The Tamil Scientist
Mentoring the next generation scientists | Nurturing scientific temperament among the public through science communication
The Tamil Scientist is a science brand created by Dr Kanmani Chandra Rajan, an interdisciplinary scientist and science communicator. Hailing from rural India, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, she has established an international career in STEMM. The name 'Tamil Scientist' represents her roots in Tamil Nadu. The brand is run entirely in English with plans to expanding the reach in Tamil, in future.
As a first generation PhD holder, and a woman coming from an orthodox background, Dr Chandra Rajan had immense struggle navigating a career in STEMM. To give back and make the academic journey of young students from India a little less difficult, she has created 'The Tamil Scientist Mentoring Program' to guide Indian students to navigate PhD/fellowship applications, and manage their PhD research.
Learn more about the mentoring program here.
About Dr Kanmani Chandra Rajan
Dr Kanmani Chandra Rajan holds a M Tech (Biotechnology) from Anna University, Chennai, India and a PhD in Biological Sciences from The University of Hong Kong. Her interdisciplinary research bridges evolutionary biology, advanced materials engineering, and robotics. She decodes how biological structures are built, then work with engineers to use those insights to design smarter, more sustainable human technologies.
She focuses on the comparative functional morphology of natural composites. She is particularly interested in how biomineralisation generates mechanical resilience. Her toolkit combines multiscale correlative imaging and crystallographic analysis (μCT, synchrotron, and SEM-EBSD) with micro-mechanical testing and multi-material 3D printing. This lets her quantify nature's engineering solutions and translate them into practical blueprints for bioinspired engineering.
Her track record as an early career researcher includes over £30,000 in independent research funding, 7+ peer-reviewed publications, and selection for prestigious international fellowships (e.g., FSBI Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Khorana Fellowship). Outside the lab, she mentors early-career researchers and volunteers with Mothers in Science, a global non-profit where she advocates for work-life integration and career retention for caregivers in STEMM.