Smart Materials have amazing potential in addressing some of our biggest challenges, whether it is for a cleaner environment, sustainable energy, or nanomedicine !
Alisha Gogia, our next pathbreaker, Post Doctoral Scientist at Florida International University, focuses on materials chemistry, creating and studying new materials that can help solve real-world problems, such as sensing harmful gases, cleaning pollutants, or photovoltaic applications.
Alisha talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about her research at UCSB (University of California Santa Barbara), where she focused on something called photoswitches, special molecules that can change their color when exposed to light.
For students, don’t limit your dreams. You might be sitting in a small classroom today, but your curiosity can take you anywhere, to world-class labs, universities abroad, or even your own startup.
Alisha, can you share your background with our young readers?
I grew up in a middle-class family in Faridabad, India. My father was a businessman, and my mother managed our home and made sure my studies were always on track. As a child, I was sincere and a little shy, the kind of kid who loved finishing homework early so I could dive into my favorite Goosebumps ghost novels. At the same time, I was also part of Olympiad and science quiz teams, because I genuinely enjoyed learning new things. Sometimes my father would take my sisters and me along to his workplace, where people made dinner sets from melamine powder. I still remember watching, wide-eyed, as a simple white powder was melted, poured into molds, and turned into strong, shiny plates, almost like making ice cubes, but with science! My father also had a habit of cutting out small science articles from newspapers, about biofuels, new inventions, and discoveries, and discussing them with me. Those small moments became my first window into how exciting and creative science could be.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
After finishing school, I chose to study Chemistry for my graduation. I did my BSc (h) in Chemistry from Hindu College, University of Delhi, which gave me a strong foundation in the subject. After graduation, I joined the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali for an Integrated MS-PhD program in Chemistry. It’s a 2 + 4 or 5-year course, depending on how your research progresses. This program let me dive straight into research after my master’s level. At IISER, I explored the world of synthetic organic chemistry, designing new metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for applications ranging from gas storage and catalysis to drug delivery and explosive sensing. Interestingly, MOFs were recognized with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in October 2025, which makes me feel proud to have worked in that exciting field so early in my career.
What were some of the influences that led you to a career in Applied Chemistry?
For me, choosing science wasn’t a single moment, it was a series of small sparks that kept growing stronger over time. I enjoyed studying all branches of science equally and didn’t have a particular preference for chemistry at first. In fact, my decision to major in chemistry was quite accidental! During college admissions, we were late reaching college for some personal reasons, and chemistry was the subject still available, so I took it. But that unplanned choice turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.
At Hindu College, I was surrounded by amazing friends who constantly encouraged me to explore beyond textbooks. One of them once told me, “If you really want to do science, you will certainly find some place to work.” That simple line stayed with me and it still reminds me that curiosity can take you anywhere. So, I applied for a Summer Research Fellowship by the Indian Academy of Sciences, and luckily, I got selected to work at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai. I was one of the youngest interns there, surrounded by brilliant scientists and researchers.
I still remember one unforgettable day: all summer students were taken on a site visit inside the nuclear reactor facility. We had to wear radiation sensor badges and walk through giant pressure doors to enter the building. Standing there, watching those massive reactors, I felt like I had stepped into a science fiction movie. That moment deepened my love for science. I knew then that there was no turning back.
That experience motivated me to study harder and apply to IISER Mohali for the Integrated MS-PhD program, because I was sure I wanted to do research for the love of science, not just as a career.
At IISER, I saw how research-based learning is so different from traditional university education. We didn’t just study from textbooks; we learned directly from research papers and journals, and even designed our own experiments. Seeing my seniors collaborate with scientists from places like MIT, Harvard, and Max Planck made me realize how truly global science is and how, if you’re curious and determined, the world really is your oyster.
How did you forge about your career path?
Honestly, I didn’t start out with a rigid plan; I just followed my curiosity and took one meaningful step at a time. My approach was simple: learn deeply, stay consistent, and be honest with the process.
I believed that science isn’t just about finding answers, it’s about learning how to ask the right questions.
During my first year of college at Hindu College, I found out, on the last day of exams, that some of my seniors had gone for summer internships at research institutes. I had absolutely no idea such opportunities even existed!
I remember feeling really disappointed with myself for not networking enough or asking around earlier. But instead of giving up, I decided to find out if there was anything still possible that summer. One of my seniors mentioned that a college lecturer, who was an early-career scientist, had a small seed fund project in collaboration with the Botany Department and was looking for motivated students.
