AT A GLANCE
Dyutiman Mukhopadhyay, PhD
Professor
Area of Practice: Cognitive science, Art, Philosophy of Science
OVERVIEW
Dr Dyutiman Mukhopadhyay is a professor in Information Arts & Information Design Practices and at the Centre for Reimagining Transitions at SMI. He is a cognitive scientist, biologist, artist, and writer whose work explores how humans respond to constructs of representation and reality at the intersection of the arts and sciences. His focus areas include aesthetics, socio-cultural psychology, and consciousness studies. He also practises fine-art photography, experimental videography, and poetry (https://dyutimanmukhopadhyay.com/contact).
As part of his involvement as PI with the Centre for Reimagining Transitions, his research trajectories include explorations of a-disciplinarity and transitions in knowledge systems, art and affect, cognitive aesthetics in multimodal communication, cognitive aesthetics of poetry, and philosophy of science.
He was formerly an adjunct professor in the Consciousness Studies Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, India; a British Academy Newton International Fellow at University College London, UK, in Experimental Psychology and Brain Sciences; and a postdoctoral research fellow, supported by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, at the Centre for Cognitive Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. He was also the recipient of the T1 Exceptional Talent work permit endorsed by the British Academy, UK (2019–2024).
Dr Mukhopadhyay’s work on the neuropsychology of the ‘aesthetic paradox’, in which he proposed the ‘Dual-Phase-Oscillation hypothesis’ (Mukhopadhyay, 2014), has been featured in literary theory and emotion research. His other major work concerns the characterisation of functional brain networks and emotion centres, based on the Rasa theory of ancient Indian aesthetics (Mukhopadhyay et al., 2022; Tripathi et al., 2020). His critical review of the neuro-philosophy of archetype in visual aesthetics, published in English, has been translated into Russian by the Moscow Association of Analytical Psychology (Mukhopadhyay, 2014/2019). He also works on the cultural models of ‘self’ and social appraisal, using naturalistic stimuli such as films, through the lens of cross-cultural, social, and personality psychology, conversing with philosophy and epic narratives (Mukhopadhyay, 2026) and reimagining cross-cultural aesthetics through indigenous paradigms (Darda, Mukhopadhyay & Singh, 2026).
Dr Mukhopadhyay has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications across biomedical sciences, cognitive sciences, the arts, and the humanities. His films and photography have received official selection and recognition at the Berlin Indie Shorts Festival, the Film Olympiad (Greece), the Muses Film Awards (Greece), the Venice International Photo Contest, the International Photography Awards (USA) and the Prix de la Photographie (Paris).
EDUCATION
1. PhD (Biomedical Sciences: stress biology and epidemiology of male factor infertility), 2005–2009. Departments of Biochemistry & Zoology, University of Calcutta, India.
2. MSc-First Class in Zoology & 3rd Prize in Seminar; 2002–2004 (Seminar title: ‘Analysing Happiness – Reward Centre of the Brain’). Banaras Hindu University(BHU), India
3. BSc-Honours(in Zoology; Physiology & Chemistry) 1999–2002. Presidency College (University of Calcutta), Calcutta, India.
4. Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts—First Division, Distinction in Practical; 2005–2010. Pracheen Kala Kendra – Indian Classical Art Organisation, Chandigarh, India, Calcutta Centre – Chitrakala, Kolkata- 700060.
WORK EXPERIENCE
1. Faculty in Information Arts and Information Design Practices, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore, India, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India (October 2022–present).
2. Adjunct Professor (Honourary), NIAS Consciousness Studies Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, India (April 2022–June 2024).
3. British Academy Newton International Fellow & Honorary Research Associate. University College London—Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences (in Faculty of Brain Sciences, School of Life Sciences), London, UK (January 2018–October 2021).
4. Creative Director—‘AcademiaOne’, UK. Academic Education Providing Company Supported by University College London Innovation and Enterprise, UK (June–October 2020).
5. Course Lecturer, Cognitive Psychology Module (Emotion & Cognition) for MSc Psychological Sciences Programme. University College London, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, London, United Kingdom (2021). Also offered lecture at the Virtual Winter Festival of Learning, University of Cambridge, Institute of Continuing Education (2021).
6. Worked as an assistant fMRI operator at Birkbeck-UCL Centre for NeuroImaging (BUCNI), UK (2018–2020).
7. Former DST Govt. of India Post-Doctoral Fellow & PI in Cognitive Science Research Initiative Project. Centre for Cognitive Science (with Humanities and Social Sciences) Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT GN), Gujarat, India (Adjunct teaching experience: taught ‘neuroaesthetics’ as a full-semester special elective course, 2014–2016).
8. Former ICMR Research Associate (Biomedical genetics): Indian Council of Medical Research, Govt. of India; Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, India (2010–2013).
9. Practising Artist (Work portfolio: https://dyutimanmukhopadhyay.com)
Photography received official selections and recognition at the Venice International Photo Contest, in Italy, at the International Photography Awards, in the USA, at Prix de la Photographie, Paris and on the National Geographic website.
