Ashutosh S. Gandhi

Prof. Ashutosh S. Gandhi is a Professor in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), where he has been serving since December 2017. Previously, he was an Associate Professor at IIT Madras from 2012 to 2015 and an Assistant Professor there from 2006 to 2012. He held a Postgraduate Researcher position at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 2001 to 2005.

His educational qualifications include a Ph.D. and M.E. in Metallurgy from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, specializing in Ceramics, and a B.E. in Metallurgical Engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, where he secured the university rank.

Prof. Gandhi's research focuses on the Science of Ceramics, particularly High Temperature Protective Coatings such as Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) and Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBCs), Surface Engineering, High Entropy Ceramics, Phase Transformations, and Metastable and Amorphous Materials. His work bridges fundamental materials science with industrial applications in aerospace, energy, and nuclear sectors.

The selected publications highlight a strong trend in advanced ceramic materials, especially zirconia-based systems, rare earth silicates, and high entropy oxides. The research spans synthesis (sol-gel, combustion), processing (spark plasma sintering), and characterization of phase evolution, thermal stability, and mechanical properties under extreme conditions. Key themes include entropy stabilization, nanocrystallinity, and high-temperature performance.

He has secured significant research funding from national and international agencies including the Science & Engineering Research Board, Aeronautics Research & Development Board, Department of Science & Technology, Naval Research Board (DRDO), Indian Space Research Organisation, The Boeing Company, and Pratt & Whitney. He also collaborated with GE India Technology Center on critical literature reviews.

Prof. Gandhi holds an Indian patent on a thermal barrier coating made of high entropy oxide ceramics. He has contributed to the field through peer-reviewed journal publications and book chapters in prestigious publications by Springer and Pan Stanford.

His research group at IIT Bombay is actively involved in developing next-generation ceramic materials for extreme environments, including icephobic coatings for aerospace and protective coatings for refractories. The lab utilizes advanced spectroscopic and materials characterization techniques.