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Prof. Kushwaha

Prof. Ajay Kumar Kushwaha

Associate Professor & HoD,
Dept. of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science

Faculty, Centre for Advanced Electronics (CAE)
Faculty, Center of Futuristic Defense and Space Technology (CFDST)
Indian Institute of Technology Indore – 453552
Phone: +91-731-660-3250

Email: akk@iiti.ac.in

Webpage: https://ajaykushwaha.profiles.iiti.ac.in

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Prof. Ajay Kushwaha is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at the Indian Institute of Technology Indore. He has also served as Associate Dean of Student Affairs at IIT Indore. He received his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and previously worked as Scientist-I at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Singapore (A*STAR).

He is a recipient of the DST–INSPIRE Faculty Award and the SERB Early Career Research Award from the Government of India. In November 2025, he was appointed Distinguished Fellow at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis, Government of Madhya Pradesh. Prof. Kushwaha has published over 75 peer-reviewed research articles, holds two patents, and has contributed to several book chapters. His research expertise includes nanomaterials and thin films, materials electrochemistry, and clean energy technologies, including green hydrogen and solar cells.

Educational Background

Doctor of Philosophy (Physics/Nanomaterials)
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), Mumbai, MH-400 076, India
Thesis: ‘Control over electrical and photoelectrical properties of ZnO nanowire films by defect manipulation and surface functionalization’

Master of Science (Physics/ Electronics)
Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (C.S.J.M.U), Kanpur, UP- 208 024, India
Thesis: ‘Study of DC Conductivity in Amorphous Se90Ge10−xInx Thin Films’

Professional Experiences

  • 09/2025 – Present:     Distinguished Fellow, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis, Govt. of M.P., Bhopal, India.

  • 11/2022 – Present:     Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P., India.

  • 09/2017 – 11/2022:     Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India.

  • 07/2016 – 09/2017:     Inspire Faculty, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India.

  • 02/2014 – 07/2016:     Scientist-I, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR, Singapore.

  • 07/2008 – 01/2014:     Teaching Assistant, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.

  • 08/2007 – 12/2007:     Lecturer, Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, Kanpur, UP, India.

  • 08/2006 – 07/2007:     Lecturer, K.C. Nigam Institute of Technology, Banda, UP, India.

Awards/ Fellowships/Achievements

  • 2026, Member of Task Force: FHEI-Policy & Internationalization of Higher Education of M.P.,  Government of Madhya Pradesh

  • 2023, Best Paper Presentation Award: 11th Asia Conference on Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Japan

  • 2017, Early Career Research Award: SERB, Gov. of India

  • 2016, INSPIRE Faculty Award: Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India

  • 2013, Young Scientist Travel Grant: Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India

  • 2011, Best Paper Presentation Award: Symposium for Material Research Scholars, IIT Bombay

  • 2010, Senior Research Fellowship: Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India

  • 2008, Junior Research Fellowship: Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India

  • 2008, CSIR-UGC NET (Physical Sciences), National Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor

  • 2007, GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) in Physical Sciences for Higher Studies

  • 2003, N.C.C ‘CEE’ Certificate 59 UP BN NCC Kanpur

Administrative Experiences

  • Head of Department (HoD): Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India. (03/2023 to Till Date)

  • Associate Dean of Student Affairs: Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India. (05/2019 to 09/2021)

  • Chairman (Founder): Nursery School Management Committee, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India. (02/2020 to 03/2023)

  • Convener (Founder): Creche Committee, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India. (04/2018 to 02/2020)

  • Convener: Cultural Committee, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India. (12/2018 to 05/2019)

  • Assistant Warden: Indian Institute of Technology Indore, M.P. India. (02/2017 to 03/2018)

Responsibilities/Services at IIT Indore:

  • Founding Member: Centre for Futuristic Defence and Space Technology (CFDST), IIT Indore

  • Founding member: Centre of Advanced Electronics (CAE), IIT Indore

  • Member: Working Committee, Chemical Engineering Department, IIT Indore (07/2023 – Present)

  • Co-convener: COVID-19 Monitoring Committee, IIT Indore (03/2020 to 09/2021)

  • Member: COVID-19 Taskforce Committee, IIT Indore (03/2020 to 09/2021)

  • Member: Clean Room Facility Committee: IIT Indore (01/2020 to present)

  • Member: Smart City Project Committee: IIT Indore (01/2020 to present)

  • Member: Institute Residence Allotment Committee (IRAC): IIT Indore (03/2020 to 09/2021)

  • Member: Commercial Establishment and Service providers Committee (02/2020 to 09/2021)

  • Member: Anti Ragging & Anti-Harassment Committee: IIT Indore (06/2017 to 03/2018)

  • Coordinator (Cultural): FLUXUS 2019

  • Overall Incharge: FLUXUS 2020

  • Convener: CPGC-Center for Advanced Electronics, IIT Indore (01/2022-Present)

