Kizhanipuram Vinodgopal
Biography
Professor Vinodgopal is a physical chemist/materials scientist. He joined NCCU as department chair from Indiana University Northwest (IUN, a regional campus in the Indiana University system) in Gary, IN. He began as an assistant professor at IUN in 1990 and was a full professor at the time of his departure.
He was president of the Indiana Conference of the American Assn. of University Professors from 2002–2006, and before that, he was the president of the American Federation of Teachers locally at IU. He received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Vermont in 1985 and began his teaching career as an assistant professor at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania before moving to Indiana.
Prof. Vinodgopal is a native of India, born in the southern Indian state of Kerala, and he grew up in Kolkata, India.
Research
Prof. Vinodgopal's research interests include alternative energy, sensors, and environmental remediation, as described below.
Alternative Energy
- Graphene functionalization with transition metal carbonyls to develop carbon-based electronics
- Development of catalyst assemblies based on nano-structured carbon electrodes, e.g., graphene and carbon nanotubes for fuel cells and lithium batteries
- Ultrasound reactions with emphasis on the synthesis of nano-sized metal colloids for catalytic applications
Sensors
- Surface-enhanced Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy of chemical/biological pathogens and indirect markers for developing field-deployable sensors
- Development of polyelectrolyte membranes: electrochemistry of redox species incorporated in the membranes
Environmental Remediation
- Environmental chemistry and electrochemistry and the intersection of the two. Photo-electrochemical methods of treating environmental waste using novel electrode systems
- Environmental photochemistry
Education
|
PhD |
University of Vermont |
1985 |
|
MS |
Boston University |
1982 |
|
MS |
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay |
1977 |
|
BS |
Calcutta University |
1975 |