FACULTY PROFILE

A postgraduate in Organic Chemistry from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Dr Shikha Singh earned her PhD in Materials Chemistry from Banaras Hindu University in 2017. Her Doctoral research focused on synthesis, characterization, and potential applications of Graphene-based materials.

She has been the recipient of the prestigious DST Inspire Faculty Fellowship awarded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India in 2018 which she initially availed at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology-BHU, Varanasi. Her research interest is mainly directed toward the development of polymers and polymeric materials, up-conversion nanomaterials, functionalized carbon materials, and composites. Dr Shikha is interested in harnessing the electrocatalytic, photocatalytic, and analytical potential of these materials to push the frontiers of synthetic methodology as well as to gain a fundamental understanding of their applications in sustainable energy production.

Education
Ph D 2017 Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
M Sc 2011 Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur
B Sc 2009 Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur 
Experience
August 2023 - Till Date Assistant Professor, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Jais, Amethi
February 2020 - July 2023 DST Inspire Faculty, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Jais, Amethi
2018 - 2020 DST Inspire Faculty, Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi

 

CY111- Inorganic and Physical Chemistry

Chemical Bonding, Transition metal Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, Quantum Chemistry, Phase Transformation, Electrochemistry, Spectroscopy, etc.

CY111 – Chemistry Lab

Synthesis of Organic polymer, Redox titration, Acid base titration, Complexometric titration, Crystal field splitting energy measurement by UV-Vis Spectrometry, Functional group determination, functional group in organic compounds using FT-IR, etc.

CY701- Advanced nanomaterial for Energy Storage and Conversion 

CVD, sol gel, dip lithography, template, arch discharge, electrochemical, laser ablation, etc.synthesis approach; XRD, XPS, BET, DSC, TGA- DTA, TEM and SEM method of electrochemical characterization; Application of nanomaterials in the areas of electrolyzer, fuel cells, photocatalysis, photovoltaics, batteries, capacitors, etc.

CY121- Organic and Hydrocarbon Chemistry

Reaction Mechanism/Reagents in Organic Synthesis, Green Chemistry, Heterocyclic compound, Polymerization

reaction, Hydrocarbon and Petroleum Chemistry, Characterization of Organic and Hydrocarbon molecules.

CH391- Polymer Synthesis and Properties

Introduction, Mechanism, Kinetics of polymerization, Coordination Polymerization, Advanced Polymerization techniques, Major commodity plastic materials, polymer in solutions, Molecular weight determine methods.

Research Interest

  • Polymers and polymeric materials for biological and analytical application.
  • Functionalized carbon materials and composites for analytical, electrocatalytic and biomedical application.
  • Materials for artificial photosynthesis or sustainable production of energy.
  • Electronic-Textiles for analytical applications.
  • Carbon dioxide conversion to value added products.

 

Projects

  • Design and innovation centre project

Title: “Fabrication of low cost, non-hazardous, highly sensitive and selective test kit for quantitative S2- ion detection”.

Grant No. DIC BHU/SS project/ 2017-2018/118; dated. 20-01-2018                              Duration- 6 month

PI, under guidance of Prof Biswajit Ray

Institute: Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005

INR. 2,00,000/-                                                                                                                 [Status- completed]

 

  • DST-India Project

Title: “Development of Materials Applicable for Artificial photosynthesis or Sustainable Production of Energy”.

Grant No.DST/INSPIRE/04/2018/002018 (P-2001);  dated. 01-08-2018                          Duration- 5 Yrs

PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi- 229304.

INR. 35,00,000/-                                                                                                            [Status- Ongoing]

 

 

  • NTPC- NETRA Project

Title: “Development of Electrodes and design of a prototype for the large scale water electrolysis”

Grant No- 9100000216-151-1001 (P-2002); dated. 06-06-2020                   Duration- 2 Yrs

Co-PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi- 229304.

INR. 98, 42,000.00                                                                                                   [Status- completed]

 

 

  • RGIPT-Institute research grant 2021

Title: “Electro catalytic conversion of H2 in aqueous solution”               Duration- 2 Yrs

Grant No- RGIPT/Jais/Accounts/Budget/11/2021-22; Dated. 22-09-2021

Co-PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi- 229304.

INR. 5, 50,000.00                                                                                             [Status- completed]

 

  • DST- India

Title: “Development of Electrodes and modular Compact Membrane less Electrolyzer set up for sustainable H2 production from sea/tap/ground water”                            

Grant No- DST/TMD-EWO/AHFC- 2021/2021/111; 2022 (P-2140)                                      Duration- 2 Yrs

Co-PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi-229304

INR.2, 53,28,000.00                                                                                         [Status- completed]

 

  • RGIPT-Institute research grant  2022                                              

Title: “Portable Device for Ammonia Sensing”

Grant No-RGIPT/Jais/ Acounts/Budgets/88/2022-23 (P-2241); dated 05.11.2022                     Duration- 2 Yrs

PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi- 229304.

