Dr. Prashant N. Kumta holds the Edward R. Weidlein Chair at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering and is a professor in the Departments of BioEngineering, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.
Dr. Kumta joined the University in 2007, coming from Carnegie Mellon University where he spent 17 years in the Biomedical and Materials Science and Engineering Departments. He obtained his MS in Materials Science and Engineering in 1987 and his PhD in 1990, both from the University of Arizona.
Professor Kumta’s research interests cover the two broad areas of energy storage and biomaterials. The main focus of research in both these areas is to develop novel low temperature approaches and study the relationships of the process parameters, the ensuing microstructure and crystallographic structure to the electrochemical activity in the former and biological response in the latter. Fundamental research is also being conducted to explore alternative electronically conductive and electrochemically stable catalyst supports for developing novel electrolyzers for the efficient generation of hydrogen.
Another important aspect of the Biomaterials research program involving strong interaction with the Dental School and the Department of Oral Biology is to study the role of bio-ceramics and genetically engineered proteins for engineering and design of new biomaterial interfaces and morphologies used to investigate stem cell plasticity.
Dr. Kumta is the recipient of the Research Initiation Award from the National Science Foundation in 1993 and has been continuously listed in Who’s Who in Science and Engineering and Who’s Who in America among other prestigious publications. He is the author and co-author of more than 150 refereed journal publications and is the editor-in-chief of Materials Science and Engineering, an international journal.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Prashant N. Kumta, Ph.D.Phone: 412-624-9784
Email: pkumta@engr.pitt.edu