Shikhar Krishn Jha

Shikhar Krishn Jha is a faculty member at the Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK). He leads the CeramicWorks Lab, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of ceramics, composites, field-assisted processing, and machine learning.

His educational qualifications include:

• Ph.D. from CU Boulder (2015)
• M.Tech. from IISc Bangalore (2011)
• B.Tech. from IIEST Shibpur (2009)

Jha's research spans advanced materials processing, composite design, and machine learning applications in material science. His lab explores technologies like oxygen concentrators, thermal barrier coatings, and bio-inspired armor systems, leveraging scientific foundations in ceramics and composites to address societal challenges.

Key research trends include:

• Integration of field-assisted sintering techniques (e.g., flash sintering) to reduce energy consumption and enhance material properties.
• Application of machine learning for microstructure analysis, grain boundary detection, and phase identification.
• Development of energy storage devices, gas sensors, and bio-ceramics through interdisciplinary collaboration.

The lab collaborates with researchers like Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay (BSBE, IITK) and Prof. Suman Saurabh (IME, IITK), and has produced notable alumni such as Pulkin Gupta (PMRF fellowship recipient) and Mukesh Kumbhakar (DAAD'21 fellowship). Projects involve IITK technical staff and alumni networks for real-world technology implementation.