Dr. Ashish M. Desai

Faculty of Physical Science & Earth Science

Physics

Faculty

Dr. Ashish M. Desai

Assistant Professor

Year of Joining/Teaching Experience

June 2013

Areas of Specialization

Experimental Neutron Physics; Ultracold Neutrons; Computational Materials Science; Computational Quantum Mechanics.

Contact Details

Email: amd006@chowgules.ac.in

BIO

Dr. Ashish M. Desai is an Assistant Professor of Physics with over a decade of teaching and research experience. He holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Neutron Physics from the University of Rhode Island, USA. His research spans experimental neutron physics, ultracold neutrons, computational quantum mechanics, and first-principles materials modeling. He has contributed to precision neutron lifetime experiments recognized by the Particle Data Group as among the most accurate worldwide. He has published extensively in reputed peer-reviewed journals, including several publications co-authored with undergraduate students. He is actively involved in curriculum development, innovative pedagogy, undergraduate research mentoring, and institutional academic governance.

Positions Held

Convener, Research and Development Cell
Coordinator, AQAR Criterion III and NAAC Criterion III
Member Secretary, Board of Studies (Physics)
Member, Internal Quality Assurance Committee (IQAC)
Chairman, Board of Studies (Physics) (2022–2024)
Co-Convener, Research Programme and Policy Development (2021–2025)
In-Charge, Department of Physics (2022–2024)
Co-Coordinator, NIRF (2021–2022)
DBT Coordinator (Physics) (2019–2021)

Accomplishments Awards:

Awarded Best Poster Presentation for the poster entitled “Numerically solving Double potential well using Eighth-order Numerov method” in the International Conference on “Functional Materials and Simulation Techniques” jointly organized by Chandigarh University, University of Mauritius, Mauritius and Concordia University, Canada held on 7th and 8th June 2019 at Chandigarh University.

Academic Service & Recognition: Reviewer for international peer-reviewed journals

Physica Scripta (IOP Science)
International Journal of Quantum Chemistry (Wiley)
Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences (Elsevier)
Journal of Low Temperature Physics (Springer)
Physics Open (Elsevier)
Discover Physics (Springer)
International Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Iranian Nanotechnology Society)

RESEARCH PAPERS

Research Papers Research Publications:

R. Samant, D. Saraf, R. P. Adhikari, O. Shilkar, S. Raikar, A. Silveira, M. Sawant, S. Sappati, N. Joshi, and A. M. Desai. (2025). “Electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties of Co-doped GaSb: A promising diluted magnetic semiconductor,” Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 632, 173499.
A. M. Desai. (2025). Possible explanation for the neutron lifetime puzzle. Open Physics (De Gruyter publication) 23(1), 20240113.
O. Shilkar, R. P. Adhikari, S. Sappati, S. Godi and A. M. Desai. (2023). A first-principles study of electronic and magnetic properties of 4d transition metals doped in Wurtzite GaN for spintronics applications. Journal of Molecular Modeling, 29, 200.
D. Liu and A. M. Desai. (2023) Clusters with topological distances in insect swarms explored by machine learning. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2849, 450020.
S. U. Lotliker, R. Samant, N. Mesquita, D. Liu and A. M. Desai. (2023). Accuracy of the new modified Morse potential energy function for ground and excited states of diatomic molecules. Physics Open, 16, 100159.
R. Samant, S. U. Lotliker and A. M. Desai. (2023). Comments on the paper 'Comparison study of bound states for diatomic molecules using Kratzer, Morse, and modified Morse potentials'. Physica Scripta, 98, 027002.
A. M. Desai, N. Mesquita and V. Fernandes. (2020). A new modified Morse potential energy function for diatomic molecules. Physica Scripta, 95, 8.
A. M. Desai, Rajendra Adhikari and Vijay Peddasingh. (2018). “Teaching One Dimensional Time Independent Schrödinger Equation using Spreadsheet”. In S. Ladage & S. Narvekar (Eds.), Proceedings of epiSTEME 7 — International Conference to Review Research on Science, Technology and Mathematics Education, p. 383 – 391. India: Cinnamon Teal.
A. M. Desai, A. Strelkov, S. S. Malik and A. Steyerl. (2015). Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime in the “Accordion-like" Storage Trap. Proceedings of the DAE-BRNS Symp. on Nucl. Phys. 60.
A. Steyerl, C. Kaufman, G. Muller, S. S. Malik and A. M. Desai. (2014). Geometric phases in electric dipole searches with spin-1/2 particles from spin dependent Schrödinger equation. Phys. Rev. A, 89 052129.
A. Steyerl, C. Kaufman, G. Müller, S. S. Malik, and A. M. Desai. (2014). Spin-flip loss in magnetic storage of ultracold neutrons. In Next Generation Experiments to Measure the Neutron Lifetime, S. J. Seestrom (Ed.), pp. 75-86, World Scientific Publishing. [arXiv:1307.5207]
A. Steyerl, C. Kaufman, G. Muller, S. S. Malik and A. M. Desai. (2012). Ultracold Neutron Depolarization in Magnetic Bottles. Phys. Rev. C 86, 065501.
A. Steyerl, J. M. Pendlebury, C. Kaufman, S. S. Malik, and A. M. Desai. (2012). Quasi-elastic scattering in ultracold neutron interaction with a liquid wall and application in a re-analysis of the Mambo I neutron lifetime experiment. Phys. Rev. C 85, 065503 (2012).
A. Steyerl, S. S. Malik, A. M. Desai and C. Kaufman. (2010). Surface roughness effect on ultracold neutron interaction with a wall and implications for computer simulations. Phys. Rev. C 81, 055504 (2010).

Conference Papers/Posters Presented:

Poster contribution titled Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime in the “Accordion-like” Storage Trap at the 60th DAE–BRNS Symposium on Nuclear Physics.
Poster contribution on Teaching One-Dimensional Time-Independent Schrödinger Equation using Spreadsheet at the Seventh International Conference to Review Research in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (epiSTEME-7), organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, a national centre of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 5–8 January 2018.
Poster contribution titled Numerically Solving Schrödinger Equation for a Double Potential Well using Eighth Order Numerov Method at the International Conference on Functional Materials and Simulation Techniques, jointly organized by Chandigarh University, University of Mauritius, and Concordia University, 7–8 June 2019.
Oral paper contribution titled Structural and Electronic Properties of Gallium Nitride Doped with Transition Metals at the International Conference on Current Trends in Physics and Photonics, organized by MIT World Peace University, 9–11 June 2022.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Research Projects Major: Design and Synthesis of Lead-Free Halide Double Perovskites for Sustainable Solar and Optoelectronic Technologies through First-Principles and Laboratory Investigations, Goa State Research Foundation (GSRF), Government of Goa. Role: Principal Investigator. Funding Amount: Rs. 14.78 lakhs. Duration: 2025–2028.