Smart Hydrogels and Ferrogels: Materials Horizons: From Nature to Nanomaterials

Dr Shikha Awasthi is currently serving as an Associate Professor at Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal, India, and is also affiliated as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Sunway University, Malaysia. She has been recognised among the World’s Top 2% Scientists, as released by Elsevier and Stanford University, and is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC). Dr Awasthi’s research expertise lies in the fabrication and characterization of advanced functional coatings and smart hydrogel-based systems for various industrial applications. She has an extensive publication record, including over 65 peer-reviewed articles, six book chapters, and four Indian patents. She completed her doctoral research work from IIT Kanpur (as an SRF), followed by postdoctoral research at IISc Bengaluru. During her research career, she has been awarded three prestigious national fellowships, including the CSIR–Senior Research Fellowship, Dr D. S. Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship (UGC), and the N-PDF (ANRF), along with research grants from DST and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Bengaluru. Dr Awasthi is the recipient of several accolades, including the Best Researcher in Surface Engineering Award, Young Scientist Award, and multiple Best Oral and Best Poster Awards. Her work has been featured in leading media outlets such as The Times of India, ETV News, Dainik Jagran, and Dainik Bhaskar. She has also actively served as a judge and referee for various national and international conferences, academic bodies, and research evaluation panels. In 2025, she was recognised as an ‘Excellent Woman Conducting Research in Nanoscience’ by the Royal Society of Chemistry and received a Certificate of Appreciation for Highly Cited Research.