GPSS Feature Friday: Amrit Venkatesh

Today's GPSS Feature Friday focuses on chemistry Ph.D. candidate Amrit Venkatesh, and it's written by history Ph.D. candidate Lindsay Bell. You can find Amrit on Twitter.

In the summer of 2016, Amrit Venkatesh joined chemistry assistant professor Aaron Rossini's research group at Iowa State to work on the development of improved solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods and their application to exotic elements in the periodic table. NMR is an important technique that is routinely applied to study the structure and dynamics of small molecules, inorganic materials, and biomolecules. An improved understanding of local molecular structure helps chemists synthesize more energy-efficient materials.

Amrit earned master's and bachelor's degrees in chemistry at Sri Sathya Sai University in India. He taught high school and worked as a research fellow at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Barod for two years before his passion for chemistry prompted him to pursue a Ph.D.

"Chemistry is everywhere around us, and it can provide answers and solutions to problems that humanity faces," he said.

The opportunity to work on a team with Dr. Rossini was one of the factors that prompted Amrit to apply for Iowa State's graduate program. He was also drawn to the university's state-of-the-art infrastructure and strong relationship with the United States Department of Energy.

Amrit has enjoyed the extremely collaborative environment on campus, which he feels lessens the mental and emotional stress of graduate school. He also believes Iowa State offers him the opportunity to turn his love for chemistry into a means to make the world a better place.

On Saturdays, Amrit and his wife, fellow graduate student Malvika Rajagopal, volunteer time in West Des Moines, helping teach moral values to children and spreading peace and joy through music. Amrit plays the piano and Indian classical violin.

The multi-talented chemist appreciates having skills that transcend the lab, but if he had an opportunity to give advice to a twenty-year-old Amrit, he would say, "Keep doing what you're doing, but focus a little more."

On Fridays, the Graduate College posts new features from the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. These features will focus on the lives of different Iowa State graduate students. Every post is written by another graduate student and edited lightly by Graduate College Communications Specialist Sarah Igram.