Dr. Rahul Gera completed his Ph.D. at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 2016. Following his doctoral studies, he pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania from 2016 to 2018. He then joined AMOLF in the Netherlands for subsequent postdoctoral work from 2019 to 2021, followed by a research fellow appointment at the Nanyang Technological University from 2022 to 2023.

In 2024, Dr. Gera joined the Regional Institute of Education, a constituent unit of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), as an Assistant Professor, where he served until 2025. In April 2025, Dr. Gera joined the Department of Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur as an Assistant Professor

At the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Dr. Rahul Gera aims to establish a research program focused on developing molecular self-assemblies for controlling photochemical reactivity at the nanoscale. Utilizing his experience in host–guest chemistry, supramolecular self-assemblies, and nonlinear optical spectroscopic methods, such as femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy, he aspires to develop novel strategies for driving selective photochemistry both in solution and at interfaces.

His group designs and synthesizes self-assembled nanocages to encapsulate and stabilize reactive guest molecules, enabling access to unique light-driven reaction pathways under molecular confinement. They investigate ultrafast excited-state dynamics and key physical properties using state-of-the-art spectroscopy. The group aims to uncover how confined environments reshape photochemical behaviour.

Keywords -

• Supramolecular assemblies and host–guest chemistry
• Self-assembled functional nanostructures
• Ultrafast photophysics and excited-state dynamics
• Light-induced reactivity
• Confinement-controlled catalysis and photochemistry