Aggie alum accepts a faculty role in chemical engineering

Dr. Anubhav Sarmah ‘23 recently joined the Virginia Tech Department of Chemical Engineering as an assistant professor, recognizing several courses and faculty members that were pivotal during his time at Texas A&M University. 

The courses include the graduate mentoring seminar, taught by Drs. Micah Green and Martin Sentmanat, as well as the Professional Development for Future Faculty course, taught by Drs. Duncan Walker and Harry Hogan.  

“Other than the constant support and encouragement provided by (Green), my principal investigator, I really appreciated the overall welcoming and open-door policy employed by the faculty in the chemical engineering department,” Sarmah said. 

Sarmah’s work centered around rapid processing of composites using electromagnetic fields. His current research focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms behind polymer dynamics and translating those findings to facilitate sustainable processing of high-performance plastics. 

Sarmah also credits his time with the Texas A&M Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association (ChEGSA) for preparing him as a researcher and presenter. 

“The scale at which the ChEGSA operates, especially their annual symposium, is a testament to the incredible relationship that the faculty and the graduate student body share,” Sarmah said.  

He also served as president of the organization, which urged him to break out of his comfort zone and acquire essential skills like communication and leadership.

“In the future, I am looking forward to setting up my own lab, interacting with students and working my way toward tenure,” Sarmah said.