November 3, 2025
For Gireesh, physics has always felt logical in a way other subjects didn’t. That clarity, discovered during his integrated BS-MS program at IISER Thiruvananthapuram, has guided him through an interdisciplinary journey in materials science – from thermoelectric devices to carbon nanotubes to his current work on perovskite solar cells in the Netherlands. But it was a summer at Rice University that taught him something equally crucial: how to thrive as a researcher in an international environment.
An Opportunity That Arrived Unexpectedly
The path to Rice began with a forwarded email from an IISER senior who was then pursuing her PhD at the university. Gireesh, looking for a summer internship during his fourth year, applied but never expected to be selected.
When acceptance came, excitement replaced disbelief. He would work with Professor Junichiro Kono, someone whose research he deeply admired, and travel to the United States for the first time. The fellowship, facilitated by the Mehta Family Foundation, was about to reshape how he approached research itself.
Stepping Into the Fundamental
At Rice University, Gireesh ventured into new territory: exploring the electronic transport properties of aligned carbon nanotube filaments. The work was more fundamental than his usual applied focus, examining how current flows through these nanostructures in different directions. While the ultimate goal of measuring thermoelectric parameters required more time than the granted few months, he accomplished significant portions of the work and presented his findings at the Smalley Institute’s summer colloquium.
But the true value extended beyond any single project. Working in Rice’s sophisticated clean rooms and fabricating devices with cutting-edge equipment, he gained experimental skills that have proven invaluable. Even more importantly, he learned something he did not know he needed: how to navigate an international research environment.
“How to interact with other people like lab members and colleagues, that’s a great understanding which I got from the Mehta Scholarship,” he reflects. Those skills are now serving him directly in his PhD work at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. “It’s almost the same environment here as well.”
A Fellowship That Sees Beyond the Lab
What distinguished the Mehta Rice Engineering Scholarship was its holistic vision. The foundation’s support extended to sports memberships, museum visits, and active encouragement to engage with American culture. Program coordinator Jennifer Marshburn ensured practical matters ran smoothly, while the Kerala community at Rice provided warmth and connection.
“The sponsors were very generous,” Gireesh notes. “They were always motivating students to go for cultural exchange programs and get to know U.S. culture.” In an expensive country like the United States, this support for cultural exploration allowed fellows to truly engage with their environment rather than simply working in isolation.
The only real challenges? Two hurricanes during his three-month stay, including one that knocked out power for two days shortly after his arrival. “Except that part, everything was very nice,” he says, revealing the kind of resilience that serves researchers well.
Connections That Endure
Professor Kono’s mentorship has extended well beyond the fellowship for Gireesh. When he applied to postgraduate programs, his supervisor readily provided recommendations. The three months of collaboration proved to be a relationship that exemplifies lasting networks the fellowship creates, which matters when building an international research career.
Now, just months into his PhD program working on solar cells as part of the Solar Netherlands Consortium, Gireesh is applying everything he gained at Rice. The experimental techniques enhance his capabilities. The experience navigating an international lab smooths his adjustment to the Netherlands. The confidence that comes from successfully completing a project in an unfamiliar environment carries him through the challenges of early PhD work.
Building for the Future
Gireesh’s interdisciplinary path – thermoelectric devices in his master’s, carbon nanotubes at Rice, solar cells for his PhD – reflects a deliberate exploration of applied device physics. “I always wanted to apply physics topics,” he explains. “I’m a kind of person who explored many fields during my masters and internships.”
This breadth, supported by IISER Thiruvananthapuram’s flexible research environment and enriched by international experiences like the Mehta Rice Engineering Scholarship, positions him to tackle complex challenges in renewable energy.
The Broader Impact
The Mehta Rice Engineering Scholarship’s true measure is in preparing researchers who can move fluidly across borders and disciplines. By enabling students like Girish to experience world-class facilities, work with leading researchers, and develop cultural competencies, the Mehta Family Foundation is cultivating the kind of scientists who will drive international collaboration on global challenges like sustainable energy.
The RISE Mehta Scholarship, supported by the Mehta Family Foundation, provides Indian students with transformative research experiences at Rice University, fostering international collaboration and preparing the next generation of researchers for global scientific leadership.