10. One of the founding artist contributors of the art subscription and sales company (Chadart.global, UK).
INTEREST AREAS
Research Interests: A disciplinarity and transition in knowledge systems; Human responses to constructs of representation and reality; Art and affect; Cognitive aesthetics in multi-modal communication; Cognitive aesthetics of poetry; Philosophy of science.
Tools: Indian texts on Philosophy of Science, Religion, and Aesthetics (1500 BC–1000 AD), Poetry of the Ancient and Medieval East, Experimental Psychology, Eye-tracking, Electroencephalography (EEG), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Digital Art, Painting, Photography, and Cinema (also well versed in Diagnostic Andrology and Assisted Conception technologies as part of early career biomedical research works).
CURRENT PRACTICE AT SRISHTI
1. Sensory Design
2. Multimodal Communication
3. Photography in Context
4. Research Methods
5. Art and Mental Health
6. Information Arts and Storytelling
TEACHING PORTFOLIO
- PhD Principal Supervisor (2025 onwards) – Mudita Mehta; Topic: ‘Embodied Engagement in Pottery‘ (in progress; preparing for Institutional Protocol Approval Committee [IPAC] presentation).
- PhD Co-supervisor (2025 onwards) – Chaitra HG; Topic: ‘Towards creating a new musical format in Hindustani new age Classical Music’ (in progress; preparing for Institutional Protocol Approval Committee [IPAC] presentation).
- PhD Doctoral Advisor (2025 onwards) – Preethi Rukmani, Shubham Shrivastava, Vijay Paul Punia (in progress).
- PG Principal-supervisor in Transdisciplinary Research Project (2026) – Shivika Kumar, Ranjita Choukimath, Thanga Dhanush; Topic: ‘Social Cognitive Camouflage: Masking, Norms, Identity, and the Designed Self ‘ (in progress).
- PG Principal-supervisor in Transdisciplinary Research Project (2025) – Joyce Sarah Chacko, Hiral Singh Chahar, Anwesha Paul, Sunakshi Shailendra Nigam, Antara Mittal, Meghana Nevatia; Topic: ‘The reflective divide: the confounding problems of journaling the art experience in real time and after‘ (completed).
- PG Principal-supervisor for Final Capstone Project Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2025-2026) – Sunakshi Shailendra Nigam; Topic: ‘Madness as Method: A personal journey with psychosis and poetry‘ (completed).
- PG Principal-supervisor for Final Capstone Project Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2023-2024) – Meghana Miriyala; Topic: ‘Exploring the socio-cultural-religious identity dilemma of the modern Indian youth through a design intervention‘ (completed).
- PGDP Principal-supervisor for Final Project Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2025) – Nirupama Shankar Babu Thirugnanam; Topic: ‘Development of Synergetic Threads – Ancient Wisdom Interwoven: a comparative mysticism oracle deck and guidebook‘ (completed).
- PGDP Principal-supervisor for Final Project Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2024) – Naveena Sivakumar; Topic: ‘Patterns of Identity: textile design elements inspired by the Badaga community of Nilgiri Hills in India‘ (completed).
- PGDP Principal-supervisor for Final Project Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2024) – Nishita Mehta; Topic: ‘Camaraderie Chronicles: a socio-cultural-political-historical exploration’ (completed).
- PGDP Principal-supervisor for Final Project Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2024) – Shree Agrawal; Topic: ‘Mahabharata’s Draupadi: a visual narrative of her societal impact in contemporary India‘ (completed).
- PGDP Principal-supervisor for Final Project Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2024) – Olivia Chakraborty and Shaurya Dagar (collaborative thesis); Topic: ‘Poetics, Storytelling, and the Archetypal Psychology of Bengal Embroidered Quilt (Nakshi Kantha) of India’ (completed).
- UG Principal-supervisor for Prethesis Dissertation in Information Arts and Information Design Practice (2023) – 15 students (Anngelyn Byju, Sanjana Gupta, Ananya Jindal; Aabha Joshi, Srikripa Krishnan, Sanaa Mangalore, Manasi Mudvikar, Pritha Mukherjee, Vani Panwar, Kasturi Pathak, Sarahfin Richard, Vanshika Sangal, Abisha Soans, Kamalaa Sri Mangai S, Saee Vaidya); Topic: ‘Madness as Method‘ (completed).
CREATIVE PRACTICE & OUTREACH
- Personal Website:
https://dyutimanmukhopadhyay.com - SMI Centre for Reimagining Transitions Profile Page:
https://srishtimanipalinstitute.in/research-collaboration/crt/dr-dyutiman-mukhopadhyay/ - Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?hl=en&user=yQyDrv4AAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate - ResearchGate:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dyutiman-Mukhopadhyay - Academia.edu:
https://manipal.academia.edu/DrDyutimanMukhopadhyayPhDMScAdvDipFA - WOS ResearcherID:
HCI-7783-2022 - Scopus ID:
56567537000 - Orcid ID:
0000-0003-4035-4711
