Dr. Abhijnan Sarkar is a scientist (Postdoctoral Fellow) at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and an active member of the Energy and Particle Technology Laboratory (EPTL) group at Carleton University. Dr. Sarkar received his PhD degree from University of Milan, Italy (University Degli Studi Di Milano) and completed his MS degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. [Worldwide known as IIT Madras]. In MS research project, he synthesized a series Ru-based chalcogenides nanocatalysts by employing thermolysis, impregnation and polyol process for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). During PhD study at University of Milan, Dr. Sarkar developed nitrogen-enriched graphitic iron catalysts for the cyclopropanation reaction of alkenes by diazo compounds; hereby the first examples of heterogeneous Fe-based catalysts for cyclopropanation reactions were established. This was a pioneering work based on current state of research at that time. Dr. Sarkar has wide-ranging knowledge about various tools and techniques and he gained in-hand experience of various physical and electrochemical characterizations such as Cyclic voltammetry (CV), Rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Mass Spectroscopy etc.
Dr. Sarkar also has a great passion for teaching. He worked as a faculty in various private universities and academic organizations in his home country. He is specially recognized with great honour for his magnetic teaching abilities specifically for Thermodynamics, Chemical Kinetics, Electrochemistry, Chemical Bonding, Coordination Chemistry, Group Theory and Spectroscopy courses.