Dr. Pallavi Ghalsasi is a Professor at the School of Science, Navrachana University (NUV) having research experience of 29 years. She is also the Head-Research and Development Cell at NUV. She joined NUV in 2012 as Assistant Professor and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 and Professor in 2024. Prior to that, she has also worked at Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, as Assistant Professor. She has previously held positions as DST WOS-A scientist (The M.S. University of Baroda) and K.S. Krishnan Research Associate (Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai). After completing her doctoral studies in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, she was a postdoctoral researcher at University of Utah and University of Wyoming, USA.
Academic background/Qualification
- Ph.D. (2002)- Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore (Ph.D. Guide- Prof. Ajay K. Sood (FRS))
- M.Sc. (1995)- Physics, University of Bombay
- B.Sc. (1993)- Physics, University of Bombay
Professional or Industrial Experience
- Professor, Navrachana University, Vadodara (July 2024- present)
- Associate Professor, Navrachana University, Vadodara (September 2014-June 2024)
- Assistant Professor, Navrachana University, Vadodara (April 2012-August 2014)
- DST WOS(A) Scientist, The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara (August 2011-March 2012)
- Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, IIT Gandhinagar (July 2009-July 2011)
- Temporary Lecturer, The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara (2007-2008)
- Dr. K.S. Krishnan Research Associate, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (2006-2007)
- Visiting Scientist, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (2005-2006)
- NSF Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Wyoming, USA (2003-2005)(with Prof. Jeffery Yarger)
- Instructor of Physics, University of Wyoming, USA (Spring 2005)
- Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA (2002-2003) (with Prof. Werner Gellermann)
Teaching
Physics teaching requires extensive theoretical framework combined with exciting experiments. Prof. Pallavi’s teaching is based on equal emphasis on both these parameters. Her teaching is influenced by interdisciplinary research skills which helps students build research aptitude. Over the period, she has been involved in teaching following courses in Physics to students from diverse backgrounds.
- Electricity and Magnetism (David Griffiths)
- Special Theory of Relativity (Robert Resnick)
- Quantum Mechanics (Eisberg Resnick, Beiser)
- Basic and Advanced Classical Mechanics (Young Freedman, Resnick-Halliday, M. Harbola, Kelppner-Kolenkow)
- Solid State Physics (Kittel)
- Materials Science (Callister)
- Strength of Materials (Timoshenko Gere)
- Optics (Hecht, Ghatak)
- Experimental Techniques (Elective)
- Toy Factory (Interdisciplinary Course)
- Inquiring Nature (Interdisciplinary Course)
- Spectroscopy-Theory and Applications (Ph.D. Coursework)
- Mini Research Project (Ph.D. Coursework)
- Seminar Course (Ph.D. Coursework)
- Science in Everyday Life (University Elective)
- Designing Scientific Toys (University Elective)
- Critical Thinking and Research (University Foundation Course)
Area of Expertise and Research
· Primary Area: Condensed Matter Physics
· Research Interest: Prof. Pallavi’s research is mainly focused on matter under extreme conditions. She is interested in the behavior of a variety kind of materials like negative thermal expansion materials, organic-inorganic hybrid compounds when subjected to high pressures generated using diamond anvil cell (DAC). The behavior of pressurized materials can be probed using their vibrational (Raman or IR spectroscopy) properties, energy band gap (UV-visible spectroscopy), structure (X-ray diffraction) and electrical resistance (Resistivity). She is also involved in research related to in-situ microscopy of crystal growth and new phases of materials under high pressure.
She is also interested in using simple physics principles in making devices for a variety of applications.
Motivated students interested in doing research with Prof. Pallavi can send their resume directly to her.
Research Facilities Created
- In house-built micro–Raman Spectrometer
- Diamon Anvil cells
- Ruby set-up for pressure calibration
- Stereo Microscope
- Keithley source meter
Publications
Selected Peer Reviewed Journal Articles:
1. Aashna Jain, Nandini Garg, Abhishek Chitnis, Bharat Bhooshan Sharma and Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Pressure induced Phase Transitions and Amorphization in HgCN(NO3), J. Phys. Chem. C 127(43), 21250-21260 (2023).
