Mohan Hopeful to Advance Green Chemistry Practices With Third Fulbright Trip to India

May 18, 2023 

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Wendell and Loretta Hess Professor of Chemistry Ram Mohan has been named a Fulbright Scholar for the third time, allowing him to teach and conduct research in Bangalore, India, during the spring and summer of 2024. 

Fulbright Scholars are named by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Program. The program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright grants are highly competitive and Mohan’s selection is a reflection of his leadership and contributions to society.

Mohan also received Fulbright Scholar Awards in 2012 and 2020 — an achievement he considers “an incredible honor.” Previous Fulbright trips to India allowed him to explore the field of green chemistry and contribute to related education and research in his home country.  

Green chemistry, an essential component of sustainable chemistry, is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances.

“This renewed opportunity to travel to India will enable me to do more things than I could on previous visits as I am now more familiar with the education system in India,” said Mohan, adding that India is seeing immense growth in every sector, especially education. “It is exciting for me to be part of that growth. A lot of my travels will be in the rural hinterland which have historically benefited less than urban areas. The opportunity to bring green chemistry education to this section of India is exciting and rewarding.”

Mohan’s Fulbright project for the upcoming school year is titled “Better Living Through The Practice of Green Chemistry.” While his host institute will be St. Joseph’s University in Bangalore, India, Mohan will travel across the country, especially making stops in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra to lecture on green chemistry at undergraduate colleges.

During the research portion of the Fulbright project, Mohan will collaborate with Professor Chelvam Venkatesh at the Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IIT-I) — one of the fastest growing research institutes in India. As an organic chemist and chemical biologist, Professor Venkatesh serves as associate professor in the discipline of chemistry in the Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering at IIT-I. 

While his trip is planned for January to June 2024, Mohan hopes the research partnership with his colleagues in India will start sooner. “One always hopes with research that the visit will sow the seeds of ongoing collaboration between our laboratories,” he said. 

Professor Venkatesh’s research group explores synthesis of molecules for treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases and he also works on developing easy ways for early diagnosis of HIV. Professor Mohan’s own research utilizes remarkably nontoxic bismuth compounds as catalysts to practice green chemistry. 

“I plan to work with Professor Venkatesh’s group to develop greener synthetic methods to synthesize some of the target molecules. It will be an honor and a learning experience to work with a professor of his caliber at such a premiere institute,” said Mohan.

Mohan is hopeful that this experience and interaction with his hosts will increase his ability to develop green chemistry applications that can be utilized in a wide range of laboratories. 

“With the experience gained, I can help introduce green chemistry principles in the future in countries where it is not emphasized. Collaborating with a premier institute in India will broaden my own knowledge in biological chemistry and experience in the field of green organic synthesis,” he said.

Mohan earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from Hansraj College in Delhi, India; a master’s in organic chemistry from the University of Delhi, India; and a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He completed postdoctoral work at The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Professor Mohan has been a member of Illinois Wesleyan’s faculty since 1996. He primarily teaches sophomore and advanced level organic chemistry as well as green chemistry to both non majors and science majors. 

By Julia Perez