Asim Maity ’18, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, has been selected as a 2021 Phil Gramm Doctoral Fellowship Award recipient, announced earlier this month through the Texas A&M Graduate and Professional School.
Maity is one of four Texas A&M doctoral students honored this year with the prestigious award, established in 2006 with the support of Phil Gramm, the former United States Senator from Texas who served as a professor of economics at Texas A&M for 12 years before being elected to Congress. The Gramm Fellowship Program seeks to promote, encourage and reward outstanding teaching and research by doctoral students whose command of their respective disciplines exemplifies the meaning of scholarship and mentorship in the highest sense.
Maity and his fellow 2021 recipients will be celebrated in a Tuesday, Nov. 2 by-invitation-only ceremony set for 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the University Club. Each will receive a personalized award certificate and a fellowship in the amount of $5,000. In addition, all four students henceforth will be recognized as Senator Phil Gramm Doctoral Fellows for general scholarship excellence and contributions to their disciplines.
“Dr. Gramm appreciated the roles of graduate students at a public university, from teaching undergraduates in introductory courses, to conducting vital research, to volunteering in the community,” said Dr. Mark J. Zoran, executive associate dean in the Texas A&M College of Science as well as longtime associate dean for graduate studies. “Mr. Maity’s efforts in the Department of Chemistry and at Texas A&M University exemplify Senator Gramm’s vision for graduate students and their importance to our broad Aggie missions.”
Maity, who was born and raised in West Bengal, India, earned his bachelor’s of science degree from Jadavpur University in Kolkata and his master’s of science degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur prior to coming to Texas A&M in fall 2016 to pursue his doctoral studies as a member of Texas A&M chemist Dr. David Powers’ laboratory. His research focuses on synthetic methods toward oxidation chemistry, which has broad implications across industry and technology sectors. Maity’s primary discoveries to date include identifying the utilization of aldehyde autoxidation chemistry for sustainable generation of hypervalent iodine compounds with oxygen as the terminal oxidant. He also developed the first example of electrocatalytic C–H amination reaction using hypervalent iodine intermediates. Maity’s research accomplishments have been published in high-impact chemistry journals and recognized with awards such as Bruno J. Zwolinski Endowed Graduate Fellowship and Sharon Dabney Memorial Fellowship. In addition, he has mentored several undergraduate students and served in various capacities in multiple student-led organizations within Texas A&M Chemistry and the broader university.
Gramm spent two decades serving in the U.S. Congress and Senate, using his economic and financial expertise to create important laws and policies, and to provide advice to legislators and the White House. He authored numerous articles and books while at Texas A&M, ranging from monetary theory to mineral extraction economics. Currently, Gramm is the senior partner of Gramm Partners, a public policy firm in Washington, D.C., as well as the senior advisor at U.S. Policy Metrics.
To learn more about the Gramm Fellowship Program and other opportunities for graduate and professional students at Texas A&M, visit https://grad.tamu.edu/.
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Contact: Shana K. Hutchins, (979) 862-1237 or [email protected]
