Somenath Mitra, PhD, distinguished professor of chemistry and environmental science at New Jersey Institute of Technology, has focused his research on discovering new ways to assemble and modify carbon nanotubes. He hopes his research will ultimately pave the way to create novel and new materials that can be used in applications ranging from tennis rackets to rocket ships. Other uses also include developing smaller nano-chips for electronics (also known as nano-electronics) and inexpensive, high performance throw-away chemical sensors. The latter might range from sensors for clinical diagnostic purposes such as to discern if a toxic chemical is in the air, food or water.

Mitra’s other research interests include researching for analytical techniques and sensors to discover low-level trace elements in air, water and soil. His current projects include developing instrumentation and methods for continuous, on-line analysis of trace levels of organic pollutants in air and water. These methods range from using gas chromatography or mass spectrometry to micro scale, lab-on-a-chip devices.

Mitra has published 70 journal papers and is the coauthor of Environmental Chemical Analysis (CRC Press, New York, 1998).  He also edited Sample Preparation Techniques in Analytical Chemistry (John Wiley, New York, 2003). Mitra holds five patents and has made more than 150 presentations at conferences.

Mitra received his PhD from Southern Illinois University in 1988.

Last update: June 8, 2011