Personal profile
Biography
I am a theoretical physicist working in the field of condensed matter physics as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Physics at the University of Dundee in Scotland. I joined the School of Science and Engineering at Dundee in January, 2024.
I did my doctoral work (August 2012-June 2018) at the S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata (named eponymously after the Physicist who "discovered" Bosons). This time was spent investigating a plethora of novel phenomena in exotic materials like spin crossover polymers, 2D electron gases in oxide heterostructures, hybrid perovskites etc using first principles calculations.
After I finished my PhD in June 2018, I obtained a Training and Research in Italian Laboratories (TRIL) Research Fellowship from the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and was stationed to work at Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto SPIN, in Chieti, Italy till March 2019. During my time at ICTP I worked on the emerging field of 2D ferromagnets.
Thereafter I worked as a Post Doctoral Fellow at the Graz University of Technology (April 2019- April 2021), where I had experience of working in strongly correlated systems employing Dynamical Mean Field Theory.
After this, my focus and attention shifted to energy research and I moved to the University of Cambridge (April 2021-Jan 2024) to study using DMFT, GW Approximation and various advanced theoretical spectroscopic methods the physics behind degradation of Li-ion battery cathodes. I was funded by the Battery Degradation project of The Faraday Institute, the flagship battery research consortium in UK.
Teaching
University of Dundee, Physics with Renewables RE41002, Solar Energy, 2025-2026
University of Dundee, Data Science and AI PH51010, Programming for Scientists, 2025-2026
University of Dundee, Structural Engineering and Architechture CE21005, Fundamentals of Programming, 2025-2026
University of Dundee, Physics, Mathematics and Civil Engineering PH21002, Introduction to Programming, 2024-2025, 2025-2026
University of Dundee, Physics PH41007, Condensed Matter Physics - I, 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026
University of Cambridge, Nat. Sci. Tripos Chemistry, Part - II, Paper A4 - Theoretical Techniques, 2022-2023
University of Cambridge, Nat. Sci. Tripos Chemistry, Part - II, Paper A4 - Theoretical Techniques, 2021-2022
La Sapienza University, Rome, MSc. in Physics, Seminar course - Magnetism in 2D, 2021.
Research interests
Electronic Structure Theory of correlated materials,
Density Functional Theory, Dynamical Mean-Field Theory, GW Approximation, Density functional Perturbation Theory
Energy Materials, Li-ion Battery, Cathode Materials, Hybrid Perovskite solar cells,
Correlated Oxides, Oxide heterostructures, 2D electron gas
Spin crossover polymers
Magnetism, 2D magnets
Research
My research deals with theoretical methods to study electronic structure of materials from first principles perspectives employing a plethora of tools and techniques like Density Functional Theory (DFT), Density Functional Perturbation Theory (DFPT), GW Approximation, and Dynamical Mean Field Theory (DMFT). The main goal of my research is to understand by very careful theoretical analysis the effect electron-electron interactions has on properties of materials.
My interest primarily has been in exotic phenomena in novel materials like spin crossover in metal-organic complexes, 2D electron gases at the interfaces of oxide heterostructures, Magnetism in low dimensional materials with symmetry breaking due to spin orbit coupling, Non-Fermi liquid phases in Correlated and Hund's metals, Weyl and Dirac phases in topological materials etc.
Of late I have been particularly interested in energy materials including both batteries and solar cells, since I believe an energy transition is essential for the survival of our planet! I have been engaged in studying degradation mechanisms in both batteries and solar cells. In case of batteries I am particularly interested in strongly correlated cathode materials where electron correlation gives rise to exotic effects like anion redox, or phase transitions leading to structural transformations in cathodes, both of which lead to eventual degradation of cathode materials and failure of batteries on cycling. In terms of solar cells my interest has been in the field of hybrid perovskites solar cells where we study a variety of exotic phenomena like spin transitions, piezochromism, formation of interfaces leading to enhanced charge transfer and tunable band gaps leading to enhancement of efficiency and enhanced stability in presence of moisture etc.
