Dr. Pooja has done her Ph.D. in Engineering from the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi (2018). She has received her M. Tech. (Nanotechnology) from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee (2010) with the first rank, and B. Tech (Biotechnology) from Kurukshetra University. Currently, she is working as a Principal Scientist in Materials Science and Sensor group at CSIR-CSIO, Chandigarh.
Her major research interest includes materials design for green hydrogen production, water/air pollutants degradation, and water pollutants monitoring. Her research expertise is in the domain of materials engineering, techniques, and associated affordable and portable devices development for water pollutants detection, degradation, green hydrogen production, air purification, etc. She has established methods for the synthesis of varied categories of materials such as metallic nanostructures, transition metal oxides, semiconductors, carbonaceous nanostructured materials, 2D materials, MXenes, etc. She is currently working towards the synthesis of smart heterostructure and hybrid catalysts, engineering for their catalytic sites, as well as addressing their scalability challenges for commercial applications.
Her investigations are published worldwide in highly reputed international journals and have been recognized at the highest level. She has filed 03 patents, 02 design registration, 01 copyright, transferred 02 technology, published 84 international high-impact publications, edited 07 books, 22 book chapters, 90 conference papers, and delivered 60 invited/oral talks. She has received funding/fellowships from DST, SERB, CSIR, ACS, IUSSTF, etc., for various projects. She is also a recipient of several prestigious awards and fellowships including NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award (2021), IEI Young Engineer Award, INAE Young Engineer Award (2020), SERB Women Excellence Award (2020), Young Associateship of Indian Academy of Science (2019-22), Haryana Yuva Vigyan Ratan Award (2019), Young Scientist Award (2019) from Indian Science Congress Association, Young Scientist Award (2019) from International Society for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, IUSSTF Water Advanced Research and Innovation (WARI) fellowship (2017), Canadian Commonwealth Fellowship (2010), GC Jain Memorial Award (2020) by MRSI, PITTCON- Travel Grant (2018) from American Chemical Society, SERB International Travel grant, etc. She is also a young associate/member of major national academies of the country including INAE, IASc, and NASI. She is currently serving as a core committee member of the Indian Young National Academy of Science (INYAS), INSA, New Delhi. She has also represented India at several international platforms including BRICS Young Scientist Conclave and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Young Scientist Conclave. She has been recently listed under Eminent 125 women in Science by CII Compendium released by PSA (2022). She has mentored more than 40 undergraduate and postgraduate trainee students and currently guiding 06 Ph.D. students and 01 project staff.
Besides, her research activities, She is also a passionate science communicator and is coordinating various science outreach activities under CSIR-JIGYASA, VIGYAN JYOTI, INYAS-INSA, IEEE NTC student chapter for science promotion amongst school children, teachers, college students, etc., especially girls.
2009-2010: Canadian Commonwealth Visiting Fellow, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
2010-2013: Scientist, Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector-30C, Chandigarh, India
2015-2019: Assistant Professor, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
July 2018-October 2018: WARI fellow, Nebraska University, Lincoln, USA
2015-2019: Senior Scientist, Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector-30C, Chandigarh, India
2019-Present: Principal Scientist, Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector-30C, Chandigarh, India
2019-Present: Associate Professor, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India
2023-Present: CSIR Raman Research Fellows, Drexel University, USA
Member, The National Academy of Science in India (NASI)
Young Associate, Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc)
Young Associate, Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)
Core Committee Member, Indian National Young Academy of Sciences (INYAS)
Council Member, The Electrochemical Society of India (ECSI)
Ex Coordinator, Indian National Young Academy of Sciences, Chandigarh Chapter
Life Member, Electrochemical Society of India (ECSI)
Member, VIBHA (Membership # 28519)
Professional Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Life Member, Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC).
Life Member, Material Research Society of India (MRSI)
Life Member, Semiconductor Society of India (SSI)
Life Member, Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)
Member, Analytical Division of American Chemical Society (ACS)
Board Member, B. Tech (Biotech), UIET, Kurukshetra University
Faculty Adviser, IEEE Nanotechnology Student Branch, AcSIR-CSIO
Member, BMC, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, Chandigarh