Spotlight: Assoc. Prof Rakesh Joshi

A/Prof Rakesh Joshi is with the UNSW School of Materials Science and Engineering, where he leads the Graphene Research Group. Before joining UNSW and becoming the Centre of Excellence in Carbon Science and Innovation’s latest Chief Investigator, he was a Marie Curie International Fellow with Nobel Laureate Sir Andre Geim at the University of Manchester.

A/Prof Joshi brings to COE-CSI expertise in the development of novel membranes made from 2D materials for water, energy, and environmental uses.

What is your elevator pitch, or what do you tell people when they ask what do you do?

I say that I teach at a university and I’m a physicist. I also do research in materials science and chemical engineering, working on new materials that help save energy, reduce pollution, and purify water. We study how these materials behave at the microscopic level to improve their performance.

What do you consider your key challenges?

That would include many aspects of our research, such as our efforts to commercialise the technology we develop and find the right industry partner interested in scaling up the technology.

I also teach fundamental science courses such as thermodynamics and kinetics, and I find it a challenge to design assignments that genuinely engage students and go beyond what AI can easily generate. While I see the huge value of AI as a supportive tool, I believe it’s important that students continue to develop critical thinking skills through regular practice. The key is to use AI positively, as a guide for learning, not a shortcut to avoid thinking.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Literally it is the need to drop my son to school. Beyond that I enjoy doing research and mentoring students. It is what I do; it is my hobby.

Favourite thing to do on the weekend?

Doing things with my family and for my children – visiting parks, watching movies. I try to walk about 10 km a day on the weekends around Centennial Park with my wife, Nidhi.

Cultural insights and what they mean to you

I come from the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand, near the Himalayas, where life and traditions are deeply influenced by the surrounding mountains, and festivals are an integral part of life. Personally, I enjoy Diwali, the Festival of Lights, and Holi, the Festival of Colours, the most. A highlight of our regional culture is the Nanda Devi Festival, which celebrates the spirit of the mountains with traditional music, dance, and rituals. Education is also highly valued in my community. Almost everyone pursues higher studies, and learning is seen as the key to progress.