Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | India
Professor Aftab Alam is a distinguished physicist specializing in computational materials science, currently serving at the Department of Physics, IIT Bombay. With an expansive career rooted in quantum materials, electronic structure, and vibrational dynamics, Prof. Alam has significantly contributed to both theoretical advancements and applied computational frameworks. His academic journey and professional trajectory reflect a commitment to scientific excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentorship.
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🎓 Early Academic Pursuits
Professor Alam’s academic foundation was built at the University of Calcutta, where he earned his B.Sc. in Physics (Honors) with Mathematics and Chemistry, followed by an M.Sc. in Physics, specializing in Nuclear Physics. He later completed a rigorous Post-M.Sc. course at the S. N. Bose Centre for Basic Sciences, which included intensive examinations and seminar presentations. He pursued his doctoral studies (Ph.D.) at the same institute under the guidance of Prof. Abhijit Mookerjee, focusing on vibrational properties of disordered systems.
🧑🏫 Professional Endeavors
Prof. Alam has held progressive academic roles at IIT Bombay since 2013—from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, and now Professor since April 2022. Before returning to India, he served as a Research Associate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and later as Research Staff at the Ames Laboratory (USA). His international exposure greatly enriched his perspective on materials design, thermodynamic modeling, and quantum phase transitions.
🔬 Contributions and Research Focus
Professor Aftab Alam’s research focuses on electronic structure theory, thermoelectric materials, disordered alloys, and vibrational dynamics. He has developed advanced algorithms and efficient computational codes, integrating them with tools like Quantum-Espresso to explore phonon behavior in complex systems. His work covers structural, magnetic, and quantum phase transitions in intermetallics, exotic phases in topological insulators and superconductors, ab-initio transport theory beyond the Boltzmann formalism, and optoelectronic properties of emerging energy materials.
🌍 Impact and Influence
With over 136 peer-reviewed publications, 10 papers under review, and multiple book chapters, Prof. Alam is a globally cited expert in his domain. His pioneering techniques in phonon dispersion and disorder modeling have been cited across research on thermal transport, neutron scattering, and novel quantum materials. His work supports energy innovation, material design, and next-gen computing applications.
📚 Academic Citations and Publications
Professor Aftab Alam’s research portfolio reflects his prolific academic contributions. He has authored books and book chapters, including Lattice Dynamics of Disordered Systems (2016) and key Springer publications on halide perovskites and spin gapless semiconductors. His work includes 4 conference papers, 10 articles under review, and an impressive 136 international journal publications. His complete list of publications is accessible via Google Scholar, highlighting his high-impact research in condensed matter physics and computational material science.
🛠️ Research Skills and Technical Expertise
Prof. Aftab Alam possesses exceptional expertise in first-principles calculations and density functional theory (DFT), with deep specialization in phonon calculations, vibrational entropy, and inelastic neutron scattering. He is proficient in tools like TB-LMTO, KKR-CPA, VASP, Recursion Method, and Tight-Binding, alongside strong FORTRAN programming skills. Notably, he has developed generalized lattice dynamical models for disordered alloys, interfacing efficiently with Quantum-Espresso, which marks a significant advancement in material simulations and computational modeling.
👨🏫 Teaching Experience and Mentorship
Over his academic journey, Prof. Aftab Alam has mentored 10 Ph.D. scholars (completed) and is currently guiding 6 ongoing Ph.D. students. He has also supervised 7 postdoctoral fellows, with 2 more ongoing, showcasing his strong role in academic leadership. He actively fosters scholarly engagement, having played a pivotal role in student-led symposia like SYMPHY at IIT Bombay. Additionally, he extended his influence internationally as General Secretary of the ISU Postdoctoral Association, USA, promoting academic collaboration and outreach.
🏅 Awards and Honors
Professor Alam has been consistently recognized for his academic leadership:
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🏆 IAAM Scientist Medal, 2016
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🎖 DST Young Scientist Award, 2014
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🏅 Early Research Achiever Award, IIT Bombay, 2017
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🏵 Young Faculty Award, 2013
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✍️ Editorial roles in journals such as Chinese Journal of Physics, Frontiers in Physics, and Advanced Materials Letters
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📜 Featured in Marquis Who’s Who in the World, 2008
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🧪 Multiple national-level exam qualifications: NET-CSIR, JEST
🌟 Legacy and Future Contributions
Prof. Alam is currently involved in organizing international events, including a conference on Photophysics and Photochemistry (2024), and continues to lead multi-crore research projects funded by DST-SERB, MNRE, and IIT Bombay. His focus remains on advancing fundamental understanding while promoting scientific computing tools for widespread academic use. His legacy lies in nurturing next-generation physicists, building research infrastructure, and pushing the boundaries of quantum materials science.
Top Noted Publications
Giant Topological Hall Effect in Magnetic Weyl Metal Mn₂Pd₀.₅Ir₀.₅Sn
- Authors: Arnab Bhattacharya, P. C. Sreeparvathy, Afsar Ahmed, Aftab Alam, Indranil Das
Journal: Advanced Functional Materials
Year: 2025
Photoemission spectroscopy and ab-initio simulation of CrFeVGa and CoFeVSb: a comparative study
- Authors: Jadupati Nag, Kritika Vijay, Barnabha Bandyopadhyay, Aftab Alam, Krishna Gopinatha Suresh
Journal: Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
Year: 2025
Facilitating White Light Emission through Heterovalent Sr²⁺-Doped Nanocrystals for Visible Light Transparent Electronics
- Authors: Monika Salesh, Sumit Kumar Sharma, Sanika S. Padelkar, Aftab Alam, Aswani Yella
Journal: ACS Materials Letters
Year: 2025
Enhanced piezoresponse in van der Waals 2D CuCrInP₂S₆ through nanoscale phase segregation
- Authors: Sharidya Rahman, Sanika S. Padelkar, Lan Nguyen, Aftab Alam, Jacek Jaroslaw Jasieniak
Journal: Nanoscale Horizons
Year: 2025
Robust Nernst magnetothermoelectricity in the topological spin semimetal FeCrRhX (X=Si, Ge)
- Authors: Amit Chanda, Jadupati Nag, Noah Schulz, Manhhuong Phan, Hariharan V. Srikanth
Journal: Physical Review B
Year: 2025