I thought, “What’s the worst that can happen? He’ll say no.” So, I gathered my courage, went to meet him, and explained how eager I was to learn. To my surprise, he said yes and even told me that no one else had applied yet! That’s how I got my first real research experience. And then the following year, I knew I had to apply for a summer internship at a research institute in advance, and that’s how the Indian Academy of Sciences and BARC happened, and of course, I was ecstatic!
That small decision taught me one of the most important lessons of my career: always ask questions and reach out. Most people are happy to help if you show genuine interest; you just need to take that first step.
In BARC during my internship, I learned that experiments don’t always work the first time and that’s okay. In fact, science teaches you patience, precision, and ethics, you learn to report what’s true, even if it doesn’t match what you expected.
At BARC, most of the projects were focused on energy research. I worked specifically on the synthesis and characterization of catalysts used for hydrogen generation through thermo-chemical cycles.
At that time, I hadn’t formally learned spectroscopy in college, so this was my first real exposure to advanced characterization techniques like Powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Infrared Spectroscopy (IR). These tools helped us study the structure and surface features of the catalysts we made.
In the beginning, I mostly shadowed my mentor, observing how he standardized experiments and maintained precision. Gradually, I started replicating those experiments on my own. By the end of the internship, when we had to write our final project report, everything finally came together. I understood how research and scientific communication go hand in hand. That experience gave me my first real taste of what being a researcher truly means.
Tell us about your PhD and Post-Doctoral research
The PhD journey, especially, taught me some of life’s most important lessons. It teaches you to stay consistent, keep working when it gets tough, and find meaning in failure.
I was part of an Integrated PhD program at IISER Mohali, which meant my Master’s and PhD projects were tied together. This gave me the time and freedom to go deep into one research topic and truly understand it from the ground up.
My research focused on designing new Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), materials that look like tiny, sponge-like networks capable of trapping and interacting with different molecules. These materials are made by connecting metal ions with organic linkers to form repeating 3D structures.
Most scientists worked with rigid linkers because their structures are predictable and easier to control. But my goal was to take on a tougher challenge: using flexible ligands that can twist and bend, making it much harder to predict how the final structure will form. It was like trying to build a stable building using bendy straws instead of fixed rods!
I also introduced five-membered functional rings (structurally, because it has interesting (a)symmetry preferences) and different chemical groups into the MOF structures to make them more functional; for example, to catalyze reactions or capture radioactive and poisonous substances from water.
In short, my PhD was about learning how to design and control complex materials at the molecular level making them not just scientifically fascinating but also useful for solving real-world problems like pollution, catalysis, and energy applications.
Looking back, I realize that the projects that failed taught me far more than the ones that worked easily. When something doesn’t work, you learn about the tiny details: the temperature, timing, impurities, or human errors: and those lessons make you a better scientist. A PhD also teaches you when to stop, when to change direction, and when to say “this idea doesn’t work, let’s try another path.” It’s not just about experiments, it’s about managing time, mentoring juniors, writing proposals, and even finding funding. In many ways, doing a PhD is like running a small business: you handle projects, people, deadlines, and ideas.
After finishing my PhD at IISER Mohali, I had gained enough confidence in doing independent science. I then moved to New Mexico Highlands University (USA), where my role went beyond research. There, I was deeply involved in science outreach, working with students from northern New Mexico, motivating them to pursue higher education, and explaining complicated science in simple ways to middle school students. That experience taught me how to communicate science clearly and make it exciting for young minds.
I also taught a graduate-level course, which gave me valuable teaching experience and improved my ability to explain ideas logically.
There was a very specific reason I chose the position in New Mexico. It was part of a PREM program: ‘Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials’, which brings together scientists from research universities and minority-serving institutions to build strong collaborations in materials science.
What attracted me was that the program wasn’t just about doing research; it was also about sharing science and mentoring students. It focused on building partnerships where experienced researchers guide young students especially from underrepresented backgrounds and help them gain hands-on exposure to advanced materials research.
My research there focused on functional materials, particularly how their microscopic structures affect their behavior in sensing and energy-related applications. But alongside the experiments, I was equally involved in the science communication side, helping explain complex ideas in simpler ways so that undergraduate students, school teachers, and even non-scientists could understand how materials science impacts everyday life.
The “consumers” of this communication were mainly students, local educators, and community members who were part of the PREM network. The broader mission was to make sure science education and research opportunities reach everyone not just a few institutions.
