Rate My Professor Aditi Chandrasekar

Aditi Chandrasekar is a faculty member in Chemistry at Azim Premji University, contributing to teaching, curriculum development, laboratory infrastructure setup, and research. She completed an Integrated B.S.–M.S. programme in Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, where she gained early research experience through a project at IIT Madras, resulting in a publication. Chandrasekar earned her PhD from the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), under the Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) and Department of Atomic Energy, exploring experimental and theoretical aspects of actinide complexation, including solvent extraction, chromatography, and quantum chemical calculations. Following her doctorate, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, focusing on computational studies of two-dimensional materials. Prior to advanced studies, after high school, she taught chemistry at a coaching centre for IIT aspirants and joined Azim Premji University during its undergraduate curriculum development phase before pursuing her PhD.

At Azim Premji University, Chandrasekar facilitates undergraduate courses such as Chemical Analysis and Spectroscopy, which covers light-matter interactions for chemical characterization; Thermodynamics and Kinetics, emphasizing reaction dynamics; Spectroscopy and its Application to Nanomaterials; and General Physics. Her research specializations lie in computational chemistry, employing density functional theory for electronic structure calculations to model chemical reactions involving organometallic complexes, homogeneous catalysis, electrochemistry, and small molecule activation, notably CO2 utilization into cyclic carbonates under mild conditions. Key publications include 'Co9S8/CoTe2 n-n type heterojunction: A heterogenic interfacial integration of Co9S8 and CoTe2 phases for energy-efficient hydrazine oxidation assisted hydrogen production' (Small, 2025); 'Lattice engineering triggered phase formation of bimetallic thiospinels with excellent HzOR and OER activity' (ChemCatChem, 2025); 'Phosphorus-induced one-step synthesis of NiCo2S4 electrode material for efficient hydrazine-assisted hydrogen production' (Inorganic Chemistry, 2023); 'Alumina-based bifunctional catalyst for efficient CO2 fixation into epoxides at atmospheric pressure' (Inorganic Chemistry, 2022); 'Strong influence of weak hydrogen bonding on actinide-phosphonate complexation: Accurate predictions from DFT followed by experimental validation' (Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2019); and 'Luminescent silver clusters with covalent functionalization of graphene' (Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2012). She has authored articles on teacher education in Teacher Plus magazine, including 'Subject of Choice' (2013), 'Good Things Come in Small Sizes' (2013), 'In the Atomic Heart' (2015), and 'Learning the E-way' (2017).