Meet Shikha Dhiman
Shikha Dhiman is a Junior Professor of Physical Chemistry of Supramolecular Systems at the Department of Chemistry at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz (Germany). She has recently been affiliated as a Junior Faculty with Max Planck Graduate Center, Mainz.
Her research interests lie at the interface of supramolecular chemistry and biological systems. Her focus is to understand structure and dynamics at the molecular level and to correlate them with their function using advanced techniques. Thus developing life-like systems inspired by nature.
Shikha Dhiman grew up in the capital of India, Delhi. She did her Bachelor's in Chemistry from the University of Delhi and then moved to Bangalore, India for her Integrated Ph.D from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore. In the group of Prof. Subi J. George, she pursued her Ph.D. in the field of Supramolecular Chemistry focusing on strategies to create non-equilibrium transient systems and materials. Then her love for science, brought her to Europe, specifically to the Netherlands in the group of Prof. E. W. (Bert) Meijer as a postdoctoral researcher at the Eindhoven University of Technology. During her stay at Eindhoven, she received Marie-Curie fellowship, ICMS fellowship, WIMA award and was chosen as a Rising star by the University of Freiburg. In 2023, she was appointed as Junior Professor in the University of Mainz.
She received Thieme Chemistry Award 2024.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
11.2023 – present PI, SFB 1552: Defects and Defect Engineering in Soft Matter
11.2023 – present Gender Equality Representative, GRK2516
06.2023 – present Junior Faculty, Max Planck Graduate Center, Mainz
04.2023 – present PI, GRK 2516: Structure Formation of Soft Matter at Interfaces
03.2023 – present Associated PI, SFB 1551: Polymer Concepts in Cellular Function
02.2023 – present Junior Professor of Physical Chemistry of Supramolecular Systems, Department of Chemistry, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany
09.2021 – 01.2023 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), The Netherlands
09.2021 – 01.2023 Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) Fellow, ICMS, TU/e, The Netherlands
08.2020 – 08.2021 Post-doctoral Researcher, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
01.2020 – 06.2020 Research Associate, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, India
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
10.2023 – present Lecturer for Introduction to macromolecular chemistry; Part 1: Manufacture of polymers
for master’s students at JGU Mainz
10.2023 – present Lecturer for Modern and Industrial Aspects of Polymer Materials: Synthesis and use of
polymer materials for master’s students at JGU Mainz
04.2023 – present Lecturer for Complex Supramolecular Systems course for master’s students at JGU Mainz
02.2021 – 04.2021 Tutor for 6E6X0 (2020-3) DBL Molecules and materials course for Bachelor students at TU/e.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
04.2017 – 05.2020 Doctor of Philosophy, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, India
Thesis title: Fuel-driven strategies for temporal supramolecular polymerization.
Advisor: Prof. Subi J. George
07.2014 – 04.2017 Master’s in chemical science, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, India
Thesis title: Temporal control over self-assembly and helicity of supramolecular polymers.
Advisor: Prof. Subi J. George
07.2011 – 06.2014 Bachelor´s in Chemistry, Hindu College, University of Delhi, India
AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS (Selected)
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Thieme Chemistry Award 2024 by Thieme Journal.
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Women Interactive Materials Award 2021 runner-up organised by DWI–Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien.
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Awarded “Institute for Complex Molecular Systems Fellowship” in 2021 for excellence in research at TU/e.
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Awarded “Freiburg Rising Star” in FRSA by University of Freiburg, Germany as highly talented early career researcher.
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Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship 2021 by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 899987.
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Best poster teaser award at “In-House Symposium” in 2016 and 2018 organised by JNCASR, Bangalore, India.
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Awarded “Babu Matru Prasad Scholarship” for excellence in 2015 by JNCASR, India.
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Top Ranks (18 in >10k) and selection (2 in 2k) in prestigious national institutes, university in India 2014 for M.Sc. Chemistry.
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Awarded International travel grant from Science and Engineering Research Board, Government of India.