Education/Academic qualification
PGCert THE, FHEA, University of Dundee
Award Date: 17 Nov 2025
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Calcutta
1 Aug 2012 → 8 Jun 2018
Award Date: 12 Mar 2019
Master in Science, Jadavpur University
1 Aug 2010 → 31 Jul 2012
Award Date: 24 Dec 2012
Bachelor of Science, Jadavpur University
1 Aug 2007 → 31 Jul 2010
Award Date: 24 Dec 2010
External positions
Honorary Research Fellow, University of Birmingham
1 Jun 2024 → 1 Jun 2027
Visiting Scientist, University of Cambridge
5 Feb 2024 → 5 Feb 2025
Keywords
- QC Physics
- Materials Science
- Theory
- Energy Materials
- Quantum Materials
- Battery
- Solar Cell
- Photovoltaic Solar Cells
- Density functional Theory
- Electronic Materials
- Electronic Structure
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Computational Physics
- First principles calculations
- Net Zero
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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SDG 13 Climate Action
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Machine Learning-based prediction of self-energies and spectral functions from Dynamical Mean-Field Theory for energy materials
Banerjee, H. (Investigator)
1/11/25 → 31/10/26
Project: Research
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Uncovering Degradation mechanisms in affordable and commercially relevant olivine cathodes for Li-ion batteries
Banerjee, H. (Investigator)
1/04/25 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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Importance of electronic correlations in exploring the exotic phase diagram of layered LixMnO2
Banerjee, H. (Lead / Corresponding author), Grey, C. P. & Morris, A. J. (Lead / Corresponding author), 17 Oct 2023, In: Physical Review B. 108, 16, 10 p., 165124.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)140 Downloads (Pure) -
Oxygen hole formation controls stability in LiNiO2 cathodes
Genreith-Schriever, A. R., Banerjee, H., Menon, A. S., Bassey, E. N., Piper, L. F. J., Grey, C. P. (Lead / Corresponding author) & Morris, A. J. (Lead / Corresponding author), 19 Jul 2023, In: Joule. 7, 7, p. 1623-1640 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile111 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)228 Downloads (Pure) -
Tuning paradigm of external stimuli driven electronic, optical and magnetic properties in hybrid perovskites and metal organic complexes
Banerjee, H., Kaur, J., Nazeeruddin, M. K. (Lead / Corresponding author) & Chakraborty, S. (Lead / Corresponding author), Nov 2022, In: Materials Today. 60, p. 183-200 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
4 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Effect of geometry on magnetism of Hund's metals: Case study of BaRuO3
Banerjee, H., Schnait, H., Aichhorn, M. & Saha-Dasgupta, T. (Lead / Corresponding author), 15 Jun 2022, In: Physical Review B. 105, 23, 235106.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
5 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Temperature and pressure driven spin transitions and piezochromism in a Mn-based hybrid perovskite
Banerjee, H. (Lead / Corresponding author), Rittsteuer, A. & Aichhorn, M., Apr 2022, In: Physical Review Materials. 6, 4, 044401.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
6 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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ACS Reviewer Recognition and Appreciation
Banerjee, H. (Recipient), 26 Mar 2025
Prize: Other distinction
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Best Oral Presentation BOSEFEST 2016
Banerjee, H. (Recipient), Feb 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Best Poster at Conference on ”Physics and Chemistry of Materials:Computation and Experiments, 2014”
Banerjee, H. (Recipient), Mar 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Best Poster Presentational BOSEFEST 2014
Banerjee, H. (Recipient), Feb 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Early-Stage Program: Research - Innovation - Training (ESPRIT) Fellowship
Banerjee, H. (Recipient), 1 Dec 2023
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
Activities
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Dundee Science Festival 2025
Banerjee, H. (Presenter)
18 Feb 2025Activity: Other activity types › Public engagement and outreach - festival/exhibition
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FWF Standalone Project: Emergent Phases in Oxides and Oxide heterostructures
Banerjee, H. (Member)
2025 → 2029Activity: Other activity types › Funding - grants and income which support research related activities
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Dundee Open Day Renewables Presentation
Banerjee, H. (Presenter)
25 Oct 2025Activity: Other activity types › Public engagement and outreach - festival/exhibition
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Electronic Structure (Journal)
Banerjee, H. (Peer reviewer)
Sept 2025 → Dec 2025Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
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Computational Grant CFN BNL
Banerjee, H. (Recipient)
Sept 2025 → Jan 2026Activity: Other activity types › Funding - grants and income which support research related activities