A man smiling while wearing a black sport coat and tie over a white button down shirt.
Puru Jena, Ph.D., distinguished professor in the Department of Physics in the College of Humanities and Sciences and director of VCU’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment. (Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Jan. 30, 2023

Indian Chemical Society recognizes Puru Jena for contributions to chemistry

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By VCU News staff

Puru Jena, Ph.D., distinguished professor in the Department of Physics in the College of Humanities and Sciences and director of VCU’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment, has been awarded the Professor A. K. Chandra Memorial Award.

The annual award of the Indian Chemical Society recognizes scholastic contributions to the field of chemical sciences. Jena received the award recently at the 58th annual Convention of Chemists of the Indian Chemical Society.

“I am honored to receive the Professor A. K. Chandra Memorial from the Indian Chemical Society,” Jena said. “This is especially an honor as I am a physicist but have a love for chemistry.”

Jena, who joined VCU’s faculty in 1980, conducts research across a wide range of topics in nano-structured materials, condensed matter physics and materials science. These include structure and properties of metals, semiconductors, superconductors, alloys, liquid metals, point and complex defects, surfaces, thin films, atomic clusters and cluster assembled materials.