Dr. Prateek Jha is a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Roorkee, India. His research interests are in the areas of molecular simulations, drug delivery, polymer physics, and theoretical nanoscience. He has earned his PhD from Northwestern University working with Prof. Monica Olvera de la Cruz, followed by a postdoctoral stint at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor working with Prof. Ronald Larson on a collaborative project with The Dow Chemical Company. He has won several awards including outstanding young faculty award from IIT Roorkee, young scientist award and INSPIRE award from the Department of Science and Technology (India), and distinguished researcher award from Northwestern University. He was a finalist for Frank J. Padden Jr. Award for excellence in polymer physics research of the American Physical Society in 2012. He has earned his undergraduate and master’s degree from NIT Warangal (India) and IIT Bombay (India), respectively.
Molecular Simulations, Drug Delivery, Polymer Physics, Nanoscience, Rheology, Fluid mechanics
Leading the Molecular Simulations & Drug Delivery Research Group with currently 1 Postdoctoral fellow, 4 PhD students, 2 M.Tech. students and several B.Tech. students. 4 Postdoctoral fellows, 3 PhD students, 17 M.Tech. students and several B.Tech. students have graduated so far.
Taught Engineering Analysis & Process Modeling (UG), Computer Programming (UG), Advanced Thermodynamics & Molecular Simulations (PG), Modeling and Simulation of Polymers (UG), Properties of Polymers (UG), Process Modeling & Simulation (UG), Introduction to Chemical Engineering (UG), Polymer Physics & Rheology (UG), Heterogeneous Catalysis & Reactor Design (PG), Industrial Instrumentation (UG). Listed among top 15 UG teachers shortlisted for outstanding teacher award of the institute in 2019.
Worked with Professor Ronald Larson on a collaborative project with the Dow Chemical Company on Computational Design of Cellulosic Excipients for Drug Delivery. Also, mentored several graduate students and worked on the Theory and Simulations of Polyelectrolyte Complexation.
Involved in the development of a 1D flow simulation software
Worked with Professor Mahesh Tirumkudulu on a sponsored project on Chemotaxis of E.Coli
Supervisor: Professor Monica Olvera de la Cruz
Dissertation: Theory and Simulations of Gels, Nanogels, and Nanoparticle Assemblies
GPA: 3.89/4
Awarded the Distinguished Researcher Award for best PhD work in the Department
Supervisor: Professor Mahesh Tirumkudulu
Dissertation: Measurement of Tack of Waterborne Adhesives on Porous Substrates
GPA: 9.16/10
First Class with Distinction (75.1%)
Institute Research Fellowship for Outstanding Young Faculty, IIT Roorkee, 2020
Young Scientist Award, SERB, 2016
INSPIRE Faculty Award, DST, 2014
Finalist for Frank J. Padden Jr. Award for excellence in polymer physics research, American Physical Society, 2012
McCormick Terminal Year Fellowship, Northwestern University, 2011
Distinguished Researcher Award, Northwestern University, 2011
Non-Equilibrium Research Center Fellowship, Northwestern University, 2010
The Graduate School Conference Travel Grant, Northwestern University, 2008, 2009, 2010 (3 times)
Materials Research Science & Engineering Center Fellowship, Northwestern University, 2008
Murphy Fellowship, Northwestern University, 2007
Merit Scholarship, NIT Warangal, 2001
Merit Certificate for outstanding performance in Mathematics in All India Secondary School Examination, CBSE, 1997
Merit Certificate for performance in All India Secondary School Examination, Government of NCT of Delhi, 1997
Introduction to GAUSSIAN: Theory & Practice, Gaussian Inc., Pune, 2014
Postdoctoral Short Course on College Teaching in Science & Engineering, Center for Research on Learning & Teaching, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 2013
First Les Houches School in Computational Physics -Soft Matter, Ecole de Physique des Houches, Les Houches, France, 2011
Management for Scientists and Engineers, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2010
