Why explore the world? Clemson University alumnus reveals the unexpected benefits of a global education

It was Christmas Day 2013 when Monsur Islam arrived at Clemson University to begin a Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering, a move that would accelerate an academic journey that has encompassed five countries on three continents.

Islam, now a scientific researcher in Spain, said he feels like a different person from the 22-year-old who left India nearly 11 years ago.

"I have a global mindset," he said. "I came from a small town in India that was still quite conservative at that time. I feel like I broke out of that phase, and I am more understanding, accepting and open to new things. I find peace and joy in that."

Islam distinguished himself at Clemson as a relentless researcher and humble, sincere and compassionate lab mate and friend. He has taken those qualities with him to Mexico, Germany and Spain, making him a true global ambassador for Clemson.

If anyone embodies the spirit of a melting pot, it is Islam, said his friend and former Ph.D. advisor Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Clemson.

"I would like his story to inspire other Ph.D.s to pursue global careers and consider alternatives that can lead to personal growth and unique opportunities," Martinez-Duarte said.

"Monsur is an exemplary ambassador for Clemson. By excelling in his work, he is ensuring that more institutions and professionals in Europe will recognize and appreciate the high quality of education and research coming out of Clemson."

Islam now works as a scientific researcher at IMDEA Materials, a leading research institute in Madrid focused on advanced materials science and engineering. He recently landed the Ramón y Cajal Fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science.

The fellowship is named for Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Santiago Ramón y Cajal and is aimed at helping outstanding early-career scientists establish themselves in Spain's research ecosystem.

As part of the five-year fellowship, Islam plans to teach at Polytechnic University of Madrid with the goal of securing a tenured position.

It is just the latest honor in a decorated academic career.

Islam received a Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering in 2013 from the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur.

Just a few weeks after arriving in Clemson, Islam saw snow for the first time. While he was in a different part of the world than the one he had known, it proved fertile soil for his research and education.

Within two years, he would become the main author on five research papers and co-author on four others, work that helped him win the $20,000 Hitachi High Technologies America Electron Microscopy Annual Fellowship.

Among his labmates was Jordon Gilmore, then a postdoctoral researcher who stayed at Clemson and became an associate professor of bioengineering with a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation.

Gilmore said Islam helped him better understand the principles of carbon electrodes and the two of them worked together on several projects, including microfluidic research led by Martinez-Duarte.

"He was probably one of the sharpest graduate students I've ever met," Gilmore said. "You could see that he was becoming a leader in that space. Even as a graduate student, he was attending conferences and leading in a way that you knew he was going to make a big contribution."

While at Clemson, Islam studied abroad at Mexico's Tecnológico de Monterrey as part of an exchange program led by Martinez-Duarte.

It was a big trip for Islam, and not only because he played a central role in establishing partnerships. While in Mexico, Islam met Diana Laura Garza Amaya, the woman who would become his wife. They are now together in Madrid, where she is working on her second master's degree.

By the time Islam left Clemson he had several honors that would mark him as a rising star in research, including the Eastman Chemical Award and the Doctoral Scholastic Achievement Award, both from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and the Professional Enrichment Grant from Graduate Student Government.

After receiving his Ph.D. in 2018, Islam worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Germany's Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. While COVID-19 slowed down his research, he kept pushing forward, and in 2023 he received the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, clearing the way for him to join IMDEA Materials Institute.

At the institute, Islam is working to create advanced 3D-printed materials that can interact with living cells, which could be used to make smart surgical devices and improve how medicines are delivered in the body. His research aims to develop these materials into "living machines" that can evolve and adapt for various medical and technological uses.

Some of his research has been funded through a grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Islam has traversed many miles, published many papers and won many awards since leaving India. Many of the other rewards have been unexpected, and his latest fellowship helps ensure the journey is just beginning.

"I came out of India just to have the study abroad experience, but when I stepped out I realized that when you leave your country, you don't come out just to have the educational knowledge," Islam said. "You need to have societal knowledge also, not only for integration within that society, but also to open up your mind."