Foreword MS/PhD are completely different from other programmes at IIT Madras. These are the research based programmes and the scholars acquire the capability of finding solutions to those problems that are encountered in industries, by applying the theory studied earlier. So, every scholar does a minimum required course work and then takes up a problem. Every scholar works on an unique problem. Every scholar is different from the other, in terms of their work. Despite these differences, they are similar as they have to apply their knowledge of various subjects and this creates a overlap of knowledge among the scholars. During the process of this problem solving a scholar will go beyond the subjects he/she would have studied, as many times they need to take the refuge in a different discipline to get to the solution. This makes a scholar good in various disciplines at the same time. All these and much beyond these, raise the requirement to get a much desired individual attention to a scholar, from the world outside. That is why this special book for research scholars ! This year book contains the profiles of scholars who would graduate before 2013. Hoping that the book would serve its purpose.... List of areas of interests Acoustic Emission Acoustics advanced material processing Advanced Process control Advanced structural mechanics Advertising AERODYNAMICS Aerospace Aerospace and Mechanical Field Aerospace Industry AFM Air Breathing and Non Air Breathing Propulsion Air Pollution control techniques Aircraft Structures Algorithms Algorithms & Data Structures Alternate Fuels Alternative Fuels Aluminium alloys Analog Electronic Circuits Analyst and Characterization Techniques. Industrial Safety Engineering Rapid control prototyping and HIL testing Applications of Power Electronics in Power Applied Mathematics Systems Approximation Algorithms artificial intelligence ASIC artificial neural networks asymmetric synthesis Atomic Force Microscopy Atomization Automobile Aerodynamics Automotive Instrumentation automobiles Automotive Noise and Vibration -Testing and Automotive Systems Simulation Axial flow Fan and Compressors Axial Flow Machines Basic FEM Battery management systems Biochemical Engineering Big Data bio-fuels Bioinorganic chemistry Biological treatment technologies Biomaterials Biomedical image and Biomedical Instrumentation signal processing Biomedical Optics Biopharmaceutical nanobiotechnology Bioprocess optimization Biosensors Bitumen Business Intelligence and Analytics CAD modelling Cancer biology Carbohydrate chemistry Carbon nanohorns Carbon Nanotubes Cardio vascular Genetics Case Based Reasoning Catalysis Cavitation Cellular Networks Cement CFD CFD and its application to chemical engineering processes CFD and its application to engine processes CFD Simulation Characterization. Chemical Reaction Engineering Chemical Reactor Theory Cloud Computing Coal combustion and gasification Combined Cycle Power Plants Combustion Combustion & Propulsion bionanotechnology Combustion modelling Communication communication (Networking) Communication Networks Compilers Complexity Theory Composite Materials composite structures composites compressed sensing compressible flow and jet propulsion computational and experimental aerodynamics/hydrodynamics Computational Biology Computational Combustion Computational Electromagnetics Computational Fluid Dynamics Computational Fluid Dynamics Computational geometry and Heat Transfer Computational Hydraulics Computational Lithography Computational material science based on Density Functional Theory Computer aided design Computer Architecture Computational Mechanics Computer networks Computer Science Computer Vision Combustion simulation Concrete technology Conducting Polymers Conjugate Heat Transfer Constitutive Modelling Construction methods and equipment Construction planning Consumer behaviour in sales and control promotion control system Control Systems Controller design Convex optimization Cooking Cooperative Games Corporate Finance Corporate Strategy Corrosion and fatigue analysis Counter Rotating Turbines of structure Cross layer algorithms Cryogenics Cryptanalysis Cryptography Damage analysis Damage identification and evolutionary algorithms. Data Analysis Data Mining Data Modelling Data Warehousing Databases Systems Deep Foundation Techniques Design and Structural Design of Operating Systems Analysis Design optimisation Design Optimization Designing of reinforced concrete structures Detection and Estimation Theory Diffractive optics Digital circuit design and verification Digital Signal Processing Discrete Maths Distributed Computing Distributed data processing Distributed Systems drug synthesis Dynamics Dynamics of Structures Econometric Techniques Economics electrical insulation Electrochemistry Electrochemistry for advanced electrodes Electron Microscopy electronic circuit design analog and digital Electronic Cooling Electronics-analog circuits Embedded Embedded system design Empirical Modelling Energy and Environmental Sustainability energy conversion technologies Engine Condition Monitoring Engine Exhaust Emission studies and control Environmental Engineering Environmental Monitoring and Analysis Enzyme Engineering etching Exchange bias Experiemntal Techniques Experimental mechanics Failure Analysis Farm Power and Renewable Energy Fatigue and Fracture FEA FEM Femtocell Ferroelectricity Financial Analysis and Financial Markets Valuation finite element analysis Finite element analysis and optimization Finite Element Analysis Finite Element Analysis in Manufacturing Finite Element Analysis of Structural Finite Element Method Components Fire Safety Research Flood management Flood routing Flow Visualization Studies Fluid & Thermal sciences Fluid dynamics Fluid flow Fluid structure interaction Fluorescence etc. Fluid mechanics Fluid power Forecasting formulation FPGA Fracture Fracture and Fatigue Mechanics Frustrated spin systems Fuel Cell Technology Fuel Cells Game AI GAME THEORY Gas dynamics Gas Turbine Gas turbine Engine Gas Turbine Heat Transfer Geometric algorithms GIS in civil engineering Grain boundary physics in chalcopyrites Granular flow Graph Theory Graphical Models green chemistry green energy Green Marketing Ground Improvement Ground Improvement Techniques Hardware and software development Heat and Mass Transfer Heat transfer Heat transfer in heat pipes Heat Transfer High performance computing High Power fibre Lasers High Speed Flows high voltage Holography and computer generated holograms HR Analytics Human Resources Hydraulics and Pneumatics Hydrodynamics hydrodynamics of offshore structures IC Engines Image Processing Image Processing Algorithms Industrial Robotics Industrial wastewater Information Retrieval treatment Information Theory Infrared Thermal Imaging Infrastructure and Project Finance Innovation clusters Innovation Management Instrumentation Integrated Optoelectronics Intellectual Property Rights Interaction of natural and Interferometry mixed convection heat transfer with surface radiation Internal Combustion Engines Interpretation and Presentation Iron based composites isolated enzymes Jahn Teller effect Jet engine combustion analysis Kernel Methods Kernel Programming Kinetics study using Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) laser Laser Diagnostics in Engines Lasers and Optical Fibers Liquidity Management Low temperature physics LTE Machine Design Machine Design Machine dynamics Machine Learning Machining Magnetic and Semiconductor Magneto resistance nanoparticles mannequin design Manufacturing of Composite Structural Components Marine propulsion Marketing Marketing Strategy Material Characterisation Material Characterization Material Modelling Material Science Material Synthesis Material Testing Materials Materials Characterization Materials Science and Electrochemistry Mathematical Analysis of algorithms Mathematical Modelling mathematics Mechanical behaviour of materials Mechanical Vibration Mechanics of Solids mechatronic systems Mechatronics Medium Access Control Metal cutting metal forming. Metrology Micro-machining Micro-manufacturing Micro/Nano fabrication Microfludics Microgravity MIMO techniques combustion Research Mobile Backhaul Networks Model Based Design Modelling and Simulation Modelling and Simulation Modelling and Simulation of Fuel Cells Modelling and Simulation of Manufacturing Molecular Biology Molecular biology of Gene Molecular medicine multi-parameter estimation Multiferroics Multimedia Networks Multiphase flow Multiphase fluid flow multirobot systems Mutiphase flow Nano chemistry Nano technology Nanomaterials synthesis Nanomaterials Nanotechnology Nanotechnology and Nanobiotechnology Natural Language Processing natural product synthesis NDT application in Civil engineering Network Security Network Traffic Modeling Networking Networks Neural networks Non Destructive Testing Non linear analysis Nonlinear control system Nonlinear control system and Numerical Algorithms System identification Numerical modeling of numerical weather modelling NVH particle and fluid flow Oean Off shore and Costal Engineering offshore structures OpenSystems(Linux and clones) Operating Systems Operations Management Operations Managemet Operations Research Optical Access Networks Optimal Control Optimization Optimization of thermal systems Optimization for Machine Learning Optimization of Mechanical systems Organic synthesis Organizational Behaviour Organizational Behaviour and Human Organo catalysis resource management Organocatalysis Organometalic chemistry Parallel Computing Painting Partial discharge studies in transformer Pattern recognition insulation Pattern Recognition techniques persuasive communication Pharmaceutical science (drug Photo luminescence delivery PHY layer design and development Pile Foundation Planning Playing music (Guitar and Violin) playing the keyboard Polishing Powder metallurgy Power efficiency Power Electronics Power Plant Cycles Power systems Power systems. Control systems Pre Engineered Buildings Precision Machine Design price promotions and exchange offers Private Equity Probability Theory Process Analysis Process development process modelling Process Modelling and Simulation Process modelling Process Modelling & Simulation Process Optimization Production Engineering Programming Project and Team Management Project Transition and Propulsion Development Protein biochemistry protein engineering Proteomics Provable Security psychology Public Key Cryptography Public Policy Public Systems Q-switch Lasers Qualitative research Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis Quantitative Finance Quantum Computation radiation in participating media rainfall estimation reading reading fiction Real Options Real time Embedded systems (DSP & FPGA based) Refrigeration and air conditioning Reinforced soil structures Reinforcement Learning Renewable Energy Renewable Energy and Thermal Engineering research RF and Microwave Engineering RF Design Risk management robotics Robotics and Automation Robotics and Control satellite remote sensing Scanning probe Microscopy Scheduling Search Seismic Design SEM Semantic Web Semiconductor device fabrication and characterization semiconductor devices Semisolid processing Sensors Severe plastic deformation techniques Shape matching and feature extraction Ship Structures Signal Processing signal processing and electronic systems Silicon Photonics design simulation Simulation Modeling in Water Resources Site Investigation simulations Sketching with pencil Smart Composite Materials Smart Structures SMPS. SOFC-GT software development Solid-state Bioprocessing Solid Mechanics sparse signal processing Speech Processing Speech Recognition sports spray drying Sprays and atomization Stem cell biology Stochastic Modelling and Analysis Stochastic Optimisation Strategic Human Resource Management Strategic Management Strategic Sourcing Stream Reasoning Strength of materials structural analysis Stress Analysis. Structural Analysis and Design of RCC Steel Structural Health Monitoring Structural Mechanics PSC Supercapacitor Supply chain Management Suprramolecular chemistry Surface Engineering Surface Water and Groundwater model development Surface Water Hydrology surface wetting Sustainability SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION Synthesis of macromolecules synthesis of OLED based novel Synthetic organic chemistry organic molecules system automation System Design and Development System Identification Tall Structures Teaching Teaching/ R&D in Biomaterials TEM TEM. Theoretical Computer Science Theoretical Physics Theory of Computation Thermal Hydraulics Thermal Management Thermal spray coatings of Electronic Devices thermodynamics Time Series Analysis Tissue engineering Time Series Analysis Training and Development Travelling Tribology Tungsten carbide Turbomachinery Turbomachines Turbulence Turbulence Modelling ultrasonic NDE Material Characterisation Ultrasonics Unconventional machining Utilities & Piping Vehicle Dynamics & Control Vibration Virtual Instrumentation VLSI VLSI design and technology Waste Management. Waste water treatment water-jet hull interaction. waterjet hull interaction Watershed Management wavelet transform Welding Workforce Engagement wind turbine Wireless and cellular communications Wireless Communication Wireless Networks Department of Aerospace Engineering C Palani Kumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Dr. Amit Kumar Title of thesis : Numerical Investigations on Regression Rate Enhancement in Hybrid Rocket Motors Thesis abstract : Hybrid rockets are the safest rockets combining the potentials of both solid and liquid rocket motors. However they are not commercially successful due to its very low regression rate. Current research in hybrid rocket motors is mainly focused on enhancing the regression rate by various techniques like, diaphragms in the port, swirling flow in the combustion chamber and oxidizer added solid fuel. The underlying fundamental physics in most of these configurations is not understood completely. Effect of parametric variations in individual techniques is not clearly quantified. Study on combination of these techniques also has not been attempted. In the present study, an attempt has been made to understand the effect of these techniques on the regression rate of hybrid rocket motors. A systematic numerical study is conducted using ANSYS Fluent. The gas phase combustion chamber is chosen as the computation domain where the governing equations are solved. Custom written user defined functions (UDFs) are used to augment the boundary conditions. In the parametric study conducted, the following parameters are varied systematically: height and axial location of a single diaphragm, height and spacing between multiple diaphragms, swirl number at the oxidizer inlet, axial and swirl velocity profiles at the oxidizer inlet, percentage of solid oxidizer mixed with the solid fuel, and the length, diameter and L/D ratio of the combustion chamber. Regression rate enhancements over the base configuration (one without any enhancement techniques) are quantified for each of the regression rate enhancement techniques. Studies are also carried out with a combination of different enhancement techniques and the results are compared with base configuration as well as configurations with single enhancement technique. Skills : Packages: Expert level - ANSYS Fluent (RANS, Turbulence, Species transport and reaction, UDF), Tecplotm MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint); Beginner level - Matlab, CFX ; Programming Languages: Intermediate level - C, C++ ; Beginner level - Fortran; OS worked on: Windows, Linux Research interests : Computational Fluid Dynamics, Propulsion, Combustion modeling, Heat and mass transfer, Turbulence modeling. Areas of interest : Propulsion, Computational Combustion, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer, Fluid Mechanics Publications/Conferences : Journals C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “Numerical Investigation on the Effect of Diaphragms on Regression Rate in Hybrid Rocket Motors”, Journal of Propulsion and Power, [Under review] C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “Effect of Swirl on the Regression Rate in Hybrid Rocket Motors”, Aerospace Science and Technology, [Under review] International Conferences C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “Scaling in Hybrid Rocket Motors”, 9th International Conference on Flow Dynamics, Sendai, Japan, September-2012. C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “A Numerical Study on the Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motors Using a Combination of Enhancement Techniques”, 48th AIAA / ASME / SAE / ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, Atlanta, USA, July-August, 2012. C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, "Regression Rate Enhancement of Hybrid Rocket Motors using Mixed Hybrid Concept", 64th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, November, 2011 C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “Mixed Hybrid Concept for the Enhancement of Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motors”, 37th National and 4th International Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power, Chennai, December-2010. C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “A Numerical Study of the Effect of Transverse Protrusions on the Regression Rate of the Hybrid Rocket Motor”, 7th International High Energy Materials Conference and Exhibit, Pune, December-2009. C. Palani Kumar, Navya Mastanaiah and Amit Kumar, “Enhancement of Regression Rate in Hybrid Rocket Motors by using Transverse Protrusion along the Length of Fuel Grain”, 6th International High Energy Materials Conference and Exhibit, Chennai, December-2007. National Conferences C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “Regression Rate Enhancement in Vortex Hybrid Rocket Motors Using Mixed Hybrid Concept”, National Propulsion Conference, Chennai, India, February-2013 [To be presented] C. Palani Kumar and Amit Kumar, “Enhancement of Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motors using Transverse Protrusions along the Axial Length of the Motor”, 35th National Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power, Bangalore, December-2008 About me : Extensive publications at IIT Madras, Won Best outgoing student award, UG, Mechanical Engineering, Won Gold medal, Higher secondary school, English, Self motivated learner, Active team player. Education : Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, 2006-2013 (Expected), IIT Madras, Chennai. B.E, Mechanical Engineering, 2000-2004, Kumaraguru College of Technology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. E-mail id : [email protected] Mulla Irfan Ahmed Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Dr. S. R. Chakravarthy Title of thesis : Interaction of flames with varying stratification and grid generated turbulence Thesis abstract : The drive towards low pollution levels of oxides of nitrogen has led to lean premixed flames being established in practical combustion devices such as land-based gas turbines for power generation, but they pose immense problems of flame stability. Devices such as flight gas turbine combustors adopt injection of fuel almost directly into the combustion zone, but with intense fuel-air mixing caused by swirl flow, leading to partially premixed flames that are relatively stable. In many practical processes, the combustion is turbulent rather than laminar. Nevertheless, the investigation of laminar partially premixed flames is a prerequisite to understand their turbulent counterparts. Hence present investigation is divided into two objectives, primary one to understand the turbulence flame interaction and second to investigate laminar partially premixed flames. Co-flowing methane–air partially premixed flames are stabilized in a splitter plate burner (dimension 50 mm x 50 mm), with wide variation of the reactant concentration gradient. Triple flame is a special case of partially premixed flames; such flames with wide range of reactant premixedness are obtained. The velocity field is deduced from particle image velocimetry (PIV) and the flame structure is visualized by means of laser induced florescence of the OH radical (OH-PLIF). The flame structure changes from that of a nearly non-premixed to a nearly premixed flame as the concentration gradient is varied. The flame curvature increases linearly with the concentration gradient over the wide range tested. Flame speed is evaluated from the velocity just upstream of flame leading edge. Flame stretch, which is nothing but tangential strain along flame front is obtained. In later work perforated plate is used to generate turbulence, present burner can stabilize turbulence partially premixed flames. Here simultaneous OH-PLIF PIV is performed, which involves sophisticated instrumentation for synchronization of the data acquisition events. Data is processed with MATLAB software; it involves image processing, edge detection and noise reduction. Simultaneous measurement of flame front and velocity provides accurate information; velocity at the flame leading edge is obtained which is nothing but turbulent flame speed. To generate large scale turbulence a large splitter plate burner 220 mm x 220 mm was employed, it accommodates active turbulence grid (ATG). Unlike passive grid, ATG has moving parts; winglets are mounted on each grid rod. These rods are rotated randomly by a stepper motor; LabView program controls each one of the 24 stepper motors. ATG provides means of creating random blockage to the flow. By controlling the speed range and turnover time range turbulence quantities can be controlled to some extent. This provides a turbulence control without changing mean flow velocity which is not possible with passive grid but at the cost of complexity. ATG will be used for fewer flames due to high fuel consumption. Skills : Various 3D-modelling CAD softwares, Autodesk Inventor, IDEAS, Pro/Engineer. 2D-drafting software AutoCAD. Image processing and data processing algorithm development by MATLAB package. Laser diagnostics namely, PIV, PLIF. Research interests : Combustion flow field characterization by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) Flame front imaging by Planar Laser Induced Floroscence of OH radicale (OH-PLIF) Air-fuel mixing quantification with acetone PLIF Areas of interest : Propulsion, Combustion, Fluid Mechanics. Publications/Conferences : Jayaraman, K., Mulla, I. A., Chakravarthy, S. R., and Sarathi, R., “Aluminium Agglomerate Size Measurement of the Nano/Micro-Aluminized Composite Propellants,” AIAA Paper No. 2010-960, 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Orlando, Florida, USA, 4-7 January 2010. Roy, A., Anand, K. V., Mulla, I. A., Chakravarthy, S. R., and Balbudhe, K., “Aluminium Agglomerate Size Measurements and Modelling in Composite Solid Propellants,” 8th Asia-Pacific Combustion Conference, Hyderabad, India, 10-13 December 2010. Bhatt, D.S., Mulla, I.A., Dhamangaonkar P.R., "Design and Development of Burner Ring to Enhance Thermal Efficiency of Domestic LPG Stove and Assessment of its Performance", International Conference on Recent Innovations in Technology,Kottayam, Kerala, India. February, 2011. Anand, K.V., Roy, A., Mulla, I. A., Balbudhe, K., Jayaraman, K., Chakravarthy, S.R., “Experimental data and model predictions of aluminium agglomeration in ammonium perchlorate-based composite propellants including plateau-burning formulations”, Combustion and Flame, Available online 25 September 2012 (Article in Press). About me : Since my Diploma education I have enjoyed the Mechanical Engineering. Experience in Mahindra and Mahindra taught me to anticipate the issues, so one can be well prepared even before things go wrong. When the tractor prototype scheduled for assembly on production line, many issues showed up, this led to loss of production. I have been told that I am good at managing the task with available resources. For example performing complicated experiments first time in our lab proved to be a challenge, but dividing the task into subparts eased the problem. At many occasion lab required the purchase and commissioning of equipments such as lasers, high capacity chiller etc. Such activity requires co-ordination and follow-ups among purchase department and supplier. This experience was valuable; I learned to expedite the purchase and installation process. My career goal is to learn and implement a new knowledge. I believe that the research conducted in past century has led to better quality of life. In this spirit I want to engage myself with the research oriented firm. Education : Diploma Mechanical Engineering, 2000-2003, SPM Polytechnique, Solapur, Maharashtra. B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 2003-2006, Govt. College of Engineering Pune, Maharashtra. E-mail id : [email protected] Rajarshi Das Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Prof. Job Kurian Title of thesis : Supersonic Flow over Three Dimensional Cavities Thesis abstract : Keywords: 3D cavities, supersonic flow, pressure oscillations, mixing Airbreathing propulsion devices employing scramjet is considered potentially most advantageous for practical hypersonic flights. Cavities have been projected as flameholding and mixing devices in scramjet combustors. Performance of cavities used for such purposes is significantly influenced by the aerodynamics induced by the cavity on the flow field. Pressure oscillations, shock and expansion waves, unsteady shear layer dynamics are some of the key features of flow over wall mounted cavities. Dependence of such aerodynamic characteristics on geometrical features of cavities has been studied widely in the recent decades. The present investigation primarily focuses on the flow and acoustic characteristics of partially spanning wall mounted cavities designated as 3D cavities. Effect of cavity width (W) on mixing of primary supersonic flow and a gaseous injectant has also been studied for cavities with constant length (L) to depth (D) ratio. The results are compared with those from a cavity which spans the full width of the test section, called as 2D cavity. The study has been carried out making use of the supersonic freejet facility in the Gas Dynamics Laboratory of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Three different 3D cavities of 50mm length (L) and 25mm depth (D) having length to width ratios (L/W) of 2, 3 and 4 and a 2D cavity of L/W=5/6 were used in the experimental investigation. Each of the cavities was wall mounted in a rectangular channel and flow in all the cases was at Mach number of 1.7. Unsteady pressure measurements, time resolved and time averaged visualization of the flow field, velocity measurements using Laser Doppler Velocimetry and Mie scattered imaging for mixing evaluation and pressure loss measurements were carried out. Numerical simulation of the test section flow field was undertaken using commercially available computer code FLUENT. It is observed from the unsteady pressure measurements that the magnitude and mode of the pressure oscillations depend on the cavity geometry. There is a jump in the mode of the dominant pressure oscillation to a higher value as the cavity width reduces. Images captured during time averaged schlieren visualization show marked difference in the shear layer thickness and shock wave angle at the leading edge as the cavity width changes. Acoustic wave inside the cavity, flapping movement of the shear layer and the overall unsteady nature of the flow field could also be seen in the visualization images Disturbances generated in the flow field due to the presence of the cavity are observed to be subdued for the narrowest cavity model. Fluid movements in lateral planes inside the cavity and over it are investigated by the velocity measurements at discrete points on multiple planes using Laser Doppler Velocimeter. Presence of lateral velocity in the vicinity of the leading and trailing edges only is observed for narrower partially spanning cavities. Fluid movement in the lateral direction over the cavity is observed to be at different velocities for the different cavity models. Turbulence induced in the flow field by the widest partially spanning cavity is observed to be higher. Quantum of mixing of a secondary gaseous injectant into the primary flow which usually depends on the flow unsteadiness varied with cavity width. The widest partially spanning cavity offered better mixing. Associated total pressure loss with this cavity is observed to be higher than that with the other models. Flow in the test section for all the models has been simulated using commercially available software FLUENT. The variation of density and pressure along the axial midplane of the test section show good agreement with the experimental flow visualization results. Vortical structure on the axial midplane inside the cavity is observed to be larger for the wider cavity. The fluid mass exchange rate (mc) between the cavity and the freestream depended on the cavity width. Larger mass exchange was observed for the wider cavities. The ratio of mc to the cavity volume is found to influence the amplitude of cavity generated pressure oscillations. Skills : Problem solving Research interests : Development and application of experimental and numerical techniques to study fluid structure interactions in confined flow systems fuel atomisation and fuel-air mixing in supersonic flow shock wave-boundary layer interaction liquid propellants Design and development of compressor blades scramjet mixing techniques Areas of interest : Fluid Mechanics, Experiemntal Techniques, Air Breathing and Non Air Breathing Propulsion Publications/Conferences : Referred Journal: 1. Rajarshi Das and Job Kurian; “Supersonic Flow over 3D cavities”; accepted for publication in the Aeronautical Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society, London. (To be published in February, 2013 edition) 2. Rajarshi Das and Job Kurian; “Acoustic and Velocity Field over 3D Cavities”; accepted for publication in the Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters of The Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics co-published by American Institute of Physics. Conferences: 1. Rajarshi Das and Job Kurian, “Effect of Cavity Width on Supersonic Flow over 3D Cavities”, ISABE 2011-1517, Proceedings of ISABE 2011, Gothenburg, September, 2011. 