B.L. Ramakrishna, PhD
National Academy of Engineering
Director, Grand Challenges Scholars Program Network
Dr. Ramakrishna received his PhD from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India and joined the faculty at Arizona State University in 1985. From 2011 -2016, he was the Diane and Gary Tooker Professor at the Fulton Schools of Engineering and a member of the Humanitarian engineering faculty till his transition to emeritus professor status 2016. He launched Arizona State University’s Grand Challenge Scholars program in 2009 and was the director till 2013. He is dedicated to preparing engineers that not only have the necessary engineering skills but also the cross-disciplinary knowledge, entrepreneurial spirit, global perspective and a sense of mission needed to lead our country and the world to meet the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century.<br><br>
The research questions that Ramakrishna is interested in lie at the crossroads of Biology and Engineering. He investigates biological supramolecular assemblies such as proteins, membranes, and DNA that are capable of incorporating inorganic solids and precisely engineer their size, shape, and orientation at the nanometer scale. The biosensors and silicon-bio hybrid devices his lab designed span a wide spectrum of applications from mining, electronics, and health to defense.<br><br>
In 2013, he was selected to be a Jefferson Science Fellow and as a cohort of 4 engineers, 4 scientists and 4 doctors, he served as a senior science and technology advisor to the Office of the Secretary of State. He helped guide US’s international relations through the lens of “engineering for sustainable development” and provided intellectual, technical and strategic leadership on policies and priorities in the areas of health, education, energy, infrastructure, economic growth and governance.<br><br>
In January 2017, he accepted the newly created position at the National Academy of Engineering in Washington D.C. as the Director of the Grand Challenge Scholars Program Network. His main responsibilities are to broaden and deepen the impact of the program across the US and around the world by forging vibrant partnerships between universities, professional societies, industry, civil society and governments. The primary goal is to prepare the future talent in the US and across the world that can adequately address the challenges facing humankind in the 21st century.
The research questions that Ramakrishna is interested in lie at the crossroads of Biology and Engineering. He investigates biological supramolecular assemblies such as proteins, membranes, and DNA that are capable of incorporating inorganic solids and precisely engineer their size, shape, and orientation at the nanometer scale. The biosensors and silicon-bio hybrid devices his lab designed span a wide spectrum of applications from mining, electronics, and health to defense.<br><br>
In 2013, he was selected to be a Jefferson Science Fellow and as a cohort of 4 engineers, 4 scientists and 4 doctors, he served as a senior science and technology advisor to the Office of the Secretary of State. He helped guide US’s international relations through the lens of “engineering for sustainable development” and provided intellectual, technical and strategic leadership on policies and priorities in the areas of health, education, energy, infrastructure, economic growth and governance.<br><br>
In January 2017, he accepted the newly created position at the National Academy of Engineering in Washington D.C. as the Director of the Grand Challenge Scholars Program Network. His main responsibilities are to broaden and deepen the impact of the program across the US and around the world by forging vibrant partnerships between universities, professional societies, industry, civil society and governments. The primary goal is to prepare the future talent in the US and across the world that can adequately address the challenges facing humankind in the 21st century.