Pulickel Ajayan

Who is Pulickel Ajayan?

Pulickel Madhavapanicker Ajayan, known as P. M. Ajayan, is the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Engineering at Rice University. He is the founding chair of Rice University's new Materials Science and NanoEngineering department and also holds joint appointments with the Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Prior to joining Rice, he was the Henry Burlage Professor of Material Sciences and Engineering and the director of the NYSTAR interconnect focus center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute until 2007. Known for his relaxed attitude and liberal thinking, he has broad interests ranging from science and technology to poetry. He is married to Poornima Ajayan and has two daughters, Anakha and Ahi.