Resume:
Tarun K. Bera
1009 Garnett Pl. # 2
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Evanston, IL-60201
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Phone: (517)648-7513
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t-bera@northwestern.edu
 EDUCATION:
 Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
 Dissertation: Exploratory synthesis of new chalcoarsenate materials
 Advisor: Professor Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, Ph.D.
Anticipated 2009
 M.Sc. (2year), Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
 M.Sc. project: Modeling active site of the enzyme Purple Acid Phosphatage (PAP)
 Project guide: Professor Rabindranath Mukherjee, Ph.D.
May 2005
 B.Sc. (3year) Chemistry, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
May 2003
 ACADEMIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
 Graduate Research Assistant, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Fall 2006-present
 Modified one synthetic method to develop new chalcogenide materials
 Discovered new solution processable polar direct-gap semiconductors with promising
non-linear optical (NLO) properties and other optoelectronic applications
 Performed solid state chemical synthesis using computer controlled furnaces
 Interpreted chemical reaction outcome using various physiochemical characterization techniques
 Performed single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis starting from crystal mounting to structure solution
 Analyzed optical, magnetic properties and thermal behavior of newly discovered chalcogenides
 Collaborated with both theoretical and experimental research groups from the physics department
 Authored presentations of research outcomes for journals and conferences
 Provided recommendations to supervisor concerning project priorities and directions
 Graduate Research Assistant, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Fall 2005
 M.Sc. project, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
Winter 2005
 Designed stepwise organic ligand synthesis
 Prepared metal complexes using solution state reactions
 Characterized products using solution NMR, IR, EPR, Mass Spectrometry, etc.
 Grown single crystal from solution
 Summer project, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
Summer 2004
 Synthesized Porphyrinogen ligands and metal-porphyrinogen complexes
 TEACHING EXPERIENCE
 Teaching Assistant, “Principles of Inorganic Chemistry, CHEM 402” Northwestern University
Fall 2007
 Provided technical assistant; graded students weakly home works and tests; organized review sessions
 Teaching Assistant, “Quantitative Analysis, CEM 262” Michigan State University
Spring 2006
 Introduced experimental details, provided technical assistant and graded students laboratory report
 Teaching Assistant, “Quantitative Analysis, CEM 262” Michigan State University
 Prepared samples for several quantitative analysis experiments
Fall 2005
Resume:
 PROFICIENCIES AND SKILLS
 Inorganic synthesis: Solid state reactions, Solution reactions with refluxing, Reaction under inert atmosphere,
Crystallization techniques, Liquid ammonia reaction.
 Synthetic tolls: Computer controlled furnaces, Dry box, Vacuum sealing line, Schlenk line.
 Characterization and measurement tools: Powder X-ray diffractometer (INEL CPS120, Rigaku, and Scintag);
Single crystal X-ray diffractometers (CCD and STOE); Thermal analysis (TGA, DTA, and DSC); Spectroscopic
analysis (Solid state UV-vis, Solution UV-vis, Fluorescence, FT-IR, and FT-Raman); Elemental analysis (ICP-AES
and EDS with SEM); Pycnometer; Magnetic (SQUID).
 Technical: Maintaining and fixing laboratory equipments, e.g. computer controlled furnaces, UV-vis
spectrophotometer, Glass blowing, etc.
 Software: SMART (for CCD); X-Area (for STOE); SHELXTL suite program and JANA2000 (for crystal solution
and refinement); WinGX, PowderCell, and JADE (for powder X-ray data); CrystalMaker and Diamond (for crystal
structure plotting); CoelDRAW and Photoshop (for gaphics); etc.
 Imaging and microscopy: Polarized light microscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
 COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES
 Judge for the Chicago Public School Science Fair
 SITC volunteer, PLU, Alpha Gamma Chapter, Northwestern University
 Organic Chemistry tutor for undergraduates, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
January 2008
Fall 2007-present
Fall 2005
 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
 American Chemical Society
 Phi Lambda Upsilon (PLU), Alpha Gamma Chapter, Northwestern University
 PUBLICATIONS
 Tarun K. Bera; Ratnasabapathy G. Iyer; Christos D. Malliakas; Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, “Eu 3(AsS4)2 and AxEu3yAs5-zS10 (A = Li, Na): compounds with simple and complex thioarsenate building blocks” Inorganic chemistry,
2007, 46(21), 8466-8.
 SELECTED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
 Tarun K. Bera, Jung-Hwan Song, Arthur J. Freeman, Joon I. Jang, John B. Ketterson, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis,
“LiAsS2 and NaAsS2: Direct band gap highly polar and non-polar semiconductors” Paper accepted for oral
presentation, 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, United States, April 6-10, 2008.
 Tarun K. Bera, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, “Exploratory synthesis of thioarsenate compounds using alkali metal
polythioarsenate fluxes,” Poster presentation, North American Solid-State Chemistry Conference, Texas A&M
University, College Station, TX, May 17-19, 2007.
 Tarun K. Bera, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, “Quaternary thioarsenate compounds from the alkali metal
polythioarsenate fluxes,” Oral presentation, 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, United States, March 25-29,
2007.