School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Saumitra Kumar Misra did his PhD in anorogenic granitoid geochemistry from Presidency College, Kolkata, India, in 1993. After completing his formal degree, he had a long history of post-doctoral research (1994-2009) in various Institutes in India and sometimes abroad. During his long post-doctoral research, he was able to expose asteroid impact cratering processes, radiometric dating of rocks using Pb-Pb zircon SHRIMP techniques, rock magnetic studies of impact craters, etc.
Currently, he is a lecturer in UKZN and teaches optical mineralogy, igneous petrology and geochemistry, and geological field trips at second and third-year undergraduate levels. His current research interest includes geochemistry of Kaapvaal craton granitoids, the geochemistry of Karoo Igneous Province, Indian asteroid impact craters, lunar rock geochemistry, Indian ocean ridge, etc.