INR. 4, 00,000.00                                                                                              [Status- completed]

 

  • RGIPT-Institute Research Grant 2024

Title: “Initiate the Project of Sodium Ion Batteries”

Grant no- RGIPT/Jais/Accounts/Budget/47/2024-25 (P-2404); Dated 04.07.2024        Duration- 2 Yrs

Co-PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi-229304

INR. 783200.00                                                                                                            [Status- completed]   

 

  • BPCL Grant 2024-2025

Title: Development of Hard Carbon-based Anode from Pet. Coke for Sodium-ion Batteries

Grant no-  (N34/R&D CENTRE NOIA) P-2415, dated-13-02-25,                     Duration- 2 Yrs

Co-PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi-229304

INR. 82,51, 680.00                                                                                             [Status- Ongoing]   

 

  • CST-UP Grant 2024-25

 

Title: Production of Specific capacitance of activated carbon and transition metal electrodes by Machine learning based approach

Grant no_ Project No. P-2507 (CST/D -1190) Dated: 28-08-2025,                     Duration- 2 Yrs

Co-PI

Institute: RGIPT, Jais, Amethi-229304

INR. 8,72,000                                                                                                  [Status- Ongoing]    

  • Clean Fuel Hydrogen, Swachhata Pakhwada Celebration, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Jais, July 12, 2022.
  • Role Model Interaction with Student, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Gauriganj, Amethi, August 8, 2024. 
  • World Hydrogen Day with Vigyan Jyoti (An Initiative of Department of Science and Technology & Implemented by Navodyaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) for promoting meritorious girls in under-represented areas of STEM), Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Jais, October 8, 2024.

Patents

1. Title: “Layered electrode for seawater electrolysis”

Indian Patent Application No. 202211011767 

Inventor’s Name: Akhoury Sudhir Kumar Sinha, Shikha Singh, Prerna Tripathi, Shaswattam, Sujay Karmakar, Ajay Kumar Sutrakar, Yashwant Kumar Saini, Guncha Munjal.

Indian Filing year: March 04, 2022 

2. Title: “Molybdenum based durable electro catalyst and fabricated electrodes for sustainable and efficient sea water splitting”.

Indian Patent Application No. 202311053855

Inventor’s Name: Akhoury Sudhir Kumar Sinha, Shikha Singh, Prerna Tripathi, Shaswattam, Sujay Karmakar, Ajay Kumar Sutrakar, Yashwant Kumar Saini, Guncha Munjal.

Indian Filing Year: 2023

 

Publications

  1. Upconversion-Assisted Solar-Driven Hydrogen Evolution in ß-SiC via Synergistic Upconversion-Polydopamine Integration and Thermoelectric Activation. A. K. Verma, P. Tripathi, A. S. K. Sinha, S. Singh*, ChemSusChem 2026, DOI. 10.1002/cssc.202501580.
  2. Multifunctional Palladium Incorporated Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Enables Efficacious Oxygen Reduction and Hydrogen Peroxide Reduction Reaction. P Tripathi, AK Verma, D Acharya, J Karthikeyan, ASK Sinha, S Singh*, ACS Applied Nano Materials 2025, 8 (44), 21173-21189.
  3. Engineering Upconversion Semiconductor Nanostructures: Unravelling the Morphology–Performance Relationship for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation. AK Verma, P Tripathi, H Kumar, P Singh, ASK Sinha, S Singh*, ACS Applied Energy Materials 2025,  8 (16), 11977-11987.
  4. Performance evaluation of electrodes developed from self-assembled graphene molybdenum chalcogenides for vital hydrogen/oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions. P Tripathi, AK Verma, ASK Sinha, S Singh*, New Journal of Chemistry 2025, 49 (43), 18864-18885.
  5. Enhanced activity and chlorine protection in prolonged seawater electrolysis using MoS 2/sulfonated reduced graphene oxide. P Tripathi, R Shakir, AK Verma, J Karthikeyan, B Ray, ASK Sinha, S Singh*, Sustainable Energy & Fuels 2025, 9 (16), 4300-4319.
  6. Engineering MoS 2-based electrocatalysts for water splitting: a comprehensive review of doping, heterostructures, and support integration strategies. P Tripathi, D Singh, A Pathak, AK Verma, ASK Sinha, S Singh*, Journal of Materials Chemistry A. 2025, 13, 39603-39659.
  7. Cutting -Edge OER Electrocatalysts for Sustainable Seawater Electrolysis: Progress, Obstacles and Future Prospects. A. K. Verma, P. Tripathi, A. S. K. Sinha, S. Singh*. ACS Energy and Fuels, 2025 39 (5), 2348-2380. 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c04519
  8. Graphene-Transition Metal Electrocatalysts for Sustainable Water Electrolysis. A. K. Verma, P. Tripathi, A. S. K. Sinha, S. Singh*. Chemistry Select 2024, 9, e202403155. DOI: 10.1002/slct.202403155.
  9. Visible Light-Promoted Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation by the CeF3:Ho3+-Incorporated TiO2 Nanosystem. A. K. Verma, P. Tripathi, A. Dubey, N. K. Vishwakarma, A. S. K. Sinha, S. Singh*. ACS Applied Energy Materials, 2023,6, 11, 5739-5752.
  10. Photocatalytic Production of Oxygen by Nitrogen Doped Graphene Oxide Nanospheres: Synthesized via Bottom-Up Approach Using Dibenzopyrrole, A. K. Verma, P. Tripathi, Z. Alam, S. K. Mishra, B. Ray, A. S. K Sinha, S. Singh*, Chemistry Select, 2022, 7, e202202813.
  11. Fabrication and evaluation of a self-standing reduced graphene-tungsten oxides hybrid electrode for acidic water splitting, P. Tripathi, A. K. Verma, A. Vishwakarma, K. Mitra, B. Ray, A. S. K Sinha, S. Singh*, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2022, 47, 36381-36396.

