Professor Somasundaran received his B.S, from Kerala University, B.E. from Indian Institute of Science, M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. After 5 years with the International Minerals and Chemical Corporation and Reynolds Industries; he was invited by Columbia University in 1970 to join the faculty of the prestigious Henry Krumb School of Mines. In 1983 he was invested as the first La von Duddleson Krumb Professor, in 1987 he became the first Director of the Langmuir Center for Colloids & Interfaces, and in 1998 he assumed the directorship of the National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Center for Advanced Studies in Novel Surfactants. He was also elected Chairperson of the Henry Krumb School in 1988 and 1991, Chairperson of Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Material Science & Mineral Engineering in 1992 and 1995.
He was inducted in l985 into the National Academy of Engineering, the highest professional distinction that can be conferred to an engineer at that time, and later to the Chinese National Academy of Engineering, the Indian National Academy of Engineering, the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and the Balkan Academy of Mineral Technology Sciences. More recently he was the sole Foreign Fellow elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 2012. He was appointed to the EPA Board of Scientific Councilors in 2014 and chairman of its Chemical Safety and Sustainability committee as well as Hazardous risk committee. More recently he was awarded the 2015, NSF Alex Schwarzkopf award for Technical innovation and the Columbia university “World-class Scholarly Achievement award” from Raj Center of School of International and public affairs. His list of professional awards include Gaudin Award, Mill Man of Distinction Award, Publication Board Award, Richards Award, Taggart Award for best paper, Henry Krumb Lecturer of the Year, Distinguished Member of SME, "Most Distinguished Achievement in Engineering" award from AINA, Distinguished Alumnus and the first Brahm Prakash Chair from the Indian Institute of Science, Engineering Foundation's Aplan award, AIME Mineral Industry Education Award, Columbia Alumni Association and the ACAA Distinguished Achievement Award for Outstanding Achievement and Commitment to Excellence MEANA Engineer of the Year Award, Fellowship of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. In addition, he was awarded the "Ellis Island Medal of Honor", and the Leadership Citation from the New Jersey Senate. In March 2010, the President of India awarded him the Padma Shri honor, one of the highest civilian awards.
His research has been concerned with a wide spectrum, including environmental problems, Greener Chemistry (personal care & mining), enhanced oil recovery, oil spill remediation*, coal cleaning, sludge treatment, waste water treatment (heavy metals), and nanotoxicity. Prof. Somasundaran is the author/editor of 15 books and over 700 scientific publications and patents. He is the Honorary Editor-in-chief of the international journal "Colloids and Surfaces" and editor of the “Encyclopedia of Surfactant and Colloid Science.” He has served on many international professional committees. These include National Research Council Panels, Congress’ 28th Environmental Advisory Committee (former Congressman Gilman, Chair), SME/AIME board, National Science Foundation Engineering Advisory Committee for Chemical and Process Engineering, several NSF research panels and Engineering Research Center site review panels, the Board of Engineering Foundation (Chair 93-95) and University advisory panels, including the DOI Comminution Center Advisory Panel, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Panel on Superfund Basic Research & Training Program, NIDR/NIH and NHLBI/NIH panels.