Faculty Interview: Dr. Somnath Bhattacharyya
Dr.Somnath Bhattacharyya joined the department in August 2015. He specializes in the field of nanoscopy and characterisation.
How did you get into the field of metallurgy?
When I was pursuing my bachelor’s I took up this field because of its job opportunities. Back then I wanted to pursue electrical engineering, but was unable to do so. My interest in the field of metallurgy grew over time. This interest came from my interest in physics. After my bachelor’s I took up a job, after which I decided to move back into academia.
How has your experience in academia been like?
I’ve worked in multiple universities in the past. I’ve worked in Germany, US and India. I have worked on the areas of electron microscopy. I have worked on developing new methodologies for scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In this time I was really able to pursue my interest in physics and microscopy.
In the light of the recent microscope acquisitions of the institute, what do you feel about the facilities present for electron microscopy here and abroad?
The amount of technology present in the world is immense. TITAN (the microscope recently acquired by IITM) is one of those incredible technologies. There are many microscopes with equally incredible functions abroad as well. It comes down to two factors: aberrations and resolving power. Right now we can get resolving power in the order of angstroms, which is a truly fascinating achievement.
How has your first year at IITM been like?
Oh! It’s been a wonderful experience here. After coming here I found it a pleasant change. The campus is full of life and the environment is calm and nice. I’ve enjoyed my time in this department as well. There are numerous opportunities for students here. There are faculty who specialize in all kinds of areas in our department. Although the job packages may not seem as great as those of CS and electrical departments, we have a department which can nurture the students to grow in it. Above all, I find the people here very friendly in our department. They have been very kind and helpful to me.
Do you have any advice for students?
Pay attention in classes, keep a lookout for opportunities. It will help expose you to academia which will definitely benefit you. Last but not the least, are there any interesting incidents you would like to share with us? During my presentation/interview for this job I had a bad toothache. When this happened, our HoD, Prof. B.S. Murty, helped me out by taking me to the hospital. This goes to show how friendly most of our department is!
