Dr. Annapurna Boruah

Dr. Annapurna Boruah is a renowned academician, geoscientist, energy explorationist, and sociopreneur. She completed her undergraduate degree at Gauhati University in Assam. She has completed her master’s and Ph.D degree from M S University of Baroda, and her post-doctoral (CER) from IIT Kharagpur. With over ten years of experience in research and academia, she has cultivated expertise in a wide range of areas including CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage), petroleum exploration, basin modelling, Himalayan tectonics, earth sciences, and energy transition. Her research findings have been disseminated through research publications by reputed publishers, including Nature Publisher. She is involved in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG)'s "i-HAV" initiative. Dr. Boruah's achievements have been recognised widely. She was prominently featured on the cover of the January 2020 issue of "Drilling and Exploration World" magazine, celebrated as an inspirational figure within the oil and gas industry.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Dr. Annapurna is also Nitya Visharad in Sattriya classical dance, a national-level folk dancer, a state-level debater, and a classical singer. She is also the founder of the start-up ENXARTH.

Dr. Boruah is an Associate Professor at UPES.  She has been engaged in teaching aspiring geoscientists and petroleum engineers. She contributes to new program design, curriculum development, entrepreneurship initiatives, e-learning, technology enhancement, Ph.D. supervision, geological field training, project management, event management, and more.

Prior to this, she was a Scientific Officer at Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute and completed successful projects with esteemed organizations like ONGC, GSPC, ESSAR, OILMAX, SALON, SINTEX, FUGRO, MoES, and more. She also worked for the Cambay Basin, Krishna Godavari Basin, Raniganj, Assam Arakan, Vindhyan, and South Sumatra in Indonesia.

Dr. Annapurna's research interests include Geosciences, Basin dynamics, Energy exploration, Petroleum Engineering, Unconventional Hydrocarbons, Carbon Capture & Utilization (CCUS), Geochemical exploration, Microbial prospecting techniques, and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).

Dr. Annapurna believes in continually upgrading research-based teaching practices to leverage technology, aiming to inspire and equip young minds with the necessary tools to thrive in an ever-changing world. She spearheads field-based training, workshops, and interactions to bridge academia and industry. She engages students through open-ended projects, industrial case studies, and field-lab-software-based assignments. Acknowledging that the classroom serves as a fundamental starting point, genuine learning flourishes when education transcends traditional boundaries and integrates with real-life situations. Motivated by a fervour for intellectual development, she cultivates an atmosphere that stimulates creativity, practical implementation, and entrepreneurial aptitude.

Dr. Annapurna has taught courses in diversified areas of petroleum engineering and earth sciences, such as Oil and Gas Informatics, Economic Geology, Palaeontology, Methods of Petroleum Exploration, Sedimentology & Sequence Stratigraphy, Petroleum Geology, Formation Evaluation and Well logging, Analytical methods in geoscience, Applied Geology, Introduction to Geology, Structural Geology, Advanced Petrophysics, Geological & Geophysical Methods of Exploration, and Geosequestration.

Dr. Boruah has received numerous grants and accolades throughout her career, including the International travel grant (2019) from the DST government of India, the Goldschmith Students' Mentoring Grant from the European Association of Geochemical Exploration (2019), the Teaching Excellence Award from UPES (2022), and recognition from prestigious societies such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), and the Petroleum Engineering Association (PEA). She was also featured on the cover of the "Drilling and Exploration World" journal as one of the most inspiring women in the sector. Additionally, she received the GERMI Research Fellowship for 2011-12, and MSU doctoral fellowship for 2010-11.

Dr. Annapurna is guiding a team of research scholars in the fields of CCUS, petroleum engineering, and earth sciences. Together, they have developed innovative laboratory setups and cutting-edge tools. Her contributions to the academic community are evident through her extensive publications, including 40+ research papers and 2 books, which have been published by renowned publishers like Nature Publisher. Her expertise has been recognized internationally, leading to invitations to deliver talks and conduct courses at prestigious forums such as Goldschmidt Barcelona, AAPG Madrid, ICPC Paris, and more. She guided geological field training nationwide, including Assam, Raniganj, Kachchh, Jodhpur, and several Himalayan geological sites. She actively contributes to the start-up ENXARTH, the SAANEKI project, emphasizing culture, heritage, and rural development. Committed to lifelong learning, she has participated in several professional development programs like "Shakti"- a women's leadership program, PGCAP, CER, Breaking the Barrier, etc. She has completed various certificate courses on Coursera, such as mediation, conflict resolution, research report writing, assessment in higher education, virtual teaching, Data management, artificial intelligence, geoinformatics, python, brand management, and more. Dr. Annapurna's dedication to lifelong learning drives her professional advancement and ensures she remains at the forefront of her field.

aboruah@ddn.upes.ac.in