2. Archana Shah* and Pallavi Ghalsasi, Negative Refractive Index Metamaterials- Introduction and Methods to produce Achiral and Chiral Metamaterials, Interwoven: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Navrachana University 5(2), 194-225 (2022).
3. Archana Shah, Prasanna S. Ghalsasi* and Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Effect of quasihydrostatic and nonhydrostatic pressure on long S-S bonded sodium dithionite (Na2S2O4): A Raman Spectroscopic Study, J. Solid State Chem. 313, 123315-1 to 8 (2022).
4. Jaimin U. Trivedi, Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Somnath Ganguly, S.J. Jenepha Mary and C. James, Raman Spectroscopic Study of Cinnamyl-1 diphenylmethyl-4 piperazine (Cinnarizine) at High Pressure, J. of Mol. Struct. 1253, 132214(2022).
5. Aashna Jain and Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Contribution of Phonon Anharmonicity in Negative Thermal Expansion Materials, Interwoven: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Navrachana University 5(1), 53-90 (2022).
6. Aashna Jain, Prasanna S. Ghalsasi* and Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Back-Bonding Driven Negative Thermal Expansion along One Dimensional Hg-C≡N Linkage in [HgCN](NO3) Probed by Raman Spectroscopy, Polyhedron 205, 1-7(2021).
7. Pradeep Sinha and Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Critical Thinking Integrated with Instructional Scaffolding Approach in Physics Classroom, Interwoven: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Navrachana University, 2(2), 1-10(2020).
8. Archana Shah and Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Using Interference colours to distinguish between Fast and Slow axes of Quarter Wave Plate, Eur. J. Phys. 40(6), 65301-1 to 19(2019).
9. Somnath Ganguly, Ragaverthini Chinnasamy, Shyamal Parikh, Mangalampalli S.R.N. Kiran, Upadrasta Ramamurty, Himal Bhatt, M. N. Deo, Soumyajit Ghosh* and Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Understanding Structural Variations in Elastic Organic Crystals by in Situ High-Pressure Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Nanoindentation Study, Cryst. Growth Des. 19, 2114-2122(2019).
10. Pallavi P Ghalsasi*, Prasanna S Ghalsasi*, DVS Muthu, Back-bonding signature with high pressure: Raman studies on silver nitroprusside, Inorg. Chem. 56(16), 9669-9675(2017).
11. Ghosh S. and Ganguly S. 7. Mishra M.K., Ghalsasi P., Deo M.N., Bhatt H., Poswal H.K., In situ high pressure study of an elastic crystal by FTIR spectroscopy, CrystEnggComm. 19, 7083-7087(2017).
12. Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Resolving Vectors, Interwoven: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Navrachana University 1(1), 8-15(2017).
13. Pallavi Ghalsasi*, Nandini Garg*, M.N. Deo, Alka Garg, Hemant Mande, Prasanna Ghalsasi and S.M. Sharma, The role of Jahn-Teller distorsion in insulator to semiconductor phase transition in organic-inorganic hybrid compound (p-chloroanilinium)2CuCl4 at high pressure, Phy. Chem. Chem. Phy. 17, 32204-32210(2015).
14. D.V.S. Muthu, Pallavi Teredesai, S. Saha, Suchitra, U.V. Waghmare, A.K. Sood and C.N.R. Rao, Pressure induced structural phase transition and phonon anomalies in ReO3: Raman and first principles study, Phys. Rev. B 91, 224308(2015).
15. Surajit Saha, Pallavi Ghalsasi, D.V.S. Muthu, Surjeet Singh, R. Suryanarayanan, A. Revcolevschi, and A. K. Sood, Phonon anomalies and structural transition in spin-ice Dy2Ti2O7 : A simultaneous pressure- and temperature-dependent Raman study, J. Raman Spectrosc.,43(8),1157-1165(2012).
