HELLO THERE! I'M AISHIK DAS.
MY SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Thanks for visiting! This is where you’ll find my professional experience and skills, my interests and education. I created this site to showcase the one thing I’m sure of - that there’s no one else like me out there. Browse through all the information I’ve provided here, and contact me directly to learn more.
About me
My story
I was born in Kolkata née Calcutta, one of the big cities of India to Bengali parents. My father is a Chemical Engineer. My mother is a homemaker and avid reader of novels. Since my birth on 13th October, 1992, I stayed with my parents and moved from one place to another as per the transfer of my father. I enjoy playing cricket and European football. I used to participate in a variety of sports competitions and sprints and win certificates and accolades. I happened to watch a lot of movies and cartoons, courtesy of my mother, on the television since my childhood days. All throughout my school life, I remember reading story books and completing left over tasks in the library and sharing lunches with my friends during recess. During the whole school life, I took part in skit, drama, recitation and art competition. I was admitted to Karate and Taekwondo. I hold a red belt in Karate. Sadly, I am out of practice now. I was an active participant of quizzes and debates. I still remember, I helped my team win a debate competition by scoring extra points in the interrogation round. I was also awarded Scholar badges for 3 years consecutively due to my academic record and was also cheered by all my classmates. I became a member of the Space Club in school and went out on space exploratory expeditions and night outs to countryside. I also represented my school in various mathematics, environmental and science Olympiads. I also participated in National Talent Search Examination. I participated and organised several blood donation camps, cleanliness drives, and cultural events in my locality. I took part in distributing food to the socially and economically backward community as a part of celebrating religious festivals.
Right from the childhood I always wanted to explore the world by myself. So whenever I am feeling low I just leave my house and start walking wherever it leads me to. I love listening to music. I used to draw and paint when I was young. I am hoping to start it again. I also like travelling. I read a lot, but not story books. I rather read forums, newspapers (especially the business columns) and comics. History is my all time favourite subject and criminology is my latest interest.
So after 23 years of my life, when I look backwards and recapitulate my past, I find that I have been taught with moral values and ethics. No regrets at all, except one. My grandparents are no longer with me. They passed away when I was little.
My Professional Profile
Up Close & Personal
There are so many people in the world who never have the opportunity to pursue the career they love. I’m not one of them. I love what I do and since starting my undergraduate life in the field of biotechnology way back in India. I’m thrilled to say that I’ve learned from so many trained professionals in my field. I know that I still have so much to learn from others in this booming industry. I’m a hard worker, a team player and excited to see what projects could benefit from my unique skill set.
Professional History
My Roles & Responsibilities
The following is a list of my experiences as a professional in my field. Here you will find a showcase of each of these roles. They were all unique and contributed to both my personal and professional development. If you’d like references or additional information for any of these roles, please get in touch.
Graduate Teaching Assistant
August 2018 - December 2018
Organize and coordinate with other teaching assistants to maintain and manage the lab.
Assist students with MATLAB, Arduino, LabVIEW, electric circuits, and bread boarding.
Take out inventory required for projects and lab work.
Oversee weekly labs and guide students during lab hours.
Set up office hours and proctor exams.
Grading homework and lab reports.
Assist students with the circuitry and software design of the pulse oximeter and coffee roaster.
Graduate Research Assistant
August 2016 - Present
Research material durability and demonstrate EFPAS’s ability to spectroscopically probe materials’ characteristics on the nanoscale level.
Trying out a new metrology technique, EFPAS (Evanescent field photoacoustic spectroscopy), which uses a pulsed evanescent field to induce a photoacoustic effect, providing the ability to spectroscopically probe materials on the nanoscale level of a sample surface.
Track the dissolution of standard PMMA thin films in a basic + acidic solution.
Monitor the change in film thickness and refractive index with both ellipsometry and EFPAS.
Operate profilometer for monitoring surface roughness and thin film uniformity on the substrate.
Investigated PMMA powder using FTIR for contaminations.
Engineered the hydroxylation of NBK-7 substrates using an oxygen plasma etcher.
