Umesh Waghmare appointed Secretary of India's Department of Science and Technology

Research Work

As an applied physicist, Professor Waghmare's primary scientific interest is computational design of industrially relevant materials. His work focuses on determining material properties at macroscopic and intermediate length and time scales through non-empirical or theoretical description of their chemistry and microscopic structure. Using computer simulations, complex equations, statistical mechanics, and quantum-mechanical density functional theory, he develops first-principles theoretical models to predict the behavior of specific materials.

The innovative modeling methods he developed effectively bridge the gap between microscopic atomic details and macroscopic solid-state properties, allowing scientists to model materials ranging from several tens to hundreds of nanometers and over time intervals from one millionth to one billionth of a second up to tens of nanoseconds.

Scientific Achievements

Throughout his career, Professor Waghmare has accumulated numerous recognized scientific achievements. The most significant was receiving the prestigious Infosys Prize in 2015 in the category of 'Engineering and Computer Science,' a rare award for a physicist. The Infosys citation recognized his fundamental contribution to creating the necessary bridge between the microscopic details of a material and its properties across various length and time scales.

Among his most pioneering achievements is extensive work with 'ferroelectrics,' materials widely used in sensors and electronic devices. By solving a critical environmental and industrial problem, Professor Waghmare successfully predicted a lead-free ferroelectric material. This discovery, which was later experimentally confirmed, has the potential to detoxify and revolutionize a multi-billion dollar industry that currently relies heavily on toxic lead. Furthermore, his academic excellence was noted early in his career when he graduated from IIT Bombay with the institute's Silver Medal.

Significance of the Appointment

The appointment of Professor Waghmare as Secretary of DST underscores the government's recognition of the indispensability of fundamental science for technological progress and industrial applications in India.