Dr. Manas Mahapatra

(Polymer Chemist & Foam Scientist)

Dr. Mahapatra is an accomplished polymer chemist and foam scientist, currently serving as a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM), CESAM Research Unit, University of Liège, Belgium. His research focuses on the development of intrinsically fluorescent, sustainable non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) foams for environmental sensing, pollutant capture, and smart materials innovation.

He is widely recognized for pioneering dye-free fluorescent NIPU foams, which exhibit nonconventional luminescence and function as recyclable, smartphone-detectable sensors for humidity, heavy metals, and antibiotics. His broader research spans adsorptive hydrogels, dynamic polymer networks, and clusteroluminescent materials, offering novel solutions for sustainable photonics and polymer-based diagnostics.

Dr. Mahapatra has published over 31 peer-reviewed research articles, 3 book chapters, and over 10 conference proceedings, accumulating 1,230+ citations and achieving an h-index of 23. He has presented at international forums such as IUPAC-MACRO 2024, and actively contributes to collaborative research initiatives including IPD-STEMA and WEL‑T Chemistry Advanced Grant projects at ULiege.

His academic journey has been marked by numerous distinctions, including the Best Poster Awards at ULiege (2025 and 2024), the Young Researcher Award from INSC International Publishers (2022), and both the Junior and Senior Research Fellowships (JRF/SRF) from the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India. He was also awarded the K.K. Banerjee Memorial Medal for securing the First Class First position in M.Sc. Chemistry from Ramakrishna Mission Residential College (Autonomous), Narendrapur.