Dr. Purbajyoti Phukon has been working as an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Science, Assam University, Silchar since 2019. He obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Dibrugarh University, Assam. He completed his Ph.D. jointly from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun and the Department of Geology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
Dr. Phukon’s research focuses on metamorphic petrology, geochronology, and continental tectonics, focusing on understanding the metamorphism, deformation, exhumation of deep-seated rocks in the Himalayan Orogen, and evolution shear zones. His research incorporates multidisciplinary approaches, including microstructural analysis, petrochronology of accessory mineral phases such as zircon and monazite, phase equilibria modeling, and the study of ductile deformation patterns in crystalline rocks. He has published his findings in several high-impact journals such as Lithos, GSA Bulletin, and Earth Science Review. As an assistant professor in Assam University, Silchar, he has secured two research grants – the Start-up research grant (SRG) project sponsored by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), and the Indian Himalayan Central University Consortium project of NITI Aayog, sponsored by the Ministry of Education and UGC. Additionally, he received grants for attending international conferences from SERB Travel Support and won the Best Paper award in 2018 at WIHG, Dehradun.
As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, Dr. Phukon aims to discern the inherent characteristics, temporal extent, and quantitative estimations of metamorphic CO2 fluxes within the eastern segment of the Himalayan orogen. Furthermore, he seeks to ascertain the potential contribution of CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere during geologically distant epochs.