmental challenges. As a Fulbright-Kalam Climate fellow at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Sushmita is researching on critical concerns associated with urban dynamics, especially processes related to the impact of urban precipitation, using a numerical modelling approach. Her research will help in a better understanding of the urban processes responsible for altering precipitation patterns in complex terrains. In her free time, Sushmita enjoys exploring new places, learning about different cultures, and indulging in local games.

Gopikrishnan Gopalakrishna Pillai Sreerekha

Gopikrishnan is a Ph.D. candidate in atmospheric chemistry-climate interactions. As a child he enjoyed stargazing, which sparked his fascination with the skies. The allure of the unseen intricacies of the atmosphere led him to pursue a path in science.

Gopikrishnan, a graduate in physical oceanography, with a university level first rank from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, investigates the relationships between climate, meteorology and ozone in the atmosphere. As a Prime Minister’s Research Fellow (PMRF) at ATMOS lab, CORAL, IIT Kharagpur, he studies complex chemistry feedback systems that regulate and are governed by ozone at both the surface and the troposphere. He employs cutting-edge techniques, such as remote sensing methods and 3D numerical models, to better understand the convoluted connections that influence atmospheric processes.

As a Fulbright-Kalam Climate fellow at Columbia University, New York, NY, Gopikrishnan is working on chemistry transport models and investigating the chemical and dynamic aspects of atmospheric ozone. His primary goal is to identify the impact of aerosols on ozone variability using an extensive strategy supported by observations from a number of remotely sensed and ground-based data sources. His research findings are expected to elucidate the role of aerosol in ozone photochemistry using a global chemical transport model, with the goal of better parameterization of this process. He also plans on exploring the bustling streets of New York City, absorbing its warmth, vitality and vigour.

Chiranjit Das

Chiranjit Das is a Ph.D. candidate at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, under the supervision of Prof. Ravi Kumar Kunchala. He is working on improving understanding of the current state of carbon dioxide exchange among biosphere-atmosphere-ocean and its spatiotemporal evolution using a wide variety of observation and state-of-the-art modelling methodologies. He has published various research articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented his work at national and international conferences and workshops.

Chiranjit has completed his master’s from the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, and was an IASc-INSA-NASI summer research fellow at the Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. He has a bachelor’s in physics from Barasat Government College, West Bengal.

As a Fulbright-Kalam Climate fellow at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, Chiranjit is evaluating the role of fire in perturbing atmospheric carbon dioxide budget and its adverse effect on ecosystems across global tropics. The expected results from this study will improve carbon road map policy, ecosystem management, and emission mitigation strategy for stakeholders. Chiranjit hopes to go on treks in Pasadena while he is there. He enjoys playing badminton and volleyball, and is enthusiastic about exploring new places.

Ayushman Bhattacharya

Ayushman Bhattacharya is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. He is working on “Nutrient Removal and Recovery from Domestic and Industrial Wastewater using Bio-electrochemical Systems” under the supervision of Dr. Pritha Chatterjee. He has over four years of research experience, and has worked on different microbial fuel cell configurations, autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification, nutrient recovery, microalgae, and life cycle assessment. Ayushman received the prestigious Prime Minister Research Fellowship in 2021 and the Mitacs Globalink Research Thematic Award in 2023. He has published four research papers and two reviews in reputed international journals and has written five book chapters.

Ayushman’s understanding of environmental challenges sparked his research interest when he attended technical talks and pursued internships during his undergraduate days. He has a BTech in environmental engineering from GGSIPU, New Delhi. He has worked as a trainee engineer in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee where he was actively involved in framing environmental policies and implementing environmental laws.

As a Fulbright-Kalam Climate fellow at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology University, Rapid City, SD, Ayushman is understanding the optimal operational condition to enhance microalgae microbial fuel cell performance for simultaneous nutrient removal, CO2 sequestration, and bioelectricity generation. Further, he intends to produce biofuel using spent microalgae to facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. He expects that the outcome of his research will promote commercial upscaling and prevent nutrient loading in water bodies to maintain ecological stability in the aquatic ecosystem.

Amarjeet

Amarjeet was born and brought up in a farmer family in western Uttar Pradesh, a state known as the sugar bowl of India. Since his childhood he has had an interest in understanding the science behind natural phenomena. He pursued his bachelor’s and master’s from Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to be University), Haridwar, under the DST-INSPIRE scholarship program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. He pursued his post-graduation in physics, where he studied atmospheric physics as one of his specializations. He is currently working at CORAL, IIT Kharagpur as a DST-INSPIRE doctoral fellow.

For his doctoral research, Amarjeet is studying the changes in monsoon dynamics in recent climate change scenarios. He looks into the dynamical and thermodynamical features of atmosphere-ocean interaction that induce and modulate the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR).

As a Fulbright-Kalam Climate fellow at Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Amarjeet will be studying state-of-the-art climate models at a supercomputer cluster to understand the mechanism of extreme rainfall events over India and its hill regions. He is focusing on future climate projections of such events and on shaping policies to mitigate and adapt to upcoming warming conditions. . Amarjeet is fond of singing and listening to regional folk songs. He writes poems in Hindi and enjoys reading ancient Vedic literature.