Prof. Prasenjit Ghosh (IISER Pune) on Postdoc to Faculty Journey, Research & Career Tips || Part 2/2

Decoding Phase Transitions - the DPT Podcast || Ep.9 || Guest: Prof. Prasenjit Ghosh (Part 2/2) In this second part of our conversation, Prof. Prasenjit Ghosh, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Physics and Chemistry at IISER Pune, takes us through his postdoctoral journey, transition to a faculty role, and his current research in sustainable materials and catalysis. In Part 1, we explored his early years — how his love for physics began, the influence of mentors and family, and the lessons learned from setbacks and self-discovery. [Check it out here:h ttps://youtu.be/kXNOw7fai4U] In this episode, we turn to the next chapter: life after PhD, the realities of postdoctoral research abroad, and what it truly takes to build an academic career in India. 🎙️Prof. Ghosh shares pro tips for young scientists and postdocs — including: ✨How to search and apply for faculty positions (especially in India) ✨The documents and proposals required for applications ✨Funding opportunities for new faculty members ✨How to prepare for interviews and take on early-career responsibilities with confidence We also discuss his current research interests, which focus on reducing greenhouse gases through catalysis and applying AI tools to perform research in thermoelectric materials — bridging fundamental physics with real-world sustainability. Prof. Ghosh’s humility and authenticity shine throughout — he explains his journey with the same groundedness that defines his approach to science and mentoring. 👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the DPT Podcast for more inspiring conversations with brilliant minds in academia and beyond. You can find all the episodes of DPT podcast below YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK152Z45fAKnLusMqOyY5Q0zf2Fz9wiXk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dpt-podcast/id1842946744 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MJH3m3TJeEAALoTdc4T5e Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/972eaf17-675f-4e38-af37-ccf1f40d940b Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/decoding-phase-transitions-the-6239581 🎙️ About This Episode's Guest: Prof. Prasenjit Ghosh is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Physics and Chemistry at IISER Pune, India, where he joined in 2010. He completed his PhD at JNCASR, Bangalore, followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship at ICTP, Trieste, Italy. He holds an M.Sc. in Physics from BHU, Banaras and a B.Sc. from Calcutta University. Homepage: https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/physics/people/faculty/regular-faculty/prasenjit-ghosh/267 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=mCp5bRoAAAAJ&hl=en His Research Areas: physics and chemistry of materials (from zero dimensional clusters/molecules to three dimensional bulk) and how they interact with their environment, heterogeneous catalysis, photo- and electro-catalysis, thermoelectrics and photovoltaics. 🔗 Resources Mentioned / Related Links: BHU, Banaras: https://www.bhu.ac.in/Site/Home/1_2_16_Main-Site JNCASR, Bangalore: https://www.jncasr.ac.in ICTP, Trieste, Italy: https://www.ictp.it Shobhana Narasimhan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shobhana_Narasimhan Umesh Waghmare: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umesh_Waghmare Ralph Gebauer, ICTP: https://www.ictp.it/member/ralph-gebauer#biography Sandro Scandolo, ICTP: https://www.ictp.it/member/sandro-scandolo#biography Stefano de Gironcoli, SISSA: https://cm.sissa.it/people/stefano-de-gironcoli Stefano Fabris, SISSA: https://cm.sissa.it/people/stefano-fabris O.N. Srivastava, BHU: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onkar_Nath_Srivastava ANRF Research Fund : https://anrfonline.in/ANRF/About?HomePage=New BRNS Research Fund: https://brns.res.in/brns_rp.php DAE: https://dae.gov.in DST: https://dst.gov.in 👋 Connect with Sananda Biswas (Host): YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@SanandaBiswasPhD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sananda-biswas-PhD/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sananda.biswas.phd 📌 **Chapters are below, but I recommend watching/listening the full journey for the complete context. ⏱️ Episode Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome and Introduction 02:03 – Postdoc or Plan B? 03:13 – Challenges after arriving in Trieste 06:22 – Shaping his research direction during postdoc 08:02 – Research in catalysis and excited states 24:40 – Key lessons learned from postdoctoral years abroad 27:33 – Deciding to return to India 29:13 – Tips for those seeking faculty positions in India 47:03 – What to expect after joining as faculty 57:23 – His current research interests 01:02:53 – Fun trivia about him 01:08:28 – The turning point 01:11:55 – Final Thoughts #DPTPodcast #AcademicCareers #PostdocLife #FacultyPositions #ResearchJourney #Sustainability #Catalysis #AIInScience #IISERPune