University of Maryland Eastern Shore physics professor Kausik Das was recently selected as a fellow of the American Physical Society. It is on the heels of his also being named a fellow of the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he visited this summer to develop collaborative plans for undergraduate research projects and remote labs at UMES.
Das was nominated by the APS Forum on Physics and Society for leadership in “significantly contributing to the growth and inclusivity of the field of physics and the scientific community.”
“Dr. Das is known at UMES and beyond as an innovator and his efforts as an educator for enhanced learning in today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape,” said Dr. Moses T. Kairo, dean of UMES’ School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences. “This desire to create a more immersive, interactive and effective learning environment earmarked him as the natural selection for director of the school’s Center for Student Excellence.”
In this endeavor, Das is primarily focused on ensuring students’ “holistic development with an emphasis on producing high-achieving graduates from UMES” for the future STEM workforce.
A faculty member for almost a decade, Das’ research includes micro/nano fluidic mixing, creating on-chip graphene-based nano-inductors, low temperature plasma generation, bio-energy generators, space physics and work on light-activated resistive switches. UMES undergraduates under his supervision built several payloads that flew multiple zero-gravity parabolic flights to collect data for use in space missions.
Das was the 2021 recipient of the Board of Regents award for Excellence chosen in the category of scholarship, research or creative activity. It is the highest faculty recognition within the University System of Maryland. He has also won UMES’ Student Choice Award for outstanding teaching. Prior to joining UMES, Das was a faculty member at the University of Toronto, Canada. Das holds degrees from Calcutta University and Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.
The APS fellowship is among the most prestigious accolades in the field of physics, signifying recognition by one’s professional peers for exceptional contributions. Election is limited to no more than half a percent of the membership.
“This achievement is not just a personal milestone,” Das said. “It is a testament to the collaborative spirit and dedication of outstanding students and the academic community at UMES and throughout the USM. It’s through our collective efforts, shared curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge that we have been able to contribute meaningfully to the field.”
A list of the 2023 American Physical Society Fellows and citations can be found on the APS website.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, gcstephens@umes.edu, 410-621-3850.
Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, tdudek@umes.edu.
Captions, clockwise: UMES physics professor Kausik Das (left) worked with Nobel Prize Winner David Gross this summer at the Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics, Das collaborated with MIT on a zero-gravity parabolic flight, The University System of Maryland selected Das among its 2021 Board of Regents Awards for faculty excellence, Plasma created in a common microwave is among the many innovation projects that have passed through the Das lab at UMES, Das is pictured with Isaac Omodia, an aerospace engineering students working in his lab, who was selected as an inaugural recipient of the USM Board of Regents Student Excellence Scholarship this past spring.
