Arun Kumar Narayanan Nair

Research Scientist

Research Scientist

Active

Location:

Building 5, Level 4, 3266-WS10

Social Profile:

Biography

Dr. Arun Nair has been working as a Scientist at KAUST, Saudi, since April 2014. Dr. Nair received his Ph.D. degree in Theoretical Physics from Max Planck Institute, Germany in 2006 and spent 5 years as a postdoctoral fellow in the USA (UNC Chapel Hill and UT Austin) before joining KAUST. Dr. Nair supports and coordinates on different aspects of molecular-level studies and has published 53+ journal papers (mostly ACS publications) with 1850+ citations and h-index of 24+. Dr. Nair has collaborated with 20+ colleagues at KAUST and served as a guest editor in MDPI and Frontiers, and is one of the founding members of the Saudi InterPore Chapter.

Research Interests

I support and coordinate on different aspects of molecular-level studies. My research interests are in understanding and solving environmental problems using molecular simulations. I have collaborated with researchers in the fields of classical density gradient theory, quantum density functional theory, scaling theory for polymers, and self-consistent Brownian dynamics for polymers.

Selected Publications

  • Overview of the adsorption and transport properties of water, ions, carbon dioxide, and methane in swelling clays. A. K. Narayanan Nair, R. Cui, R., & S. Sun. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 5(10), 2599-2611, (2021).
  • Conformational transitions of a weak polyampholyte. A. K. Narayanan Nair, S. Uyaver, & S. Sun. The Journal of chemical physics, 141(13), (2014).
  • Self-healing of unentangled polymer networks with reversible bonds. E. B. Stukalin, L. H. Cai, N. A. Kumar, L. Leibler, & M. Rubinstein. Macromolecules, 46(18), 7525-7541, (2013)
  • Self-assembly of semiflexible-flexible block copolymers. N. A. Kumar & V. Ganesan. The Journal of chemical physics, 136(10), (2012)
  • Polyelectrolyte brushes with added salt. N. A. Kumar & C. Seidel. Macromolecules, 38(22), 9341-9350, (2005)

Education

  • Ph.D., Theoretical Physics, Max Planck Institute, Germany, 2006
  • M.Sc., Physical Chemistry, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, 2002
  • B.Sc., Chemistry, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, 1999

Professional Profile

  • 2014-present: Scientist, KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
  • 2007-2012: Postdoctoral fellow, UNC Chapel Hill & UT Austin, USA
  • 2006: Postdoctoral fellow, Max Planck Institute, Germany

Scientific and Professional Membership

  • American Chemical Society (ACS)

Awards

  • One of the InterPore Saudi Chapter founding members, 2020
  • Magna cum laude (high honor) for Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics, 2006.
  • IMPRS Ph.D. Scholarship, MPIKG, Potsdam, Germany, 2003.
  • First rank in M.Sc. Physical Chemistry, 2002.
  • Passed Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering in 2002.
  • Qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) in 2002 conducted by University Grants Commission and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, India (NET qualifiers are eligible for lectureship in Indian universities).
  • Played in the cricket team for the chemistry department during the inter-departmental cricket tournament, February 2000, at Mahatma Gandhi University and stood first.
  • Merit Certificate in Std. X, 1994.

KAUST Affiliations

Research Interests Keywords

Environmental Science Molecular Simulations Polymers Adsorption Shale