16. Pallavi Ghalsasi and Prasanna Ghalsasi, Single Crystal X-ray Structure and Vibrational Properties of a-Quartz BeF2, Inorg. Chem., 50, 86(2011).
17. Pallavi V. Teredesai*, David T. Anderson, Nick Hauser, Kristina Lantzky and J.L. Yarger*, Infrared Spectroscopy of Germanium Dioxide (GeO2) Glass at High Pressure, Phys. Chem. Glasses. 46, 345 (2005).
18. Pallavi Teredesai, D.V.S. Muthu, N. Chandrabhas , S. Meenakshi, V.Vijayakumar, P. Modak, R.S. Rao, B.K. Godwal, S.K. Sikka and A.K. Sood High Pressure Phase Transition in metallic LaB(6): An Interesting Example of Lifshitz Transition, Solid State Commun. 129(12), 791(2004).
19. Sukanta Karmakar, Surinder M. Sharma, P.V. Teredesai and A.K.Sood, Pressure induced phase transitions in iron filled carbon nanotubes: x-ray diffraction studies, Phys. Rev. B. 69, 165414(2004).
20. S.M. Sharma, S. Karmakar, S.K. Sikka, P.V. Teredesai, A. K. Sood, A. Govindaraj and C.N.R. Rao, Pressure-induced structural transformation and the remarkable resilience of single wall Carbon nanotube bundles, Phys. Rev. B. 63, 205417-1 to 205417-5 (2001).
21. Pallavi V. Teredesai, A. K. Sood, D.V.S. Muthu, Rahul Sen, A. Govindaraj and C.N.R. Rao, Pressure Induced Reversible Transformation in Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Bundles Studied by Raman Spectroscopy, Chem. Phys. Lett., 319, 296-302 (2000).
Patents
“Interference Rings as a Tool for Observing Optical Handedness of Chiral Materials”, Pallavi Ghalsasi, Prasanna Ghalsasi and Archana Shah, Application Patent Number: 202021005431, Indian Patent No. 397376
Book Chapter
Pallavi Ghalsasi, The World of Soap Bubbles: From Fantasy to Science, Innovating for Development and Sustainability, Exel India Publisher, New Delhi, pp 46-51 (2017), ISBN 978-93-86256-79-9.
Conference Presentations
· International (15)
· National (15)
Training/Workshops
· Resource Person for ‘Workshop on Raman Spectroscopy: Basics to Applications’, 6th February 2023, Navrachana University, Vadodara
· Resource Person for National Workshop on Problem Solving Techniques in Sciences, 25-30 November 2019, The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara
Conferences organized
· Member, Organizing Committee- National Conference on’ Innovating for Development and Sustainability’ organized by Navrachana University 2015 and 2017.
· Member, Local Advisory Committee- International Conference on Ecohealth and Environmental Sustainability, 2020 organized by Navrachana University
Awards/Honors
· Indo-Italian Travel Grant from Department of Science and Technology, Government of India to perform high pressure Xray diffraction experiments at Elettra Synchrotron Source, Trieste, Italy, 2023.
· Hari Om Ashram Prerit Harivallabhdas Chunilal Shah Research Endowment Prize for the best research paper in Physics at Gujarat State Level, Hari Om Ashram Trust, 2017.
· University Faculty Award for Research Initiative, Navrachana University, 2015.
· ‘Summer Research Fellowship’ from ‘Academies of Sciences’, to conduct research at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore during 15th May-9th July, 2014.
· Best Oral Presentation Award, National Conference on Application of High-Pressure Techniques & Novel Materials in the Frontiers of Science, National Centre of Experimental Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Allahabad, 2013.
· ‘Dr. K.S. Krishnan Research Associateship (KSKRA)’, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai, 2006.
