Pulak Dutta

Pulak Dutta is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a PhD from the University of Chicago (1980). His research focuses on nanoscale order in soft materials at surfaces and interfaces, utilizing in-situ X-ray scattering techniques. Key areas include physisorbed/chemisorbed molecular monolayers, interfacial liquids, and synchrotron radiation experiments at facilities like the Advanced Photon Source (Argonne National Laboratory) and Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Education:

• PhD, University of Chicago, 1980

His research investigates how molecular arrangements at interfaces enable novel material properties. Studies include rare earth adsorption mechanisms, ionic liquid-surface interactions, and structural transitions in lanthanide monolayers. Techniques emphasize X-ray reflectivity and operando scattering methods to probe interface dynamics and material behavior under varying conditions.

Awards & Honors:

• Fellow, American Physical Society
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science

Publications highlight interdisciplinary work at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and materials science. His group collaborates on synchrotron-based projects to understand nanoscale phenomena with implications for material design and functional interfaces.