Book Chapter:

  1. Smart Materials for Science and Engineering: Book chapter “Advanced Materials in Energy Conversion Devices: Fuel Cells and Biofuel Cells”.

Author’s Name: Amit Kumar Verma, Prerna Tripathi, A. S. K. Sinha, Shikha Singh*

ISBN number: 9781394185818. Pages 292-309. 2023.

Wiley, ISBN: 9781394185818, Accepted, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394186488.ch13

  1. Revolutionizing Energy Conversion - Photoelectrochemical Technologies and Their Role in Sustainability: Book Chapter “Sustaining Sub-bandgap Photons via Upconversion for Solar Splitting Cells"

Author’s Name: Amit Kumar Verma, Prerna Tripathi, A. S. K. Sinha, Shikha Singh*.

Intech Open: DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.1005281, 2024.

 

Corresponding author_ shikhas@rgipt.ac.in

 

 

  • Member, Internal Complaint Committee, RGIPT, 2020 - 2023
  • Warden, Council Girls_Warden committee - 19 Sept 2024 - 17 April 2025 
  • Member, Senate Library Committee, 2024-25
  • Member, E&HS Purchase Committee, 2024-25
  • Convenor, DUGC committee 2023-2025
  • Member, DUGC committee 2025-present
  • Nodal officer Vigyan Jyoti Programme, Indian Government Initiative_ 2023 - present
  • Co-convenor, Cultural Council Committee – 2023-24
  • Member, URJA Shakti Committee 2022-25
  • Chairperson, Asset Code Verification Committee 2024-25
  • Chairperson, RIPE Selection Committee 2023-25
  •  Member, Anti-Ragging Committee_ 2024-25
  • Member, Project Gyanarpan Working Committee_2023-25
  • Smt Munder Devi and Shri Sheo Nidhilal Srivastava Memorial Medal for obtaining Highest marks in B Sc Examination (2009) St Andrews College, Gorakhpur
  • Qualified Research Entrance Test of Banaras Hindu University (CRET BHU) in 2011
  • Qualified CIPET JEE in 2011
  • Awarded University Grants Commission-Basic scientific research Junior Research Fellowship for meritorious students (UGC-JRF) 2015
  • Awarded Council of Scientific and Industrial Research CSIR-SRF in April 2017
  • Awarded DST-Inspire faculty fellowship by the Government of India for pursuing independent research (2018)
  • Life Member, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers

Sr. No.

Name of Ph.D. student

Year of enrollment

Title of research ongoing

1.

 

 

Mr. Amit Kumar Verma

Roll no. 20BS0003

 

2020

Development of photon up-conversion material incorporated photocatalyst for Hydrogen Generation using visible light.

 

Completed_3rd September 2025.

2.

 

 

Ms. Prerna Tripathi

Roll no. 21BS0005

 

 

2021

Studies on Composites of Graphene and Transition Metal Compounds for Electrocatalytic Reactions.

 

Completed_4th November 2025.

Dr Shikha Singh

Assistant Professor
Chemistry
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