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Vikram Handa pledges $11.5M to launch research institute at Tufts
The new institute will advance sustainable materials research to develop cleaner, safer energy solutions supporting the global clean energy transition.
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Bhavana P - Wed, 30, Apr 2025
- 11:46 EDT
- 123
Vikram Handa / Photo: Alonso Nichols
Tufts University has announced a $11.5 million sponsorship from Indian entrepreneur and alumnus Vikram Handa to establish the Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute, a research center focused on sustainable materials for clean energy.
The new institute, part of the School of Engineering, will advance interdisciplinary research in materials science, particularly in the development of high-performance, eco-friendly battery materials. It will collaborate closely with other departments and institutes at Tufts, including the Tufts AI Institute.
Also read: Arihanta Institute receives $1 M gift to establish endowed professorship
Handa, a 2001 graduate of Tufts and managing director of India-based Epsilon Group, said the initiative is a significant step in bridging academic research and industrial application to meet global sustainability goals.
“The establishment of the Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute is a proud moment for me as an alumnus and a significant step toward our mission to drive sustainable innovation,” said Handa, who is a member of the School of Engineering’s board of advisors.
“Our investments in the U.S. will build a robust supply chain for energy transition by innovating in advanced materials and enhancing material circularity. We believe this institute will foster the collaboration needed between academia and industry to address the global energy challenges we face,” he added.
The institute is expected to advance battery technologies that charge faster, last longer, and use more abundant materials such as sodium, potentially reducing reliance on lithium. The funding supports three new faculty positions and seed funding for collaborative research within Tufts’ School of Engineering.
Tufts president Sunil Kumar praised the sponsorship as a purposeful and strategic investment toward achieving impactful clean energy goals. “Together, we will translate academic research into immediate, tangible, commercial applications that will power new directions in the energy industry,” he said.
Handa founded Epsilon Group in 2010 and its subsidiary Epsilon Advanced Materials in 2018. “The collaboration between Epsilon and Tufts will have a profound and positive impact on humanity and the health of the planet, and I am confident that the Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute will work to further develop materials that will support the energy transition and give future generations a better, cleaner world.” Handa said.
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