Puru Jena, Ph.D.

Title: The Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment at VCU

Puru Jena, Distinguished Professor of Physics and Founding Director of the Institute of Sustainable Energy and Environment at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond, USA, received his Ph. D. in Physics from the University of California in 1970. After postdoctoral and visiting appointments at Dalhousie University, University of British Columbia, Northwestern University, and Argonne National Laboratory, he joined Michigan Technological University as an Associate Professor of Physics in 1978. He moved to VCU in 1980 where he has remained ever since, except for a year (1986-87) at the National Science Foundation as a Program Director and a year (2007-08) at the US Department of State as Jefferson Science Fellow and Senior Science Adviser. Author of more than 650 papers and 14 edited books, Prof. Jena works at the interface of Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Science. He has given over 550 invited lectures at international conferences and institutions in 34 countries and 6 continents. His Google Scholar citations and H-index stand at 34,500 and 92, respectively. His many honors include Member of the National Academy of Inventors, Prof. A. K. Chandra Memorial Award of the Indian Chemical Society, Outstanding Scientist of Virginia and Outstanding Faculty of Virginia awarded by the Governor of Virginia, Presidential Medallion, Outstanding Scholar and University Award of Excellence from VCU, and David Hare Professorship Lecture. He has served on scientific panels at the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, National Academy of Science, Virginia Governor’s Task Force on Renewable Energy and Presidential Commission on Nanoscience and Energy between Russia and USA.