Carried out deposition of thin films using spin coating technique, sometimes in clean rooms.
Performed SEM for cross checking the deposited PMMA thickness.
Assembled EFPAS system with a modern Q – tipped laser, a stepper motor drive, beam expander, beam splitter, lenses, prism, an ultrasonic microphone / transducer and a sample mount.
Fixed and replaced flashlamps in the Q- switched ND:YAG Surelite laser system.
Installed fans in the EFPAS system for cooling.
Used 3-D printing to develop the EFPAS mount intended for holding the sample, prism and the transducer at the required angle.
In-house developed LabVIEW program provides user interface, automation control and collection of “photoacoustic waveforms” for data analysis.
Troubleshoot, debugged and improved the LabVIEW program.
Organised and coordinated bioengineering undergraduates, Mr. Jonathan Baumstark and Ms. Yowting Tsay for 1 year on a previously similar project of tracking the dissolution of industrial manufactured Magnesium Fluoride (MgF2) thin films.
Assigned research work to my team members and improved their knowledge and skills in handling computer programs and data analysis.
Supervised timely completion of goals and scheduled submission of reports.
Undergraduate Student Researcher, Amity University, India
Jan 2015 - May 2016
Unidentified uremic toxins present in patients’ blood suffering from poor renal function permit usage of urea as a marker for monitoring and quantification of hemodialysis treatments and prognosis of the nature and causes of diabetes.
Developed a disposable urea biosensor for instantaneous measurement from blood serum samples.
Immobilized the urease enzyme on a disposable membrane and used reflectance to measure changes at the surface of the disposable membrane.
Quantitative analysis determined by comparing the color change of the hybrid sample with standard color card.
Later use of the reflectance spectroscopy led to increase in detection range of artificial serum samples from 0.5mM to 30mM.
Further reflectance measurements performed with clinical blood serum samples ranging from 14mg/dl to 81mg/dl.
Summer Intern, Council of Scientific and industrial Research (CSIR), India
May 2014 - June 2014
Strains of several Lactobacillus species have proven to enhance the resistance against harmful pathogens related to water borne diseases by producing antagonistic substances called bacteriocins exhibiting inhibitory activity against other harmful bacteria like E. coli.
Isolated, screened and identified strains of Lactobacillus species with enhanced resistance against harmful pathogens related to water borne diseases.
Examined bacteriocins against other harmful bacteria through Bioassay.
Executed in-silico Structure or Target Based Virtual Screening (SBVS) for the drug discovery process of bacteriocins; which includes retrieval of protein sequences and structures, similarity searches, structural analysis, identification of metabolites, determination of physicochemical properties, energy minimisation, drug likeliness test and docking.
Summer Trainee, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India
May 2013 - July 2013
Isolated, screened, identified, and characterized heavy metals resistant bacteria in a contaminated environment.
Inspected bacterial adaption and tolerance to stress by development of various resistance mechanisms.
Bioflocculants were microorganism-produced special natural organic macromolecule substances that can flocculate suspended solids, colloidal solids, cells, etc.
Researched bioflocculation capability of bacterial isolates and carried out assay of flocculating activity.
Performed plasmid DNA isolation of the metal resistant bacteria.
Skills & Abilities
Tricks of the Trade
I’ve mostly acquired my skills through my education and work experience. I’m definitely proud of the abilities that I’ve gained across the years, and lucky to have had the support to become a professional in my field. But what I’m most proud of is my perseverance through it all. Read through my site to discover how you can benefit from my skills.
