Indrajit Srivastava has been awarded a grant by the Welch Foundation

Indrajit Srivastava, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas Tech University, has been awarded a $100,000 Welch X Pilot Grant by The Robert A. Welch Foundation to support pioneering research into afterglow luminescence using molecular self-assembly.

In collaboration with Ognjen Miljanić, professor of chemistry at the University of Houston, Srivastava will co-lead a project titled “‘Ping-Pong’ Afterglow Luminescence in Self-Assembled Molecular Cubes.” The one-year initiative aims to develop a new class of organic materials that can store and release light through a precisely controlled chemical process.

“This project centers on the synthesis of novel molecular cubes and the investigation of their afterglow behavior, aiming to generate new insights into molecular design and photo physics with potential relevance for future bioimaging applications,” Srivastava said. “Our team’s work to date has focused on translational-based biomedical research, but we are excited to delve into fundamental science. We are thankful to the Robert A. Welch Foundation for their support.”

The research aims to create nanoscale structures that feature a unique back-and-forth or “ping-pong” interaction within the material. This enables the simultaneous integration of energy capture, retention and delayed emission, potentially laying the groundwork for future optical technologies.

The interdisciplinary effort spans molecular design, self-assembly and photochemical control, with an eye toward future diagnostic and imaging tools that are brighter, longer lasting and more precise. The approach seeks to deliver tunable afterglow platforms with improved clarity and optical performance.

Srivastava was one of only 18 early-career, tenure-track or tenured faculty selected from across Texas universities to participate in the 2025 Welch X Retreat, an exclusive event in Houston focused on “Chemical Research for Grand Challenges.” There, participants were encouraged to form new collaborations and submit competitive pilot grant proposals. Of the many proposals submitted, only a select few were awarded funding.

For more information on the Welch X program, visit welch1.org.