Teaching
Teaching
The ability to learn and acquire knowledge is one of the best practices one can develop in a lifetime. However, I believe that knowledge truly gains meaning only when it is shared with others. The expansion of knowledge is essential for the advancement of society, and teaching is the mechanism through which we can communicate that knowledge to new generations within the societal framework. I was fortunate enough to teach several undergraduate and graduate courses during my PhD and postdoc, and I will continue to do so as a faculty member at TIFR. Moving forward, I am committed to teaching young minds and learning from them for as long as I can.
I had the privilege of discussing teaching strategies with Nobel Laureate Carl E. Wieman, whose work on innovative pedagogy greatly influenced me. Our conversation highlights the importance of an interactive learning environment for engaging students and fostering effective learning. My teaching approach includes interactive lectures, multimedia and visualization tools, and collaborative projects. I promote open discussions during lectures, using questions to guide students in developing logical thinking. Visualization softwares, programming languages (e.g. Matlab, Python), and simulation websites (e.g. PhET) help students grasp abstract concepts. Course materials are complemented by relevant literature to connect fundamentals with current research.
Teaching at TIFR
1. Advanced Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Dynamics (Spring 2025)
Course Code: CHM-123.1; Credits: 4
Subject Board: Chemistry
Course offered at TIFR, Mumbai Campus
Course Type: Course for Integrated PhD and PhD program in Chemistry
Resources for Students
1. Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Nonlinear Optics
a) Prof. Andrei Tokmakoff's Lectures and notes
b) Prof. Kevin Kubarich's Lectures
c) Prof. Rick Trebino's Lectures and notes
g) High Harmonic Generation lectures
2. Group Theory and Spectroscopy
a) Prof. Anindya Dutta's IITB lectures
b) F.A Cotton's book on Group theory
3. Quantum Chemistry
a) Quantum Mechanics by Griffiths
b) Quantum Chemistry by Levine
c) Prof. Barton Zwiebach MIT Lectures
4. Thermodynamics Statistical Mechanics
a) Prof. Mehran Kardar MIT Lectures
b) Prof. Srabani Taraphder IITKgp Lectures
c) Prof. Nelson and Bawendi's Thermodynamics and Kinetics
5. Miscellaneous
a) The false choice of basic vs. applied research
b) How to speak
c) Scientists need more time to think
d) Our Role in Solving Global Challenges
e) Making scientific figures
g) How to make a good presentation
j) Microsoft OneNote as lab notebook
k) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect
Past teaching experiences:
1. Teaching Assistant and Lecturer
Undergraduate Physical Chemistry (CHEM 5722, Spring 2017)
Undergraduate Chemistry Honors (CHEM 1910H, Fall 2017 & 2016)
Advanced Analytical Spectroscopy (CHEM 7140, Spring 2019)
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
The Ohio State University, USA
2. Teaching Assistant and Lab Instructor
Undergraduate Elementary Chemistry (CHEM 1110, Fall 2015)
Undergraduate Chemistry for Engineers (CHEM 1250, Spring 2016)
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
The Ohio State University, USA
3. Lecturer and Preceptor
Undergraduate Integrated Science (Spring 2022)
Physical Chemistry and Quantum Mechanics
Princeton University, USA
4. Faculty of Applied Mathematics
Accelerated Learning Academy
(Fall 2020 & Spring 2021)
W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars Institute
Princeton, USA