Subrata Sanyal: Research Scientist

SUBRATA SANYAL
Blacksburg, VA

OBJECTIVE:
Seeking an experienced scientific R&D or a lead technical program management position that effectively utilizes my diverse set of skills and learning: experiments, computer simulation, and instrumentation; leadership, project management, teaching, productivity improvement, oral and written communication.

EDUCATION:

• Ph.D. Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India (Course-work GPA = 4.00 in 4.00 scale) Dissertation: “Phase Separation and Dynamics of Concentrated Colloids: Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy and Brownian Dynamics Simulations”
• M.Sc. Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India (GPA = 3.90 in 4.00 scale) Dissertation: “Preparation and characterization of Yt-Ba-Cu-O superconductors”
• B.Sc. Physics (Honors), University of Calcutta, India (GPA = 3.22 in 4.00 scale)

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY:

• 16 years of scientific research & development experience in micro-/nano-materials & optics
• 3 years of fast-paced program management experience in government and several years of technical project management experience in academia and private industry
• 40+ peer-reviewed journal and conference publications, 200+ citation indices, several invited talks
• Highly motivated, goal-oriented, team builder, fast learner, problem solver and decision maker
• United States’ citizen; willing to relocate within the country

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE & LEARNING:

• Experimental: Advanced materials (micro- & nano-particle dielectric colloidal dispersions, Polymers, Photonic crystals using template-directed micro-assembly of colloids, etc.); Laser spectroscopy, Ultra-low signal detection techniques, e.g., photon-counting, Lock-in, etc.; Use of Lasers, Digital correlators and fast electronic circuits; Mechanical and electronic instrumentation;  Optical microscopy, Imaging, Optical tweezers; Optics of single-crystals, Optical data storage; Holography; Optical flow-birefringence; Rheology; Fiber-optics, Sensors, Optical devices; Spectrophotometry, Fluorescence spectroscopy, Optical beam profiling; Machine vision using CCD camera; Photolithographic imprinting; Refractometry; SEM; Monodisperse particle synthesis.
• Computational: Computer Simulations (Brownian Dynamics, Monte Carlo, Molecular Dynamics) of statistical models; Fortran, Pascal; Windows, UNIX, DOS, etc.; MS Office suite, LaTeX, etc.; Graphic software; Internet proficiency.

HONORS AND AWARDS:

• Certificate in Laser Safety Training, Luna Innovations, Inc. Blacksburg, VA (2004).
 
• Certificate in Lab. Safety Course, Environmental Health & Safety Dept., UC Santa Barbara (1995).
• Selected Speaker for Theoretical Physics Seminar Circuit, India (1994 - 1995).
• Research Fellowship, Indo-French projects on Complex fluids (1993 - 1995).
• Awarded Graduate Research Fellowships in India by (1) Department of Education, Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, (2) University Grants Commission (UGC), (3) Central Scientific & Industrial Research, and (4) Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.  Accepted UGC fellowship (1988 - 1993).
 
• Certificate in Professional Computer Course, The Institution of Engineers, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India (1987).
• Ranked 2nd in M.Sc., Indian Institute Technology, Kharagpur, India (1986 - 1988).
• Secured Merit Scholarship for M.Sc., Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India (1986 - 1988).
 
• National Merit Scholarship (Government of India) for high score in secondary exam (1980 - 1982).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Independent Research Scientist (2008 – Present)

• Developing software codes from statistical models for Brownian Dynamics computer simulation studies of the structure and slow dynamics during quenching of binary colloidal liquid to super-cooled regime and through crystal-transition and/or glass-transition.

Government of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, USA (2005 – 2008)
Program Manager

• Established a statistical scoring system for the DC government to collect, analyze and monitor Key Performance Metrics (KPM) of its more than 70 constituent agencies.  This replaced the previous ineffective but expensive process, providing significant monetary savings to the government.
• Trained and mentored agencies’ management personnel, including some agency directors, in establishing agencies’ efficient KPM system, associated statistics and accountability.
• As a special task-force member of the Chief Technology Officer, supervised the technological up-lifting of the DC Public School System in the Gov top priority areas of Education and Technology.
• Lead and assessed Government’s high priority technology initiatives, multi-tasking in collaboration with the senior management team of the involved agencies.
• Worked on government contracts as a Senior Consultant for Entigence Corporation and then independently, prior to joining the Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

Luna Innovations, Inc., Blacksburg, VA, USA (2004 – 2005)
Senior Research Scientist

• Prepared and submitted proposals as a principal investigator to secure government funding and to establish university and industry teams of scientists and engineers.
• Designed and developed experiments to investigate optical properties of Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric (EFPI) fiber-optic sensors for spatiotemporal beam profiling of high power lasers.
• Provided technical leadership in experiments, progress reporting, and management associated with the planning and execution of multiple ongoing projects in parallel.