2. Rajarshi Das and Job Kurian, “Pressure Oscillations and Wave Structure in Supersonic Flow over 3D Cavities”; Proceedings of 13th ACFM, Dhaka, December, 2010. 3. Rajarshi Das and Job Kurian, “Experimental and Numerical Study of Supersonic Flow over 3D Cavities”; Proceedings of 4th NCFMFP, Chennai, December, 2010. 4. Rajarshi Das and Q.H. Nagpurwala, “Performance Evaluation of 2D Compressor Blade Cascades using MISES computer code”; Proceedings of 9th Annual CFD Symposium, Bangalore, August, 2006. 5. Rajarshi Das and Job Kurian, “Discrete Pressure Oscillations and Mass Exchange Between Cavity and Supersonic Mainstream”; accepted for publication in the National Propulsion Conference to be held in Chennai on February, 2013. 6. Rajarshi Das and Job Kurian, “Turbulence Induced by 3D Cavities in Supersonic Flow”; submitted for ISABE 2013 to be held in Busan in September, 2013. About me : Love to work in a team Education : AMAeSI (B.E) Aeronautical Engineering , 1999-2003, Aeronautical Society of India. M.E Space Engineering and Rocketry, 2005-2007, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. PhD Aerospace Engineering, 2007-2012, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Rammohan Y S Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Dr. HSN Murthy Title of thesis : Computational studies applied to partial slip fretting contacts. Thesis abstract : Involves computational studies of partial slip fretting contacts. Numerical tools are used to evalute the contact parameters. Studies also involve geometry effects and damage of surfaces. Skills : Analytical Machine Design CAD/CAE Tools usage. proficient in Ansys, Abaqus, Catia and Hypermesh. Coding in 'C' and FORTRAN, MATLAB. Research interests : Contact Mechanics Fretting Studies Areas of interest : Machine Deisgn, Finite Element Method Publications/Conferences : Y.S. Rammohan, H. Murthy, “Three dimensional finite element analysis of partial slip contacts subjected to combined loading”, Finite Elements in Anaysis and Design, Elsevier Journals, Feb. 2012, Vol. 56, p. 9-19. Y.S. Rammohan and H. Murthy, "Effects of finite width in fretting contacts under partial slip conditions". In proc. of 5th Intl. conf. on theoretical, analytical, computational and experimental mechanics-2010, pp 354-357, Dec. 27-29, IIT Kharagpur, India. Y.S. Rammohan and H. Murthy, “Influence of an Edge Fillet in Three Dimensional Partial Slip Contacts”, In proc. Of 9th AES-ATEMA’ 2011, Intl. Conf. on Advances and Trends in Engineering Materials and their Applications, Montreal, Canada: August 01 – 05, 2011. Y.S. Rammohan and H. Murthy, “Effect of Integration Schemes in the Three Dimensional Contact Analysis of Partial Slip Contacts”, In proc. IN-TECH 2011, International Conference on Innovative Technologies, Bratislava, Slovakia: October 01-04, 2011. Y.S. Rammohan and H. Murthy, “Numerical Simulation of Bulk Stress Effects in Partial Slip Contacts of Finite Width”, ESMC 2012, 8th European Solid Mechanics Conference, Graz, Austria, July 9-13, 2012. About me : Mechanical Engineering background. Masters in Machine Design Pursuing Doctoral Studies in Aerospace Structures. Education : B.E. in Mechanical Engineering, 1991-1995, BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore, Bangalore University. M.Tech in Machine Design, 1999-2001,BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore, VTU-Karnataka. E-mail id : [email protected] Sujith S Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Prof. Job Kurian and Dr. T.M. Muruganandam Title of thesis : EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF GASEOUS INJECTION INTO SUPERSONIC FLOW USING STRUTS AND PYLONS Thesis abstract : KEY WORDS: Supersonic mixing; struts, pylons, streamwise vortices, Mixture fraction, Degree of Unmixedness, Percentage of Mixing Area, LDV, Turbulence intensity. The scramjet combustors require rapid and uniform mixing of the fuel and air for augmented and stable combustion within short combustor lengths. A number of methods are proposed earlier for mixing and entrainment of the fuel. In the present work experimental and numerical studies are done on mixing of sonic injectant from struts and pylons of various trailing ramp angles with free stream air at Mach number 1.63. By providing alternate trailing ramp on the strut and pylon streamwise vortices in spanwise row-configuration are generated. In the present study various alternate trailing ramp struts and pylons were examined and their capability to enhance supersonic mixing was evaluated. Numerical simulation of the flow field using commercially available software Fluent with struts and pylon of various trailing ramp angles such as 2.86, 5.71, 8.53, 11.31, 14.04, 18.43 and 26.57 degrees are also carried out. From the numerical results, it is seen that among the models analyzed mixing enhancement is best for the strut and pylon with 14.04 degrees ramp angle while comparing with plain strut and plain pylon. Experiments were conducted using struts and pylons of 14.040 ramp angle only. All the experimental investigations were carried out in the supersonic blow down free jet facility of Gas Dynamic Laboratory, IIT Madras. The secondary injections from the struts and pylons were parallel to the main stream at sonic conditions. Three types each of struts and pylons are considered for the experimental investigation - plain strut and plain pylon, two relieved ramp strut and pylon (2RRS/2RRP-14.040) and three relieved ramp strut and pylon (3RRS/3RRP-14.040). Diagnostic methods employed are Mie scattering combined with image processing, time-averaged schlieren and time-resolved high speed shadowgraph images, velocity measurement using LDV and total pressure loss measurements. The Degree of Unmixedness (DU) and Percentage Mixing Area (PMA) results obtained from the Mie scattering studies show that three relieved ramp strut and pylon (3RRS/3RRP) give better mixing performance while comparing with other strut and pylon configurations. The vertical structure that could be found in the numerical analysis of the flow fields were identified well from the velocity vectors obtained from the velocity measurements. From LDV measurements it is also understood that alternative trailing ramp on struts and pylons increases turbulence intensity when compared with plain strut and plain pylon. Increased turbulence is an important reason for the better mixing performance of the struts and pylons. Plain strut and Plain pylon show the least total pressure loss when compared with models having trailing ramps. Overall, struts show better mixing performance than all pylon configurations. Skills : 1. Excperiments in Wind tunnels 2. Numerical Simulation using Fluent Software Research interests : Injection is Supersonic flow. Areas of interest : Aerospace and Mechanical Field Publications/Conferences : 1. Sujith.S, T.M.Muruganandam and Job Kurian, “Effect Of Various Trailing Ramp Angles in Strut Based Injection in Supersonic Main Flow”, Journal of Propulsion and Power (Accepted for Publication) About me : I am sincere and deditated to any job assigned to me. I am an experimentalist rather than computation. Interest in learning and doing new things. More over i am a patriot, always like to do something to my nation Education : 1. B.Tech in Mechanical Stream Automobile Engineering, 1996-2000, S.C.T College of Engineering, Trivandrum, University of Kerala 2. M.S (By Research) in Mechanical Engineering, 2005-2008, College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, E-mail id : [email protected], [email protected] Amit Kumar Panigrahy Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Muruganandam T M Title of thesis : EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES HIGH SPEED AIR INTAKES Thesis abstract : In supersonic and hypersonic vehicles, intake plays a major role in order to give better performance. All air breathing engines require an inlet to diffuse air from free stream velocity to a lower velocity acceptable for further use. The inlet component is designed to capture exact amount of air required, with minimum pressure loss, deliver the air with minimum flow distortion. All most every type of high speed air intakes (supersonic and hypersonic) experiencing shock oscillation during operation called as inlet buzz. Inlet buzz can occur due to several reasons such as large internal area contraction ratio, serious shock-boundary layer interactions, and high back pressure. Inlet buzz is highly undesirable phenomena which can lead to reduction of thrust and even damages the structure. Hence detailed study of inlet buzz should be necessary. . The main focus of this research is to suppress the buzz by changing the cowl deflection angle, and understanding the flow field inside the duct. Buzz can be suppressed by changing the cowl deflection angle, at a particular cowl deflection angle, buzz will disappear and flow field will be smooth. It is not seen any experimental literature regarding buzz suppression by using cowl deflection angle. Skills : Matlab Ansys Fluent Gambid AutoCAD Research interests : High Speed Flows Computational Fluid Dynamics Areas of interest : High Speed Flows, Computational Fluid Dynamics Publications/Conferences : National Propulsion Conference 21-23 February-2013, Aerospace engineering department, IIT Madras, Paper title: EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON INLET BUZZ IN HIGH SPEED AIR INTAKES. About me : Being a Experimentalist i can handle any pressure and workload, because i struggled a lot during my MS Education : B .E in Aeronautical Engineering,2005-2009,Aeronautical Society of India, New Delhi. Master of Science by Research in Aerospace Engineering,2010-1013,Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] Balavishnu U Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Dr Nagendra Gopal K V Title of thesis : Modelling the coupled static and dynamic response of stiffened sandwich composite panels Thesis abstract : A sandwich structure consists of two thin, sti ff and strong face sheets connected by a thick , light and low-modulus core using adhesive joints. The main advantage of a sandwich structure is its exceptionally high flexural sti ffness-to-weight ratio compared to other architectures. But a major disadvantage when compared with monolithic composites is that they are more prone to delamination and failure due to the presence of large weak interfaces between adjacent materials. The strength and stiff ness discontinuity at the face sheet-core interface results in large increase in shear stress. This stress concentration can be controlled by varying the core properties through the thickness by using a functionally graded core. Sandwich construction is extensively used for the skin and web of a horizontal axis wind turbine blade. For the design of very large wind turbine blades in future, researchers have proposed extending the use of sandwich materials to the spar flange or spar cap. Incorporating these changes, an accurate and efficient analytical modelling and structural analysis method for wind turbine blade is necessary. The present work is aimed at developing an analytical model for such a wind turbine blade cross section. The blade cross section is modelled as a sti ffened closed shell made of sandwich composites. The modied Hamiltonian type Hellinger-Reissner variational principle is used to develop the Hamiltonian canonical equation for the system. This method is based on a mixed variational principle that includes the variations of both displacements and stresses. Finite element approximation is introduced only for the in-plane variations of displacements and stresses, while the through-thickness distributions of them are obtained by using the method of state equation. Solving these equations the coupled static and dynamics response of the stiffened sandwich composite panel is investigated. Skills : Academics: Good mathematical and physical understanding of subjects. Tools and Softwares: Ansys, Matlab, Mathematica, C++. Basic skills: Active listening and active learning, Critical reasoning. Social skills: Coordination, Service orientation, Social perspectiveness. Research interests : Modelling and analysis of composite structures Modelling and analysis of sandwich structures Modelling and analysis of stiffened panels Functionally graded structures Smart structures Finite element analysis Areas of interest : composite structures, Smart Composite Materials, Advanced structural mechanics, Aerospace, Constitutive Modeling Publications/Conferences : NA About me : Calm and composed Punctual Trustworthy Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2010, College of Engineering Trivandrum E-mail id : [email protected] Jintu K James Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Dr. Muruganandam TM Title of thesis : Effect of geometry in a supersonic diffuser having shock oscillation across second throat Thesis abstract : Supersonic diffusers appear in aircraft gas turbines, ramjets and wind tunnels etc. In such cases, depending on the disturbances present upstream or downstream of the diffuser there can be shock waves oscillations in the channel and the position of the normal shock wave decides the start or unstarts of the diffuser flow. Therefore it has practical importance to understand the origin and consequence of these oscillations.There are several factors which affect the oscillation such as shock wave-boundary layer interaction, mach number of the flow, geometry of the section, etc. The dynamics of this shock oscillations can be studied experimentally by varying the geometric profile of the diffuser. Skills : Flow visualisation techniques, Image processing,Lab view, matlab, Solid works Research interests : High speed flows Shock dynamics Areas of interest : Gas dynamics About me : I am Jintu K James from Idukki in Kerala,currently doing MS(by research) in IIT Madras. The specialisation is Gas Dynamics in Propulsion stream. I did my schooling in St. George's HSS Kattappana and joined for Bachelors degree in Aeronautical engg.(AMAeSI) and passed with 66% marks. I'm a passionate, optimistic & dedicated person who takes up responsibilities with enthusiasam and see to it that I complete my tasks and assignments in time. I had enough patience to go through difficult situations of experiments carried out here to get the results. Education : Bachelors degree in Aeronautical engg.(AMAeSI), 2006-2010 MS in Aerospace engineering, 2011-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Manish Pandey Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Prof. S R Chakravarthy Title of thesis : Numerical simulation of sandwich propellant combustion Thesis abstract : In the recent years there has been a renewed interest on burning behavior of heterogeneous solid propellant. In the modern day launch vehicles solid rocket are used as the primary boosters. Solid propellant technology is also used in the strategic missiles. In spite of wide range of applications, complex combustion and flow processes involved have posed considerable challenge. To get better understanding of the combustion processes involved in heterogeneous solid propellant this study is carried out. The burning Heterogeneous Solid propellant, a mixture of Ammonium Perchlorate (AP) and Hydroxyl Terminated Poly Butadiene (HTPB), is being simulated for sandwich geometry of HTPB and AP using Finite Volume method. The equations governing the fluid flow, energy and species balance are solved in the gas phase. The gas is assumed to follow the ideal gas behavior. The gas phase field is coupled with the condensed phase energy balance through the connection conditions at the regressing interface. The combustion in the Gas phase takes place through a three step, finite rate, irreversible three step chemical reaction governed by an Arrhenius Law .The overall Chemical Kinetics scheme for the surface pyrolysis and Gas phase reactions are similar to the one described in the BDP model which involves Three step gas phase reactions and two surface pyrolysis reactions. The unsteady non-planar regression interface is tracked by solving the Level set equation. Solid fuel is assumed to undergo pyrolysis at the interface and converts into gas phase directly without melting. Simulation is carried out at constant background pressure. Burn rate behavior of the propellant is studied at different background pressure value. As burning take place interface is being tracked with time. Skills : Programing skillFortran Software skillFluent Techplot Gambit Research interests : Multiphase flow Combustion Heat transfer Computatioanl fluid dynamics Surface tracking methods (Volume of fluid,Level set method) Areas of interest : Computational Fluid Dynamics, Comustion simulation, Mutiphase flow, AERODYNAMICS : About me : M.S scholar in aerospace department propulsion stream from Gorakhpur uttarpradesh intrested to work in the field of cfd love to read motivational and relegious books,indian classical music playing badminton I would love to help socialy backward section of society Iintrested in social service and politics Education : B.E Aeronautical Engineering,AMAESI E-mail id : [email protected] Ramesh Kumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Dr. K. V. Nagendra Gopal Title of thesis : Coupled FEM-CFD aero-elastic modeling of 2 MW Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) Rotor with initial curvature in Unsteady Aerodynamic Effects. Thesis abstract : The increasing demand for higher efficient and lower cost of wind power has motivated the design and manufacture of multi-megawatt horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) with large rotor diameter.The wind turbine is a flexible structure whose components deform under the action of the aerodynamic loads Hence, the aeroelastic response of the blades has a decisive influence on the overall system dynamics.The aeroelastic response of the blade has to be modelled using improved unsteady aerodynamic models for effects such as dynamic stall, Reynold's number effects and wake turbulence. This requires the use of numerical tools such as CFD and FEM. The HAWT rotor blade has been designed using modified blade element momentum theory (BEMT) of NACA 5 digit aerofoil. Dynamic stall of the wind turbine airfoil has been predicted using unsteady aerodynamic ONERA model.Rotor model and structured mesh for both fluid and structure have been generated in ICEM CFD. Stress analysis and modal analysis have been performed in the ANSYS using SHELL181 element. Large eddy simulation (LES) turbulence model has been used for CFD analysis in FLUENT. To analyse the real time situation,Two way coupled fluid-structure interaction (FSI) has been performed using ANSYS FLUENT and Transient structure. At each time step, the aerodynamic load has been calculated by fluent and the corresponding force has been transfered to the trasient structure on the fluid-structure interface results in displacement of the rotor structure.Now, for this deformed rotor structure a new aerodynamic load has been calculated in the next time step.This simulation has been performed for 10 sec for a wind speed of 10 m/s and at a rotor speed of 25 RPM Skills : Computing skills Programming languages : OS : Modeling : Meshing : Solver : CFD solver : FEM solver : Post processing: MATLAB Windows, Linux CATIA, ICEM CFD, Design Modeler ICEM CFD, HYPERMESH, STAR CCM+ FLUENT, CFX, STAR CCM+ ANSYS14, ABAQUS Tecplot, CFD Post Research interests : Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) Turbulence Modelling Unsteady Aerodynamics Elasticity and Sandwich Composite Structures (Wind Turbine) Areas of interest : FEM, CFD Education : MS Aerospace Engineering, 2012-13, Indian Institute of Technology Madras BE Aeronautical Engineering, 2006-2010, The Aeronautical Society of India,New Delhi E-mail id : [email protected] S. Venkatesh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Sunetra Sarkar Title of thesis : Aeroelastic Stability and Fatigue Damage estimation of Wind Turbine Blades. In the design of wind turbine structures, aeroelastic stability is of utmost importance. It Thesis abstract : becomes even more crucial when there are uncertainties involved in it. An airfoil with its pitch-plunge flexibility is considered under potential flow. The potential flow model is justified as the classical flutter model involves unseparated flow over the body so that inviscid assumptions are valid. The flow-field is simulated with an unsteady vortex lattice method (UVLM) which considers a freely developing wake behind the airfoil, as a result the unsteady aerodynamic load calculations are more accurate than the analytical models. This unsteady flow solver is combined with the structural dynamic governing equations to simulate the fluid-structure interaction effects and calculate the system response after solving the combined equations in the time domain using a time integration routine. Analytical models are based on the classical wake model of Wagner which considers rigid wake and also simplifies the shape of the airfoil as a flat plate. The UVLM potential flow code has been validated with earlier results available in the literature. The values of the linear flutter speed predicted by using UVLM code is in close agreement with that of the analytical fixed wake model. When structural nonlinearities are present, the system exhibits a self sustained oscillation of constant amplitude called as Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO) even beyond the linear flutter speed. This nonlinear system is subjected to a horizontal gust with a von Karman spectra using the well known model of Shinozuka and Jan. The phases in this random process model are uniformly distributed random variables. In the present study, the phases have been generated only once and the same values are used in all the realizations. The vertical component of the gust is assumed to be zero. Structural uncertain parameters have been modeled as Gaussian random variables. A spectral uncertainty quantification tool called Polynomial Chaos Expansion is used to quantify the effect of uncertainty propagation and calculate the response statistics. A non-intrusive version of the method using stochastic projection approach is used to capture the response time histories and compute the response statistics at various time instants and compared with standard Monte Carlo Simulation as a reference solution. The system response by both the analytical and higher fidelity UVLM model subject to the same uncertainties are compared and an estimate of fatigue damage is obtained from the uncertain response. In order to do that, rainflow cycle counting procedure is used. Skills : Matlab, C, Fortran Gambit, Pro-E, Fluent Research interests : Probabilistic Mechanics and Uncertainty Quantification Unsteady Aerodynamics and Aeroelasticity Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Computational Fluid Dynamics Areas of interest : AERODYNAMICS, Mechanics of Solids Publications/Conferences : S. Venkatesh, Ajit Desai and Sunetra Sarkar, Uncertainty Quantification of an Aeroelastic System using Polynomial Chaos Expansion, NASAS XVII, IIT Kanpur, Septem ber 22-24, 2011 S. Venkatesh and Sunetra Sarkar, Uncertainty Quantification in a Fluid-Structure Interaction System subjected to Random Wind, Joint Conference of the Engineering Mechanics Institute and 11th ASCE Joint Specialty Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability (EMI/PMC 2012) June 17-20 2012, Notre Dame, USA. S. Venkatesh, Ajit Desai and Sunetra Sarkar, Analysis of Aeroelastic System under Random Gust with parametric uncertainties using polynomial chaos expansion, Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, November 9-15, 2012, Houston, Texas, USA About me : I am passionate about music. Love playing Cricket and Football. Fond of Science and its evolution. Love the subject of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 2009, Pune University E-mail id : [email protected] Vinayak Malhotra Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Dr. Amit Kumar Title of thesis : Effects of External Heat Sink and Heat Source onOpposed Flow Flame Spread over Thin Solid Fuels The study of flame spread phenomena is primarily driven by the need to have better fire Thesis abstract : safety, by means of enhanced understanding of mechanisms that control the spread rate and extinction. In almost all of flame spread studies a single fuel sheet is taken to understand the flame spreading mechanisms and flammability of solid materials. However, in practical situations spreading flame may interact with nearby cold surfaces or nearby flames which will influence the flame spread rates and extinction limits. This has not been investigated especially in microgravity where such interaction can have major implications. Here in this work flame suppression is investigated by placing a metal wire-mesh parallel to the fuel surface. This metallic mesh acts as a flame extinguishing barrier by absorbing away heat from the flames and thus reducing heat feedback to unburnt fuel. If the heat feedback is reduced sufficiently, pyrolysis of fuel will be reduced to the extent that flame cannot self-sustain and therefore extinguishes. Likewise interaction of flames spreading over parallel sheets of fuel is likely to alter the flame spreading behavior and flammability map from that of a single fuel sheet. A parallel fuel sheet acts as heat source by releasing away heat from the flames and thus enhancing heat feedback to unburnt fuel. This heat feedback increases pyrolysis of fuel resulting stronger flame. An existing 2-D opposed flow flame spread model of Kumar et al. comprising of solid phase model and gas phase model was adopted. The existing numerical model was formulated with equations governing the physical processes and modeled with a gas phase heat sink (a metallic wire-mesh) and a heat source (a parallel burning fuel) to analyze their effects on the flame behavior, characteristics, flame spread rate and flame extinction. A simple apparatus was constructed to carry out experiments extensively to validate results predicted by model. Skills : Programming Engineering Software Post Processing OS Fortran, C, C++ Fluent, Gambit, Matlab Tecplot, Gnuplot Linux, Windows Research interests : Computational Combustion Heat and Mass Transfer Propulsion CFD and it's