Indiana University Southeast

Chhandashri Bhattacharya

Lecturer in Chemistry

Biography

Chhandashri Bhattacharya received her B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1988 from University of Calcutta, India and her M.S degree in Chemistry in 1991 from Visbha-Bharati University, India. She got her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Calcutta, India in 2008. After spending one year as a Visiting Lecturer at IU Southeast, she joined as a Chemistry teaching faculty 2011. Prior to this, Chhandashri taught in Jefferson Community and Technical College, KY and in IU Southeast for 5 years as adjunct faculty. Chhandashri also has research experience at University of Louisville in the department of Cardiology.

Publications

1. Hamid T, Gu Y, Ortines RV, Bhattacharya C, Wang G, Xuan YT, Prabhu SD. Divergent tumor necrosis factor receptor-related remodeling responses in heart failure: role of nuclear factor-kappaB and inflammatory activation.T1: Circulation. 2009 Mar 17; 119(10):1386-97. Epub 2009 Mar 2.
2. Xilin Xiang , David T Treese , Tariq Hamid , Chhandashri Bhattacharya , James P Marshall , Buddhadeb Dawn , Sumanth D Prabhu. Inhibition of nuclear factor-kB exacerbates β-adrenergic receptor mediated cardiac remodeling in vivo. Circulation. 2006;114:II_138.
3. David Treese, BS, Sumanth Prabhu, MD, Xilin Xiang, MD-PhD, Chhandashri Bhattacharya, MS, Tariq Hamid, PhD, Ernest Cardwell, BS . Role of NF-kB in b-Adrenergic Receptor-Mediated Cardiac Remodeling, Research Louisville (November 2005).
4.  B.K.De, D.K.Bhattacharya  and C.Bandhu (1999) Enzymatic Synthesis of Fatty Alcohol Esters by Alcoholysis. J.Am.Oil Chem. Soc.; 76(4) 451-453(1999).
5. B.K.De, C.Bandhu  ,  D.K.Bhattacharya and P.Pal(1999) Isolation and utilisation of curdled-milk fat in malange formulation. Fett/Lipid; 101(11) 433-436(1999).
6. S.Ghosh, B.K. De, D.K.Bhattacharya ,C.Bandhu(1998) Lipase Hydrolysis of some minor oils. The journal of the Oil Technologist Association of India; 30(1) 19-21(1998).
7. C.Bandhu and D.K.Bhattacharya (1996) studies on Ocimum gratissimum Linn seed Oil. The journal of the Oil Technologist Association of India. Vol. 28, No 2, 55-56, April-June (1996).
8. C.Bandhu and D.K.Bhattacharya (1996) Nutritional quality of on Ocimum gratissimum Linn seed Oil. The journal of the Oil Technologist Association of India. Vol. 28, No 3 July-Sept (1996).

Teaching Areas or Interests

Chhandashri Bhattacharya is teaching General and Organic Chemistry in both introductory and major levels.

Courses she usually teaches are, Elementary Chemistry 1 (C-101), Elementary Chemistry 2  (C-102), Elementary Chemistry Lab 1 ( C-121), Elementary Chemistry Lab 2   (C-122), Principles of Chemistry I (C-105), Experimental Chemistry I (C-125), Principles of Chemistry II (C-106), Experimental Chemistry II (C-126),  Organic Chemistry Lectures 2 (C-342 ), Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2( C-344).

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is based primarily on my focus to student than the materials. I believe that students will not actively participants in their education if they are not engaged and interested in the topic. I view the teaching job is more of effective communication than any other skill and it should be based on  mindful and compassionate understanding the need of the students. In my classes, I engage with students by spending time learning about their academic background, their need and create awareness of Chemistry in our every daily lives. Once I create an atmosphere of interest, students become more open to learning. Through my courses, students learn how to connect Chemistry to their day to day life and the services it provide to the human community.

My teaching practices strive to engage students' interest and help them gain knowledge and skills in such a way that they are able to apply what they learned not just in examinations, but outside the classroom as well. These goals guide the way I prepare and present materials in the class and test students. I use homework assignments requiring critical thinking and problem solving skills. I develop and present a large number of examples in my lectures, I ask near and far transfer questions that test students' ability to apply what they learned in one context to other contexts, and I proactively encourage students to come and discuss their difficulties with me. Beyond technical knowledge, I believe a teacher must convey fairness, integrity and trust.

Finally, I always attempt to teach the students in such a way so that they develop the skill to answer the questions by not repeating what is heard or read verbatim but synthesize the information. I Introduced students to the Internet to research class topics and consult latest journals and interact with other students. This is an example of how teaching motivated research, the findings from which have subsequently influenced my teaching practices.

Over the years, I have developed an innovative approach to teaching and conducting research through creating and presenting course materials in both laboratory and classroom settings. In my experience, the best teaching involves concrete, hands-on examples, so I engage students in my courses by encouraging the maximum laboratory participation possible.

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