Landauer, Inc., Stillwater, OK, USA (2002 – 2004)
Senior Research Scientist

• Measured anisotropic spatial distribution of intensity & polarization ratio of fluorescence and fluorescence quantum yield of proprietary Al2O3:C,Mg single crystals relative to standard laser-dyes.
• Investigated spectroscopic properties of new aluminum oxide single crystals for volumetric optical data storage.
• Designed and developed optical experiments to demonstrate holographic read/write capability of specially doped sapphire crystals for holographic data storage applications.

LightMatrix Technologies, Inc., Mount Laurel, NJ, USA (2000 – 2001)
Senior Scientist

• Designed and developed a high performance, state-of-the-art optical monitor system to monitor and control growth of thin-film interference filters (e.g., DWDM) used in telecommunication networks.
• Successfully integrated, including computer interface, the optical monitor into ultra-high-vacuum electron-beam assisted thin-film coating chambers.  Prepared a draft patent on the same.
• Designed and devised an ingenious, computer-controlled instrument to characterize thin-film filters.
• Defined and implemented an innovative combination of geometric and optical test & measurement procedure, using electro-optic sensors, e.g. CCDs, to characterize fiber-optic lenses.
 
• Actively involved in fiber-lens manufacturing process development.
• Prepared project plans, research reports and proposals, product brochures, and sales presentations.

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (1998 – 2000)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Physics & Astronomy

• For a NASA micro-gravity pre-flight project, performed experiments to synthesize new, “soft” materials with novel optical and rheological properties.
• Prepared research proposals, reports, and presentations for NASA “LCA” space-shuttle experiments.
• Explored phase-behavior of colloids in surfactants or dendrimers via microscopy and spectroscopy.
• Developed new, innovative methods to nucleate specific colloidal arrays on patterned surfaces.
• Synthesized high-dielectric nano- and micro-particles, hollow spheres, etc., for stacking those in micro-arrays towards fabrication of new, exotic materials, e.g., photonic crystals.
• Built, including computer interface, an optical setup for colloidal photonic measurements.

University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA (1995 – 1998)
Assistant Development Engineer, Department of Chemical Engineering

• Performed first simultaneous optical flow birefringence and laser light scattering measurements of the effect of flow on polymer configurations, and vice-versa for dense polymeric fluids and melts subjected to complex flows.
• Carried out numerical simulation of molecular models to compare above experimental data on the interdependence of polymer morphology and fluid dynamics under complex flows.
• Discovered unexpected hop-back motion of particles in computer-simulated colloidal glasses.

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India (1988 – 1995)
Research Scholar, Department of Physics

• Presented first unambiguous experimental evidence for depletion force responsible for entropic phase-transitions in complex fluids.
• Discovered striking polarization-dependence of light multiply scattered from crystallizing colloids and phenomenologically explained the cause.
• Devised and configured first ingenious diffusing-wave spectroscopy set-up in India and used it to explore liquid-crystal-glass transitions in colloids and phase behavior of macromolecular solutions.
 
• Performed exhaustive computer simulations to study statics, dynamics, and translational and bond-orientational orders of colloidal particles across liquid-crystal-glass transition.
• Initiated and developed a state-of-the-art laser light scattering and optical microscopy lab.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

• Taught “Statistical Mechanics”, “Solid-state Physics”, and “Optics” to junior Ph.D. students.
• Supervised Ph.D. students in lab activities including setting up laser light scattering instruments (design, construction and computer interfacing) and codes for computer simulations and data analysis.
• During the graduate research period at Indian Institute of Science, taught Physics courses to 10th - 12th grade students for 2 years at the Central Government School in campus.
• Tutored Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics to multiple junior students each year throughout the academic career starting from 6th grade.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
English (Fluent); Bengali (Fluent); Hindi (Fluent); Sanskrit (Limited); Urdu (Limited)

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS:  Available upon request.