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About the lab

Who we are, and the story of the group.

SWACHH Lab is a young research group in IIT Kanpur's Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering, founded in April 2025 by Sayan after a decade of research spanning USC, the Weizmann Institute and Cambridge. We build chemistry and materials that capture carbon, convert it into clean fuels, and purify water, all powered by renewable energy, work built from day one to move from the bench into the real world through close academic and industry partnerships.

The group hosts self-driven young researchers from diverse backgrounds across science and engineering, including Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, and Computer Science, with complementary expertise to tackle complex problems in decarbonisation. We are united by our curiosity and a shared vision of a Net Zero future.

2025
Founded
12
Team members
31
Publications
(Sayan)
3
Research themes
2 lab alumni have moved on to new roles

Collaborating with

  • Prof Erwin ReisnerUniversity of Cambridge
  • Prof David MilsteinWeizmann Institute of Science
  • Prof G. K. Surya PrakashUniversity of Southern California
Sayan Kar
Assistant Professor · Dept. of Sustainable Energy Engineering, IIT Kanpur
Sayan completed his integrated BS-MS in chemistry at IIT Kanpur (2015), his PhD with Prof Surya Prakash and Prof George Olah at USC (Methanol Economy), and postdocs with Prof David Milstein at the Weizmann Institute (sustainable catalysis) and Prof Erwin Reisner at Cambridge (solar air-to-fuel). He joined IIT Kanpur as Assistant Professor in April 2025. His work spans Nature Energy, Nature Catalysis, Joule, JACS, ACS Catalysis and Acc. Chem. Res., cited 3495+ times, and has been covered by 100+ news outlets.
Supported by & funded through
At IIT Kanpur
PhD funding · USC (2015–2019)
Postdoctoral funding · Weizmann & Cambridge (2019–2025)