Education:

M.Sc. Chemistry, Bangalore University (2018)

M.S. Chemistry, University of Iowa (2022)

Hometown:

Bangalore, India

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I am mainly an outdoors person. I love long walks, solo cycle rides, hiking, and trekking. I also like to cook, read books, and hang out with friends. Now since I am in US, I would like to do some road trips to national parks.

How did you become interested in CER?

Before pursuing my masters, I was teaching chemistry to high school students in various learning environments. It was unequivocally clear to me that I was interested in science teaching and learning. For a brief period, I explored organic synthesis after my master’s program. When I contrasted my experience in teaching versus wet lab chemistry, it was beyond doubt that I wanted to purse research in chemistry education and hence I chose CER for my graduate studies.

What do you hope to do after your time in the Becker Group?

I wish to work in an academic setup that involves research in chemistry education.

What is your main research project?

I am currently exploring undergraduate students’ conceptions of bonding models in inorganic chemistry. When multiple bonding models exists to explain bonding in molecules, what is the rationale behind one’s choice of a particular model is worth exploring.