Supratik Guha

Supratik Guha is a world-renowned expert in the use of nanoscale materials for information processing technologies. As a scientist and executive at IBM for 20 years, he pioneered developments in silicon technology that are in wide use in smartphones and high-performance computers today. His current research agenda focuses on new devices and approaches for future information processing technologies.

Supratik is deeply engaged with the Center in Delhi through a long-running project developing geospatial sensor networks for water sensing in Indian rivers. He has also worked to raise the University of Chicago’s profile at key Indian higher education institutions.

Q: Why is international collaboration important in your field?

A: There is a twofold answer to this question: (i), to be able to benefit from collaborations with top scientists around the world; and (ii), in areas related to terrestrial ecology and the environment, it is important to carry out experiments in various geographical and global contexts.

Q: What has interested or surprised you most in building your international collaborations?

A: I would say the agility, enthusiasm, and spirit of the young colleagues that I have worked with.

Q: What are you most excited about as you start your term as Faculty Director for the Center in Delhi?

A: As we emerge out of the pandemic and transition back into face-to-face meetings, I look forward to building upon the momentum that Dipesh da and the India team have injected into the Center in Delhi over the past years. The interactions with UChicago faculty in areas related to economics, public policy, medicine, and the liberal arts have a strong foundation. I hope to add to this list increased interactions in the physical sciences in the Indian context. This is timely, with the recent agreements between the US and Indian governments for enhancing close scientific collaborations between the two countries.