Work Experience

• Assistant Professor, Grade-I [Jan 2026 - Present]

      Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, West Bengal, India

           > Teaching Nuclear Geophysics (core): Nuclear methods and instrumentation

• Postdoctoral Researcher [May 2025 - Dec 2025]

      Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium

           > Characterization of radiation detectors for X-ray imaging and tomography 

• Postdoctoral Researcher [Nov 2020 - Nov 2024]

    Luminescence Dating Laboratory, RLAHA, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom (UK)   

     > Infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) imaging at sub-single grain level on feldspar mineral grains for application in                 retrospective dosimetry. 

     > Geochemical analysis of feldspar minerals using synchrotron sources.

     > Measurement of natural radioisotopes using Gamma Spectroscopy, Alpha counter, and Timepix3 detector.

• Ad-hoc Teaching Fellow [Nov 2020 -  Nov 2024]

      University of Oxford, United Kingdom (UK)   

    > Advanced luminescence dating technique to Master students at the University of Oxford.

• Doctoral Researcher and Research Assistant [Dec 2016 - Mar 2020]

Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark

    > Understanding luminescence processes in feldspar and quartz using novel site-selective spectroscopic and                         microscopic techniques.

    > Spectroscopic investigations of various luminescent materials: Al2O3:C, Mg, YPO4: Ce, Cm, and Mn2+ doped oixdes. 

• Visiting Researcher [Mar - Apr 2019]

      LumiLab, Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium.

   > NIR laser-induced photoluminescence in a natural mineral (feldspar).

   > Electron beam-induced luminescence (SEM-CL) imaging.

• Teaching Assistant [Jan - Dec 2018]

      Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark

   > Engineering Physics to B.Sc. (Eng.) students.

• Master's thesis [Dec 2015 - May 2016]

      Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India

   > Fabrication of an organic-inorganic (PEDOT:PSS/Silicon) hybrid solar cell.

   >  Optical characterization of the thin film layer and performance testing of a complete device. 

• Summer Internship [May - Jul 2015]

      Department of Physics, University College Cork, Ireland

   > Characterization of passively mode-locked dual-section quantum dash laser subjected to optical feedback (Gain to Absorber).

• Summer Internship [May - Jul 2014]

      Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India.

   > Evolving TiO2 semiconductor disc to perform photocatalysis using ultraviolet light and visible light

• Bachelor`s Thesis [Dec 2013 - Apr 2014]

      International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, India.

   > Study of optical and structural properties of photonic crystals (chalcogenide glasses) using multi-spectroscopic                  techniques.

• Summer Internship [Dec 2013 - Apr 2014]

      Advanced Centre for Research in High Energy Materials, University of Hyderabad, India.

    > Project: Determination of nonlinear optical properties such as absorption coefficient, refraction index, two-photon           absorption coefficient of Copper Tetra Tolylporphyrins (CuTTP) using the Z-scan technique.

Skills & Activities 

• Technical Skills

Radiation Detection and Imaging, Nuclear Spectroscopy, Dosimetry & Dating, Microscopy/Imaging, Material Characterization, Image Processing, Thin Film Deposition, Solar Cells Fabrication.

• Instrumentation Skills

Portable Gamma-ray Spectrometers, Timepix3- ionizing radiation detection system, Thick Source Alpha Counter, COLUR (CryOgenic LUminescence Research: Upgraded Horiba Fluorolog-3 Spectrofluorometer) facility, Scanning Electron Microscope (Spectrophotometer attached, SEM-CL), Micro x-ray Fluorescence instrument, Edinburgh Spectrometer, UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopic system (EDX), Ball Milling machine, Risø TL/OSL/IRPL reader, Lexsyg Luminescence reader

• Software Skills

Matlab, Originlab, LaTex, Risø Analyst, Python (beginners), PyXRF (X-ray luminescence data analysis software), ImageJ (Image processing software), OxGamma (Gamma dose rate analysis software).

• Reviewer 

Radiation Measurements, Nuclear Science and Techniques, Qeios, Quaternary Geochronology, Gchron.,

 Geochronometria, Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 

• Software Development (check here)

OxGamma (Matlab-based application for gamma spectrum analysis)

• Scientific Memberships

-The international society for optics and photonics (SPIE, 2011-2016) 

-Photonics 21   

Education

• PhD in Physics

Department of Physics (Centre for Nuclear Technologies), Technical University of Denmark, Denmark. [2016 - 2020]

• Integrated MSc, Optics and Photonics (CGPA- 9.46/10) 

Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, Kerala, India. [2011 - 2016]

• Higher Secondary School (+2)

Gaya College Gaya, Bihar, India

• Secondary School (10th)

