Aayushi Aayushi | Chemistry and Materials Science | Best Researcher Award

Dr Aayushi Aayushi, Virginia Tech India Center for Advanced Research and Innovation, India

Dr. Aayushi is a passionate chemist 🧪 with a Ph.D. in Chemistry (2024) from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, specializing in Graphene and Carbon Quantum Dots for sensing applications. She has been a Senior Research Fellow at CEEMS and has expertise in fluorescence spectroscopy and nanomaterials. 📊✨ With multiple high-impact publications 📚, she has presented at global conferences 🌍 and won prestigious awards, including CSIR NET AIR-02 and Best Oral Presentation. 🏆 She also actively engages in academic editing and journal review. Beyond research, she has excelled in public speaking 🎤 and social service. 🤝

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

Education

Dr. Aayushi Aayushi 🎓 holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry (2019-2024) from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Punjab, specializing in the synthesis of Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) and Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) for sensing applications 🌟🔬, achieving a perfect CGPA of 10/10. She earned her M.Sc. in Chemistry (2017-2019) from the same institute, focusing on solar light-driven photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue ☀️🧪 (CGPA: 9.09/10). Her academic journey began with a B.Sc. (Medical) from Panjab University (80.45%) 📖, followed by stellar performances in secondary (CGPA: 9.8/10) and senior secondary (91%) education at O.S.D.A.V. Public School 📚🏆.

Experience

Dr. Aayushi is a dedicated researcher in nanomaterials, serving as a Senior Research Fellow (2022-2024) and previously as a Junior Research Fellow (2020-2022) at TIET-Virginia Tech, CEEMS. Her work focuses on synthesizing Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) and Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) from diverse precursors for fluorometric detection of biomolecules and metal ions 🔬✨. She specializes in fluorescence spectroscopy, exploring optical properties and detection sensitivity. She was a research intern at IISER Kolkata (2018) and a teaching assistant in Applied Chemistry 🏫📚. Skilled in FT-IR, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectrometry, she contributes significantly to quantum dot research ⚡🔍.

Research Focus

Dr. Aayushi Kundu’s research focuses on sustainable environmental management 🌱, nanomaterials 🧪, and advanced sensor technologies 🔬. Her work includes biofuel technologies for eco-friendly energy 🌿, innovative methods for micro- and nano-plastic removal 🌊, and photocatalytic materials for pollutant degradation ☀️. She develops carbon-based nanoprobes from agricultural waste 🍊🌾 for ultra-sensitive detection of environmental contaminants ⚗️. Additionally, she explores graphene quantum dots and carbon nanofibers for biosensing applications 🩺. Her research extends to the environmental and mental health impacts of COVID-19 🦠🧠. Overall, her contributions drive sustainable innovations for cleaner environments and advanced analytical techniques. 🌍✨

Achievements and Honor

Dr. Aayushi is an accomplished researcher in Chemical Sciences 🎓🧪, securing an impressive All India Rank-02 in the CSIR NET (Dec 2023) 🏆. She also qualified IIT JAM (2017) and received the CBSE CSSS Scholarship (2014-2019) 🎖️. Honored with the Young Achiever Award (2021) 🏅, she earned a Merit Scholarship (2018) from TIET, Patiala. Her research excellence was recognized with the Best Oral Presentation Award (EMSD-2022) 🗣️ and the Best Poster Award (CEEMS-2024) 🏅 for her work on CQDs-based metal ion detection. A passionate scientist, she continues to make impactful contributions to sustainable materials and sensor technology. 🔬✨

Publication Top Notes

Sustainable environmental management and related biofuel technologies

Identification and removal of micro-and nano-plastics: Efficient and cost-effective methods

Modulated BiOCl nanoplates with porous g-C3N4 nanosheets for photocatalytic degradation of color/colorless pollutants in natural sunlight

Rice Husk-Derived Carbon Quantum Dots-Based Dual-Mode Nanoprobe for Selective and Sensitive Detection of Fe³⁺ and Fluoroquinolones

Indians vs. COVID-19: the scenario of mental health

Coal-derived graphene quantum dots with a Mn 2+/Mn 7+ nanosensor for selective detection of glutathione by a fluorescence switch-off–on assay

Orange Pomace-Derived Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots: Detection of Dual Analytes in the Nanomolar Range

Upcycling Waste: Citrus limon Peel-Derived Carbon Quantum Dots for Sensitive Detection of Tetracycline in the Nanomolar Range

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Environment: Challenges and Threats to Aquatic Organisms

A portable microcontroller-enabled spectroscopy sensor module for the fluorometric detection of Cr (vi) and ascorbic acid, utilizing banana peel-derived carbon quantum dots as …

Education

In 2005, the individual graduated from Sapienza University of Rome with a Master’s degree in Chemistry, focusing on a thesis titled “New analytical procedure for the chemical characterization of suspended particulate matter in the atmosphere,” under the guidance of Prof. Enrico Cardarelli and Dr. Cinzia Perrino. They further pursued a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry of Real Systems at the same institution from 2005 to 2008, culminating in 2009 with a thesis on “Chemical characterization of suspended particulate matter in the atmosphere: analytical problems and studies for the identification of emission sources,” supervised by Prof. Silvia Canepari.

Appointments

Currently, from October 2020 to September 2025, they serve as an Assistant Professor RTD-A at the Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome. In addition, they hold several academic appointments, including being a substitute member of the exam committee for the Ph.D. course in Chemical Sciences at Sapienza University for the 40th cycle, and serving on various committees for research and contractual assignments at the university.

Editorial Activity

They have held several editorial roles, including serving as an invited guest editor for “Advances in Analytical Strategies to Study Cultural Heritage Samples, 2nd Edition” in Molecules, and guest editor for several special issues in journals like Frontiers in Analytical Science and Analytica, focusing on topics like contaminants in environmental matrices and green analytical methods.

Teaching Experience

Since 2020, they have been teaching various courses at Sapienza University of Rome, including “Equilibri Chimici e Tecniche Strumentali di Analisi” and “Chimica Analitica III,” contributing significantly to the curriculum in the Department of Chemistry. They were also an invited teacher in 2021 for a specialized course on monitoring and source identification methods for atmospheric particulate matter.

Research Activities

Their research primarily focuses on developing and optimizing analytical methods for the elemental analysis of complex matrices, including environmental, biological, and food samples. They emphasize the importance of efficient sample preparation methods and apply these analytical techniques to environmental monitoring and biomonitoring, particularly assessing the impact of chemical contaminants on human health and environmental quality.