application to engine processes Areas of interest : Combustion & Propulsion, Fluid & Thermal sciences Publications/Conferences : Paper Publication in Journal. Vinayak Malhotra and Amit Kumar. Effect of Gas Phase Heat Sink on Suppression of Downward Flame Spread over Thin Solid Fuels. International Journal of Advances in Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Volume 4, 2012. Vinayak Malhotra, Chenthil Kumar and Amit Kumar. Effect of Gas Phase Heat Sink on Suppression of Opposed Flow Flame Spread over Thin Solid Fuels in Microgravity Environment. Journal of Combustion [Accepted for publication] International Conferences attended and papers presented. Vinayak Malhotra, Chenthil Kumar and Amit Kumar, “Numerical study on opposed flow Flame spread in partial and elevated gravity” Proc. of International Conference on Theoretical, Applied, Computational and Experimental Mechanics 2010. Vinayak Malhotra and Amit Kumar “Effects of gas phase heat sink on downward flame spread over thin solid fuels” Proc. of the 21st National & 10TH ISHMT-ASME Heat and Mass Transfer Conference December 27-30, 2011, IIT Madras, India. About me : I am an aerospace engineer with specialization in propulsion and have enjoyed the basic undergraduate courses in the area of fluid flow and heat transfer. Having stood in the top of around 7, 00,000 aspirants from different engineering fields (All India Rank-36), I decided to do Master's in Aerospace Engineering because of the ongoing live projects their sophisticated Labs. I got the opportunity to work on Flame spread in zero gravity and normal gravity which had always fascinated me. My keen interest has helped me learn faster and do research properly which has resulted in, One best research paper award (ISHMT-ASME 2011). I have published two International Journal, one more is under review along with two international Conferences during the training. I have close to three years of experience working with FORTRAN & C. I am well versed with packages like ANSYS Fluent, Gambit etc. available for computations. Additionally, I have worked as project associate in Department of Aerospace Engg, IIT Madras for one and a half year. This helped me to inherit significant abilities in the area of project management, document preparation, meeting deadlines. I am a quick learner, good performer both as team player and in independent environment and possess excellent communication interpersonal and problem solving skills. I am an effective organizer and planner. My outgoing and friendly nature allows me to interact well with other staff members at all levels. Education : M.S. (Aerospace) : Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai B.E. (Aeronautical) : The Aeronautical Society of India, New Delhi E-mail id : [email protected] Vivekanandan Jegadeesan Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Aerospace Engineering Guide : Prof. R. I. Sujith Title of thesis : Experimental investigation of noise induced transition in thermoacoustic systems Thermoacoustic instability has been observed in high intensity and high performance Thesis abstract : combustion systems. Under suitable circumstances, the fluctuating heat release rate can couple with the acoustic field in combustion system and leads to sustained oscillations. The resulting oscillations are so intense, that they damage the components associated with the system. The occurrence of thermoacoustic instability can be classified in to two types: soft and hard excitations. When the oscillations start spontaneously in the combustion chamber, the instability is said to be softly excited. In hard excitation a large amplitude disturbance has to be imparted to initiate oscillation. In order to hard excite a combustion system the disturbance has to be above a threshold level called triggering amplitude. This phenomenon is called as triggering. The occurrence of triggering phenomenon has been observed to have a probabilistic nature. The probabilistic nature is attributed to the randomness of the process that occur in the combustion system. The chances of noise triggering a system in to a oscillatory state has been extensively studied in fields like physics, chemical and biological system. In the present thesis, the effect of noise on the stability of a thermoacoustic system operating in a bistable region is experimentally investigated. The thermoacoustic system chosen for investigation is a ducted non-premixed flame. The system is excited by random fuel flow rate fluctuations which affects the system dynamics as parametric noise. Under the influence of noise, the system undergoes transition from stable to oscillatory state. In particular, transition is observed even when the amplitude of the noise is significantly less than the triggering amplitude of the corresponding deterministic system. While triggering from noise of low amplitudes, phase portraits reveal that the system evolves transiently towards an unstable periodic orbit, before eventually growing to a stable periodic orbit. A stochastic stability map is constructed to represent the probability of the system to undergo transition. It is also observed that the amplitude of the oscillatory state is affected by the noise level. Skills : Advanced velocity measuring techniques like PIV and LDV High speed imaging techniques Pressure measurements LabVIEW (Medium Level Expertise) ProE and Catia (Medium Level Expertise) Matlab (Basics) Research interests : Gasturbine engines Pulse Detonation Engines Thermoacoustic instabilities Flow diagnostics Areas of interest : Combustion & Propulsion, Internal Combustion Engines Publications/Conferences : 1) Jegadeesan, V. and Sujith, R. I. Experimental Investigation of Noise Induced Triggering in Thermoacoustic System, presented at 34th International Symposium on Combustion, 2012, Warsaw, Poland. Published in Proceedings of the Combustion Symposium 2012 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1540748912000041) 2) Jegadeesan, V. and Sujith, R. I. Noise Induced Transitions in thermoacoustic systems : An experimental investigation, LAP Lambert Academic Publishing ( 2012-10-09 ) About me : I am energetic person with lots of enthusiasm to explore the unknown. I take initiatives on my own to solve problem and always strive towards acheiving highest standard. I have lead small teams during my graduate studies and achievied the goals and completed projects with highest customer satifaction. I aways work towards achieving simple and innovative solution for the clients. Being a M. S. Research scholar I am good at handling small projects on my own. I can plan and execute projects on my own with less guidance from my superiors. I am also a field person who never hesitates to get my hand dirty in an effort to solve a problem. Education : B. E MEchanical Engineering, 2004-2008, K. L. N. College of Engineering M. S. Aerospace Engineering propulsion, 2009-2012, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Applied Mechanics Abhijit Biswas Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. M. Manivannan Title of thesis : Ultratactile Sensitivity of Human Finger Pad Thesis abstract : This research involves Identification of vibrotactile sensitivity threshold vs. frequency characteristics for human finger pad and validating it using suitable model of human cutaneous sensory system for high frequency stimulus beyond 1kHz. This work in turn involves development of high-frequency, highamplitude, wide-band nanoindenter also known as micro-vibrator or tactor. Apart from development of experimental hardware this research also involves in optimization of psychophysics experimental schemes to quantify the Ultratactile sensitivity of human finger pad. Skills : Hardware Proficiency : Analogue & Digital circuit designing, PCB-layout designing & development, Embedded and PC-based automation and interfacing, PIC-series & dsPIC-series, 8051 microcontroller interfacing, Mechatronic system designing, 2-D drafting and 3-D modeling, Bio-Signal processing. Computer Languages known : C (Dos, Windows, Linux, Cross-platform embedded system), Python, Assembly Language, COBOL. Computer Package known : KICAD, AutoCAD, Orcad, Blender, GTK-Visual programming, Office, Open-source utilities, MATLAB. Software Proficiency : Data Structure, Numerical computation, Neural-Network programming, 3-D modeling & animation, Hardware & Graphics programming, peripheral system interfacing in DOS, Windows & Linux. Research interests : Haptics and Virtual-Reality Instrumentation Embedded-System and Automation Power-Electronics Actuator and Driver Design Biomedical Engineering Psychophysics Rehabilitation Engineering Robotics Areas of interest : Hardware and software development, Teaching, research, psychology, music, sports Publications/Conferences : A. Biswas and M. Manivannan, “Ultra-tactile sensitivity of human finger pad,” IEEE Trans. Haptics, submitted for publication. A. Biswas and M. Manivannan, “A Layered Vibrotactile Sensory-Transduction-Model for Estimating Stimulator Power Rating,” IEEE Trans. Haptics, submitted for publication. A. Biswas, D.N. Tibarewala, S. Biswas, “Array based tactile vision for the blind people using multidirectional ultrasonic scanning of environment,” India patent, 332/KOL/2008, 28-Aug-2009 (published). D. Das, A. Biswas, M.K. Pain, S. Biswas, D. Sarkar, P.P. Sarkar, "Controlling of Joints with Multiple Degree of Freedom", in IConTiMES, JISCE Kalyani, 2008, pp. 102-111. A. Biswas, "Menu based DOS programming to recycle old PC in to a low cost data acquisition and analysis system", in NGE, NSEC Kolkata, 2008. A. Biswas, S. Biswas, D. Sarkar, P.P. Sarkar, "Sensor for Measuring Angle in Space", in NCS, TIET Patiala, 2005, pp. 42-43 About me : Like to build hardware and software, think for realizing the secrets of nature and human mind and wish to build career in teaching, research and technical-consultancy. Education : M.E. Biomedical Engineering, School of Bio-Science & Engineering, 2006-2008, Jadavpur University. B.Tech. Electronics & Instrumentation, Department of Engineering & Technological Studies, 2002-2006, University of Kalyani. 12th Science, Ramkrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, 2000-2002, W.B.C.H.S.E 10th Ramkrishna Vivekananda Mission Vidyabhavan, 2000, W.B.B.S.E. E-mail id : [email protected] Kanakapriya K Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Manivannan M Title of thesis : Design and Development of a High-FIdelity Mannequin for diagnosing and treating Myocardial Infarction Thesis abstract : MI cases growing in India, frequent misdiagnosis especially in smaller hospitals and for older patients. Coming up with a Mannequin to show the specifics of diagnosing, classifying and offering initial treatment for MI. Skills : Technical Writing, Software Development in Java, C++, Microprocessor Programming, System Design Research interests : Medical Training Mannequins Biomedical Instrumentation Areas of interest : software development, mannequin design, simulations Publications/Conferences : 1. K Kanakapriya, M Manivannan, Blood Pressure measurement for Myocardial Infarction diagnosis in High Fidelity Mannequins, The International Conference on Advances in Computer Science and Electronics Engineering - 2012. 2. K Kanakapriya, M Manivannan, CPR Module with Variable Chest Stiffness in High Fidelity Mannequins, 22nd CIRP Design Conference, Indian Insitute of Science, Bangalore, Mar 28-30 - 2012 3. Kanakapriya Kalyanasundaram, Manivannan M and Alekhya Mandali, ECG Simulation for Myocardial Infarction Diagnosis in High Fidelity Mannequins, 2011 Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON 2011), 16-18 December 2011, Hyderabad, India About me : Wide variety of experiences in software development in multiple platforms and languages, hardware development, Excellent communication and technical writing skills, quick learner Education : B E M S Ramaiah Inst of Tech M S Uni of Texas at Austin E-mail id : [email protected] P. Mahalakshmi Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. M. Ramasubba Reddy Title of thesis : Investigating the Effects of Spectral Energy and Temporal Fine Structure for Improved Speech Perception Using an Acoustic Simulation Model Developed for Cochlear Implants. Thesis abstract : Cochlear Implants (CI) are surgically implanted biomedical devices that can provide hearing to severely deaf people by direct stimulation of the auditory nerve, electrically. Current CI speech processors do not convey phase information, which is important for perceiving music and for hearing in noisy environments. This thesis discusses a new acoustic simulation model for CI, that extracts the ‘envelope’ by continuous-interleaved sampling (CIS) principle and ‘temporal fine structure’ cue (phase information) by Hilbert transform. The dominant channels are identified from the filter bank outputs and subjected to temporal analysis. The amplitude estimates are derived through rectification and low-pass filtering. By Hilbert transform, the temporal fine structure is extracted through formant peaks in the signal which contributes for speech intelligibility. After band pass filtering the speech signal, carrier signals that are specific to the band outputs, are constructed using biphasic pulses in the extracted fine structure which has greater peaks. The filtered outputs from all the channels are subjected to amplitude-modulation using the carrier pulses and the synthesized speech is generated by summing all the modulated outputs. 15 phonemes are analyzed for its envelope and phase information and the recognition rates are estimated with 15 listeners. The simulation results indicated that this model produced significant improvements in the recognition scores of vowels and consonants. The proposed model should be helpful for developing advanced speech processing strategies and improving the speech perception of CI users. Skills : Platforms: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 Programming Languages: C, Assembly Language Application Softwares: Matlab, Scilab, Wavesurfer, Praat, Labview Research interests : Speech Signal Processing Cochlear Implants Areas of interest : Learning; Meeting the learning needs of students; To serve as academic advisor to students; To coordinate departmental/institutional administrative activities and to promote excellence in teaching and research; New technology, Cooking, Travelling, Listening to Music Publications/Conferences : P. Mahalakshmi, M.R. Reddy, "Cochlear Implant Acoustic Simulation Model based on Critical Band Filters", Int. Jl. of Electronics and Commun. Engg. & Tech., Vol.3, No.2, July 2012, pp. 116-129. P. Mahalakshmi, M.R. Reddy, "Speech Processing Strategies for Cochlear Prostheses - The Past, Present and Future: A Tutorial Review", Int. Jl. of Advanced Research in Engg. & Tech. (In Press). P. Mahalakshmi, M.R. Reddy, "Investigation of the Envelope and Phase Information for Improved Speech Perception Using an Acoustic Simulation Model for Cochlear Implants", IEEE EMBS Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Malaysia, To be held in December 2012. (Accepted). P. Mahalakshmi, M.R. Reddy, "Signal Analysis by Using FIR Filter Banks in Cochlear Implant Prostheses", Proc. of IEEE Int. Conference on Systems in Medicine and Biology, IIT-Kharagpur, December 2010, pp. 266-271. P. Mahalakshmi, M.R. Reddy, "The Coding of Sound for a Cochlear Prostheses", Proc. of the 8th Annual Conference of Cochlear Implant Group of India Conference, Chandigarh, November 2010, pp.108. About me : Hard-working nature with high motivations. Received "Best Teacher Award" thrice at VIT University, for contributions towards teaching and mentoring students. Co-authored a paper entitled "Signal Processing Techniques for Multi-channel Cochlear Implants", which received the "second best project award" in the Tenth Medical Science Conference on Deafness, at the International Research Institute for the Deaf, 2002. Life Member of Biomedical Engineering Society of India; Systems Society of India. Education : B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering, 1991-1995, IRTT, Erode, TamilNadu M.Tech. in Biomedical Engineering, 1998-2000, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Rajesh P Nair Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Prof.C.Lakshmana Rao Title of thesis : Discrete Element Method for Impact Problems Thesis abstract : Discrete Element Method (DEM), an explicit numerical scheme to model mechanical response of solid and particulate media. This DEM is used to study the ballistic impact of a projectile hitting the target and its post impact behavior. In the current study, 1-D DEM is used to obtain the depth of penetration for blunt copper bullet impacting thick aluminium target. A new type of discrete element- a Quadrilateral element is introduced in 2-D DEM. Ballistic impact simulation of blunt and conical steel bullet impacting thin concrete target is being carried out using Quadrilateral Discrete Element Method. Both 1-D and 2-D DEM are validated with available results in literature. Skills : MATLAB, ABAQUS, NISA, AUTOCAD, C, FORTRAN Research interests : Discrete Element Methods Impact Mechanics Computational methods in Solid Mechanics Areas of interest : Solid Mechanics, finite element analysis, Computational Mechanics Publications/Conferences : Journal Papers Rajesh P Nair & C LakshmanaRao(2012), Simulation of failure of elastic beams subjected to impact load using quadrilateral discrete element method,(Manuscript to submit in "International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering"). Rajesh P Nair & C LakshmanaRao(2012), Simulation of depth of penetration during ballistic impact on thick targets using a 1-D discrete element model,Sadhana,37, pp.261-279 International Conference Papers Rajesh P Nair, C LakshmanaRao&B N Rao,One-dimensional approach to ballistic impact problems using discrete finite element method, ICTACEM, December 27-29, 2007, IIT Kharagpur. Rajesh P Nair, Rohit Deshmukh and C Lakshmana Rao,Simulation of Penetration During Ballistic Impact Using 1-D DFEM, International Conference on Multiscale Modeling and simulation, January 2-4,2008, IISCBanglore. M D Ghouse, Rajesh P Nair, C LakshmanaRao&B N Rao, Numerical modeling of failure in materials, Indo-Russian Workshop on Topical problems in Solid Mechanics, November 11-14, 2008, BITS Pilani,Goa. Rajesh P Nair &C LakshmanaRao, Elastic Response of Cantilever beam using QDEM, ICCMS, December 1-5,2009, IIT-Bombay. Rajesh P Nair, Anoop N Honnekeri&C LakshmanaRao, Numerical simulation of Ballistic Impact on thick targets using Discrete Element Method-1D and 2D models, International Conference on Composites for 2t Century: Current & Future Trends, January 4-7,2011,IISC Banglore. Vineet Kumar Reddy K, Rajesh P Nair and C LakshmanaRao, Numerical Modeling of Response of Beams Subjected to Blast Loading, ICCMS,December 10-12, 2012,IIT Hyderabad (Abstract accepted) . Rajesh P Nair & C LakshmanaRao, Simulation of failure of a cantilever beam subjected to impact load using QDEM, ICCMS,December 10-12, 2012,IIT Hyderabad (Abstract accepted). Rajesh P Nair &C LakshmanaRao, Simulation of failure of a fixed beam subjected to impact load using QDEM, ASME-International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, November 9-15, 2012,Texas, USA (Full paper Accepted). About me : I wish to take up a research oriented career in the field of analysis of solids & structures and contribute further to the frontiers of knowledge in this field for the development of the organization and the society. Education : PhD, Applied Mechanics, 2006-2013, IIT Madras M.Tech., Computer Aided Structural Analysis and Design, 2003- 2005, Department of Ship Technology, CUSAT B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering,1998- 2002, LBS College of Engineering E-mail id : [email protected] Akhilesan S Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Prof.Lakshmana Rao, Dr. Susy Varughese Title of thesis : Electromechanical Response of Conducting Polymers Thesis abstract : Polyaniline (PANI) an electronically conducting polymer, and its charge transfer complexes are interesting engineering materials due to their unique electronic conductivity, electrochemical behavior, low raw material cost, ease of synthesis and environmental stability in comparison with other conjugated polymers. The main disadvantage of PANI is its limited processability. Blending of conducting polymers with insulating polymers is a good choice to overcome the processability problem. In this study a solution-blend method is adopted to prepare conductive polyaniline/polyvinyl alcohol (PANI/PVA) blend films at various blend ratios. Interest in applications for polyaniline (PANI) has motivated investigators to study its electro mechanical properties, and its use in polymer composites or blends with common polymers. The work described here looks at the uniaxial/Biaxial deformation behavior of the conducting polymer films and the anisotropic dependency of electrical conductivity of the blend films exposed to static and dynamic loading conditions. The relation between mechanical strain, electrical conductivity and film microstructure is investigated on PANI/PVA blend films. Skills : MATLAB ANSYS Strain Measurements Using Digital Image Tracking Conducting polymer synthesis FRP Manufacturing, Testing and Analysis Research interests : Active Polymers Composite Materials Material Modeling Solid Mechanics Finite Element Analysis Areas of interest : Conducting Polymers, Composite Materials, Material Modeling, Solid Mechanics, finite element analysis Publications/Conferences : 1. ASME 2012 conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (Stone Mountain, USA September 19-21, 2012) “Electromechanical behavior of conductive polyaniline/poly (vinyl alcohol) blend films under uniaxial loading” SMASIS2012-7937 2. Third Asian Conference on Mechanics of Functional Materials and Structures (IIT Delhi, December 5-8, 2012) “Biaxial Mechanical Response of polyaniline/poly (vinyl alcohol) blend films under monotonic and cyclic loading” ACMFMS2012-10024 About me : Akhilesan S, MS (Applied Mechanics) CGPA (8.6/10) I would like to take up a career as an engineer in an esteemed organization, where, I can use the knowledge, skills and ideas to the very best level for the development of the organization and the society. Education : MS BE/AMAeSI Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras 2011-2013 Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautical Society of India E-mail id : [email protected] 2004-2008 Amit Kumar Chauhan Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : BSVP PATNAIK, BVSSS PRASAD Title of thesis : THERMAL HYDRAULICS OF TUBE BUNDLES Thesis abstract : A numerical study of single phase flow using CFD in annular channel and tube bundles. The hydrodynamics and thermal characteristics of the coolant is analyzed in mechanically distorted geometry of annular channel or tube bundle. Skills : ANSYS FLUENT Tecplot Research interests : FLUID MECHANICS HEAT TRANSFER CFD THERMAL HYDRAULICS Areas of interest : Fluid Mechanics, Heat transfer, Thermal Hydraulics, CFD Publications/Conferences : Numerical heat transfer in eccentric annular channel About me : Am a research sscholar working in "thermal hydraulics in tube bundles" CFD. Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2005-2009, SASTRA University, Thanjavur M.S. Applied Mechanics, 2010-2012, Indian Institute of Technology Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Bharat Pokale Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. Sayan Gupta Title of thesis : Damage Estimation in Vibrating Beams from Time Domain Experimental Measurements Thesis abstract : The problem of damage detection in beams from time domain vibration measure-ments is investigated. A cantilever beam subjected to dynamic point loadings is considered. A measurable damage in the form of a notched crack is introduced into the beam. Using Bayesian principles, a particle filtering algorithm applied on the ex-perimentally measured tip accelerations is used to estimate the changes in damping and the localized reductions in the flexural rigidity of the beam at various loca-tions. Subsequently, the size and location of the crack is estimated using principles of fracture mechanics and particle filtering. Strategies onreducing the associated computational costs are also discussed. Education : B.E Aeronautical Engineering, AMAeSI, Dec-2009 MS Applied Mechanics, 2010-2012 E-mail id : [email protected] Cerine Lal Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr N. Sujatha Title of thesis : Laser based Siganl and Image Analysis for assessment of blood flow. Thesis abstract : Laser based techniques provide non invasive ways of assessing tissue microcirculation.Laser doppler and laser speckle are the two techniques used to assess microvascular perfusion using backscattered light.This research work involves analysing the speckle images/doppler signals by speckle contrast technique and fractal analysis so as to quantitatively and qualitatively describe the changes in blood flow in diseased conditions as well as using flow/tissue simulating phantoms. Skills : Application Software:MATLAB,R,SCILAB Programming languages: C,Assembly Language Research interests : Biomedical Optics Biomedical Signal Processing Instrumentation Areas of interest : Biomedical image and signal processing, Instrumentation, Biomedical Optics Publications/Conferences : Sujatha Narayanan Unni,Cerine Lal, 'Laser based signal and image fractal assessment for assessment of blood flow',Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 8427, pp. 84272M-84272M-7 (2012). About me : I am determined and hardworking.Love to explore new ideas and apply new techniques in fields of interest. A good listener and good team mate who enjoys working in group as well as individually.Quick in grasping new concepts and also able to empathize with others. Education : M.S in Biomedical Engineering ,2011-2013,IIT Madras. B-Tech - Applied Electronics and Instrumentation ,2006-2010,M.G University,Kerala. XII(Science)- Bhavans Varuna Vidyalaya,2004-2006,Kochi. X-Bhavans Varuna Vidyalaya,,2003-2004,Kochi. E-mail id : [email protected] Immanuvel Paul Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr.K.Arul Prakash & Dr.S.Vengadesan Title of thesis : Numerical analysis of effects of angle of attack, axis ratio and Reynolds number on fluid flow and heat transfer across elliptic cylinders using parallel algorithm based immersed boundary method Thesis abstract : Fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of flow around slender and bluff bodies is of greater interest as it has interesting flow behaviours as well as because of it's wide range of applications. Though the literature on flow around circular or square cylinder is vast, many enginineering applications like flow past aircraft wings, missiles, rotor blades require the body to be modeled as flow past an elliptic cylinder. The literature on these kind of non-canonical problems is very limited. This study aims to unreveal the fluid flow and foced convective heat transfer characteristics of flow around an inclined elliptic cylinder. Parameters considered in this study are (i)axis ratio, (ii) angle of attack (iii) Reynolds number. Since this study require change in grid for a change in axis ratio/angle of attack, an efficient Cartesian grid technique called Immersed Boundary Method which eliminates the need of new grid is used for the simulations. A large computaional domain is ued to capture the secondary vortex shedding behind slender elliptic cylinders. A parameter space graph is constructed to reveal the dependence of axis ratio, angle of attack and Re on vortex shedding. Integral parametrs of fluid flow and heat transfer are computed. Useful functional relationships are obtained for every integral parameters with respect to axis ratio, angle of attcak and Re. An attempt is made to parallelize this solver using Message Passing Interface (MPI) which is an efficient parallel algorithm. Skills : Efficient programming skills in C++ and Fortan Hands on experinece in packages such as Fluent, Gambit, Tecplot, Matlab, Mathematica Have worked in different platforms: like Linux and Windows. Hands on experience in modern parallel algorithms such as MPI and CUDA. Excellent communication skills Research interests : Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer Immersed