One Year in Nanoscience: A Beginning That Gives Hope

 One year in Nanoscience -and it still feels like a beautiful beginning.

An institution grows not merely because of buildings, instruments, or titles, but because of the people who join it, strengthen it, and quietly believe in what it can become.

Over this year, the Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology has begun to gather such people. Our postdoctoral team itself brings wonderful diversity in research: Dr. Aswathy P in nonlinear optics, spectroscopy, DFT, and optical limiting; Dr. Sreevalsa S in quantum dots, optoelectronics, phosphors, MOFs, and hybrid materials; and Bijimol B I in electrochemistry, hydrogen evolution, surface engineering, and advanced nanomaterials. Along with them, our students and research team have been taking the department forward through work in energy materials, nanocomposites, coatings, catalysis, and interdisciplinary nanoscience.

It is especially encouraging that new interdisciplinary directions are also emerging. One such interesting line is Ansha Rahman’s work on exosome isolation from nicotine-treated SH-SY5Y cells -a neuronal model relevant to neuroscience and neurodegenerative studies, including systems used in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research.

And then came a very meaningful moment to close this one-year journey: on 31 March, Shilpa completed her Ph.D. What a way to end the year -with research centred on MoS₂, MXene-containing systems, and hydrogen generation through electrocatalytic water splitting. Her thesis on Molybdenum disulfide-based high-performance electrode materials for electrocatalytic water splitting felt like a strong and beautiful academic milestone for all of us.

With Nithin joining as Technical Officer, another important strength has been added to the department. Instruments also need care, attention, responsibility, and someone to stand by them. I feel his joining will help us organise the instrumentation side better and, perhaps in time, help us open our facilities more confidently to outside samples as well. Let us see how beautifully this can grow.

I remain deeply grateful to all those who have been instrumental in helping me stand here in Nanoscience and contribute in whatever way I can. In a great journey, not everyone gets to build in grand, visible ways. Some of us can only do our small part with sincerity. I often feel close to that spirit. If I can contribute even a little to help this department make its mark in the vast and magnanimous world of nanoscience, I will consider it a blessing.

This is just a start.

But I truly believe -we will flourish.