Retirement Speech

Dr Sukarma Rani Thareja is an Associate Professor in Department of Chemistry at the Christ Church College, Kanpur. A Ph. D. from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur with B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. (Chemistry) from Delhi University, (Miranda House) joined teaching Faculty of Chemistry at Ch. Ch. College in 1990, after working as a postdoctoral fellow /research scientist and Pool Officer (CSIR, New Delhi) in the Department of Chemistry at IIT Kanpur (1986- 90).

In addition to teaching and other responsibilities of the college Dr Thareja has been active in her research work. She has extensively published in the area of theoretical Physical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry and has published 45 research papers in refereed journals of high international standing, and also contributed articles in conference proceedings. Among the major areas of application of her research work are (i) To develop theoretical model to understand various chemical reactions through potential energy surfaces (ii) Environmental Chemistry, in particular to access the hazardous material in Ganges water. This work focuses on the dynamical behavior (modeling) of the various chemical constituents of the pollutants. Her works have been supported by Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi and University Grant Commission, New Delhi. She has made several presentations as oral/poster in various conferences in India, USA, UK, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Mauritius, Poland, some of these have appeared as chapters in interdisciplinary books. In recognition of her outstanding research contributions she has been Chairperson of session in International Conferences in India and abroad. She has supervised Ph. D. theses and is reviewer of national and international journals

Dr Thareja’s enjoys teaching and interactions with students at all levels. In addition to teaching at College she has been resource person for audio video program of MHRD. She has delivered lectures to undergraduate students on physical chemistry through video (virtual class room) to various colleges in the state of Chhattisgarh under outreach program of MHRD. Lectures were simultaneously received at twenty locations in Chhattisgarh.

Dr Thareja’s keen interest in teaching through ICT has helped innovate teaching methodology to make lectures interesting through digital educational collages. These collages, a tool for teaching science to visual learner has featured in international magazine and web site in India, UK, and Australia. Some of her educational collages are appreciated by Nobel Laureate of Chemistry (1981), Professor Roald Hoffman, Cornell University; ‘Dr. Sukarma Thareja’s inventive collages play ingeniously with the ideas of chemistry. And they are appealing! With her excellent sense for color, the collages meld text and image into an attractive whole’. Her collage entitled ‘Indian tiger’ is displayed in a museum in Colorado, USA. It was exhibited in International Museum of Collage, Assemblage and Construction commemorating 100 years of Collage Art. Her educational collages have in News of UP Anudeshak Bharti, upbasiceduparishad.gov.in and news aggregator of USA. Editor Web site appreciated her work –‘Her educational collages are her humble efforts to help visual learners. Her foray into such diversified subjects such as science and arts with such meticulous dedications leaves one mystified. We welcome her art and wish her all the best.’

In her free time she puts her scientific thoughts into scientific poems essentially summarizing class lectures have featured in international journals/magazines of science and English in Ireland, UK, USA, and India. Some of her work is listed in Voices Project Poetry Library, USA. Her contribution has been appreciated by the editor Kaaterskill Basin Literary Journal of USA. Editor website Scientific Rhymes (USA) wrote ‘Specializing in Physical Chemistry research, she is a fellow advocate of sharing science through poetry and visual arts.’

She has also published several poems in Hindi in ANTAS, annual patrika published by Hindi cell of IIT-K, and Voices –IIT-K Alumni association magazine. Her poems are also published on line; www.yourstoryclub.co, www.poemocean.com. Her poems have also been transmitted in FM IITK Radio station. Some of her poems have been recited in Hindi talent show in USA. As an amateur photographer, one of her photographs entitled ‘Glamour of sun rise’ featured in 2nd online photography exhibition (March 1st -15th, 2016) in the category featuring scientific phenomenon.