Boundary Methods Parallel computing Fluid Mechanics & Aerodynamics Fluid-Structure interaction Areas of interest : Numerical Algorithms, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer, Turbulence Modelling Publications/Conferences : Journals: Immanuvel Paul, K.Arul Prakash and S. Vengadesan, Numerical analysis of fluid flow characteristics past an elliptic cylinder: A parametric study. (Submitted to International Journal for Numerical Methods in Heat and Fluid Flow). Immanuvel Paul, K. Arul Prakash and S. Vengadesan, The effects of angle of attack, axis ratio and reynolds number on forced convective heat transfer accross an elliptic cylinder with constant temperature and constant heat flux boundary. (Under consideration for Numerical Heat Transfer, Part-A) Conferences: Immanuvel Paul, K. Arul Prakash and S. Vengadesan, Numerical Study of flow past an inclined elliptic cylinder using Immersed Boundary Method, 38th National Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power (NCFMFP-2011, Bhopal, India, December 15-17, 2011.) About me : Having gained a good knowledge in numerical progamming for fluid flow and heat transfer problems, I wish to work in a challenging environment where I can learn further as well as give my full effort for the benefit of the employer. Ambitious, smart, well organized, punctual, quick learning, team player, great manners and nice presence. Education : Post Grduate: University : Indian Institute of Technolgy Madras Degree appeared for : Master of Science (by Research) Class : 2013 CGPA : 9.4 Under Graduate: University : Anna University, Chennai Degree appeared for : Bachelor of Engineering (B.E) in Aeronautical Engineering Class : 2010 Percentage : 80% (First Class with Distinction) HSC: Board Name of School Class Percentage SSLC: Board Name of School Class Percentage : Tamil Nadu State Board : PK Higher Secondary School : 2006 : 89% : Tamil Nadu State Board : PK Higher Secondary School : 2004 : 97.2% (3rd rank in Virudhunagar district) E-mail id : [email protected] N Ganesh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. Sayan Gupta Title of thesis : Estimating the rain-flow fatigue damage in wind turbine blades using polynomial chaos Thesis abstract : Modern wind turbine blades are slender structures whose increased flexibilities have led to unforeseen aero-elastic instabilities leading to failures. In this study, the turbine blade is modeled as a twodimensional airfoil and is subjected to random loading. The airfoil is assumed to oscillate in rotational as well as translation degrees of freedom. The loading is assumed to be stationary and Gaussian. The fatigue damage due to this loading is described through the rain-flow cycle counting method. An approach based on polynomial chaos expansion is used to obtain the response of the nonlinear oscillator. Skills : MATLAB Research interests : Stochastic modelling Uncertainty quantification Fatigue damage estimation Probabilistic risk assessment Areas of interest : . Publications/Conferences : N. Ganesh, Sayan Gupta, " Estimating the rain-flow fatigue damage in wind turbine blades using polynomial chaos", International symposium on engineering under uncertainty: Safety assessment and Management (ISEUSAM), January 2012. About me : . Education : B. E Mechanical Engineering, 2010, Anna University, Chennai. E-mail id : [email protected] Pavan D Bonkinpillewar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. Mahesh V Panchagnula Title of thesis : Experimentation and simulation of wet granular discrete material flow Thesis abstract : Granular material is collection of discrete macroscopic particles. Behaviors of the granular material are quite different from the behavior of classical fluid and solid materials. A granular flow shows many interesting phenomena. In this research work behaviors of wet granular material are studied by experimental and simulation. Simulations are performed by writing computation code, which based on discrete particle method, and also performed experiments. Skills : Programming language C, matlab Computation fluid mechanics (CFD) fluent, Gambit, CFX, tgrid Solid modeling Research interests : Granular flow Computation fluid mechanics Multiphase flow, surface wetting etc. Areas of interest : CFD, Granular flow, Multiphase flow, surface wetting About me : I born and brought up in small village near Yavatmal, Maharashtra. I have completed my Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical engineering from Nagpur University, and pursuing MS in fluid mechanics, IIT Madras. About my family, my father is farmer, my mother is homemaker, and I have elder sister. My Hobbies are playing Cricket, chess etc. My strength is I have positive attitude, quick learner and ability to understand problem. Education : B.E in Mechanical Engineering, 2004-2007, Nagpur University, Maharashtra M.S in Fluid Mechanics 2011-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Ravi Kumar Pulipaka Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr K ARUL PRAKASH Title of thesis : NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF INCOMPRESSIBLE VISCOUS FLOW FOR INVESTIGATING INSECT FLIGHT DYNAMICS Thesis abstract : The present study stems from our interest in understanding the insect fluid dynamics relevant to Flapping Micro-Air Vehicles (FMAVs). Natural flyers and swimmers, which have evolved over millions of years, represent one of nature’s finest locomotion experiments. The insects use the flapping wings forward flight and even for hovering also. Understanding the unsteady aerodynamics of the flapping wings of insects which results in the saccade maneuver would be extremely valuable to designers in their attempts to create vehicles capable of obstacle-avoidance, stealth and gust response. A numerical study of two dimensional wing(of different crosssections) in sinusoidal plunging and pitching motion(individually and combined) was carried out to examine the effect of flapping frequencies, plunge amplitude, phase difference between pitch and plunge motion, wing thickness and finally location of pitching axis on its aerodynamic characteristics at low Reynolds number. Physical parameters in terms of the instantaneous and mean values of lift, thrust coefficients and propulsive efficiency were discussed in detail. Additionally, Lift coefficient was also calculated using analytical models. Skills : Programming - MATLAB, FORTRAN Softwares - Auto Cad, Ansys, Gambit, Fluent, Tecplot, Catia. Operating Systems - Windows and Linux. Research interests : FLUID STRUCTURE INTERACTION INSECT FLIGHT DYNAMICS Areas of interest : Fluid dynamics, Analyst Publications/Conferences : Ravi kumar.P and K. Arul Prakash, Effect of wing cross – section on thrust of a flapping wing, proc. International Conference on Bluff body flows, Blubof2011- IUTAM, IIT Kanpur, December 12-16, 2011. Ravi kumar.P and K. Arul Prakash, Numerical study of the effect of thickness ratio and Reynolds number on laminar flow past Rectangular cylinder, proc. Symposium on Applied Aerodynamics and Design of Aerospace Vehicle (SAROD 2011), Bangalore, November 16-18, 2011. Ravi kumar.P and K. Arul Prakash, Numerical study on the effect of pitching axis location on a flapping airfoil, proc. 13th Annual CFD Symposium, Bangalore, August 11-12, 2011. Ravi kumar.P and N. Srinivasa Babu, Thermomechanical analysis of a generic aero engine disc, proc. National conference on Aeronautical Engineering (NCAE-09), August 14-17, 2009. About me : Hi! I'm Ravi from Tenali (a town in India) Pursuing M.S. (By Research) in APPLIEDMECHANICS DEPARTMENT. I did my B.Tech (AEROUNAUTICAL) in Malla Reddy College of Engineering and Technology, Secunderabad, secured 81.5% and feel privileged to pursue my Masters in this prestigious institution. I’m a passionate, optimistic & dedicated man who takes up responsibilities with utmost enthusiasm and see to it that I complete my tasks and assignments in time. My optimistic and planned approach in things I do is what driving me towards my success. I believe in “better late than never” which helps me to regain the movement, when my plan fails and I won't hesitate to go an extra mile and contribute my efforts, in getting things done in time. I love Chess, and also participate in other games, that helps to maintain fitness. I do selectively read books mostly fiction & fantasy – Harry Potter, Narnia kind of, some cartoons occasionally too! I come from Orthodox Brahmin family born in Tenali and brought up in the multi-cultured, multi-cuisine flavours of various cities in INDIA. I’m the elder son of my parents. I’ve a younger brother who is currently working in BANK OF AMERICA (BPO SECTOR) and he has been my joy and a good friend for everything under the sky. Well, that’s it! Education : MS (By Research) in FLUID MECHANICS, 2010-2013, IIT Madras. B. Tech Aeronautical Engineering, 2005-2009, Malla Reddy College of Engineering and Technology, Secunderabad. E-mail id : [email protected] Ravindra B Patil Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr S Ramakrishnan Title of thesis : Auto Stenosis Detection in Angiographic images and quantitative analysis of the lumen diameter for classification of cardiac diseases. Thesis abstract : The work carried out is focused on development of auto detection algorithm without clinician intervention to deliniate the vessels in the angiogrphic images . Quntitative study of artery blockage is undertaken to classify the cardiac diseases based on the pattern recognition techniques .Processing speed and the efficiency of the algorithm is compared with standard bench marks. Skills : C#,.Net , C++, C , XML, Matlab , Design Patterns . Research interests : Medical Image processing on Angiographic Images for stenosis detection. Application of Pattern Recognition techniques on Medical Images Magnetic Resonance and Diffusion Tensor Imaging . Algorithm development and Prototyping in Imaging and Signals Areas of interest : Image Processing Algorithms, Signal Processing, Pattern Recognition techniques Publications/Conferences : Ravindra Balasaheb Patil, Preetham Nagaraja Murthy ,"Automated Cardiac Status Determination System",Patent No:20100286543,November 11, 2010 About me : Self driven Good communication skills. Education : BE(Electronics and Communication) Vishweswaraya Technological University ,Belgaum(VTU), Karnataka 2004-2008 MS:IIT Madras , Biomedical group,2012E-mail id : [email protected] Sandeep Shashi Kumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. K. Arul Prakash Title of thesis : Numerical studies of turbulent fluid flow and heat transfer in a plane asymmetric diffuser Thesis abstract : The asymmetric diffuser has many industrial and engineering applications, thus making the study of its fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics imperative. The simulation of the flow becomes more challenging when the flow is turbulent and it is desirable that the turbulent charateristics are predicted in a time efficient manner. In the present study, firstly, a SUPG finite element based Navier Stokes solver for constant density laminar/turbulent flow in 2D/3D geometry is developed and validated. It is followed by the testing of the three popular k-epsilon models ,i.e., Standard, RNG and Realizable, for their suitability to predict the aforesaid flow. The k-epsilon model, found most suited, is finally used to perform parametric study of flow and dimensional parameters affecting the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics. Skills : Proficient in FORTRAN, C and C++ Research interests : Computational Fluid Dynamics (Algorithms and Applications) Turbulence (Fundamentals, Modelling and Simulation) Areas of interest : Algorithms, Computational Mechanics, Turbulence Publications/Conferences : Kumar, S.S., and Prakash, K.A., "Comparative analysis of k-epsilon models based on their prediction in a plane asymmetric diffuser ", Thirty Ninth National Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power, Surat, December 13-15 2012 About me : I love challenging problems, especially those that are algoritmic in nature. I am an adamant researcher and despise following pre-existing algorithms or methods. Although I seldom succeed, I always try to innovate. Trivial problems make me lazy. I dont mean that I am too smart to be doing it, it is just that they do not intrigue me. Research is my second love and I hope that my MS was not just a honeymoon period. Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2010, Swami Sarvanand Giri Panjab University Regional Centre, Hoshiarpur, Punjab E-mail id : [email protected] Saurav Agrawal Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. Abhijit Chaudhuri Title of thesis : Numerical Simulation of Oscillating slender structures- A two way fluid structure interaction Thesis abstract : The computation of fluid forces on a structure is one of the primary task in its design considerations.It is also one of the most difficult tasks since it involves the complexity due to the interaction of flow with the structure continuously.The current study aims at modelling such complex flow systems to analyse the effect of fluid forces on the structure and its deformation with different influencing parameters such as damping, structural stiffness, mass ratio. Skills : CFD and Modellling Softwares Ansys : Fluent, ICEM CFD,CFX Star CCM Auto CAD, Tecplot360 Programming Languages: C , Matlab Operating System: Linux, Windows . Worked on Super Computers Research interests : Computational Fluid dynamics Fluid Structure Interaction Alternate Energy- Wind turbines Areas of interest : Computational Fluid Dynamics, Fluid structure interaction, Structural Health Monitoring Publications/Conferences : Saurav Agrawal., Dr Abhijit Chaudhuri.,"Investigating the effects of controlled biaxial harmonic oscillations on the wake dynamics of a circular cylinder", 9th European Fluid Mechanics Conference,Rome,September 2012 About me : I aspire to build a career in an organization that would help me develop my skills and passion to transform them into commendable work that is of sustained value for the organization . Accepting challenges keeps me intact with the learning process and motivates me to move a step ahead towards my professional career. Education : B.Tech in Aeroautical Engineering, 2006-2010, Aeronautical Society of India M.S. in Applied Mechanics Department(Fluid Mechanics), 2011-3013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Shaafi Mohamed K Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Applied Mechanics Guide : Dr. S. Vengadesan Title of thesis : Numerical Study on Influence of Wall Proximity on Effectiveness of Vortex Generator in Vortex Suppression and Heat Transfer Enhancement using Immersed Boundary Method Thesis abstract : Many control strategies have been proposed in order to suppress vortex shedding and to enhance heat transfer. Since the vortex dynamics and its associated flow and heat transfer characrteristics is very much sensitive to incoming flow condition (Incoming shear, turbulence intensity etc), the effectiveness of control methods also varies. In our study we have investigated the effectivness of vortex generators in the presence of plane wall. Presence of wall creates boundary layer and induces shear in the flow and when the bluff body (circular cylinder) is immersed in this highly viscous boundary layer, the vortex shedding pattern is completely changed. As reported in the previous literatures, upstream placement of a stationary cylinder or a rotating cylinders suppresses the vortex sheeding and reduces drag. Effectiveness of two vortex generators, namely stationary cylinder and rotating cylinder have been investigated in the presence of plane wall at Re = 100. This numerical study is carried out using finite difference based immersed boundary method. Skills : Programming Skils : C++ (openMP, Basics of MPI and CUDA) & MATLAB for CFD Applications Software Experience: GAMBIT, FLUENT, CATIA, Tecplot Research interests : CFD, Immersed Boundary Method, Vortex induced vibration, Drag Reduction, Heat transfer Enhancement. Areas of interest : Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer, Automobile Aerodynamics, Renewable Energy Publications/Conferences : K. Shaafi and S. Vengadesan., Vortex Suppression By The Combined Shear Effect of a Plane Wall and Asymmetric Wake of a Rotating Cylinder.,9th European Fluid Mechanics Conference., 9-13 Sep 2012, Rome, Italy Y. Sudhakar, S. Vengadesan and Shaafi Mohamed., Wake characteristics of a circular cylinder attached with an oscillating splitter plate., IUTAM Symposium on Bluff Body Flows (blubof2011)., 12-16 Dec 2011, IIT Kanpur. K. Shaafi and S. Vengadesan.,Wall-Proximity Effects On Heat Transfer And FlowCharacteristics Of Flow Over A Rotating Cylinder., 14th Annual CFD Symposium., 10-11 Aug 2012, Bangalore. About me : Young Enthusiatic person very much eager to explore new dimension in science and research. Fascinated to learn new things and open minded. Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2010, Hindustan College of Engineering, Chennai (Affiliated to Anna Univeristy, Chennai) E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Biotechnology Allu Prasanna Kumar Reddy Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Biotechnology Guide : Nitish R Mahapatra Title of thesis : Identification and functional characterization of genetic variants in the dysglycemic peptide Pancreastatin with metabolic dis-orders in an Indian population Thesis abstract : Chromogranin A (CHGA), ubiquitously expressed in secretory cells of the neuroendocrine system, has recently emerged as an important regulator for diverse physiological functions. Pancreastatin (PST), a proteolytic derivative of CHGA, acts as a dysglycemic peptide by inhibiting glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Resequencing of pancreastatin region of CHGA in an Indian population (n=1625) revealed the occurrence of three naturally occurring variants: C9226T causing substitution of Arg253 by Trp253, G9328A causing substitution of Glu287 by Lys287 and G9358A causing substitution of Gly297 by Ser297. While the Glu287Lys is a novel variant in our population, the Gly297Ser and Arg253Trp variants were reported in a European population. Interestingly, the 297Ser variant was ~11-fold more frequent whereas the PST-253Trp variant was ~3.1-fold less frequent in our population than the European population. The PST-287Lys and PST-297Ser peptides were more potent than the wild-type (PST-WT) peptide in modulating pleotropic events of glucose metabolism (viz. ability to inhibit insulin stimulated glucose uptake) and altering phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase-1 and glucose-6-phosphatase promoter activities. CD spectroscopic analysis suggested that PST-287Lys and PST-297Ser peptides had significantly higher propensities to form secondary structure (specifically, alpha helix) than the PST-WT peptide providing a structural basis for their differential biological activities. The 297Ser allele frequency was ~1.6-fold higher in type 2 diabetic subjects than the controls; individuals having the 297Ser allele displayed higher plasma catecholamines and fasting blood sugar values than the carriers of 297Gly. Taken together, naturally-occurring variations in the PST region seem to have important cardiovascular and metabolic consequences. Skills : Cloning of Gene Transfection studies Radioactive experiments Polymerase chain reaction and purification of PCR products Genomic DNA isolation from blood Research interests : Cardio vascular Genetics and Molecular biology Areas of interest : Cardio vascular Genetics, Molecular biology of Gene Publications/Conferences : 1. Sahu BS, Mohan J, Sahu G, Allu PK,Subtamanian L, Sonawane PJ,Singh PK, Sasi BK, Senapati S, Maji SK, Bera AK, Gomathi BS, Mullasari AS, Mahapatra NR. Functional Genetic variants of the Catecholaminerelease-inhibitory Peptide Catestatin in an Indian Population:Allele-Specific Effects on Metabolic Traits.J Biol Chem. 2012 Oct 26. [Epub ahead of print]. 2.Sahu BS, Mohan J, Sahu G, Singh PK, Sonawane PJ, Sasi BK, Allu PK, Maji SK, Bera AK, Senapati S, Mahapatra NR. 2012. Molecular mechanism of interactions of the physiological anti-hypertensive peptide catestatin with the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. J Cell Sci. 2012 May 1;125(Pt 9):2323-37. 3. . Prasanna K Reddy Allu, Bhavani S Sahu, Lakshmi Subramanian, Parshuram J Sonawane, Vinayak Gupta, Kalyani Ananthamohan, Radha Venkatesan, V. Mohan, Nitish R Mahapatra. 2011. Identification and association of naturally occurring polymorphisms in the exon 7 of chromogranin A gene with metabolic disorders. The 36th Annual Conference of the Indian Society of Human Genetics (ISHG 2011). India About me : Highly motivated, industrious post graduate with Master of Science in Biochemistry with good analytical abilities, pursuing PhD in the area of molecular genetics in the Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai. Education : M.Sc Bio-chemistry, 2004-2006,ANUPG centre, Nuzvid B.Sc Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, 2001-2004, Andhra Loyola College, Vijayawada E-mail id : [email protected] Bhavani Shankar Sahu Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Biotechnology Guide : Dr. Nitish Mahapatra Title of thesis : FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS IN PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTIHYPERTENSIVE PEPTIDE CATESTATIN Thesis abstract : Essential hypertension (EH) is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular diseases with a prevalence of nearly 27% worldwide, and it aggregates with other cardiovascular risk factors. Even though the exact molecular mechanism for the pathogenesis is unclear, genetic studies identified several candidate genes for EH. Chromogranin A (CHGA), ubiquitously expressed in secretory cells of the neuroendocrine system, has recently emerged as an important regulator in cardiovascular disease states. It acts as a prohormone giving rise to bioactive peptides such as vasostatin [CHGA1-76] and catestatin [CHGA352-372] that exhibit several cardiovascular regulatory functions. Catestatin is a 21 amino acid peptide that acts as a ‘physiological brake’ for catecholamine release by inhibiting the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and thus important for the regulation of catecholamine-evoked blood pressure. Two naturally occurring variants (Gly/Ser and Pro/Leu at 13th and 19th residues) of CST display altered inhibitory potencies. However, the mechanism of differential activities of CST variants is unclear. Here we report re-sequencing of the catestatin region of CHGA in an Indian population (n= 1010). We detected 2 non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in this region: A9559G, causing substitution of Gly by Ser at the 364 position of CHGA and T9570G, causing substitution of Gly by Val at the 367 position. While the Gly364Ser variant was observed in a European population (at about 2.8-fold lesser frequency), the Gly367Val variant is a novel one in our population. Individuals having the 364Ser variant allele displayed altered plasma levels of several metabolic traits. Electrophysiology, secretion and calcium imaging experiments suggested that the CST variants differed in their potencies to antagonize the nAChR. Structural analyses revealed that the catestatin variants had altered propensities to form secondary structure as compared to the wild type peptide. Docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies also corroborated with these experimental observations. These findings may provide mechanistic insights into understanding the genetic and molecular causes of hypertension. Skills : Routine Biochemistry and molecular biology tools for pursuing state of art research. Research interests : Molecular Medicine. Areas of interest : Molecular medicine Publications/Conferences : Publications: 1. Sahu BS, Obbineni JM, Sahu G, Singh PK, Sonawane PJ, Sasi BK, Allu PK, Maji SK, Bera AK, Senapati S, Mahapatra NR. Molecular interactions of the physiological anti-hypertensive peptide catestatin with the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. J Cell Sci. 2012 May 1;125(Pt 9):2323-37. 2. Sonawane PJ, Sahu BS, Sasi BK, Geedi P, Lenka G, Mahapatra NR. 2011. Functional promoter polymorphisms govern differential expression of HMG-CoA reductase gene in mouse models of essential hypertension. PLoS ONE 6: e16661 (1-16). (Equal contribution). 3.Abdul Khaliq R, Sonawane PJ, Sasi BK, Sahu BS, Pradeep T, Das SK, Mahapatra NR. 2010. Enhancement in the efficiency of polymerase chain reaction by TiO2 nanoparticles: crucial role of enhanced thermal conductivity. Nanotechnology 21: 255704(http://www.nature.com/nindia/2010/100614/full/nindia.2010.79.html) 4. Sahu BS, Sonawane PJ, Mahapatra NR. 2010. Chromogranin A: a novel susceptibility gene for essential hypertension. Cell Mol Life Sci 67: 861-874. Conference Proceedings: 1. Poster presentation at the 10th world congress of human proteomic organization held from 4th to 7th September 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. Title: Structural and functional characterisation of polymorphisms in the physiological anti-hypertensive peptide Catestatin Authors: Bhavani S Sahu, Jagan Mohan, Giriraj Sahu, Parshuram J Sonawane, Binu K Sasi, Pradeep K Singh, Samir K Maji, Amal K Bera, Sanjib Senapati, Nitish R. Mahapatra. 2.Oral presentation at the 4th World Congress of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences held on Feb. 1-3, M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, India. Title of the talk - Identification and functional characterization of genetic polymorphisms in the physiological anti-hypertensive peptide catestatin in an Indian population. Proceedings of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences 3.Poster presentation at the International Symposium on Genomics, Model organisms and disease held on Oct. 1-2, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India. Title: Identification and molecular characterization of polymorphisms in the HMG-CoA reductase gene in mouse Authors: Sahu BS, Geedi P, Lenka G, Sonawane PJ, Mahapatra NR. Workshops attended: 1. One day technical symposium on ion torrents sequencing organized by life science technologies in 2011. 2. One of the selected member for the two week scientific symposium on evolution and compartmentalization of cells organized by National center for Biological sciences (February, 2012) with financial assistance. Awards and Accomplishments: 1. N. K. Ganguly Young Investigator Award in Clinical Cardiology for research excellence by International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences in 2011. 2. Young scientist Travel Award by the Department of Science and Technology ,Government of India to attend the 10th World Congress of Human Proteomics Organization . 3. Qualified Graduate Aptitude Test Exam (GATE 2007). 4. Awarded the Best Student for academic excellence during Bachelor of Science degree by the Vice Chancellor of Andhra University in the year 2005. 