Developed a PG core course on “Advanced Thermodynamics and Molecular Simulations” at IIT Roorkee
Delivered 6 lectures in QIP courses at IIT Roorkee between 2015-2018
Developed a 12-week MOOC course on Introduction to Polymer Physics, NPTEL, started from July 2018 session
Developed a 12-week MOOC course on Advanced Thermodynamics and Molecular Simulations, NPTEL, started from January 2021 session
Convener, 12th International Conference on Complex Fluids and Soft Matter, COMPFLU-2018, December 6-9, 2018 followed by Indo-US Workshop on Soft Matter, December 9-11, 2018, at IIT Roorkee
Session Chair, Polymers Session & Soft Matter in Industry Session, COMPFLU-2017, IIT Madras, December 18-20, 2017
Reviewer for many reputed journals
Review Editor, Frontiers in Physics-Soft Matter
American Physical Society
The Institution of Engineers (India)
Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChE)
Chairperson, GATE-JAM, IIT Roorkee, 2023-2024
Vice-Chairperson, GATE-JAM, IIT Roorkee, 2021-2023
Member, UG Curriculum Revision Committee, 2020-2023
Coordinator, SPARK (summer internship program), IIT Roorkee, 2017-2020 (also played major role in starting this program)
Member, Institute Academic Progress Committee, IIT Roorkee, 2017-2018
Prepared the proposal and represented the department for the new M.Tech. program in Chemical Engineering started in 2018
Faculty Advisor, Photography Session, IIT Roorkee, 2016-2017
Member, Department Space Management Committee (DSMC), 2019-
Member, Department Web Management Committee (DWMC), 2019-
Member and Secretary, Departmental Research Committee (DRC), Department of Chemical Engineering, 2015-2017
Member and Secretary, Departmental Academic Progress Committee (DAPC), Department of Chemical Engineering, 2017-2020
Member and Secretary, Departmental Administrative Committee (DAC), Department of Chemical Engineering, 2018-
Member, Departmental Faculty Search Committee (DFSC), Department of Chemical Engineering, 2018-2020
Faculty-incharge, Training & Placement, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2015-
Seminar Coordinator, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2015-
Deputy OC, High Computing Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2014-
OC, Heat Transfer UG Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2014-2018
OC, Workshop-Boiler & Compressor, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2014-2018
PI on the "Development of Biodegradable Intracameral Implants and Drug-Loaded Intraocular Lenses for Treatment of Open Angle Glaucoma", SERB, 2023-2026 (Total outlay: 27.28 Lacs)
PI on the project "Studying drug diffusion in multiresponsive, multilayered polymeric materials for applications in oral and ocular delivery", SERB, 2021-2024 (Total outlay: 34.83 Lacs)
co-PI on the project "First-principle design, synthesis, and characterization of nickel-ceria-zirconia catalysts for methane tri-reforming from MOF precursors, SERB, 2019-2022 (Total outlay: 55.728 Lacs)
PI on the project In-vitro dissolution experiments and multi scale simulations of responsive polymer-drug formulation, SERB, 2016-2019 (Total outlay: 30.52 Lacs)
PI on the project Stimulus-Response of “Smart” Polymers for drug delivery, INSPIRE unit, DST, 2014-2019 (Total outlay: Rs. 35 Lacs)
co-PI for 4 major equipments purchased under the SMILE scheme, IIT Roorkee, 2017 (Total approx. Rs. 8 crores)
PI on the project Molecular Simulations of Stimuli-Responsive Materials for Drug Delivery Applications, Faculty Initiation Grant, IIT Roorkee, 2014-2017 (Total outlay: Rs. 10 Lacs)
Part of the department team for the presentation made at Indian Academy of Science, Bangalore for the DST-FIST Level-II grant that was later granted to the department, 2018 (Total outlay: Rs. 3.7 crores)
PI for a computational allocation on the project “Large scale atomistic molecular dynamics study of drug-release from stimuli-responsive polymeric carriers” at National Param Supercomputing Facility, 2017-2018
PI/co-PI for two major computational allocations of total ~3.6 million CPU hours on the “Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE)” supercomputing resource, USA, 2013-2014