So, for me, the New Mexico experience was about two things: continuing to grow as a researcher and learning how to make science more inclusive and accessible.
During this phase, I presented my research at international conferences, won awards for science communication, and most importantly, I learned how to network. One memorable connection was with a brilliant scientist from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), who invited me to work in his lab as a Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher. This was a truly enriching experience. I saw how much independence and creativity a good mentor can give you and how collaboration across different fields can open your mind. Working there taught me the language of interdisciplinary science, how to discuss chemistry with engineers, physicists, or biologists. It also made me realize the importance of having an “elevator pitch”, a short, clear way to explain your work, because sometimes the best collaborations begin over a coffee break!
My mentor at UCSB told me something I’ll never forget: “Never underestimate the power of networking; science is a small world, and you’ll meet the same people again somewhere down the road.”
At UCSB, my research focused on something called photoswitches: special molecules that can change their color when exposed to light. The ones I worked on could turn from colored to colorless when you shine light on them, and then switch back to their original color when you heat them. It’s almost like a light-controlled magic trick at the molecular level!
But there’s a big challenge, these photoswitches work really well when they are dissolved in a liquid, but once you try to use them in a solid form, they often stop switching. This happens because, in solid form, the molecules are packed too tightly together. When that happens, they start interacting or “clumping” with each other, a bit like how people in a crowded room can’t move freely. In this “crowded” state, the molecules can’t rearrange themselves properly when light hits them, so their switching ability is lost.
To solve this, we used what I like to call my “magic sponges”, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). These MOFs have tiny, well-ordered pores like microscopic rooms where we could trap each photoswitch molecule separately. By keeping them isolated inside these little spaces, we prevented aggregation, allowing the molecules to move and switch freely even in the solid state.
This work was very cross-functional; I collaborated with chemists who helped design the photoswitches, physicists who studied the light-matter interaction, and engineers who tested the materials’ optical response. Together, we were able to show that these materials could switch reversibly under light and heat, opening up possibilities for smart coatings, sensors, and optical memory devices.
After UCSB, I joined Florida International University (FIU) as a Postdoctoral Researcher to take my chemistry knowledge a step further. Here, I work on functional materials connecting synthetic organic chemistry and molecular design with engineering and device applications.
This phase allowed me to bridge the gap between making materials in the lab and using them in real-world technologies, such as sensors, coatings, or microneedles for drug delivery.
Throughout my journey, I stayed in touch with mentors, attended conferences, and collaborated with people from diverse fields. These contacts helped me learn new ideas,
How did you get your first break?
My first real break came when I got selected for my PhD at IISER Mohali, one of India’s leading research institutes. That was the moment when I truly stepped from learning science to doing science.
Getting there wasn’t easy. I had to go through competitive national-level entrance exams and interviews, where not just book knowledge but also logical thinking and curiosity mattered. I remember being nervous, but I also knew that if I could clearly explain why I loved science, that honesty would show. The IISER selection was like a dream come true. Once I joined, I was surrounded by brilliant students and mentors who encouraged me to explore my own ideas. That environment, full of curiosity, long discussions, and even failed experiments, gave me my first true identity as a scientist.
What were some of the challenges you faced?
Challenge 1: Failed experiments
In the lab, experiments often failed for reasons I couldn’t see, contamination, instrument errors, or simply unknown chemistry. At first, this was frustrating. But over time, I learned to look at failure as data, not defeat. Every time something didn’t work, it taught me something new about the system. This mindset changed everything. Instead of getting discouraged, I started to get curious, why did it fail? What could I change? That curiosity and hope became my biggest strength.
Challenge 2: Staying consistent and motivated during the PhD
A PhD can be a long and sometimes lonely journey. There are days when nothing seems to work, and you start doubting yourself. What helped me was consistency, showing up every day, making small bits of progress, and talking to mentors and labmates when I felt stuck. I learned that research is like a marathon, not a sprint. You need patience, discipline, and belief that your effort will pay off.
Challenge 3: Adapting to new places and people
Moving from India to the U.S. for my postdoc was another challenge. Everything was different, from lab culture to daily life. I had to adjust to new systems, new expectations, and sometimes even new scientific approaches. What helped me was communication and openness. I learned to ask questions, seek help, and slowly build connections. Over time, I realized that science is truly universal and curiosity connects people beyond borders. Working in places like New Mexico Highlands University, UCSB, and now FIU taught me how to collaborate across disciplines and cultures and that adaptability is as important as technical skill.
