Dr. Vipin Prakash Gupta

He was born in Charlottesville, Virginia in July of 1967 to Dr. Chaitan and Mrs. Sarita (Ahuja) Gupta. He was raised in DeKalb, Illinois, where he was valedictorian of his high school class, a varsity swimmer, and an active competitor in speech and debate.

A gifted student, Dr. Gupta earned bachelor’s degrees in nuclear security policy & technology and general engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He then went on to win a Marshall scholarship, earning his masters in remote sensing from University College London and his doctorate in applied physics from Imperial College London. His academic journey and professional career were marked by a relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence.

Working at Sandia National Laboratories, Dr. Gupta co-led a team of scientists and engineers aiming to revolutionize energy generation and distribution. Throughout his career, Dr. Gupta published extensively, with significant contributions to the research on hybrid integration of III-V solar microcells for high-efficiency concentrated photovoltaic applications. His scholarly work and patents have been recognized and respected by peers worldwide.

Outside of his professional life, Vipin pursued a range of passions. He was an avid cyclist and triathlete, a devoted solar cooking enthusiast, and an explorer of mysteries, including the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and missing-in-action service members. To stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues, Vipin enjoyed taking road trips across the United States.

Vipin was deeply spiritual and actively engaged in Jewish communal life across the country, including Temple Emanu-El in Reno, Nevada and the New Shul in the Greater Phoenix Area. He also served on the board of the Greater Nevada Hindu Temple in Reno.

Dr. Vipin Prakash Gupta is survived by his wife Susannah Skyer; his son Ari (Ellen); his grandson Idris; his daughter Maya (Zarius); his mother Sarita; his sister Kavita; his brother Kaitan; and innumerable friends and extended family members, who along with his colleagues and the broader scientific community, mourn his loss and celebrate his extraordinary life and achievements.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Vipin’s memory to the National Alliance on Mental Illness Nevada or the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.