5. Awarded merit scholarship from the police academy of Andhra Pradesh from year 2000 – 2005. About me : Honest, Sincere and Hardworking Education : Degree Major Duration University Percentage / Grade Point Average Doctor of Philosophy Junior Research fellow Biotechnology Cardiovascular genetics Pursuing (18th Dec 2008-2012) (4thAug 2007– 18th Dec 2008) Indian Institute of Technology - Madras 8.0 Master of Science Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2005 August -2007 May ) Pondicherry University 7.7 Bachelor of Science Botany, Biotechnology and Chemistry 3 years (2002June-2005 June ) Andhra University 8.0 E-mail id : [email protected] Dillip Kumar Bishi Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Biotechnology Guide : Prof. Rama Shanker Verma Title of thesis : Hepatic tissue engineering using human mesenchymal stem cells and nanoscaffold Thesis abstract : Human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), due to its unique property of plasticity, can be differentiated and trans-differentiated into cell types of all three germinal layers. Hepatic transdifferentiation of human MSCs has been achieved successfully with various cytokines and chemicals and also by using serum components (platelet lysate, cholestatic serum and serum from liver injury patients). In this study, we have evaluated the hepatogenic potential of human MSCs using a novel inducer (i.e. sera obtained cardiac failure patients, who has developed secondary jaundice). Due to high level of hepatocyte growth factor and allied hepatogenic factors present in such sera, the process of hepatic trans-differentiation of MSCs can be more effective. The usage of a three dimensional scaffold enhances the process of cellular proliferation and differentiation for functional tissue regeneration strategy. Therefore, in this study, we have evaluated the hepatic differentiation of MSCs on a PLACL-collagen nanofibrous scaffold, as a supportive hepatomimetic scaffold for liver tissue engineering. Skills : adult and embryonic stem cells-isolation, maintenance, differentiation in vitro tissue regeneration in vitro drug toxicity testing generation of human and mouse cell lines proteomics analysis of tissue and sera samples by 1D and 2D proteomics RNA, DNA, Protein isolation, real time PCR assay microscopy-bright field, immunofluorescence, confocal imaging basic handling of muman, mouse and chicken cells fabrication of nanofibers, design of scaffolds for tissue engineering basic molecular biology tools Research interests : Stem cell Biology Tissue engineering Biomaterials Bionanotechnology Proteomics Molecular Biology Areas of interest : Stem cell biology, Tissue engineering, Biomaterials, Proteomics, Molecular Biology, bionanotechnology Publications/Conferences : Publications 1. D. K. Bishi, S. Verghese, R.S.Verma, Molecular typing of colonizing Streptococcus agalactiae strains by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR) in a Chennai based hospital , Indian Journal of Microbiology (2008) 48; 291-296. 2. M. Himabindu, D. Sugapriya Muthamilselvan, Dillip Kumar Bishi and Rama S. Verma , Molecular Analysis of Coagulase Gene Polymorphism in Clinical Isolates of Methicilin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Based Genotyping , American Journal of Infectious Diseases (2009), 5 (2): 170-176. 3. Suneel R,* Dillip Kumar Bishi*, Rama S. Verma, K.M.Cherian, Soma Guhahakurtha, “A Multiplex PCR Technique for Characterization of human mesenchymal stem cells”, Biotechnology Letters (2009) 31:1843–1850. (* Both as First Coauthor) 4. Ramesh B, Bishi DK, Rallapalli S, Arumugam S, Cherian KM, Guhathakurta S. Ischemic cardiac tissue conditioned media induced differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells into early stage cardiomyocytes. Cytotechnology. (2012) Mar 7 (In Press). 5. Sreejit P, Dillip K.Bishi, Rama S. Verma, Generation of mesenchymal stem cell line from mouse bone marrow, cell and tissue research (2012) (In Press) 6. Dillip Kumar Bishi, Santosh Mathapati, Jayarama Reddy Venugopal, Soma Guhathakurta, Kotturathu Mammen Cherian, Seeram Ramakrishna, Rama Shankar Verma. Trans-differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells towards functional hepatospheres with poly (L-lactic acid)-co-poly (?-caprolactone)/collagen nanofibres. Biomaterials, (Under peer review). 7. Dillip Kumar Bishi, S. Guhathakurta, K.M. Cherian, Rama S. Verma. Hepatic transdifferentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by induction with sera from cardiac failure associated liver failure patients. (Manuscript under preparation). Conference Proceedings: 1. Dillip Kumar Bishi, S. Guhathakurta, R. S. Verma, K.M.Cherian, “ A novel electrospun nanoscaffold with biomagnetic property augments hepatic differentiation of human MSCs”, 6th annual congress of German Society for Stem cells Research, Dusseldorf, Germany, November 2011. (Oral Presentation) 2. Dillip Kumar Bishi, “Spontaneous differentiation of chicken embryonic stem cells towards beating cardiomyocytes”, 20th World congress of the world society of cardiothoracic surgeons”, Chennai, October 2010. (Oral Presentation) 3. Dillip Kumar Bishi, R. Balasundari, Soma Guhathakurta, K.M.Cherian, “ Comparative 2DE proteomic profiling of ischemic and non-ischemic cardiac tissues”, 5TH AOHUPO, 1st PSI and 17th ADNAT CONFERENCE, Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Feb 2010 4. Dillip Kumar Bishi, Suneel R., Balasundari R., Soma Guhathakurtha, K.M. Cherian, Rama S. Verma,“ Dexamethasone alone can induce adipocytic differentiation of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells” , 77th annual meeting, Society of Biological Chemists, organized at IIT Madras, Dec 18-20, 2008 5. Dillip Kumar Bishi, Naveen Babu, Suneel. R., Soma Guhathakurtha, K.M.Cherian, Rama Shanker Verma, “ Transdifferentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells towards hepatic lineage using cholestatic serum”, 1st International Stem cell Summit, Organized at IIT Madras, Nov 14-17, 2008. (Best poster award) 6. Suneel R., Dillip Kumar Bishi, , K.M.Cherian, Soma Guhathakurtha, “ Stem cells specific marker expression profiling during different lineages by RT-PCR” ADNAT Symposium, Center for Cell and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, February 2008 7. Dillip Kumar Bishi, Suneel R., Sudha warrier, K.M. Cherian, Soma Guhathakurta, “Differential protein and mRNA expression profiling of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell markers during expansion ” FRONTIER CONCLAVE-2007, Chennai 8. Dillip Kumar Bishi, Susan Verghese, Rama Shanker Verma, “Molecular typing of Group B Streptococcus using ERIC-PCR based method” presented at national conference organized by Hospital Infection Society of India (IX HISICON 2007) at Chandigarh, Feb 2007 Patents 1. Suneel R., Dillip Kumar Bishi, Soma Guhathakurtha, K.M. Cherian, Patent application for “A MULTIPLEX PCR TECHNIQUE FOR DETECTING human Mesenchymal Stem Cells” under application no.2642/CHE/2008 in the name of International Centre For Cardio Thoracic And Vascular Diseases, Chennai, India SYMPOSIUMS/WORKSHOPS ATTENDED 1. National Workshop on Industrial biotechnology from laboratory to market place held at IIT Madras in 24th -27th Dec 2006-6th Jan 2007 2. ICMR’s 4th Medical Development Congress on Stem cell Research and Therapy, “Advances in Clinical Research and Therapy”, 13-14 April, 2009 3. DBT sponsored workshop on “ Human Embryonic Stem cell- differentiation and Genetic Manipulation” held at NIRRH, ICMR, Mumbai in 18th -23rd Jan, 2010 4. Training on “Fabrication of electrospun nanofibers, in vitro cell culture and hepatic differentiation” at Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiatives, National University of Singapore, Feb-Apr 2011 About me : self motivated, ready to work in a group, well trained in standard cell biological assays for characterization, stemness, pluripotency, differentiation and proof of regeneration.A committed person with good interpersonal skills, work ethics, record keeping and flexibility. self starter and willing to learn new things. Education : Sl. no. Examination Institution Year of completion Major Subjects % of marks/div/Rank 1 B.Sc. Sambalpur University, Orissa 2001 Zoology (Honours), Chemistry, Botany 75%/First/1st Rank in University 2 M.Sc. Sambalpur University, Orissa 2003 Life Sciences (Biochemistry Specialization) 70%/First/3rd Rank in university 3 M.Tech (Medical Biotechnology) IIT Madras, Chennai 2007 Regenerative medicine, biomaterials clinical physiology and biochemistry, etc. CGPA 8.65 out of 10 4 Ph.D IIT Madras, Chennai 2012 (Thesis submitted) Stem cell and Nanotech based tissue engineering Topic: Hepatic transdifferentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells: role of liver failure sera and impact of nanoscaffold E-mail id : [email protected] Kalaiyezhini D Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Biotechnology Guide : Ramachandran K B Title of thesis : Optimization of production of Poly (3 - hydroxybutyrate) from glycerol by Paracoccus denitrificans Thesis abstract : Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) are polyester that is synthesized by microorganism intracellularly as carbon and as energy reservoir. They are biodegradable. They find applications in medical, agricultural and packaging industries. Currently, the cost of production of this polymer is high and it could be reduced by using a cheap carbon source. Glycerol is being let out as waste in biodiesel industry. Using this glycerol as a cost effective substrate our work aims to optimize the medium components and the process parameters for increased productivity and reduced cost of the polymer. Several mathematical and statistical techniques are available for Medium design and optimization. In our study Plackett Burman Design (PBD) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were adopted. Using the optimized medium the effect of the process variables (pH, agitation, substrate concentration..,) for the production of PHB are studied in the 2l batch bioreactor. Using these data a structured kinetic model is developed. This kinetic model will be used to achieve high yield and productivity through fed batch fermentation. Maximum polymer concentration of 13.5 g/l with 73 % PHB accumulation was obtained in batch fermentation. Maximum yield and productivity were found to be 0.546 g/g and 0.3 g/l.h respectively. This study would pave way for advanced studies like fed batch fermentation in near future. Skills : Bioreactor operation Microbiology work Matlab Media formulation Bioassays HPLC Thin Layer Chromatography Column chromatography RT - PCR Western blot Research interests : Media formulation Bioprocess optimization Modeling and simulation Areas of interest : Bioprocess optimization, Process development, Modeling and Simulation Publications/Conferences : Kalaiyezhini D, Ramachandran K B, " Optimization of production of polyhydroxybutyrate from glycerol by Paracoccus denitrificans ". Oral presentation at third international congress on Green Process Engg, Dec 6 - 8, 2011, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. About me : I am Kalaiyezhini D from Puducherry, doing my Ph.D at IIT Madras. I did my schooling at Immaculate Girls Hr. Sec.Sc, Puducherry. I secured 100 % in science in class 10 th Std and came school fourth in Std 12 th with 99.5 % in chemistry. I pursued my Engg Course at prestigious institute at Puducherry. I am a Chemical Engg Gold medalist. Then I took my Master in Biotechnology sponsored by Department of Biotechnology. Currently doing my Ph.D in the area of Bioprocess engineering. I engaged in Co and Extra curricular activities right from schooling. I have won prizes in handwriting, Quiz, music, Elocution, Technical paper presentation competition. I was honoured with Tamil poet certificate and I enjoy listening music. Education : B.Tech Chemical Engineering, 2000 - 2004, IIT Madras M.Tech Biotechnology, 2004 - 2006, A.C.Tech, Anna University, Chennai. Ph.D Bioprocess Engineering, 2007 - till now, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Nidhi Aggarwal Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Biotechnology Guide : Prof. Anju Chadha Title of thesis : Studies on novel alcohol dehydrogenase from Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 Thesis abstract : Isolation of alcohol dehydrogenase (cloning , overexpression and purification) Biochemical characterisation Biophysical characterisation Crystallisation Skills : -protein purification Research interests : enzymology protein engineering biocatalysis crystallisation green chemistry Areas of interest : green chemistry, isolated enzymes, protein engineering Publications/Conferences : a)Nidhi Aggarwal, Anju Chadha. Enzymes in organic synthesis :Partial Purification and Biochemical Characterisation of a Carbonyl Reductase from Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 presented at Society of biological Chemists (India), IIT Madras, Chennai , December 2008. b)Nidhi Aggarwal, Anju Chadha. Cloning, Overexpression, purification and biochemical characterization of novel alcohol dehydrogenase from Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330. Abstract accepted for oral presentation at ICEST 2011, Turkey, October 2011. c)Nidhi Aggarwal, Anju Chadha. Studies on novel alcohol dehydrogenase from Candida parapsilosis ATCC7330. Oral Presentation at in house symposium"Biomers-2012" on 21 st September'2012. d)Nidhi Aggarwal, Anju Chadha. Purification and biochemical characterization of a novel alcohol dehydrogenase from Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330.13th Tetrahedron Symposium---Asia Edition' Nov'2012. e) Nidhi Aggarwal, Anju Chadha. Understanding the substrate specificity and enantioselectivity of carbonyl reductases isolated from Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330. International Conference on Biomolecular Forms and Functions- Jan2013. About me : keen to learn new things Education : PhD – Biotechnology- Department of Biotechnology ,IIT Madras -Jan 2007 – present M Sc - Medical Biotechnology- PGIMER, -2003- 2005 B Sc- Biomedical Sciences- University of Delhi-1999-2002 E-mail id : [email protected] Vincent Gerard Francis Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Biotechnology Guide : Dr. Sathyanarayana N Gummadi Title of thesis : Biochemical and Biophysical Characterization of Human Phospholipid Scramblases Thesis abstract : Currently working towards understanding the mechanism of phospholipid translocation (PL) by ATP independant class of PL transporters called " Scramblase". These class of proteins are known to mediate bidirectional scrambling of PL notably phosphatidylserine (PS) across the lipid bilayer during cellular processes such as blood coagulation, apoptosis and cell activation in reponse to elevated intracellular calcium concentration. Since it is a calcium binding protein, understanding the calcium induced conformation changes will help in understanding the mechanism of PL translocation. However till date there exists no molecular structure and mechanism of PL translocation still remains elusive. Hence using various biophysical, bichemical and moelcular biology strategies we are working towards solving the above mentioned problem. Skills : Protein purification Molecular Cloning Cell culture Biophysical techniques Research interests : Cancer Biology Protein Biochemistry Areas of interest : Molecular Biology, Cancer biology, Protein biochemistry Publications/Conferences : Publications V.G. Francis, A. Majeed, S.N. Gummadi (2012) Recovery of functionally active recombinant human phospholipid scramblase 1 from inclusion bodies using N-Lauroyl Sarcosine, Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, 39: 1041-1048 V. G. Francis, S.N. Gummadi (2012) Biochemical and functional characterization of human phospholipid scramblase 4 (hPLSCR4), Biological Chemistry 393: 1431-6730. Conferences Vincent Gerard Francis, Abdul Majeed, Gopala Krishna Aradhyam and Sathyanarayana N Gummadi, Overexpression, purification and biochemical characterization of Ca2+ binding properties of ?TMhPLSCR1, Asian Biophysics and Indian Biophysical Society (Jan 2011), New Delhi. Biochemical characterization of hPLSCR4 – Indian Biophysical Society (Jan 2012), Chennai. About me : I decided to take up a biotechnology as my career option while pursuing my BSc programme. I qualified the AllIndia entrance examination with 2nd rank conducted by University of Hyderabad for MSc. The course work and research atmosphere there inspired me to pursue research. I have taken up a career in research so as to contribute my part towards the existing scientific knowledge. My ability to design and troubleshoot the projects I am working with have helped immensely to progress in my graduate programme here without any major constraints. I have also guided many other students (MSc and MTech) with their projects, which helped me to become independant and self reliable. Education : B.Sc Biotechnology (2002-2005) at Loyola Academy, Hyderabad M.Sc Animal Bioetchnology (2006-2008) at University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad E-mail id : [email protected] Ryan Thomas Philips Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Biotechnology Guide : V. Srinivas Chakravarthy Title of thesis : To investigate, both experimentally and computationally, the role of phase information in a visiomotor task like copying simple line diagrams. Thesis abstract : The task of copying a line is one in which there is an inherent ambiguity. The possible input orientations can range only from 0 to 180 degrees; whereas the same line can be copied from 0 to 360 degrees. Thus there is a one to many mapping involved, such that each orientation given as the input can be replicated in 2 possible ways which are in opposite directions. The aim of this work is to model human experimental copying data using a dynamic neural network. In this model the phase information from an oscillatory layer is used in order that the network learns to copy the given line. The model can simulate both the flip behavior as well as the error plots similar to those seen in the data from human subjects. This model can be extened to the copying of arcs and ellipses also. To investigate the role of phase information further, a relationship between the phase information of electroencephalograph from human subjects on being shown different orientation gratings is also studied. Skills : Programming Tools: Matlab Programming Languages : C/C++ Design Skills : Working Knowledge of Photoshop, Gimp, CorelDraw Circuit Design Skills : Working Knowledge of Multisim, Eagle Software. Communication Skills : Excellent written & verbal English. Fair typing speed. Research interests : Computational Neuroscience Human Vision Computer Vision Neural Networks Areas of interest : reading fiction, playing the keyboard Publications/Conferences : NA About me : I like to work on challenging problems. If a problem seems interesting I try to pursue it, even if I do not have the necessary skill sets. For example, I worked on a global gesture recognition challenge along with a colleague. During the 2 years of my masters I have learnt to work consistently to fulfil a goal. Education : B.E. Biomedical Engineering, 2006-2010, Vidyalankar Institute of Technology (Mumbai University) E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Chemical Engineering A. Seenivasan Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Pro. T. Panda Title of thesis : Biosynthesis studies on statin by fungi (Tentative) Thesis abstract : I started with quantification techniques for statin and it comprises the investigation on analytical suitability of both HPLC and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The optimum extraction conditions for statin and suggested suitable chromatographic conditions Localization of lovastatin and simvastatin in Monascus purpureus, Monascus ruber, and Pleurotus ostreatus have been summarized. Identification of important metabolites during statin biosynthesis in these organisms and concepts of metabolic footprinting to understant how the cell behaved with respect to culture conditions. Influence of both physico-chemical (pH, temperature, and agitation speed) and medium constituents on statin biosynthesis were studied together using Taguchi’s design of experiment to find out their relative influence on statin biosynthesis. Finally, the stability of lovastatin synthesized in fermentation broth has also been discussed. Skills : Technically: 6 years of research experience in the field of biological reaction engineering, biopharmaceutical technology and metabolic engineering Optimization biological reaction Engineering Statistical optimization of biological parameters, physico-chemical parameters and process parameters using different optimization techniques viz., Taguchi, RSM, CCD, and genetic algorithms. Effective screening experiments like placket-Burman design of experiments, Generalized distance based approach and One parameter at time Design, execution and evaluation of experiments using design of experiments (DOE) Sound knowledge in microbiological techniques: Isolation, preservation and characterization of microbes - bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes Rapid screening of microbes for biomolecules - bioactive compounds, enzymes etc. Applied mycology such as synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites. Characterization of microbial products: purification (gel and ultra filtration, ion exchange chromatography) and characterization (gel electrophoresis, chemical analysis etc) Screening and evaluation of enzymatic reaction and enhancement of enzyme activity using DOE Molecular biological techniques (PCR, Gel electrophoresis, Competent cell preparation and recombination, and Blotting techniques), and Immunological techniques (ELISA, Rocket gel electrophoresis, Antigen-antibody precipitation). Chromatography Techniques (GC, HPLC-PDA/RID, Column chromatography, and Gel filtration) and Spectrophotoscopy. Method development for analysis of biomolecules derived from fermentation such as, drugs, vitamins, sugars (clinically significant), organic acids, and most of primary and secondary metabolites. Functional genomics studies of organisms by studying extracellular metabolites accumulation in broth. Fermentation technology: Shake flask and fermentor production of microbial products - upstream processing: Shake flask (50 – 500mL scale) and fermentor (3L scale). Downstream processing of Biological products using ultrasound techniques and ultrasound assisted enhancement of products from mycelia. Operation of modern laboratory instruments: Fermentor, HPLC-PDA/RID, GC, Spectrophotometer, Electrophoresis units (PAGE and Agarose), and Microscopic instruments (light, phase contrast, and fluorescence). Preparation of Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) for Biochemical lab. Writing scientific manuscripts, project proposals, reports, development of standard protocols and record keeping. Laboratory Team Leader during Ph.D and M. Tech for maintenance of laboratory, planning of projects, preparation of project reports, and guidance of junior students for their B. Tech and M.Tech thesis and training in microbial techniques. Research interests : BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND BIO-PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY Screening, biosynthesis, isolation, extraction and purification of microbial products (Fermentation Technology) Optimization of physico-chemical and biological conditions of biological reactions and process parametersStatistical optimization and Process intensification Method development for biologically derived compounds, like HPLC (Gradient and Isocratic modes), GC, and derivative spectroscopy etc. Novel biopharmaceutical-products from naturally existing compounds to increase the physical properties like dissolution, bio-availability, and transportation characteristics and etc. Microbial bioconversion of agricultural waste/by-products into valuable green chemicals via enzymatic reaction Chemical and enzymatic modification of microbial bioactive compounds to enhance their biological properties Upstream and downstream processing of microbial products and enzymes METABOLIC ENGINEERING Effects of various physico-chemical parameters on metabolic network especially, metabolic pathway shifting and production of desired products Metabolic footprinting of microbial metabolism-an in situ into functional genomics of complex metabolic network Development of the concepts of metabolic engineering to identify metabolic network of microbial reactions NANO BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MINIATURIZATION Design and development of nano-drugs for the enhancement of biological activities and reduce the cytotoxicity Design and development of drug carriers such lipidic materials (SLNs, NLC, and LCs) to enhance the bioavailability of orally administrated drugs Barriers in the drug targeting and development of carriers to overcome the difficulties in drug delivery Miniaturization of biological reactions (immunological reactions) into chips and creating a Physiological environment in Bio-chips Investigation of microbial interaction with plants and animal Areas of interest : Bichemical Engineering, Biopharmaceutcal nanobiotechnology, Soild-state Bioprocessing, Optimization, Enzyme Engineering, and Industrial Safety Engineering Publications/Conferences : Seenivasan A, Panda T, Thomas Théodore, “Lovastatin nanoparticle synthesis and characterization for better drug delivery”, Open Biotechnol. J, 5, 2011, 28-32. Seenivasan A, Panda T, Thomas Théodore, “Characterization, Modes of Synthesis, and Pleiotropic Effects of Hypocholesterolemic Compounds – A Review”, Open Enzym. Inhib. J, 4, 2011, 23-32. Seenivasan A, Subhagar S, Aravindan R, Viruthagiri T. Microbial production and biomedical applications of lovastatin. Indian J Pharm Sci., 70, 2008, 701-9. Ayothiraman, S. Seraman, S. Rajendran, A. Thangavelu, V. Lovastatin - A Potent Hypercholesterol Drug. Chem. Weekly, 53, 2008, 193-6. Seenivasan A, Sathyanarayana N. Gummadi,, Panda T. Quantification of Lovastatin produced by Monascus purpureus by UV-visible spectrophotometry and HPLC. J. Anal. Chem. (Communicated). Seenivasan, A., T. Panda. Biochemical Studies on Lovastatin and Simvastatin: Biosynthesis and Localization. Asian congress on biotechnology Proceedings, Shanghai, China on 11th to 15th May 2011, page no. 138 (Abstract ID. A1274). Seenivasan, A., T. Panda. Nano-Assisted Carriers for Lovastatin Oral Delivery System. 