Indian-American wins prestigious chemistry award

An Indian-American, who developed an environment friendly field analyser for checking toxic arsenic levels in water, has been awarded a prestigious award for his special contribution in the field of chemistry.

Purnendu Dasgupta, a Jenkins Garrett professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been awarded the 2015 American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry J. Calvin Giddings Award.

The national award recognises a scientist, who has enhanced the professional development of analytical chemistry students, developed and published innovative experiments, designed and improved equipment or teaching labs and published influential textbooks or significant articles on teaching analytical chemistry.

"I am especially honoured by this award. I have been recognised for some research accomplishments or other in the past but this one recognises for the first time my commitment to and love for teaching and that is why it is so gratifying," Dasgupta said in a statement.

"I am a third generation university teacher. So, much of this honour I can credit to my father and grandfather, I am merely carrying on that tradition," he added.

As the recipient of the award, Dasgupta will receive a plaque and cash prize. He will also attend the ACS national conference in August in Boston, where he will address and participate in an awards symposium on education in analytical chemistry.

Dasgupta's research area includes: methods for environment-friendly analysis of arsenic in drinking water; rapid analysis of trace heavy metals in the atmosphere; iodine nutrition in women and infants and the role of the chemical perchlorate; and the development of a NASA-funded ion chromatograph for testing extraterrestrial soil, such as on a trip to Mars.

He is the author of more than 400 scientific papers and book chapters and holds 25 US patents. His work has earned more than $18 million in research grants.

UT Arlington President Vistasp M Karbhari said Dasgupta's newest honour demonstrates the high quality of university faculty as exceptional models for advanced research and educational excellence.

"Dasgupta is remarkably accomplished, and his work in analytical chemistry addresses some of the most critical issues in our world," President Karbhari said.

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Indian-American wins prestigious chemistry award