Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has appointed University of Maryland Eastern Shore physics professor Dr. Kausik Das to the Governor’s Commission on South Asian American Affairs. The Jan. 2 announcement listed Das, the only representative from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, among 20 new members who will serve a four-year term.
The commission is an advisory body to the governor and executive agencies and focuses on issues impacting Maryland’s growing South Asian American community. It’s scope of work focuses on economic, educational and workforce development matters. Appointees were selected for their ability to bring diverse Asian and professional backgrounds to the group.
“I am truly honored to have been selected by the governor to serve on this commission that reflects my Indian heritage and values,” Das said. “As a professor at a historically Black university and an 1890 land-grant university, I am also a voice for the broader minority community in our state.”
During Das’ decade long career at UMES, he has become known for his innovative research for which he involves undergraduate and graduate students. Among his areas of expertise are micro/nano fluidic mixing, creating on-chip graphene-based nano-inductors, low temperature plasma generation and space physics. His work earned the researcher selection as a fellow of the American Physical Society and the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics.
Das’ desire to “create a more immersive, interactive and effective learning environment” also earmarked him as the natural selection for director of the school’s Center for Student Excellence, said Dr. Moses T. Kairo, dean of UMES’ School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences. He was also presented the University System of Maryland Board of Regents’ 2021 Award of Excellence for the category of scholarship, research and creative activity.
Das is a member of the India Cultural Society of the Eastern Shore and has served on the governing board of the Hindu Temple of the Eastern Shore. In this role, he educates young community members about the Indian philosophy of Vedanta, emphasizing harmony and global brotherhood regardless of color, creed or religion. On a personal note, he is also an artist who shared Rangoli, a Hindu art form passed from generation to generation for thousands of years, at the 80th National Folk Festival in Salisbury, Maryland.
Gail Stephens, Ag Communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, gcstephens@umes.edu.
Photo by Todd Dudek, Ag Communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, tdudek@umes.edu.