2nd international conference on materials for future (ICMF) Proceedings, 2011, Kerala on 23rd to 25th Feb, 2011, page no 79. S. Seraman, S. Ayothiraman, A. Rajendran, and V. Thangavelu. Optimization of Lovastatin production by Monascus purpureus MTCC 369 Using Plackett-Burman and central composite statistical experimental design, 12th International symposium on preparative and Industrial Chromatography and Allied techniques (SPICA 2008), Switzerland, Page no. 179 (Abstract ID. 2136). Seenivasan, A., T. Panda. Nano-assisted drug delivery system. Recent and Emerging Advances in Chemical Engineering (REACH-2010) Proceedings, International conference held at IIT Madras, Chennai. Seenivasan, A and Selvaraju, N. Biohydrogen: an effective alternate to fossil fuel in national conference on recent trends in alternative energy 2011 at NIT, Calicut, Kerala, page no. 36. About me : Seenivasan:- Typical Research scholar looking for challenging tasks to research and highly motivated personality. Perfect planning and execution is my style. Effective communication and Team work are my strength. Strong knowledge in basics of different areas is my positive. Only negative with me is not getting my best chance to show me who I am. Education : B. Tech Industrial Biotechnology, 2002-2006, Anna University affl. college Diploma Industrial Safety Engineering, 2008, Annamalai University M. Tech Industrial Biotechnology, 2006-2008, Annamalai University Ph.D Chemical Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) E-mail id : [email protected] G.keerthiga Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Dr.Raghuram Chetty Title of thesis : Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon dioxide to Useful Chemicals Thesis abstract : The conversion of carbon dioxide to useful chemicals has been a subject of numerous investigations, as turning CO2 into useful chemical could help reduce the level of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Though a variety of methods exist for carbon dioxide conversion, electro chemical and photoelectrochemical reduction have shown to be promising venture. The product selectivity in these methods for CO2 reduction can be tuned by many variables, such as concentration of the reactants, electrode potential, temperature, electro catalyst, and nature of the electrolyte in which the stable CO2 molecule is activated and reduced. As far as aqueous electrolyte is concerned, KHCO3 and KCl has been preferred for reducing CO2 due its solubility; among which the adsorption of chloride ions on the electrode surface and electron-transfer to CO2 via the Xad ? (Cl)–C bond is facilitated, in the case of KCl solution. Among the metals investigated Cu and Zn with medium hydrogen overvoltage, offer scope for higher hydrocarbon products as it can catalyze the breaking of carbon–oxygen bond in CO2, and also allow CO to desorb. In this work, the Cu and Zn electrodes were investigated for CO2 reduction in two different electrolytes and the effect of electrode potential, electrolyte concentration and selectivity of the products formed are studied. Skills : ASPEN Basics of Mat lab, Ms Office. Research interests : Electrochemical reduction Chemical Reaction Engineering Areas of interest : Chemical Reaction Engineering Publications/Conferences : Keerthiga.G, Viswanathan. B , Alex Pulikottil . C and Raghuram Chetty, "Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide at Surface Oxidized Copper Electrodes ", Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, March 2012. pp. About me : Sincere where i dont want to cut class and labs.Used to enjoy my reserach Hard worker, Pessimist. Enjoys campus Education : SSLC TN, I.H.M Girls High School, Chennai, 94% ,March 2001 Higher secondary, TN (HSLC) I.H.M Girls High School, Chennai, 93% ,March 2003 B.Tech, Chemical Engineering School of Engineering and Technology Trichy, 85.84% ,2003-2007 M.Tech Chemical Engineering A.C.Tech college of technology, Anna University - Chennai, 9.5 (CGPA), 2007-2009 E-mail id : [email protected] M Kranthi Kumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Raghuram Chetty Title of thesis : Development of Palladium Structures for Fuel Cells Thesis abstract : Fuel cells are one of the key enabling technologies for future economy thereby providing power in stationary and portable power applications. Reduction of oxygen (ORR) is a key electrochemical reaction, and an improved understanding of its mechanism and the development of more efficient electro catalysts underlie much of fuel cell research. An ambitious approach towards improving cathode electro catalysts is to completely remove Pt and replace it with less expensive materials while maintaining the catalytic activity. As an alternative to platinum, palladium has been the focus of considerable attention in fuel cell research due to the relatively abundant and less expensive resource. Palladium-based catalysts in nanoparticle form are seen as ideal electro catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction due to their increased activity, surface area and improved methanol tolerance in the case of direct methanol fuel cells. The size and structural morphology of Pd nano particles are known to have significant effect on promoting the ORR and well controlled nano structures are therefore essential for achieving efficient catalysts for fuel cells. Pd catalysts were prepared from chloride precursors in acid solutions by cyclic and constant voltage deposition techniques directly on electrochemically treated carbon-based substrates (like Vulcan XC-72R, Carbon nanotubes, Graphene etc.), which are widely used as support material in fuel cells. The effects of electrochemical treatment and carbon loading were studied in relation to the catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction in an acidic electrolyte. The catalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy to study the morphology and structure of the nanoparticles. Deposition by cyclic voltammetry and constant voltage techniques displayed a dendritic and flower like morphology of Pd. The results indicated that controlled insertion of defects on the carbon during electrochemical treatment favored a good Pd deposition, metal-support interaction and improved the hydrophilicity of the surface with enhanced catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction. Skills : · · · · Expertise in experimental methods relevant to fuel cell technology. Knowledge of mathematical modelling and numerical simulation of physical systems. Expertise in handling analytical instruments like Scanning Electron Microscope. Demonstrated leadership and team playing capabilities. Research interests : · · · · Fuel Cell Technology Electrochemistry for advanced electrodes Modeling and Simulation of Fuel Cells Chemical Reactor Theory Areas of interest : Fuel Cell Technology, Electrochemistry for advanced electrodes, Modeling and Simulation of Fuel Cells, Chemical Reactor Theory, Utilities & Piping Publications/Conferences : 1. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty “Development of Pd nanostructures as Cathode Catalysts for Fuel Cells”, National Seminar on Advanced Processing and Applications “ NSAMPA-2012” Coimbatore, Mar 29-30, 2012. 2. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty “Electrochemical Deposition of Palladium Nanostructures on Carbon Coated Substrates for Oxygen Reduction Reaction ”, Sixth Asian conference on Electrochemical Power Sources “ ACEPS-6” Chennai, Jan 6-8, 2012. 3. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty “ Palladium Nanostructures with Dendritic Morphology for OxygenReduction Reaction ”, an international conference on Fuel Cell Technology & Applications- “ Piero Lunghi Conference & Exhibition” Rome, ITALY, Dec14-16, 2011. 4. Raghuram Chetty and Kranthi Kumar Maniam “ Electrodeposited Palladium Nanoflowers for Oxygen Reduction Reaction ”, accepted for presentation at the 220th ECS Meeting & Electrochemical Energy Summit in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Oct 9-14, 2011. 5. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty “Synthesis of Pd Nanostructures by Potentiostatic Deposition for Oxygen Reduction Reaction” in‘ChEmference’11- Annual Research Symposium’ organized by Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IISc Bangalore, India, Sep 22-23, 2011. 6. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty “Electrodeposition of Palladium on an Electrochemically Activated carbon Support For Oxygen Reduction Reaction ” delivered an oral presentation in ‘NSEST’11Annual Research Symposium’ organized by the Electrochemical Society of India (ECSI), IISc Bangalore, Aug 19-20, 2011 7. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty “Electrodeposited Palladium Nanoparticles on Modified Graphite Electrodes for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells”, an international symposium on Recent and Emerging Advances in Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. Dec 2-4, 2010. 8. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty ,“Electrodeposited Palladium For Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells” in‘ChEmference’10- Annual Research Symposium’ organized by Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, India, Jul 12-13, 2010. 9. Kranthi Kumar Maniam and Raghuram Chetty “Electrodeposition of Palladium on an Electrochemically Activated carbon Support For Oxygen Reduction Reaction ” delivered an oral presentation in ‘NSEST’11Annual Research Symposium’ organized by the Electrochemical Society of India (ECSI), IISc Bangalore.(Second best paper presentation award). Patents filed A Patent on “A METHOD OF PREPARING PALLADIUM DENDRITES” has been filed (Ref No.: 3632/CHE/2012). About me : Hi... i am Kranthi Kumar basically from Andhra Pradesh now settled in Tamil Nadu,obtained Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from Satyabama University. I finished my masters in chemical engineering from AC College of Technolgy ,Anna university(University which has a great history).Later i joined a Asst. Engineer in M.N.Dastur and co, Chennai under utilities and piping division for 1 and 1/4 years. I was the dealing Piping engineer for power projects such as Vizag steel plant (VSP), Sambhav Energy Ltd (SEL),Sutlej Textiles,Astro Bio Energy. Later, i joined P.hd in the department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras under the guidance of Dr.Raghuram Chetty in early 2009. In fact, i am his first Ph.D student. So, I had to set up the lab before i started my research.My research is in the area of Fuel cell catalysis . The main objective of my Ph.D is to develop nonplatinum based catalysts for fuel cell applications. We have successfully filed three patents.In addition, I have experience in handling analytical instruments like Scanning Electron Microscope adn other electrochemical instruments such as rotating disc electrode (RDE),potentiostats. Besides academics, I also served as the general secretary. Krishna Hostel, IIT Madras for the year 2010-2011, was responsible for successful planning and implementation of the hostel budget of Rs 5 lakhs, organizing `Krishna Hostel Day '11' (hostel day festival). I also served as Research Scholars’ Association coordinator, Chemical Engineering Department, organized TALENT MEET (A technical getogether). The joy of learning and the passion towards my mother country has motivated me to do Ph.Din INDIA Education : B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) in Chemical Engineering 2001-05 Sathyabama Institute of Science & Technology(Deemed University),Chennai, India with 82.2% M.Tech (Master of Technology) in Chemical Engineering 2005 – 07 A.C. College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai, India with 7.80 CGPA on a 10 point scale E-mail id : [email protected] M. Sudhakar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Dr. Sridharakumar Narasimhan Title of thesis : Approximate dynamic programming based control of distributed parameter system involving hyperbolic PDE Thesis abstract : Approximate dynamic programming (ADP) is a model based control technique suitable for nonlinear models. Application of ADP to distributed parameter systems (DPS) which are described by partial differential equations is a computationally intensive task. This problem is addressed in literature by the use of reduced order models which capture the essential dynamics of the system. Order reduction of DPS described by hyperbolic PDEs is a difficult task as such systems exhibit modes of nearly equal energy. In this thesis we propose a methodology to obtain reduced order model for hyperbolic PDEs using Method of characteristics. The focus of thesis is thus ADP based control of systems described by hyperbolic PDEs using reduced order models from Method of characteristics (MOC). Typical examples from chemical engineering systems involving one, two and three characteristics are studied. The proposed method is able to reduce the order of hyperbolic PDE significantly and the use of this reduced order model in ADP based setup shows several advantages in both performance and computational load. Skills : Sufficient knowledge in Advanced process control like Model Predictive Control and currently working in the area of Approximate Dynamic Programming. Have sufficient knowledge in MATLAB for handling independent simulation projects involving coding in MATLAB. Have fair amount of working knowledge in SIMULINK Toolbox and MPC Toolbox. Exposure and working knowledge in Chemical Process simulators like ASPEN PLUS & ASPEN PROPERTIES. Have expereince in working with CFD pacakage like FLUENT and GAMBIT. Research interests : Advanced Process control, Process Modeling and Simulation Areas of interest : Advanced Process control, Process Modeling and Simulation Publications/Conferences : 1. A Paper titled “Application of Approximate dynamic programming based control to hyperbolic PDE systems using reduced order model from Method Of Characteristics" is submitted as invited paper to Computers and Chemical Engineering on 15th Sep, 2012. 2. A Poster titled “ Approximate Dynamic Programming based control for Water Gas Shift reactor” is accepted and presented in 11th International Symposium on Process Systems Engineering (PSE2012) held in Singapore between 15th to 19th July 2012. 3. A Paper titled “Application of Differential Transform to Optimal control problems” is accepted and presented in second international conference on Advances in control and optimization of Dynamical systems (ACODS 2012) held in IISc, Bengaluru between 16th to 18th Feb, 2012. 4. A Poster titled “Model order reduction and design of MPC for Hyperbolic distributed parameter system” is accepted and presented in International symposium ‘Recent and Emerging Advances in Chemical Engineering (REACH 2010) held in IITM, Chennai between 2 - 4th December 2010. About me : Looking for a challenging job, where I can contribute my knowledge and experience in process modeling and simulation and improve my skills in Chemical Engineering. I am interested know the real time application of process modeling and simulation, advanced process control etc. Since my graduation, my projects and courses have been revolving around modeling and simulation. I hope my experience suits the job and i assure that my knowledge and work will benefit to the development of the company. Education : B.Tech Chemical Engineering, 2001-2005 M.Tech Petroleum Regfining and Petrochemical Engineering, 2005 - 2007 E-mail id : [email protected] Nabil M Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Dr. Sridharakumar Narasimhan Title of thesis : Measurement selection for optimal process operation Thesis abstract : Sensor Network Design: The fundamental problem in optimal sensor network design is choosing a set of important or strategic process variables to be measured. An optimization formulation for sensor network design that relates process economics and data reconciliation is proposed. To address this, an economic quantity is defined to quantify the loss of operational profit caused due to measurement uncertainty. The resulting analytical expression that quantifies the loss is shown to be the sum of weighted error variances of the reconciled estimates obtained from reconciliation. The final formulation is a mixed integer cone program that can be solved to obtain a globally optimal sensor network. The effect of the process economics, capital cost, and marginal utility of additional sensors is illustrated using case studies. Economic operating point selection. This paper discusses the minimum backed o operating point selection problem based on process economics. In this work, we consider the case where the nominal operating point is not completely constrained, i.e., there are some unconstrained degrees of freedom or manipulations available. In this regard, we propose a stochastic formulation that ensures feasible dynamic operating region within the prescribed condence limit. Furthermore, the formulation also finds a suitable multivariable controller to achieve economic benets. The problem is nonlinear and non-convex and hence an iterative solution procedure is proposed such that at each step in the iteration, a convex problem is solved. Finally, the approach is illustrated using an evaporation process. Skills : Criticallly analyse the problem and the obtained solution Can work both as a team and independently Can lead a team in research Research interests : Process Modelling and Simulation Process Optimization (in particular, Convex optimization) Process Monitoring and Control Areas of interest : Process modelling, Process Analysis, CFD Simulation, Controller design, Process Optimization, Convex optimization Publications/Conferences : M. Nabil and S. Narasimhan, “Sensor netwrok design for optimal process operation based on data reconciliation ”, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2012, 51 (19), pp 6789–6797 M. Nabil and S. Narasimhan, “Integrated Sensor Network Design”, Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, Volume 31, 2012, Pages 1522-1526. M. Nabil, S. Narasimhan and S. Skogestad, “Economic back-off selection based on optimal multivariable controller”, in 8th IFAC symposium on Advanced Control of Chemical Processes (ADCHEM) , 2012, Volume 1, Pages 661-666. M. Nabil, S. Narasimhan and S. Skogestad, “Minimum Backed-off Operating Point Selection”, in 17th Nordic Process Control Workshop , Jan. 25-27, 2012, Denmark. M. Nabil and S. Narasimhan, “Sensor Network Design”, in Recent and Emerging Advances in Chemical Engineering 2010, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. M. Nabil and S. Narasimhan, “Design of Optimal Sensor Network based on Economic Objectives”, in AIChE Annual Meeting 2010, Salt Lake City, US. M.Nabil and T.Renganathan, “CFD Simulation of Liquid Solid Fluidized Bed”, in CHEMINSIGHT’09, at IIT Kharagpur, India About me : Following are my achievements: Yggdrassil financial grant (29% Acceptance rate) given by the Research Concil of Norway for 10 months of research stay at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway . M.R.Krishnan memorial medal for best academic performance in B.Tech. Certificate of Award for obtaining Second rank in M.Tech. Awarded Half Time Teaching Assistantship (HTTA) during my M.Tech. programme Education : Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, 2009-till now, IIT Madras, Chennai M.Tech Chemical Engineering, 2007-2009, A.C.Tech Campus, Anna University, Chennai B.Tech Petrochemical TEchnology, 2003-2007, School of Engineering and Technology, Bharathidasan University, Trichy. E-mail id : [email protected] Abhinav Garg Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Dr. Arun K. Tangirala Title of thesis : Causality analysis of interactions in control loops Thesis abstract : The main objectives of the project are: to formulate the process connectivity problem and develop a method for interaction assessment of multivariable control systems. Skills : Scientific computation: MATLAB Time-series analysis: R Programming languages: C Others: LaTeX, MS Office Research interests : Time-Series Analysis System Identification Control Systems Signal Processing Process Optimization Areas of interest : control system, System Identification, Time Series Anlysis, Advanced Process control, Process Optimization About me : I am an ambitious and optimistic person with an acute belief in knowledge and learning. I pursue my ambitions to master useful conceptual skills and acquiring vision and leadership to help my organization grow monotonically, amid enjoying a sense of accomplishment in all my professional endeavors. Education : B.Tech in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, 2007-2011, MIET Meerut (U.P). E-mail id : [email protected] B. Hari Krishna Reddy Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Prof.R.Nagarajan Title of thesis : Modeling and CFD Simulation of Enhanced Spray Drying Process Thesis abstract : Spray drying is a widely used unit operation to dry aqueous or organic solutions, emulsions etc., in industrial chemistry and food industry. Dry milk powder, detergents and dyes are few examples of currently available spray dried products. A three dimensional Computational Fluid dynamic model is developed for simulation of the laboratory spray drying process fitted with pressure and ultrasonic nozzle for a relatively heat sensitive product to enhance the drying efficiency and the quality of the product. An Eulerian/Lagrangian approach is considered to investigate the particle drying histories inside the drying chamber Skills : Computational Softwares Scientific Application Programming Languages : ANSYS CFX and FLUENT, ICEM, GAMBIT, Aspen : MATHEMATICA, MATLAB, Minitab : Basics of FORTRAN, C Research interests : Computational Fluid Dynamics Multiphase Flow Process Analysis and Simulation Heat, Mass and Momentum transfer Particle Characterization Areas of interest : CFD and it's application to chemical engineering processes, Modeling and Simulaion, Sprays and atomization, Heat and Mass Transfer, Ultrasonics, spray drying Education : B.Tech Chemical Engineering, 2006-2010, S.V.U.C.E, Tirupati, A.P. E-mail id : [email protected] Dhivakar G Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Dr.R.RaviKrishna Title of thesis : Effect of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs) On The Transport Of Pollutants In Earthen Porous Media Thesis abstract : A large number of contaminated sediment and soil sites contain significant amounts of NAPLs (non aqueous phase liquids). The presence of NAPL can by itself be considered as a pollutant and in addition the NAPL phase can influence the transport of other organic pollutants present in the system. Our study aims at understanding the mechanism of the effect of NAPL on the pollutant transport in the porous media (Soil and Sediment). Skills : Microsoft Office Aspen Matlab Research interests : Pollutant Transport in Environnment Environment Monitoring and Analysis Mass Transfer Heat Transfer Areas of interest : Heat and Mass Transfer, Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, Waste Management. About me : Energitic person looking forward to learn more and utilize the obtained skills in a creative and productive way. Education : B.Tech Chemical Engineering, 2005 - 2009, A C Tech, Anna University, Guindy Campus. E-mail id : [email protected] Gokul Siva Sankar G Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Dr. Sridharakumar Narasimhan & Dr. Shankar Narasimhan Title of thesis : Distributed model predictive control of water supply networks Thesis abstract : Optimal operation of urban water supply networks (WSNs) is based on optimizing one or more performance metrics while meeting consumer demands and satisfying supply side and storage constraints. This can be achieved by implementing advanced control schemes such as model predictive control (MPC) that works on the simulation – optimization framework. Given the fact that urban WSNs are very large scale complex systems with high interactions, obtaining an optimal control strategy with a centralized MPC requires tremendous computational effort and is time consuming. In this work, a distributed model predictive control (DMPC) scheme for WSNs is proposed. WSNs are partitioned into sub-networks and a local MPC is deployed to provide control strategies for each sub-network. Local MPCs use serial coordination scheme to cooperate with other agents in the decision making process. With the alarming decrease in fresh water supplies, the primary focus of control strategies should be to conserve water. A novel control strategy that can handle both water sufficient and deficient cases is proposed for WSNs with storage facilities. Skills : Sound technical knowledge in Model Predicitve Control and Process Optimization Expertise in technical computing softwares like Matlab and Mathematica Experience in using other technical software packages like Labview and R Good programming skills in C & C++ Research interests : Advanced Process Control Process Modelling & Simulation Process Optimization Robotics and control Areas of interest : Advanced Process control, Process Modelling & Simulation, Process Optimization, Time Series Analysis, Robotics and Control Publications/Conferences : G S Sankar, S Narasimhan and S Narasimhan, Online Model Predictive Control of Municipal Water Distribution Networks, 11th International Symposium on Process Systems Engineering , volume 31 of Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, pages 1622-1626, Elsevier, 2012. About me : I'm a flexible person and regular at work. With the experience I have gained during my Master's degree, I have grown myself into a more dependable problem solver. Education : B.E Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering, 2006-2010, Velammal Engineering College, Chennai. E-mail id : [email protected] Hemalatha Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : DR.A.KANNAN & DR.SEHSA TALPA SAI Title of thesis : Enhancement of Extraction of Black Tea Constituents using Ultrasound. Thesis abstract : Quantify the effects of ultrasonic frequency and power levels on the extraction of key tea quality marker compounds. Investigate the magnitude and relative importance of the operational variables such as ultrasonic power, frequency, temperature and tea particle size. Perform repeats of experiments in order to statistically confirm the absence or presence of the effect of the variables studied (listed in part b.) Develop correlations and ANOVA tables based on the statistical analysis carried out. Compare the effects of ultrasound extraction with a conventional tea extraction protocol to quantify the extent of enhancement by using ultrasonic energy. Develop a mathematical model to account for both internal and external mass transfer resistances in tea extraction. Skills : Know Design Software-Minitab Know to handle HPLCl, UV-VIS Spectrophotometry, Refractive index, Densitometer Research interests : Computational fluid dynamics modelling Areas of interest : Fluid Mechanics, Heat transfer About me : Hemalatha CH10S002 Master of Science by research (MS) Chemical Engineering Department IITM Education : MS (by Research) Chemical Engineering, Jan 2010-Dec 2012, IITM B.Tech Chemical Engineering, 2002-2006, Pallavan College of engg. E-mail id : [email protected] Sreenita Bhattacharya Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Prof. R. Nagarajan Title of thesis : "Optimization of acoustic fields for nanoemulsion formulation by quantitative and qualitative characterization techniques" Thesis abstract : Nano-emulsions form attractive systems in products such as polymerization reaction media to obtain nano-particles in chemical industries, as nano-encapsulators to harness controlled delivery of additives in processed food in food industries, as potent nano-colloidal drug carriers and coating material for tablets in pharmaceutical industries, in cosmetics as personal care formulations, as eco-friendly pesticide delivery systems in agro industries, as larvicidal and anti microbial agents, as disinfectants, in adjuvant vaccine development, etc. My preliminary work included producing an Oil-in-Water emulsion with droplet size range of 10 nm - 500 nm using tank-type ultrasonicators, which enable scale-up at an industrial level while consuming less time. My next focus was to prepare nanoemulsions using minimum amount of surfactant via surface tension analysis, thus making the process more cost-effective. The final part of my work includes optimization of various acoustic field parameters such as frequency, power, time & temperature by analysis of quantitative characteristics (size, stability, pH, microscopic studies, surface tension, viscosity, zeta potential, conductivity and refractive index) as well as qualitative analysis (anti-microbial property) of nanoemulsion samples, thus validating the entire process. Skills : Computer Profieciency: Programming Language: Basics of C, C++ Operating Systems: Windows 95/98/Me, Windows NT/2000/2003/2008, Windows XP/Vista. Instrumentation: Skilled in instrumentation of Dynamic Light Scattering instrument (DLS), Acoustic Particle Sizer (APS), AAS, GC-MS, HPLC, Viscometer, Tensiometer, Refractometer, Densitometer, Optical microscope, AFM and TEM. Research interests : Energy and Environmental Sustainability (alternative fuels, bio-fuels, etc.). Nanotechnology and Nano-biotechnology. Ultrasonics. Pharmaceutical science (drug delivery, formulation, etc.). Areas of interest : Energy and Environmental Sustainability (alternative fuels, bio-fuels, etc.), Nanotechnology and Nano-biotechnology, Ultrasonics, Pharmaceutical science (drug delivery, formulation, etc.). About me : Sound education background. Significant practical experience. Strong problem-solving skills. Enthusiastic, self-motivated, hands-on results driven researcher. High level of commitment and business acumen. Strong team-worker. Quick to adapt to new environments and research technologies. Effectively prototype my ideas. Education : B. Tech Biotechnology, 2006-2010, Vellore Institute of Technology University. MS Chemical Engineering, 2011-2013, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Vikas Jaggi Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Chemical Engineering Guide : Dr. Sreenivas jayanti Title of thesis : High Efficiency , High Temperature PEM fuel cell power unit, auto-thermally integrated with an ethanol reformer. Thesis abstract : The Fuel Cells are the energy devices for the future. There most widely used fuel cells are PEM (protone exchange membrane) fuel cells due to their various advantages in operatability and high energy density. They are mainly of two types high temperature(HT) and low temperature(LT) PEM fuel cells. The main fuel for the fuel cells is hydrogen gas. But due to almost nil hydrogen in our atmosphere and no present distribution and large scale production system, hydrocarbons are mainly looked into for producing hydrogen for fuel cells. Out of all hydrocarbons, ethanol is best suited for the job, and is highly researched for hydrogen production for fuel cells. My project is developing an ethanol based integrated, auto-thermal reformer system for HT-PEMFC, which has certain advantages over LT-PEMFC. This high efficiency system along with electric output produces high temperature flue gases as well. These flue gases have been used to produce further electric energy by integrating this system to secondary systems of LT-PEMFC ethanol reformer system and also with Combined Cycle Gas Turbine(CCGT System) and Steam Power Cycle for high overall efficiency. Optimization studies have been carried out for all the integrated systems to find out the best operating conditions for the system. Skills : Proficient in: ASPEN Plus, Matlab Working knowledge of : ASPEN Dynamics, Fluent Operating Systems: Windows, Linux Research interests : Fuel Cells Clean Energy Ethanol reforming for hydrogen production integrated reformer for fuel cells High-Temperature Pem fuel cells Areas of interest : Fuel Cell Technology, Energy and Environmental Sustainability (alternative fuels, energy conversion technologies, Renewable Energy Publications/Conferences : None About me : Objective : To use my skills gained over the graduate and post-graduate level to full potential and hone my skills in a technically challenging environment. Recognitions: Member ofACID (Association for Chemical Intellect and Developer) Society ,chemical engineering technical society at Thapar University(Btech). Organizing member for National level Symposium for Chemical Engineers , Thapar University, 2008 Winner of first prize in inter school painting competition in Shimla city at school level. Represented hostel and branch in intra-campus cricket, badminton and tennis matches.