Two faculty members of Indian origin at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have been honored with named professorships for early career achievements, which is the highest distinction given by the institute. These prestigious awards aim to provide additional resources to support innovative research while fostering mentorship and training for future generations.
Among the 13 recognized faculty members, Smruthi Karthikeyan, the Gordon and Carol Treweek Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering, and Karthish Manthiram, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and William H. Hurt Scholar, stood out for their remarkable contributions.
Smruthi Karthikeyan’s research lies at the intersection of engineering, computational biology, and microbial ecology. Her work focuses on exploring microbial dark matter and understanding the behavior of complex microbial communities. Using advanced techniques like DNA, RNA, and metabolomics analysis, she aims to unravel the intricate interactions within these communities. The potential implications of her research are significant, from identifying biomarkers to study the human gut microbiome’s impact on health to addressing climate change.
On the other hand, Karthish Manthiram is dedicated to developing artificial chemical synthesis methods inspired by natural metabolic processes. His goal is to mimic plants’ ability to derive essential resources from water, air, and sunlight. His research centers around designing electrochemical catalysts and processes that efficiently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and oceans using renewable electricity sources, such as solar power. This captured carbon, along with atmospheric nitrogen, can then be transformed into valuable materials like fuels, fertilizers, and pharmaceutical compounds. Manthiram’s groundbreaking work offers promising prospects in combating climate change and advancing sustainable manufacturing, as recognized by Caltech.
