Rate My Professor Poonam Gulati

Poonam Gulati Salhotra is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Biology in the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Houston-Downtown, where she has served on the faculty since 1997. Holding a PhD in microbiology, she maintains an active research lab focused on microbial biofilms. Her scholarly contributions include the publication 'Mathematical Modeling of Pseudomonas stutzeri Biofilm Growth and Inhibition' in 2012, 'Isolation and Identification of Microorganisms in JSC Mars-1 Simulant Soil' in 2005, and 'Effective Treatment of Osteomyelitis with Biodegradable Microspheres in a Rabbit Model' in 2004. Additional key works encompass studies on complement pathway components in normal and diseased synovium (1993-1994), synthesis of complement components by synovial membrane (1992), and regulation of antibody secretion by hybridoma cells (1988-1989).

In addition to her teaching and research roles, Gulati Salhotra serves as Executive Director of the Impact Learning Office at UHD, directing programs in service learning, undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, and capstone projects. She previously directed the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning and led the university's Quality Enhancement Plan, Academic Achievement through Community Engagement (A+CE). Her leadership has earned accolades, including UHD's Faculty Excellence Award for Professional/Institutional Service in 2003 and, in 2026, the Civic Engagement and Community Service Award from Insight Into Academia magazine for UHD's service learning initiatives. Gulati Salhotra also holds positions as Program and Curriculum Associate Professor, participates in the Center for Public Deliberation as an associate, and serves on the Study Abroad Risk Management Committee, fostering community engagement and high-impact educational practices across the institution.