(MS) Education : BE in Chemical Engineering Thapar University, Patiala 2005-2009 E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Chemistry Amrita Srivastava Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Prof. D. Loganathan Title of thesis : Synthesis and Biophysical Study of 1-N-Alkanamido-, Sulfonamido- & Guanidinoacetamido Sugars as N-Glycoprotein Linkage Region Analogs Thesis abstract : abstract Glycan chains of glycoproteins serve not only as recognition determinants but also influence protein folding. Elucidation of the molecular basis of their biological roles is a challenging problem in structural glycobiology. The linkage region constituents, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-?-D-glucopyranose (GlcNAc) and L-asparagine (Asn), are conserved in all eukaryotic N-glycoproteins. Elucidation of the conformation of the Nglycoprotein linkage region and the molecular basis of intramolecular glycan-protein interactions is of fundamental importance considering that motion of the GlcNAc-Asn linkage can profoundly influence the presentation of the glycan chains on the cell/protein surface. As part of a major program aimed at understanding the structural significance of the constituents of the conserved N-glycoprotein linkage region, our laboratory demonstrated for the first time the effect of structural variation in the linkage region sugar and its aglycon moiety, among several N-(?-D-glycopyranosyl)alkanamides, on the N-glycosidic torsion, fN (O5–C1–N1–C1’). This study showed that fN is influenced to a larger extent by the structural variation in sugar part than that of the aglycon moiety. As part of above mentioned program, several novel mono- as well as disaccharide alkanamides have been designed as models and analogs of the linkage region of N-glycoproteins, by varying the sugar as well as the aglycon group, and synthesized, during the present study, successfully in reasonable yields. Neutron diffraction analysis of N-(?-D-glycopyranosyl)alkanamides has enabled the accurate determination of hydrogen atom positions. This study has unequivocally confirmed our earlier finding on the occurrence of antiparallel double pillared bifurcated hydrogen bond in the case of model compound GlcNAc?NHAc and its absence in GlcNAc?NHPr. The correct localization of hydrogen atoms in neutron crystal structures has unraveled the occurrence of hydrophobic H???H contacts. These structures will be of interest for testing and improving force fields in order to develop better tools for the modeling of N-glycoproteins. In order to understand the influence of protection on molecular conformation and packing, three fully acteylated GlcNAc alkanamides have been synthesized starting from the per-O-acetylated GlcNAc azide and their crystal structures have been solved. Comparative analysis of these structures with those of free sugar amides reported earlier showed that conformation of the amido aglycon moiety is not altered significantly by the masking of hydroxyl groups in the form of acetates. The bifurcated antiparallel pattern involving N–H???O and C–H???O hydrogen bonds, a hallmark of the N-glycoprotein models GlcNAc?NHAc and GlcNAc?Asn, is absent in all of the fully protected title alkanamides. X-ray crystallographic analysis of alkanamides of pentopyranoses derived from ribose and arabinose revealed that of fN (O5–C1–N1–C1’) value for Rib?NHAc varies upto ~16° as compared to Xyl?NHAc. Replacement of carboxamide with the much more stable sulfonamide group is a well-known concept in medicinal chemistry. Several sugar sulfonamides, which are very interesting glycosylasparagine mimetics, have been synthesized in good yields to explore the effect of bio-isosteric replacement of carboxamide group by sulfonamide on the Nglycosidic torsion fN as well as molecular assembly. Among all the compounds synthesized, crystal structures of eight sulfonamido derivatives have been solved. X-ray crystallographic investigations of synthesized sulfonamides revealed several interesting features. The N-glycosidic torsion angle fN varies from a value of -73.5° for molecule A of Man?NHSO2CH3 to a value of -97.0° for GlcNAc?NHSO2CH3. Comparison of these values with the fN value of GlcNAc?NHAc showed that torsion angle fN (O5-C1-N1-S1) does not vary significantly by changing the carboxamido group to sulfonamido moiety. The b-glucosyl linkage to the guanidine group of arginine (Arg) is found in amylogenin, a glycoprotein from sweet corn. Such linkage is a rare example of N-glycosyl bond. Design and synthesis of mimetics of the unusual N-glycosidic linkage (Glc?Arg) with a spacer between the glycosyl residue and the guanidine moiety was done by the reaction of appropriately protected sugar unit containing a free amino group with suitably functionalized bis-Boc-thiourea. Two types of spacers, acetamido and triazole moieties were chosen. Synthesis of N-glycosylarginine with an amido linker was also achieved during the present study. SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Five years of experience in multi-step organic synthesis and analysis including structure based synthesis of glycoproteins models and analogs using chemical methods. Trained in a variety of synthetic techniques including: substrate- and reagent-directed stereoselective methodology and solution-phase synthesis. Extensive knowledge and experience in structural studies of organic molecules by NMR (1H, 13C, 2DNMR {COSY, HSQC and HMBC), FT-IR, UV-VIS, ESI-MS, MALDI-TOF MS and X-ray crystallography. Technical experience in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry and analytical chemistry. COMPUTER SKILLS Experienced with computer software including, ORIGIN 8.0, CS ChemDraw 11.0, Endnote, X-ray programs (SHELX-97, Wingx and Mercury 2.3 programs obtained from CCDC). SELECTED RESEARCH SKILLS Synthesis of N-glycoprotein linkage region model & analogs designed to be anti-diabetic agents. X-ray crystallographic investigation and Neutron diffraction analysis of the models and analogs. TEACHING EXPERIENCE Proven ability as supervisor for one master research projects for M. Sc. thesis. As teaching assistant to teach and help in experiments during practical classes in organic chemistry for M. Sc. and B. Tech. students. As teaching assistant to assist B. Tech students in organic chemistry course. Completed Bachelor of education teacher’s training programme (B. Ed). Research interests : Synthetic organic chemistry Conformational analysis by NMR, X-ray crystallography. Areas of interest : Synthetic organic chemistry, Carbohydrate chemistry Publications/Conferences : PUBLICATIONS Cioci, G.; Srivastava, A.; Loganathan, D.; Mason, S. A.; Pérez, S.; Imberty, A. Low Temperature Neutron Diffraction Structures of N-Glycoprotein Linkage Models and Analogs: Structure Refinement and Trifurcated Hydrogen Bonds, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 10042-10045. Srivastava, A.; Varghese, B.; Loganathan, D. X-Ray Crystallographic Investigation of Fully Acetylated N -(2-Deoxy-2-acetamido-b-D-glucopyranosyl)alkanamides as N-Glycoprotein Linkage Region Analogs. J. Carbohydr. Chem., 2012, 31 (1), 31-47. Srivastava, A.; Varghese, B.; Loganathan, D. Synthesis and X-ray Crystallographic Investigation of N-(Dpentopyranosyl)alkanamides as N-Glycoprotein Linkage Region Analogs. Manuscript under preparation. Srivastava, A.; Loganathan, D. Synthesis of N-(b-D-Glycosyl)guanidinoacetamides and Guanidine Linked N-Glycosyl Amino Acids. Manuscript under preparation. Srivastava, A.; Loganathan, D. Synthesis and X-Ray Crystallographic Investigation of N-(?-DGlycopyranosyl)sulfonamides. Manuscript under preparation. About me : Myself, Amrita Srivastava from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. I have done my schooling in 1999 and subsequently joined Bachelors of Science. The years invested in pursuing my undergraduate studies were the most pivotal period of my life and significantly shaped my career path. I have joined Masters of Science (M.Sc.) in chemistry where I learned how to apply theoretical concepts to practical problems and develop concrete solutions. I am a bright student who was always among the top 1 % students of class. I am also holder of the state scholarship due to excellent academic record. I was awarded gold medal during my M.Sc. To further pursue my career in science, I cleared national level fellowship exam (CSIR-JRF) for research in science Since 2006, I have been doing research work under the guidance of Prof. D. Loganathan at the Department of Chemistry. My strength is I have positive attitude, quick learner and ability to work with the same amount of zeal at any time of the day. That's all about me. Education : EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Doctoral Studies (July 2006-Present): Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India. Principal Investigator: Prof. D. Loganathan. Thesis title: “Synthesis and Biophysical study of 1-N-Alkanamido-, Sulfonamido-, and Guanidinoacetamido Sugars as Linkage Region Analogs of N-Glycoproteins.” Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry) IIT Madras, India 2006-Pursuing* 9.0/10 (CGPA) M. Sc. (Chemistry) C.S.J.M. University, Kanpur, India 2005 67.2 % (1st rank in Department) B. Sc.(Chemistry, Biology) C.S.J.M. University, Kanpur, India 2002 77.5% (5th rank out of 306 students) Intermediate (XII) U. P. Board, India 1999 73 % (3rd rank out of 600 students) High School (X) U. P. Board, India 1997 75 % (2nd rank in School) E-mail id : [email protected] B. Kuppan Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Prof. P. Selvam and Prof. B. Viswanathan Title of thesis : “Platinum-supported Mesoporous Carbon as Electrocatalysts for DMFCs”. Thesis abstract : Architectural modulations in solid systems have been a research fantasy in recent years, ever since; the Mobil group came up with mesoporous silicates in the early 90s using micellar templates. Template assisted synthesis of porous materials has seen considerable developments in the last 20 years. In fact, this area has become a continuing endeavor in material science research, that new mesoporous materials are designed and prepared at regular intervals exploiting all kinds of micelles and also other possible synthetic strategies. Among the various possible systems, silicates and carbon materials have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to the possibility of exploiting them for various applications including catalysis. The biggest scientific challenge in the 21th century is to develop a green chemical process and new alternative energy sources that can replace the fossil fuels. In this regard, the ultimate goal of our research is focused to synthesize nanoporous materials such as mesoporous silicas, carbons, and Nitrogen containing carbon materials that can be used for advanced applications in the production of alternative energy sources and in the green chemical processes. This present work therefore attempts to highlight some of the salient aspects on these materials as follows: (i) The possible synthesis strategies for these materials and the logic and science behind the procedures adopted. (ii) The physico-chemical characterization of these materials and the generalities that is possible. (iii) Applications of Pt nanoparticles supported mesoporous carbons in DMFCs. Skills : Excellent knowledge in Material synthesis. Well trained in analytical techniques such as XRD, XPS, TPR/TPD, Pulse Chemisorption, and Cyclic Voltammetry. Good knowledge in chemical data interpreting. Strong technical, analytical skills and good leadership qualities. Research interests : Heterogeneous Catalysis Material Science and Fuel Cells Surfactant Chemistry and Ordered Porous Solids Areas of interest : Material Synthesis, Fuel Cells, Catalysis, and Characterization Techniques. Publications/Conferences : Publications 1. Kuppan, B. and Selvam, P. (2012). Platinum Supported Mesoporous Carbon (Pt/CMK-3) as Anodic Catalyst for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells: Effect of Preparation and Deposition Methods. Prog. Nat.Sci.: Mater. Int. (revised). 2. Selvam, P. and Kuppan, B. (2012). Synthesis, Characterization and Electrocatalytic Properties of NanoPlatinum-supported Mesoporous Carbon Molecular Sieves, Pt/NCCR-41. Catal. Today (in Press: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2012.06.033). 3. Kuppan, B., Viswanathan, B., and Selvam, P. (2012). Platinum-supported nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon (Pt/NCMK-33) as electrocatalyst for direct methanol fuel cell applications. Prepr. Symp. – Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem. 57, 751-752. 4. Beck, A., Magesh, G., Kuppan, B., Schay, Z., Geszti, O., Benko, T., Viswanath, R.P., Selvam, P., Viswanathan, B., and Guczi, L. (2011). Specific role of polymorphs of supporting titania in catalytic CO oxidation on gold. Catal.Today 164, 325-331. Papers Presentation (International) 1. B. Kuppan, B. Viswanathan, and P. Selvam (2008) “Synthesis of Novel Nanoporous Carbon NCCR-41” NANO-2008, June 1-6, 2008, Institute of Technical Sciences, Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil. 2. P. Selvam, B. Viswanathan, and B. Kuppan, (2008) “Nanoporous Carbon Supported Platinum (Pt/NCCR-41) Electrocatalyst for Methanol Oxidation” June 11-13, 2008, XXI National Meeting of the Portuguese Chemical Society, Porto, Portugal. 3. P. Selvam, B. Viswanathan and B. Kuppan (2009) “Platinum supported Nanoporous Carbon / Nitrogen containing Carbon Molecular Sieves: Promising Electrocatalyst for Methanol Fuel Cell Application”, ICMAT-2009, June 28-July 3, 2009, Material Society Research, Singapore. 4. B. Kuppan, B. Viswanathan and P. Selvam (2011) “Platinum Supported Ordered Nanoporous Carbon (NCCR-41) as promising Electrocatalyst for Methanol Fuel Cell Application”, World congress on Engineering and Technology, October, 28-30, Shanghai. About me : My strength are self confidence, I can easily adopt myself to any environment, positive attitude and hard work. My weakness is over enthusiastic. My short term goal is enter into reputed organization. My long term goal is to be a Head/lead in a leading organization. Education : PhD with Prof. P. Selvam and prof. B. Viswanathan - 2006-2012, IIT Madras. MSc. Chemistry 2004-2006, Loyola College, Chennai. BSc. Chemistry 2001-2004, Loyola College, Chennai. E-mail id : [email protected] Manas Ranjan Dash Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Dr. B Rajakumar Title of thesis : Kinetics and spectoscopic investigation of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs) Thesis abstract : Kinetics and spectoscopic investigation of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs) Skills : Gas Chromatography (GC) Nd:YAG pumped dye laser FT-IR Gaussian 09 Polyrate 2008 Igor Origin Chemcraft Research interests : Experimantal Physical Chemistry Gas Phase Kinetics Cavity ring down Spectroscopy Computational Chemistry Areas of interest : Kinetics study using Laser Induced Fluoresence (LIF) Publications/Conferences : Journal Publications: Dash M. R.; Rajakumar, B. “Abstraction Kinetics of H-Atom by OH Radical from Pinonaldehyde (C10H16O2): Ab Initio and Transition-State Theory Calculations.” J. Phys. Chem. A 2012, 116, 5856-5866. Conferences: Dash M. R.; Rajakumar, B. “Rate Coefficients for the Reaction of OH radical with Pinonaldehyde (C10H16O2) between 200 and 400 K: Ab Initio and Transition State Theory Calculations.” Poster presentation at Chennai Chemistry Conferences-2011, February 11-13. 2011. Dash M. R.; Rajakumar, B. “Experimental and theoretical investigations for the gas-phase reactions of OH radical with ?-pinene and ?-pinene.” Poster presentation at 22nd International Symposium on Gas Kinetics at Boulder, Colorado, USA, June 18-22, 2012. Dash M. R.; Rajakumar, B. “Experimental and theoretical rate coefficients for the gas-phase reactions of OH radical with ?-pinene and ?-pinene.” Theme meeting on Recent Trends in Analytical Chemistry (TRAC-2012)" Poster presentation at University of Madras, Chennai, August 30-31, 2012. Education : B.Sc Chemistry, 2003-2006, Sambalpur University M.Sc Chemistry, 2006-2008, Sambalpur University Ph.D Chemistry, 2009 cond. IIT Madras, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] Manohar Puppala Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Prof. S. Baskaran Title of thesis : STEREO- AND ENANTIOSELECTIVE SYNTHESIS OF AZATRICYCLIC RING SYSTEMS VIA DOMINO SEMIPINACOL-SCHMIDT REACTION AND MECHANISTIC INVESTIGATION ON HOOKER OXIDATION Thesis abstract : A TiCl4-promoted domino semipinacol–Schmidt reaction of suitably substituted oxaspiropentane-azide provides an easy access to bridged as well as angularly fused azatricyclic ring systems, which possess the azaquaternary center, present in the natural products such as, immunosupressant FR901483, platelet aggregation inhibitor daphlongeranine B and anti cancer agents 7a-epi-(-)-lepadiformine A and 7a-epi(+)-lepadiformine C. The mechanism involved in the formation of the Hooker intermediate from lapachol via benzilic acid rearrangement as a key step in the Hooker oxidation has been investigated. Skills : Multistep Organic Synthesis, handling and manipulation of moisture, acid and base sensitive compounds. Handling analytical tools such as, HPLC (Perkin Elmer), FT NMR spectrometer (AVANCE 400 BRUKER), UV-VIS spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-240 model), Polarimeter (Rudolph), Infra-Red spectrometer (Shimadzu IR 470 model & THERMO NICOLET 6700 FT-IR spectrometer). Research interests : Development of new synthetic methods and their application in the synthesis of biologically active molecules Areas of interest : Organic synthesis, Organo catalysis Publications/Conferences : 1. Puppala, M., Murali, A., Baskaran, S. (2012): Concise enantioselective construction of bridged azatricyclic framework via domino semipinacol-Schmidt reaction. Chem. Commun., 48, 5778-5780. 2. Murali, A., Puppala, M., Varghese, B., Baskaran, S. (2011): A Lewis acid mediated Schmidt reaction of benzylic azide: synthesis of sterically crowded aromatic tertiary amines. Eur. J. Org. Chem., 5297–5302. 3. Eyong, K. O.; Puppala, M.; Kumar, P. S., Lamshöft, M. and Baskaran, S. A mechanistic study on the Hooker oxidation: Synthesis of novel indane carboxylic acid derivatives from lapachol (Accepted, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry). Conferences / Seminars 1. P. Manohar and Sundarababu Baskaran, (2008) domino semipinacol- Schmidt reaction based strategy for the concise stereoselective construction of bridged azatricyclic ring systems present in biologically active natural products. Indo-German Exchange Programme ILS, Hyderabad, March, 2 -7. 2. P. Manohar and Sundarababu Baskaran, (2009) domino semipinacol- Schmidt reaction based strategy for the stereo- and enatioselective synthesis of biologically active natural products possessing angularly fused azatricyclic ring systems. Fifth Junior National Organic Symposium Trust, IIT, Kanpur, December, 4 -7. PATENTS 1. Senthil Kumar, U. P., Kevat, J. B., Andrew G., Magesh, C. J., Puppala, M., Sivasankaran, V. An improved process for the preparation of monobactam antibiotic. WIPO Patent Application WO/2007/083187, Application Number:IB2006/003783, Filed on Dec 28, 2006, Publication date july 26, 2007. 2. Senthil Kumar, U. P., Kevat, J. B., Andrew G., Magesh, C. J., Puppala, M., Sivasankaran, V. An improved process for the preparation of monobactam antibiotic. Big Patents India 65/CHE/2006 A (65/CHE/2006) Filed on 2006-01-16, Publication date 2007-11-23. About me : Seeking challenging research opportunities in organic synthesis, where, I can apply my knowledge and experience to come up with simpler solutions even for complicated problems. Education : Doctoral Studies (July 2006-2012): Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry, Thesis title: Stereo- and Eantioselective Synthesis of Azatricyclic Ring Systems via Domino Semipinacol-Schmidt Reaction and Mechanistic Investigation oN Hooker Oxidation. Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India. Thesis Superviser: Prof. S. Baskaran. 2002-2004 Master of Science (Organic Chemistry) University 1st rank (Kakathiya University, Gold medalist) 1999-2002 Bachelor of Science (B.Z.C) First Class (66.0%) Lal Bahadur college, Warangal, India. E-mail id : [email protected] Mathiselvam Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Prof. D. Loganathan Title of thesis : MODELS & ANALOGS OF N-GLYCOPROTEIN NEOGLYCOCONJUGATES: SYNTHESIS AND BIOPHYSICAL STUDY LINKAGE REGION AND Thesis abstract : Carbohydrates (glycans) covalently linked to peptide/protein or lipid form glycoconjugates such as glycoproteins and glycolipids, respectively. Understanding the structure-function relationship of carbohydrate mediated interactions with protein/lipid has been a challenging problem in structural glycobiology. The major goals of the present study are synthesis and biophysical study of models and analogs of N-glycoprotein linkage region and neoglycoconjugates. The linkage region constituents of eukaryotic N-glycoproteins consist of 2-deoxy-2-acetamido-?-D-glucopyranose (GlcNAc) as the linkage sugar and L-asparagine (Asn) as the linkage amino acid. Elucidation of the structure and conformation of the linkage region of glycoproteins is of fundamental importance since the dynamics of the GlcNAc-Asn linkage can influence the presentation of the glycan chain on the cell surface. The X-ray crystallographic investigation of glycoproteins is complicated due to the conformational flexibility of glycan portion. Use of model and analog compounds would be a valuable approach to understand the effect of structural variations on the linkage region conformation. To this end, several glycosyl amides have been designed and synthesized as model and analogs of the N-glycoprotein linkage region. To understand the role of C2-acetamide group in controlling the N-glycosidic torsion fN & ?2, newer N-(3-deoxy-3-acetamido-b-D-glycopyranosyl)alkanamides analogs have been synthesized. The crystal structures of newer C3-acetamido analogs Glc3NAc?NHAc and Glc3NAc?NHPr solved during present study were compared with those of C2-acetamido model (GlcNAc?NHAc) and analog (GlcNAc?NHPr) reported earlier. This study showed that absence of the C2-acetamido group increases rotational freedom around C1–N1 and C2’-C3’ bonds which leads to large variation in the N-glycosidic torsion values fN and c2. To understand the effect of carboxylic group on N-glycosidic torsion as well as molecular packing, uronic acid alkanamides and 1-(?-Dglycuronopyranosyl)-4-phenyl-[1,2,3]-triazoles have been synthesized. The crystal structure of the GalUA?NHAc solved during present study was compared with those reported for N-(?-D-galactopyranosyl)alkanamides. It revealed that change of the C6 hydroxylmethyl group to carboxylic acid had limited impact on glycosidic torsion, fN. Disaccharide alkanamide crystal structures solved during present study were compared with the crystal structure of GlcNAc and Glc alkanamides. It showed that N-glycosidic torsions fN and c2 are influenced by the presence/absence of C2-acetamido group as well as molecular packing. In the case of GlcNAc alkanamides, the influence of molecular packing on linkage region conformation is relatively less. Thus the steric effect of C2-acetamido group is controlling the N-glycosidic torsion values leading to negligible variation in N-glycosidic torsion values fN and c2. In the case of disaccharide crystal structures, due to the intensive network of hydrogen bonding, molecular packing becomes a dominant force for controlling conformation which leads to noticeable variation in fN values and large variation in c2. Sugar-based surfactants are (glycolipids) are widely used as detergents, personal care products, food, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and explosives. These are also used as low-molecular-mass gelators which have attracted attention due to their impact in the field of molecular self–assembly, smart materials and controlled chemical release. In the present work, various sugar derived glycolipids with thiourea, urea and amide linkages have been designed and synthesized. Gelation study showed that thiourea- and urea-linked glycolipids have formed hydrogel. Critical gelation concentration (CGC) for these hyrogels is less than 1wt % which makes these compounds classified as ‘‘super-gelators”. Morphological study of the thiourea- and urea-linked glycolipids showed that depending on the sugar head group and alkyl chain length they have self-assembled in water and forming 3D fiber network or ribbons of various sizes (nm). Interaction of carbohydrates with lectins is an important event for wide range of normal biological processes such as immune function and fertilization. Hampering this multivalent interaction is important for blocking or influencing biological processes, such as viral or bacterial infections or even cancer metastasis. In the present work, pentarerythritol-based per-O-acetylated N-glycoconjugates with thiourea linkage have been synthesized. Their deO-acetylated derivatives will be useful for the study of carbohydrate-protein interactions. SKILLS Creative, Self-motivated and independent researcher with good interpersonal and communication skills. Extensive experience in the synthesis of complex glycoconjugates and organic molecules. Proficient with operation and interpretation of UV, IR, 1H & 13C-NMR, 2D-NMR (COSY and HSQC, HMBC). Semi-preparative HPLC & Ion-chromotography (Dionex). COMPUTER SKILLS MS Office, Chem Draw, Origin, SciFinder, Mercury 2.4, Ortep3v2. TEACHING EXPERIENCE Assisted Practical Classes for Bachelor and Master Degree Students as part of Teaching Assistantship in IIT Madras Assisted Practical Classes for Masters Degree Students in University of Madras Done one year teacher training program (B.Ed). Research interests : Synthesis of naturally occurring carbohydrates and its dreivatives (Oligosaccharides, Glycopeptides, glycolipids, Glycoclusters). Total synthesis of heterocyclic and carbocyclic compounds. Structural studies of carbohydrates (X-ray crystallography). Areas of interest : Synthetic organic chemistry Publications/Conferences : 1. Synthesis and X-ray crystallographic investigation of N-(3-deoxy-3-acetamido-?-Dglycopyranosyl)alkanamides as analogs of N-glycoprotein linkage region. M. Mathiselvam, Babu Varghese and Duraikkannu Loganathan. Glycocon. J. DOI 10.1007/s10719-011-9357-y 2. Zeolite catalyzed selective deprotection of di- and tri-O-isopropylidene sugar acetals. P. Muni Bhaskar, M. Mathiselvam and Duraikkannu Loganathan. Carbohyd. Res. 2008, 343, 1801-1807. 3. Synthesis of N-Protected/Free Indole-7-Carboxaldehyde. A. K. Mohanakrishnan, R. Balamurugan, N. Ramesh, M. Mathiselvam and S. Manavalan. Syn. Commun. 