Author: Indranath Mukhopadhyay
Alternate names: Indra Mukhopadhyay, Dr. Indra, Dr. I.
Title: Professor
Bio: Dr. Indra Mukhopadhyay received the B.S. (Honours) and M.S. degrees in Physics from the University of Burdwan, India, in 1974 and 1976, respectively and received the M.Tech. degree in Electronics and Electrical Communication with specialization in Microelectronics and Semiconductor Devices, from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, in 1981. He made the semiconductor diode using plasma oxidation and ion implantation technique for the first time in the continent, in 1980. In 1981 he joined the Department of Physics, University of New Brunswick, Canada, and pursued research on laser and Fourier transform molecular spectroscopy, and received his Ph.D. degree in Physics in 1986. From 1986 to 1990 he was a research associate and teaching fellow at the University of New Brunswick,  and at the University of British Columbia, Canada and continued his research on high resolution spectroscopy of symmetric top molecules undergoing internal rotation.
 

In 1990, Dr. Mukhopadhyay  joined the Atomic Energy Department , as a Senior Scientist. He was involved in various projects including optically pumped molecular lasers and laser applications to biology and medicine. In recent years his research interests included optically pumped far infrared lasers, Stark spectroscopy, high resolution laser and Fourier transform spectroscopy of slightly asymmetric internal rotors and asymmetrically substituted slightly asymmetric internal rotors of significance to FIR lasers and astrophysical detection. One of the most important important discoveries of Dr. Mukhopadhyay include the observation and detection of D/H ratio in a distant protostar (young star which is a later stage of a nebula) which has important  consequences to the "Big Bang" theory. He also developed a new non-linear theory for three level refilling laser transitions.

Indra spend time in various laboratories in Germany, Canada and perused frontline research in the area of Molecular Science and Optical Electronics. In 1998, Dr. Mukhopadhyay moved to Ohio State University as a Visiting Professor and then moved to the University of Akron, Ohio, before he joined as a faculty at the Dakota State University in Sept. 2002. He is presently experimenting a new teaching technique with peer based technology in collaboration with other Universities in USA. He is developing a microwave laboratory at DSU which will allow undergraduate students to get introduced to research.

One of his recent contribution to Madison area is to guide and coach Madison High School and Middle School students to take part in Science Olympiad. He is the founder member of the Madison Physics Association and the Science Olympiad Association of Madison.

He is a member of the Canadian Association of Physicists, Indian Laser Association and Laser and Spectroscopy Society of India.

Presently he is working at Darton College, GA as a professor of Physics and Engineering. He is a member Physics and Astronomy - Advisory Committees - Academic Planning of the University System of Georgia. In 2012 he has been nominated as the US professor of the year awarded by the Carnegie foundation. He was also nominated for the Sir Thomson award by the Elsevier Science (Spectroscimica Acta) publishers. He is also nominated for the Excellence in teaching award by the Board of regents of the state of Georgia.

Dr. Mukhopadhyay has published more than 100 papers in referred journals and presented similar number in Intentional conferences. He is involved in a unique research program involving undergraduates in a diverse field of areas from astrophysics to quantum mechanics to atomic and molecular physics.