Ramakrishna Podila PhD ‘11

Ramakrishna Podila PhD ‘11

The Clemson University Young Alumni Council (YAC) has recognized Ramakrishna Podila as one of the 2019 “Roaring 10” – young alumni who have made an impact in business, leadership, community, educational and/or philanthropic endeavors.

Honorees were selected based on their continued efforts to uphold the university’s core values of honesty, integrity and respect and to demonstrate an “ever-loyal” relationship with Clemson University.

Rama Podila is an Assistant Professor in the Clemson University Department of Physics and Astronomy. He is a tenure-track faculty member with a postdoctoral focus on biochemistry and the investigation of the physiological response to engineered nanomaterials. In his career, Rama has authored more than 60 original peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and holds two patents on novel roll-to-roll production for nanomaterial-based supercapacitors and self-powered wireless sensors. Rama helped establish the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, serves as the lead organizer of Nano Day at Roper Mountain Science Center annually and was recently selected as a “Faculty Fellow” by His Holiness Dalai Lama to teach physics for Buddhist monks. At Clemson, Rama helped bring new courses to life, such as Electrochemistry and Methods of Spectroscopy.

The primary mission of Clemson YAC is to support the goals of the Clemson Alumni Association specifically on matters pertaining to Young Alumni. Clemson YAC exists to connect Young Alumni with the University, assist Young Alumni in the transition from active student to alumnus, facilitate fellowship, personal growth and professional development opportunities for young alumni and formally represent Young Alumni interests to the Clemson Alumni Council. The purpose of these efforts is to affect seminal influence on young alumni so they may continue to be connected and contributing alumni for a better Clemson throughout their lives.