Dr. Sharma is an assistant professor at Western Michigan University. She is the recipient of the Blavatnik Young Scientist Award 2018, the PSIPW-International Creativity Prize 2021, and a finalist for the Women in Science Incentive Prize 2022. She has been working on sustainable development using plant biomass. Her significant contributions to cellulose research include the development of the nitro-oxidation process, the development of low-cost adsorbents, and an understanding of micro- and nanoscale interactions in cellulose polymer. She is the author of +50 publications, 4 issued and licensed patents, and 6 patent applications.