  • Convener: Departmental Safety Committee (MEMS), IIT Indore (11/2021-03/2023)

  • Convener: Departmental Space Committee (MEMS), IIT Indore (01/2020-03/2023)

  • Member: DPGC, Department of MEMS, IIT Indore (06/2017 to 03/2023)

  • Member: CPAC, CAE, IIT Indore (06/2017 to 01/2022)

  • Member: DUGC, Department of MEMS, IIT Indore (06/2017 to 01/2022)

  • Member: Seminar Committee, MEMS Discipline, IIT Indore (06/2017 to 01/2022)

  • Member: Departmental Safety Committee (MEMS), IIT Indore (01/2020-01/2022)

  • Member: Departmental NCF (MEMS), IIT Indore (01/2020-2022)

  • Convener: MEMS Discipline, PhD Selection Committee (Dec-2016 & Dec-2019)

  • Convener: Departmental Safety Committee (MEMS), IIT Indore (2016-2017)

  • Secretary: MEMS Discipline, Faculty Meeting (03/2017 to 03/2018)

  • Team Leader: Drafting and Finalizing the Gymkhana Constitution, IIT Indore

  • Team Leader: Drafted and introduced various protocols for event organizing, bill settlement and other smooth functioning of student affairs section.

  • Team Leader: Drafted guidelines and policy for crèche facility.

  • Team Leader: Drafted the guidelines and policy for campus pre-school.

UG/PG/PhD Courses Taught

  • MM 661: Materials Science and Engineering (M.Tech and PhD)

  • MM 311: Optical and Magnetic Materials (B.Tech 3rd Year)

  • MM 232: Thin Film and Technology (B.Tech 2nd Year)

  • MM 606: Energy Materials (M.Tech, B.Tech-8th Sem and PhD)

  • MM 205: Materials Science (B.Tech 2nd Year)

  • MM 303: Introduction to Electrochemistry (B.Tech 3rd Year)

  • MM 304: Corrosion Engineering (B.Tech 3rd Year)

  • MM 430/730: Two Dimensional Materials and Electronics Devices (B.Tech 4th year, M.tech, PhD)

  • MM 305: Corrosion Engineering Lab (B.Tech-3rd Year)

  • IC-211: Experimental Engineering Lab (B.Tech-2nd Year)

  • MM 354: Corrosion Engineering Teaching Laboratory: The teaching lab is developed to cater the need of B.Tech 3rd year students of MEMS.

New Courses Developed

  • MM 605/ MM 405: ‘Green Hydrogen: Materials and Technologies’ (UG/PG/Ph.D. elective)

  • MM430/MM 730: ‘Two Dimensional Materials and Electronic Devices’ (UG/PG/Ph.D. elective)

  • MM 686/ MM 486: ‘Applied Photoelectrochemistry’ (UG/PG/Ph.D. elective)

  • MM 211: Physics of Materials (B.Tech.- 2nd Year Core Course)

  • MM 223: Statistical Mechanics for Materials Science (B.Tech.- 2nd Year elective)

  • MM 229: Nucleation and Crystal Growth (B.Tech.- 2nd Year elective)

  • MM 225: Materials Economics and Sustainability (B.Tech.- 2nd Year elective)

  • MM 232: Thin Film and Technology (B.Tech.- 2nd Year elecive)

  • MM 311: Optical and Magnetic Materials (B.Tech.- 2nd Year Core Course)

  • MM 312: Electrochemistry and Corrosion Engineering (B.Tech.- 3rd Year Core Course)

  • MM 314: Semiconductor Materials and Devices (B.Tech.- 3rd Year Core Course)

  • MM 358 Semiconductor and Thin Films Lab (B.Tech.- 3rd Year) 

Member of Professional Bodies

  • Life-member: Materials Research Society of India (MRSI)

  • Life-member: The Indian Institute of Metals (IIM)

  • Life-Member: Indian Physics Association (AIP)

  • Life-member: Electron Microscope Society of India (EMSI)

  • Life-member: Luminescence Society of India (LSI)

  • Member: The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

Editorial Board Member/Reviewer

  • Editor: Abstract Booklet: International Conference in Energy and Environmental Materials (E2M-2024)

  • Editor: Materials Today: Proceedings: International Conference on Frontiers in Materials Engineering (ICFME-2022)

  • Editor: Abstract Booklet: International Conference on Frontiers in Materials Engineering (ICFME-2022)

  • Reviewer: Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, ACS Applied Energy Materials, ChemElectroChem, Energy Storage, Applied Physics Letters, ACS Omega, ACS Applied Bio Materials, Materials Today Communications, ACS Sustainable Resource Management, New Journal of Chemistry, Surfaces and Interfaces , Thin Solid Films, Applied Physics A, Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. Physica B: Condensed Matter,  Nanotechnology, J. Physics D: Appl. Phys., Nanoscale, J. Applied Electrochemistry Ceramic International, Materials Research Express,