· Indo-Italian Travel grant from Department of Science and Technology, Government of India to perform high pressure Xray diffraction experiments at Elettra Synchrotron Source, Trieste, Italy, 2001.
· ‘Junior research fellowship (JRF) and Senior research fellowship (SRF)’ and ‘Award for Lectureship (LS)’ awarded by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, India, 1995-2000.
· Qualified ‘Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering’, GATE-95.
· ‘Visiting Students’ Research Program (VSRP) Fellowship’ from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR, Mumbai, India), Summer 1994.
· ‘National Merit Scholarship’, Maharashtra Board of Higher Secondary Education, 1988-1993.
· Merit Rank Holder at ‘Secondary School Certificate Examination’ conducted by Maharashtra State Board Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, 1988 (19th Rank)
· Merit Rank Holder at ‘Bachelors of Science Examination’ conducted by University of Bombay, 1993 (3rd Rank).
Research Projects:
(8 Projects received as PI till date- Total Grant Amount: Rs 1,36,03,574)
1. Title: Mapping lightening incidences around Vadodara: Funding Agency: Navrachana University, Duration: March-July 2024, Grant Amount: 50,000
2. Title: Mapping lightening incidences around Vadodara: Funding Agency: Navrachana University, Duration: July-December 2023, Grant Amount: 50,000
3. Title: Studies on Multidimensional Metal- Cyanide Framework Compounds and their Analogues: Funding Agency: UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore, Collaborative Research Schemes, Duration: 2022-2024, Grant Amount: 9,01,053
4. Title: Exploring Thermal Expansion Properties of Metal Coordinated Compounds: Funding Agency: UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore, Collaborative Research Schemes, Duration: 2018-2022, Grant Amount: 1,80,000
5. Title: To establish Dedicated In-House Raman Spectroscopy Facility and Study Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials: Funding Agency: Science and Engineering Research Board, DST, Government of India, Extramural Research Funding (Individual Centric), Duration: 2017-2020, Grant Amount: 75,05,520
6. Title: Electric Field Induced Convection in Dielectric Fluids: Funding Agency: Navrachana University, Vadodara, Duration: 2015-2017, Grant Amount: 1,00,000
7. Title: Structural Investigations of Novel Materials: Funding Agency: DAE-BRNS, Government of India, Duration: 2012-2016, Grant Amount: 24,37,001
8. Title: Investigation of Novel Materials under High Pressure: Funding Agency: (DST-WOS-A), Government of India, Duration: 2011-2015, Grant Amount: 23,80,000
Research Students registered for PhD.
1. Aashna Jain (Ph.D. awarded December 2024) Thesis Title: Investigation of Negative Thermal Expansion Materials
2. Archana Shah (Ph.D. awarded December 2023) Thesis Title: Optical and Spectroscopic Studies of Chiral Materials
3. Jaimin Trivedi (Ph.D. pursuing) Thesis Title: Studies on Potentially Multiferroic Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Compounds (OIHCs)
4. Sunil Vankar (Ph.D. pursuing) Thesis Title (Tentative): Studies on Metal Cyanide Compounds
Professional Affiliations /Membership
· Past Member, “International Association for the Advancement of High-Pressure Science and Technology” (AIRAPT)
· Member, Women in High Pressure Science
Academic Administration
· Head- University Research and Development Cell (2022-present)
· Chief Editor- Interwoven: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Navrachana University (2017-present)
· Convener- Library Committee (2012- present)
· Joint Criterion Coordinator (#3)- NAAC
· Member- SSIP Committee (2020-present)
· Initiative in getting recognition for NUV in Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India
· Secretary- Research Advisory Committee (2017-August2020)
· Member- Ph.D. Advisory Committee (Past)
· Member- Women’s Cell (Past)
· Member- Faculty Confirmation Committee (Past)
· Member- Nanubhai Amin Debate Competition (Past)
· Faculty Advisor- First year B.Tech. Students