S S High School, Sullebatta, Bihar, India

Presentations

• Raju Kumar, Deploying Timepix3 in Low-Radioactivity Natural Settings: Integrated Workflow for Charged Particle Detection and Imaging, IWORID2025, Slovakia. (Talk)

• Raju Kumar, Infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) emission in K-feldspar for dating by imaging. Martin Aitken Seminar (2024), University of Oxford, UK (Invited Talk)

• Raju Kumar, Infrared Photoluminescence in Feldspar: Pioneering Insights and Dating Potential. 5th workshop on Luminescence Dating and its Applications. Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad. (Invited Speaker)

• Raju Kumar, Daniel Wood, Richard Plackett, Marine Frouin, Jean-Luc Schwenninger: Investigating the potential of time-pixelated Si-detector in radiation dosimetry relevant to luminescence dating. 17th International Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance (LED 2023), Denmark. 

• Raju Kumar, Marine Frouin, Jean-Luc Schwenninger, Thieme Juergen: A synchrotron study of the defects associated with the principal trap in feldspar: initial findings. Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance (UK-LED 2022), United Kingdom. (Talk)

• Raju Kumar, Marine Frouin, Jean-Luc Schwenninger, Thieme Juergen: IR-OSL/PL/RF emissions in feldspar. IR-RF workshop 2022, Giessen University, Germany. (Invited Speaker)

• Raju Kumar, Marine Frouin, Thieme Juergen, Jean-Luc Schwenninger: Mapping oxidation states of Fe and Pb in naturally occurring aluminosilicates (feldspars) for application in luminescence dating. Conference for NSLS-II & CFN Joint Users 2022, online. (poster)

• Raju Kumar, Infrared Photoluminescence (IRPL): A new luminescence dating technique. Climate and Chronology seminar series 2021. University of Oxford. (Invited Speaker)

• Raju Kumar, Marine Frouin, James Gazack, Jean-Luc Schwenninger: OxGamma: a MATLAB-based application for the calibration of portable gamma-ray spectrometers and the analysis of field spectra for environmental dose-rate measurements, online Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance (LED) meeting, 2021. (poster)

• Raju Kumar, Gallo Antoine, Andrew Murray, Eren Sahiner, Ellaine Sellwood, Myungho Kook, Mayank Jain: Understanding the dynamics of electron de-trapping using ΔIRPL. Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance (UK-LED 2019), Denmark. (Talk)

• Raju Kumar, Myungho Kook, Mayank Jain: Sediment dating using infra-red photoluminescence. Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance (UK-LED 2019), Denmark. (poster)

• Raju Kumar, Myungho Kook, Mayank Jain: Characterization of electron traps in a natural aluminosilicate (feldspar) by low-temperature photoluminescence excitation-emission spectroscopy. 19th international conference on solid-state dosimetry (SSD) 2019, Japan. (Talk)

• Raju Kumar, Myungho Kook, Mayank Jain: Insights into the stability of trapped electrons in feldspar from infrared photoluminescence (IRPL). Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance (UK-LED 2018), United Kingdom. (Talk)

• Raju Kumar, Myungho Kook, Andrew Sean Murray, Mayank Jain: New insights into the electron trapping centers in feldspar. 15th International Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance (LED 2017), Cape Town, South Africa. (Talk) .

Awards and Recognitions

• Grant: SBU/BNL Seed grant (named for RA) for carrying out research at National Synchrotron Facility, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Stony Brook University (SBU), USA. (PIs: Dr. Marine Frouin and Dr. Thieme Juergen)

• Fellowship: Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

• Award: Scientific Excellence Award for the best science at the UK-LED conference, Denmark.

• Award: The Peter Townsend Award for the most innovative idea in instrumentation/methodology at LED2017 conference, Cape town. 

• Scholarship: PhD Scholarship at Denmark Technical University, Denmark for PhD studies.

• Scholarship: Travel Grant for attending PhD open day 2016 at ICFO, Spain.

• Scholarship: Research Fellowship for carrying out the Master Project at IIT Bombay.

• Scholarship: ASPIRE fellowship for carrying out thesis/project at IIT Bombay.

• Scholarship: Bihar Scholarship for the academic session 2015-2016, by the state government).

• Scholarship: Research Fellowship for carrying out a summer internship in UCC, Ireland.

• Scholarship: Summer Research Fellowship for carrying out a summer internship at IIT Madras.

• Scholarship: Summer Research Scholarship, University of Queensland, Australia.

• Scholarship: ASPIRE fellowship for carrying out summer internship at the University of Hyderabad.

• Award: Nalanda Endowment Award (for securing the first rank in the first semester of Int. MSc).