Equipment handling
A Valuable Skill
Q – Switched Nd:YAG lasers, Ultrasonic transducers, Ellipsometer, Profilometer, FTIR, contact angle goniometer, spin coater, UV-VIS spectrometer, Reflectance spectrometer, plasma etcher
Softwares
Computer languages, programs and packages
C, C++, JAVA, ChemBio 3D Ultra, GOR4 tool, CLC Drug Discovery, EndNote, MATLAB, LabVIEW, Origin, MS Office
Certifications
Certified Laboratory Worker
Chemical Management for Chemical Workers, Bloodborne Pathogen Safety, Biosafety and Biosecurity, Laser Safety
Languages
Multiple Language Speaking Skills
English - Professional Working Proficiency
Hindi - Professional Working Proficiency
Bengali - Native Language
French - Elementary Proficiency
Sanskrit - Limited Working Proficiency
Core competencies
Proficiency areas
Lasers and optical systems, ultrasonic and acoustic systems, instrumentation design, troubleshooting, programming, motor control, device maintenance, In-silico bioinformatics study, wet lab microbiological studies, bioassays
Have questions? Drop me a line and let me give you the answers.
Educational Experience
What I’ve Learned
Being a lifelong learner is a trait that is really important to me, and I know that a good education is not just for the schoolyard. Some lessons were learned in the traditional way, while others I have received from professional mentors, industry professionals and in some cases, friends and family. I’d love the opportunity to talk to you about how my academic background could benefit you, so get in touch.
Chanderbala Modi Academy (CMA)
I started my school life from this small town institution located in the eastern state of India. I studied here from Standard I to Standard IV.
1999-2003
Ramniranjan Podar High School
This school is located in Mumbai, India. I studied here for only a year in Standard V.
2003 - 2004
Bal Bharati Public School (BBPS), All India Secondary Examination Certificate
2004 - 2009
After spending just one year in Mumbai, my father got transferred to Delhi and I was admitted to BBPS located in the NCR (National Capital Region). I got admitted in my VI Standard and stayed till X standard until my CBSE X Board Exams. I was also awarded scholar badges for three years consecutively for my academic excellence.
Ahlcon Public School, All India Senior Secondary Examination
After completing my X standard, I was transferred to a new school in Delhi, where I completed my Senior Secondary School and gave my CBSE XII Board Exams.
2009 - 2011
Amity University, B.Tech - Biotechnology
I earned my Bachelors in Technology majoring in Biotechnology from Amity University, India.
2011 - 2015
University of Missouri, M.S. - Bioengineering
I am currently pursuing Masters of Science in Bioengineering from Mizzou from August, 2016.
2016 - Present
If you have any other questions about my academic experience, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Patents & Publications
Patents applied, papers published, posters presented
Leadership activities & Volunteer Work
How I Lead and Help
Volunteering to help others plays a big role in my personal philosophy. I believe in helping those who need help, teaching others how to become better at what they do and take care of themselves, as well as the principle of paying it forward. It is exactly this that has led me to become a volunteer, and lend a hand to those in need.
Treasurer Cultural Association of India, University of Missouri, USA
January 2018 - present
Established on October 4th 1957, Cultural Association of India is the one of the oldest student organization at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
CAI is a vibrant organization with a large member-base, presenting quality programs all around the year for over 50 years. I am the current treasurer of CAI.
Job is to have general financial oversight, keeping track of funding, fundraising and sales and financial planning and budgeting.
Other responsibilities include financial reporting, banking, book keeping and record keeping.
Sponsorer of education Child Rights and You (CRY), New Delhi, India
June 2007 - present
CRY - Child Rights and You is an Indian NGO which works to ensure that the fundamental rights of underprivileged children in India are protected and honoured. My parents and me have been supporting them for quite a long time.
Cultural Volunteer Antaranga Philanthropic Society, New Delhi, India
1 month
Antaranga is a socio-cultural NGO at Delhi, India engaged in working among the downtrodden and underprivileged citizens in the locality over a period of 25 years.
Tasked with distributing food to people from lower income background during festival time, donating and distributing school dresses and books to the underprivileged.
Responsibilities also included organizing blood donation camps, health camps for needy people of the area and cultural programs to promote culture and harmony.
FundraiserHelpAge India, New Delhi, India
September 2004 - June 2005
Established in 1978, HelpAge India is a leading charity platform in India working with and for disadvantaged elderly and has become the representative voice for India’s elderly. I assisted in creating awareness and raising funds.