Where do you work now?
I currently work as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Florida International University (FIU), USA. My lab focuses on materials chemistry, creating and studying new materials that can help solve real-world problems, such as sensing harmful gases, cleaning pollutants, or photovoltaic applications.
What problems do you solve?
My research tries to answer questions like:
How can we make materials that detect toxic gases before they reach dangerous levels? How can we design nanomaterials that release medicine slowly and safely inside the body? To tackle these, I work with advanced materials that can be tuned to behave in very specific ways. For example, a gas sensor made using our materials can detect ammonia even at very low levels, which can help prevent accidents in industries or protect people’s health.
What skills are needed for this job, and how did you acquire them?
You need a mix of scientific, technical, and soft skills:
Scientific skills – Strong understanding of chemistry and materials science.
Technical skills – Operating instruments like XRD, FTIR, SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and doing precise synthesis and characterization.
Analytical skills – Understanding why something works (or doesn’t!) and designing better versions.
Communication and teamwork – You must be able to explain your work clearly and collaborate with engineers, physicists, or biologists.
I built these skills step by step, first through my college and PhD research, then by teaching and mentoring students during my time at New Mexico Highlands University, and later by collaborating across disciplines at UCSB and FIU.
What’s a typical day like?
A day in my lab is a mix of creativity and precision:
Morning: I plan my experiments, prepare solutions, or design new synthesis routes.
Afternoon: I run instruments, collect data, and troubleshoot (because not everything works the first time!).
Evening: I analyze the results, discuss ideas with my mentor and students, and often write papers or prepare for presentations.
It’s a mix of thinking, doing, and learning, and no two days are ever the same!
What do you love about this job?
What I love most is that every day feels like solving a mystery. You start with a question, design an experiment, and then wait to see what nature tells you. The excitement when something new works, especially after weeks of effort is priceless. I also love mentoring students and explaining complex science in simple terms. Seeing their curiosity grow reminds me why I started this journey in the first place.
How does your work benefit society?
The best part about working in science is knowing that what you create in the lab can actually make people’s lives better. My work focuses on designing smart materials that can be used in three main ways: for a cleaner environment, for sustainable energy, and for organic reaction catalysis (helping reactions to occur)
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
One of the projects that’s closest to my heart is our work on capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and converting it into useful products using Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
We all hear about climate change and rising CO2) levels, right? But imagine if we could take that “waste gas” and turn it into something valuable, like making something useful out of pollution itself! That’s exactly what we tried to do.
During my PhD, I was working on a special type of porous material called a MOF, you can think of it as a sponge at the molecular level. It has tiny holes that can trap gas molecules like CO2 very efficiently. But we wanted to go one step further, not just trap CO2, but use it as a raw material.
With the help of metal centers and organic linkers in our MOF, we developed a system that could capture CO2 from air and convert it into cyclic carbonates. These cyclic carbonates are value-added compounds, they are used in the adhesive, plastic, and coating industries,
What made this project special was how it connected global challenges to chemistry. It showed me that science can move beyond the lab and actually help solve problems like climate change and carbon pollution.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way:
Failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of it!
In research, most experiments fail before they succeed. But every failure teaches you something that no textbook ever can. So, don’t be afraid of getting things wrong. Be afraid of not trying.
Be consistent. Whether it’s preparing for exams or running a chemical reaction, what matters is showing up every day and doing your best. Progress comes slowly, but it comes surely.
Talk to people, and learn to communicate your ideas. Science isn’t done alone. Your ability to explain your ideas clearly, to friends, mentors, or even to school students is as powerful as your lab or computer skills.
Find good mentors and be a good listener. A mentor can change your direction with one sentence. But you’ll only benefit if you listen, ask questions, and stay open to learning.
Don’t limit your dreams. You might be sitting in a small classroom today, but your curiosity can take you anywhere, to world-class labs, universities abroad, or even your own startup.
Future Plans?
Looking ahead, my biggest goal is to build my own research lab in India, a space where young students can explore ideas freely, learn by doing, and design solutions for real-world problems. I want to work at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and engineering, developing sustainable materials for clean energy, environmental protection, and applied materials for industries and health.
But beyond research, my dream is to mentor students and make science accessible. During my journey, I saw how much talent exists in small towns and schools across India; all they need is the right guidance and encouragement. I want to create that environment where students can experiment, fail safely, and learn to think like scientists.