Technical Officer
Ashish Vaman Karale
karaleashish111[at]iitb[dot]ac[dot]in
7601
Lab name
Department of MEMS
Office Address
Department of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, IIT Bombay.
Education
- M.Tech (Instrumentation Engineering) – Pursuing from Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology, Nerul, Navi Mumbai (Completed First Year with C.G.P.A.: 7.48)
- B.E. (Instrumentation Engineering) – College of Engineering, Ambajogai (2012) – Distinction
- Diploma in Electrical Power System – VPM’s Polytechnic, Thane (2009) – First Class
- MS-CIT – Government of Maharashtra (MSBTE) (July 2005) – First Class
Work History
- Technical Officer (June 2026 to till date) Department of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, IIT Bombay.
- Project Manager (June 2024 to June 2026) Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay.
- Project Research Associate (November 2017 to May 2024) Centre for Research in Nanotechnology & Science department (CRNTS), IIT Bombay.
- Senior project Technical Assistant (July 2015 to Nov 2017) Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF), IIT Bombay.
- Technical Assistant (December 2012 to June 2015) Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF), IIT Bombay.
Professional Experience
- Operation and Routine Maintenance and commissioning of ultra-high vacuum based highly sophisticated instruments like Cryo-High resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (Cryo-HRTEM), Field Emission Transmission Electron Microscope (FEG-TEM), Focused Ion Beam - Scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG-SEM), Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM), Cryo-Ultra microtome, Critical point dryer, Freeze Facture, High Pressure freezer, Cryo Plunger.
- Sample preparation is an important aspect in any analysis. In electron microscopy an array of techniques can be used to get the desired results. I am well versed with various sample preparation techniques such as sample handling, freezing (Plunging), Cell culture, cell tissue fixation, Dehydration, Embedding, fixing, Sectioning Ultramicrotomy (Cryo & Room Temp.), Sample dispersion methods, soft sample preparation and different types of staining (positive, negative, fume hood), Sputter coating, TEM Lamella preparation, Patterning, Slice & View.
- Assisted the unloading, uncrating, installation, commissioning and lab setup of TEM and Focus ion beam fabrication facility (Dual beam SEM) with FEI engineer.
- I handle administrative duties like Preparing Funding Budget Reports for laboratories, managing purchases, assisted in new instrument procurement process, preparing annual and weekly report for facility, communicating with students, faculties and eternal users, performed different surveys for department facilities, Preparing proposal for new facility.
- TA (PhD students) training and demonstration of the facilities for internal and external users.
Area of Expertise
- Electron Microscopy.
- Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscope (JEOL NEO ARM 200F, FEI Tecnai 12 G2): - Cryo imaging, Low kV imaging, EDS, HR-STEM,3D Tomography.
- Focused Ion Beam - Scanning electron microscope (Thermo scientific Helios 5 UC): - TEM Lamella preparation, Patterning, Slice & View, High resolution Imaging, STEM.
- Field emission gun Transmission Electron Microscope (FEI Tecnai G2-F30 and JEOL JEM 2100F, TEM CM 200): - Bright field imaging, dark field Imaging, diffraction, EDS, STEM.
- Field emission gun Scanning electron microscope (JEOL JSM-7600F): -GB mode, Backscattered imaging, High Magnification imaging, Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS).
- Environmental Scanning electron microscope (FEI Qunta 200): -Imaging at High Vacuum mode, Low Vacuum Mode, Environmental Mode and EDS.
- Sample Preparation
- Ultra-microtome (Leica UCT Ultracut): -Preparation of semi- and ultra-thin sections as well as perfect, smooth surfaces of biological and industrial samples for TEM, SEM, AFM and LM examination (Cryo and Room Temp. mode).
- Staining: - Positive staining, Negative Staining, Fume hood staining.
- I am well versed with various sample preparation techniques such as sample handling, cell tissue fixation, Dehydration, Embedding, fixing and several sample dispersion methods.
- Sputter coating (LEICA EM ACE 600, JEOL JFC-1600): The samples to make them conducting by depositing thin layer of metal (Iridium & Platinum)
- Critical point dryer (LEICA EM CPD300): -Drying delicate samples for SEM applications.
- Cryo-Plunger (FEI VITROBOT, Leica EM GP2): -Samples are cooled so rapidly that the surrounding water molecules do not have time to crystallize.
- Freeze facture (Leica EM ACE900): -Breaking a frozen specimen to reveal internal structures. Samples to be imaged in a SEM (block-face) or TEM (replica).
- High Pressure Freezer (Leica EM ICE): Cryo-immobilize your aqueous samples under high pressure with a unique freezing principle. Alcohol free freezing allow a superior cryo-fixation of the specimen enabling better quality results
Academic Projects
- Black box in Car. (B.E Project)
- Energy Conservation in street lights. (Diploma Project)
Workshops / Conferences
- Participated in the International Conference on Electron Microscopy (EMSI-2015) organized by Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay, Mumbai & Electron Microscopy Society of India (EMSI), West zone Chapter at Vashi, Navi Mumbai, during July 8-10,2015.
- Participated in the Workshop on ‘ELECTRON MICROSCOPY’ held on 22nd April,2014 at Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility, IIT Bombay.
- Participated in the 12th Asia Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC HYADRABAD-2020) organized by Committee of Asia-Pacific Societies of Microscopy (CAPSM) and International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (IFSM).
Extra Curricular
- Volunteered in the International Conference on Electron Microscopy (EMSI-2015) organized by Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
- I am also an active team member for promotion activity of department facilities such as webinars, workshop and demos for internal and external users.
- Proactive member of the general safety team which involves surveying for electrical earthing load calculations of individual lab, load on bus bar, department safety (chemical gas, power quality, electrical requirement of each instrument, electrical parameter safety (wiring, ups, identifying danger areas)