2007, 37, 4343-4352. About me : I am hard worker and seeking a position that will enable to conduct research in the frontier areas of synthetic organic chemistry – Carbohydrate based natural products to contribute the knowledge to obtain result in high impact and quality Education : Ph. D. in Bio-Organic Chemistry [August 2005– Till now] Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai- 600 036, India. Title of the Thesis: “Models & Analogs of Glycoprotein Glycans and Neoglycoconjugates: Synthesis and Biophysical Study” M. Phil [September 2003- August 2004], Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Madras, Chennai- 600 025, India. Title of the Thesis: “Synthetic studies on 4 and 7 substituted indoles” M. Sc. in Applied Chemistry [2000-2002], Department of Chemistry, Anna University, Chennai-600 025, India. B. Sc. in Chemistry [1997-2000], Government Arts and Science College, Karur, Bharathidhasan University, Truchirapalli, India. Ancillaries: Physics and Mathematics E-mail id : [email protected] R. Ramya Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Prof. M.V.Sangaranarayanan Title of thesis : Electrochemical Synthesis and Applications of Conducting Polymers Thesis abstract : Polypyrrole spikes, Polypyrrole microfibers, Polyaniline nanofiber dendrites, submicrometer sized polyaniline spheres and Polythiophene were carried out using Stainless steel, Platinum, gold and glassy carbon electrodes for supercapacitor and biosensor applications. The electrode materials were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-vis), Galvanostatic Charge-discharge, Cyclic voltammetry (CV), Amperometry and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). To quantify the amount of the various analytes, the Nyquist plots of the EIS were obtained at various frequencies. The electrochemical conducting polymer sensor exhibited good linear range and low detection limits for various analytes such as catechol, glucose, dopamine and procaine with a signal to noise ratio of 3. Skills : PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Five years of experience in Electrochemical Synthesis and analysis including structure based synthesis of conducting polymers. Trained in a variety of techniques including: Cyclic, differential pulse and sqaure wave voltammetry, Galvanostatic charge-discharge, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Chronoamperometry and Chronopotentiometry. Extensive knowledge and experience in structural studies of polymers by SEM, TEM, FT-IR, UV-VIS, ESIMS, MALDI-TOF MS and Powder X-ray crystallography. Technical experience in chemical and electrochemical synthesis, polymer chemistry and analytical techniques. COMPUTER SKILLS Experienced with computer softwares including, ORIGIN 8.0, CS ChemDraw 11.0, MATLAB. Research interests : Electrochemistry of conducting polymers Applications to supercapacitors, Biosensors, etc Areas of interest : Electrochemistry, Biosensor, Supercapacitor, Nanomaterials synthesis Publications/Conferences : 1. R. Ramya and M. V. Sangaranarayanan, Analysis of polypyrrole-coated stainless steel electrodes – Estimation of specific capacitances and construction of equivalent circuits J. Chem. Sci., 120 (2008) 25-31. 2. R. Ramya and M. V. Sangaranarayanan, Polypyrrole microfibers synthesized with Quillaja Saponin for electrochemical sensing of catechol, Sens. Actuat. B: Chem., 173 (2012) 40-51. 3. R. Ramya, R. Sivasubramanian and M. V. Sangaranarayanan, Conducting polymers-based electrochemical supercapacitors- progress and prospects, Electrochim. Acta. In Press. 4. R. Ramya and M. V. Sangaranarayanan, Electrochemical Sensing of Glucose Using Polyaniline Nanofiber Dendrites-Amperometric and Impedimetric Analysis, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., In Press. About me : Secured All India 177th rank in GATE exam 2005 A carnatic and light music artist also having interest in Hindustani Bhajans A Republic Day Parade Airwing candidate. Attended RDC camp in 2002 and obtained 'B' grade in 'C' certificate Conducted and hosted many events as an Event Manager in and around Coimbatore, Tamilnadu Have a passion for learning languages Education : EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Doctoral Studies (July 2006-Present): Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India. Principal Investigator: Prof. M. V. Sangaranarayanan. Thesis title: “Electrochemical Synthesis and Applications of Conducting Polymers” Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry) IIT Madras, India 2006-Pursuing* 9.0/10 (CGPA) M. Sc. Chemistry Govt. Arts College, Coimbatore, India 2003-2005 86 % (1st rank in Department) B. Sc. Chemistry Nirmala College, Coimbatore, India 2000-2003 86 % (1st rank in Department) Intermediate (XII) Tamilnadu Board, India 2000 E-mail id : [email protected] Sangram Gore Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Prof. S. Baskaran Title of thesis : DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SYNTHETIC METHODS IN LOW MELTING MIXTURE AND ASYMMETRIC ORGANOCATALYTIC ALDOL REACTION Thesis abstract : Low Melting L-(+)-tartaic acid–urea derivative as an efficient and green medium for the synthesis of novel dihydropyrimidines, pyrimidopyrimidinediones, indoles, 5-unsubstituted DHPMs and hydantoin derivatives under mild reaction condition. Development of a D-mannitol based novel C2-Symmetric chiral bisProlinamide catalyst and its application in highly enantio- and diastereoselective organocatalytic aldol reaction. Skills : Multistep Organic Synthesis, handling and manipulation of moisture, acid and base sensitive compounds. Handling analytical tools such as, HPLC (Perkin Elmer), FT NMR spectrometer (AVANCE 500 & 400 BRUKER). UV-VIS spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-240 model), Polarimeter (Rudolph). Infra-Red spectrometer (Shimadzu IR 470 model & THERMO NICOLET 6700 FT-IR spectrometer). Research interests : Development of new synthetic methods and their application in the synthesis of biologically active molecules, Green Chemistry, Organocatalysis. Areas of interest : Synthetic organic chemistry, Organocatalysis, green chemistry Publications/Conferences : Research Articles: in low melting 1. Gore, S. M.; Baskaran, S.; Koenig, B. Efficient synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-ones tartaric acid–urea mixtures. Green Chem. 2011, 13, 1009–1013. 2. Gore, S. M.; Baskaran, S.; Koenig, B. Synthesis of pyrimidopyrimidinediones in a deep eutectic reaction mixture. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2012, 354, 2368–2372. 3. Gore, S. M.; Baskaran, S.; Koenig, B. Fischer indole synthesis in low melting mixtures. Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 4568–4571. Conferences: 1. Gore, S. M.; Baskaran, S.; Koenig, B. Low melting mixtures as alternative green reaction medium, Oral presentation at 3rd INDIGO conference in Chennai, February 12-16th 2012. 2. Gore, S. M.; Baskaran, S.; Koenig, B. Enantioselective aldol reaction: Organocatalysis and chiral melts; Poster presentation at Heidelberg forum of molecular catalysis (HFMC), Heidelberg, November 6, 2009. 3. Gore, S. M.; Baskaran, S.; Koenig, B. Participated in the 2nd German-Indian Symposium on Frontiers of Chemistry, at Institut für Organische Chemie Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, September 16-19, 2009. Education : Doctoral Studies (July 2006-2012): Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry, Thesis title: Development of New Synthetic Methods in Low Melting Mixtures and Asymmetric Organocatalytic Aldol Reaction. Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India. Principal Investigator: Prof. S. Baskaran. 2002-2004 Master of Science (Organic Chemistry) First Class (67.0%) Supervisor: Dr. B. G. Mahamulkar Fergusson College, Pune, India. 1999-2002 Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) Vidya Pratishthans ASC college, Baramati, India. E-mail id : [email protected] First Class with Distinction (70.25%) Srinivasan A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : PROF.S.SANKARARAMAN Title of thesis : Synthesis of pyrene based polyalkenyl molecules and study their properties(not fixed) Thesis abstract : Planar based fused aromatic compounds and their derivaties are more important in materials science.One such molecule is pyrene, its properties have extensively studied.Attaching the alkenyl esters,amides and dendrons to planar molecule, it can show pi-pi stacking aggregation in solution and solid state. This aggregation properties have been widely studied buy using NMR spectrometry, UV-Visible and Fluorescence spectrometry. Skills : NMR,UV-Visible and Fluoresence spectrometer, HPLC instruments handling good skills in lab reactions such highly inert reaction, air free coupling reactions and separating compounds using column chromatography good knowledge in Origin,Chemdraw,Hg ,windows 7 software skills Good management capacity(orgainised so many confrences and institute programs) Good communication in English Research interests : Synthesis of macromolecules, synthesis of OLED based novel organic molecules, drug synthesis Areas of interest : Synthesis of macromolecules, synthesis of OLED based novel organic molecules, drug synthesis Publications/Conferences : Synthesis of tetraalkenyl pyrene esters and hexaalkenyl triphenylene esters and study their aggregation phenomen by calculating thermodyanmic properties by using NMR spectrometry. (manuscript under preparation) About me : I want to something good to my environment which I learnt from my academic. Having wide range vision on society. Education : BSc Chemistry 80% MSc Chemistry 7.69 E-mail id : [email protected] Ujwal Kumar Sarangi Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Bhyrappa, P. Title of thesis : Beta-Tetra and Octa Substituted porphyrins: Syntheses and their properties. Thesis abstract : Synthesis and characterisition of new porphyrin and metalloporphyrin molecules. Crystal structure determination of porphyrin and metalloporphyrins. Physico-chemical properties i.e. solvent dependant optical absorption spectra, solvent dependant 1H NMR spectra, fluorescence spectra with quantum yield, Nonlinear optics, electrochemistry etc. Cocrystalisation of porphyrins or metalloporphyrins with fullerenes. To study the short contact of fullerenes with porphyrin in this host-guest chemistry. Skills : Professional: Handling of Uv-Visible spectrophotometer. Cyclic voltametery, NMR, Spectrofluorimetry, MALDI. Flash Chromatography instrument. Other: Studied DCA course. Research interests : Porphyrin and metalloporphyrin Chemistry Organometalic Chemistry Application of porphyrins in nano chemistry Areas of interest : Bioinorganic chemistry, Suprramolecular chemistry, Nano chemistry, Organometalic chemistry, SEM, TEM, AFM, Fluorescence etc. Publications/Conferences : conference U. K. Sarangi and P. Bhyrappa*. Synthesis and Properties of Antipodally mixed ?-Octasubstituted Tetraphenylporphyrins. Poster presentation at 13th National Symposium in Chemistry organized by Chemical Research Society of India, CRSI, February 4-6, 2011 at NISER, Bhubaneswar, India. U. K. Sarangi and P. Bhyrappa*. “Symmetrically mixed substituted tetraphenylporphyrins: Synthesis and Properties.” Poster presentation at 1st Chennai Chemistry Conference, February 11-13, 2011 at IITM, Chennai, India. Ujwal Kumar Sarangi, P. Bhyrappa* and B. Varghese. Mixed dodecasubstituted porphyrins: Synthesis, electrochemical redox and structural properties. Poster presentation at 2nd Chemistry in house symposium, August 21st, 2012 at IITM, Chennai, India. journal publications: P. Bhyrappa*, Ujwal K. Sarangi and B. Varghese; Mixed beta pyrrole substituted meso Tetraphenyl porphyrins: Structural and Redoxchemical properties. (Manuscript Submitted). About me : I am from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. I am a very hard worker with positive attitude and very scilent guy. Use to utilize my skill in aproprieate place and also i have learning nature. Education : B.Sc. Chemistry (hon.), 2000-2003, Utkal University, Odisha. M.Sc. Chemistry, 2003-2005, Utkal University, Odisha. Ph. D. Chemistry, 2007- , IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] V K Prasad Jonnalagadda Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Chemistry Guide : Dr. Santosh J Gharpure Title of thesis : Stereoselective Approaches to Substituted Tetrahydropyrans, Morpholines and Oxazepanes Thesis abstract : Amongst cyclic ethers, tetrahydropyran ring is the most common structural motif present in wide variety of natural products, which exhibit important biological properties. As a result, a number of methods have been developed for the stereoselective construction of these tetrahydropyran ring systems.1 Among these intramolecular oxa conjugate addition to an enoate has been extensively used in the synthesis of natural products. A general strategy was developed for the stereoselective synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans, employing a Tandem nucleophilic addition-oxa-Michael sequence to aldehydes which contains appropriate Michael acceptor (Scheme 1).2 Scheme 1 Substituted morpholines and oxazepanes are present in vast number of therapeutically and biologically active compounds.3 Also the C-substituted morpholines are used as chiral agents in asymmetric synthesis, due to which there is increase in new methods for the synthesis of Csubstituted morpholines. A general and concise strategy was developed for the stereoselective synthesis of diversely substituted morpholines, based on reductive etherification strategy (Scheme 2).4 The developed method was also utilized in the synthesis of natural products Chelonin A and Chelonin C. Scheme 2 The Reductive etherification strategy was also extended for the stereoselective synthesis of substituted oxazepanes. Skills : familiar with computer aspects like Ms word etc. Handled instruments and familiar with NMR, IR and polarimeter good interpersonal skills. Research interests : Organic Synthesis, Asymmetric Synthesis, Natural Product Synthesis Areas of interest : Synthetic organic chemistry, asymmetric synthesis, natural product synthesis Publications/Conferences : 1. Gharpure, S. J.; Prasad, J. V. K. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 10325. 2. Gharpure, S. J.; A. M. Sathiyanarayanan; Prasad Jonnalagadda. Tetrahadron Letters 2008, 49, 2974-2978. About me : I am an ambitious, smart, well organized, punctual, quick learning person. I have great manners and nice presence of mind. I am optimistic person with a confidence to solve any type of problem. I can work in a group with different diversities. Education : M Sc- P. B. Siddahartha College, Nagarjuna University, Andhra Pradesh-2003-2005, 66.75% B. Sc. (MPC)- Andhra Loyola College-Vijayawada, Nagarjuna University, A P, 89% E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Civil Engineering Aviraj Datta Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Ligy Philip Title of thesis : Control of VOC emission from manufacturing and application processes of surface coatings Thesis abstract : The main objective of the study is to develop a biological VOC treatment technology for paint manufacturing and application processes. Volatile Organic Compounds or commonly known as VOCs are compounds which easily vaporizes in normal room temperature because of their high vapor pressure and low solubility. VOC emission propels the process of ground level ozone formation in an urban atmosphere. Some VOCs like Toluene have proven mutagenic/ carcinogenic effect on human. Paint manufacturing and application facilities vent out a significant amount of VOCs in the atmosphere. Present abatement techniques such as adsorption or absorption merely shift the pollutant from air-phase to other matrices rather than actually destroying it. Incineration though viable for high-calorific value VOCs such as those emitted from petroleum refineries, is often not economically feasible for low-concentration and high-flow rates associated with many VOC emitting industries such as surface coating industry. Though industrial emission of Volatile Organic compounds cause significant effect on the ambient environment. My thesis work includes study the biodegradation kinetics of common VOCS emitted from paint manufacturing and application facilities such as Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), Methyl Iso-butyl ketone (MIBK), Toluene, Ethylbenzene and o-Xylene. The study started with acclimatization of open-mixed aerobic bacterial culture. This acclimatized culture was used for the biodegradation of the VOCs already mentioned. The study emphasizes on the biodegradation kinetics of these compounds in presence of each other rather than only as single compound. Bio-kinetic models such as Monod Inhibition models were used to evaluate the biokinetic parameters of the biodegradation of these five compounds. Further mathematical model was developed to describe the mixed substrate biodegradation pattern of these compounds. Two type of bioreactors were designed one Bio-trickling filter (BTF) and one Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC), and the biodegradation efficiency was compared for these two reactors. The detailed biological study about the nature of microbes which populate the reactors at various stages of the study was also studied. Skills : Water analysis methods, ambient air quality monitoring techniques. I have working experience on sophisticated analytical equipments such as : Gas Chromatograph (GC), IonChromatograph (IC), High-Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC), Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), Fourier-transfer Infra-Red Spectroscopy ( FTIR). Total Organic Carbon analyzer (TOC) and CHNS analyzer. Research interests : Design of Biological treatment systems for example Biofilters, Bio-trickling filters etc. industrial pollution Wastewater treatment technologies Air Pollution Control Solid Waste Management and e-Waste Management Desalination of water as a source of Drinking water for the abatement of Areas of interest : Environmental Engineering, Biological treatment technologies, Waste water treatment, Air Pollution control techniques 3XEOLFDWLRQV&RQIHUHQFHV 1. Datta, A., Philip, L., 2012. Biodegradation of volatile organic compounds from paint industries. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology, 2012;167(3):564-80. 2. Datta, A., Philip, L. Biodegradation kinetics of toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene in a mixture of VOCs. International Conference on Environmentally Sustainable Urban Eco-system held at Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati in Feb 2012. 3. Datta, A., Philip, L. Inhibitory effects of Toluene on methyl iso-butyl ketone biodegradation. International Chemical and Environmental Engineering Conference (ICEEC 2012), which will be held on 21-23 December 2012. About me : I am an environmental engineer with bio-technology back-ground. Anthropogenic environmental pollution with simultaneous industrial growth is a challenge to my generation and newer economically viable treatment technologies are the need of the hour. I want to see myself in R&D activites in future through which I can properly utilize the knowledge and skills I gained thus far in my career. I feel a lot is talked about and taught about in environmental engineering while implementation part is clearly lacking. Be it safe disposal of e-waste or municipal waste or passing on clean air, energy and drinking water resources to future generation a lot has to be done. Environmental pollution problems being of widely diverse in nature it needs a wide variety of skill sets to solve any particular problem. I would love to work in group projects on contemporary environmental problem,with people from different back-ground as that gives different perspectives to see the same problem. Desalination of sea-water and pre-treatment of water before RO inlet is a topic close to my heart as I believe Sun will be our future energy source and Sea our future drinking water source. I have stayed in many parts of India and have lots of friends accross the globe, I am open for job options from any part of the world. I have done two year course on German as a foreign language from RKM Institute of Culture, Golpark, Kolkata. I have participated ( with DAAD funding) in one winterschool and one summerschool organized by Indo-German Center for Sustainability (IGCS), Chennai, and pretty much aware about the concept of sustainable development. Education : B.Tech Biotechnology, Bengal Institute of Technology, affilated to West Bengal University of Technology. 2002-2006 M.Tech Environmental Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. 2006-2008. E-mail id : [email protected] Balamurugan M Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. B. S. Murty Title of thesis : Management of Flows in Ephemeral Channels Thesis abstract : This research work is to develope mathematical and management model for effective utilization of flood waters in increasing the aquifer recharge in arid zones, based on a simulation-optimization framework. Skills : Numerical modeling skills Software pakages: HEC-RAS, MAPInfo, StromNET, MODFLOW, STAAD Pro., ADT and AutoCADD Research interests : Computational Hydraulics (open channel flow) Surface and Subsurface flow interaction Flood routing and Management Hydrologic modeling Areas of interest : Computational Hydraulics, Surface Water and Groundwater model development, Flood routing, Flood management About me : I am pursuing research in the area of computaional hydraulics and numerical modeling. Having clear knoweldge and experince in Modeling channel geometry, Flood routing, Storm drainage network design, Dam break analysis, Flood inundation and management. Education : BE - Civil Engineering, 2003-2007, KSR College of Engg. affiliated to Anna University Chennai. ME - Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering, 2007-2009, College of Engg. Guindy, Anna University Chennai. E-mail id : [email protected] K S Kasiviswanathan Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. K. P. Sudheer Title of thesis : Uncertainty Analysis on Neural Network Based Hydrological Models Thesis abstract : Quantiyfying the uncertainty associated with neural network based hydrological models by various possible uncertainty analysis techniques Developing a methodology to model hydrological processes where available data is limited Developing a generalized procedure to carrying out uncertainty analysis on neural network hydrological models Skills : Programming in Matlab Proficiency in using water resources software packages Proficiency in using spatial tools (Arc GIS) Research interests : Watershed modelling Application of soft computing techniques in water resources Hydrological modelling Uncertainty analysis of modelling Areas of interest : Surface Water Hydrology, Watershed Management, Simulation Modeling in Water Resources, GIS in civil engineering Publications/Conferences : Kasiviswanathan KS, Soundhara Raja Pandian R, Saravanan S, Avinash Agarwal (2011). Genetic programming approach on evaporation losses and its effect on climate change for Vaipar Basin. International Journal of Computer Science Issues, Vol. 8, Issue 5(269-274) Kasiviswanathan KS, Sudheer KP (2012) Quantification of the predictive uncertainty of artificial neural network based river flow forecast models. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, DOI: 10.1007/s00477-012-0600-2. Kasiviswanathan KS, Cibin Raj, Sudheer KP, Chaubey I (2012) Constructing prediction interval for artificial neural network rainfall runoff models based on ensemble simulations. Journal of Hydrology (under review). Kasiviswanathan KS, Sudheer KP (2011) Uncertainty Analysis on Neural Network based Hydrological Models using Probabilistic Point Estimate Method. Proceedings of the International Conference on Soft Computing for Problem Solving, Springer.130:377-384. About me : I am full time research scholar interested in analytical modelling, data mining and soft computing techniques. I have a passion in solving water resources problems mathematically and efficiently coding them as computer programs. I have involved in few real time consultancy projects. Over all I am a good listener, actively involves in team activities and good thinker. Education : BE in Civil Engineering, 2003-2007, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College M.Tech in Water Resource Development, 2007-2009, IIT Roorkee E-mail id : [email protected] Naresh Kumar Sharma Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. Ligy Philip and Dr. B S Murty Title of thesis : Development, performance evaluation and Modeling of biological systems for the treatment of coke oven wastewater Thesis abstract : Biological systems are more natural, effective and economic way of removing toxic chemicals that we generate in all walks of our life. Primarily, industrial wastewaters are of much concern which directly affect our drinking water source. Its quite important to harness and explore the microbial potential and population for breaking specific toxic pollutants to harmless elements. Micro-orgnisms grown in different environments respond differently to variety of pollutants. Hence, microbes are being developed in several lab-scale redox conditions like anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic to study their degradation aspects and increase their ability for treatment of wastewater from iron and steel industries. Skills : Sophasticated instrument handling (GC, HPLC, TOC, IC, CHNS etc.,) Good software skills Good Writing and oral skills Research interests : Environmental Biotechnology Biological contaminant removal Areas of interest : Industrial wastewater treatment, Biological treatment technologies Publications/Conferences : Sharma, N K., Philip, L and Murty, B S, "Aerobic Degradation of Phenolics and Aromatic hydrocarbons in presence of cyanide", Bioresource Technology, Vol. 121, 263-273. Sharma, N K., Philip, L and Murty, B S, "Aerobic degradation of complex organic compounds and cyanide in presence of glucose", International conference on Environmentally Sustainable Urban Ecosystems, IIT Guwahati, Feb 2012. About me : Good communication Skills Posses Interdisciplinary knowledge Fast learner and good co-worker Education : B.Tech Industrial Biotechnology, 2002-2006, Anna University M.Tech Industrial Biotechnology, 2006-2008, Annamalai University E-mail id : [email protected] Sivapriya S V Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. S.R. Gandhi Title of thesis : Experimental and Numerical Study in Behaviour of Single and Group Pile in Sloping Ground Thesis abstract : Behavior of pile foundation in slope is a real time issue. Structures such as offshore platform, transmission towers, high ways and various industrial units are constructed in the slope supported by pile foundation; where the piles are subjected to load from super structure, earth pressure on retaining wall, wind load, wave and current actions in case of off- shore structures. The behaviour of pile under lateral load in sloping ground is different from horizontal ground. The aim of this paper is to study the behaviour of single and group pile founded in sloping ground experimentally and numerically (PLAXIS -3D). Model tests were performed in the laboratory by using instrumented pile embedded in clay by varying the slope (1V:3H, 1V:2.5H and 1V:2H). The experimental study also involves the various position of pile (crest, 1R and 2R; where R is the stiffness factor) where the lateral load is applied towards the slope under two different shear strengths (30kPa and 50kPa). The experimental and numerical results were compared. Skills : Auto Cad Primavera PLAXIS - 2D and 3D Research interests : Pile Foundation Areas of interest : Pile Foundation, Ground Improvement, Site Investigation Publications/Conferences : 1. Sivapriya, S.V., S.R.Gandhi and R.Sundravadivelu (2011) “Effect of lateral movement of soil in Diaphragm wall - A case Study.” 3rd Indian Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference, IIT Delhi, 335-340. 2. Sivapriya, S.V. and S.R.Gandhi (2011).” Behaviour of single pile in sloping ground under static lateral load”. Indian Geotechnical Conference, Cochin, India, 199-202. 3. Sivapriya, S.V., R.Sundravadivelu, S.R.Gandhi and K.Ramadoss (2012) “Static and dynamic slope stability analysis after dredging in Kandla Port”. 8th International conference on coastal and port engineering in developing countries, IIT Madras. About me : I am an aspiring and trying to be environmental friendly person. Education : B.E in Civil Engineering, 2001 - 2005, SRM Engg COllege, Aff to Anna University M.E in SOil Mechanics and Foundation Engg, 2005-2007, College of Engg, Anna University Ph.D in Geotechnical Division, 2008 - 2013, IIT -M E-mail id : [email protected] Kabilan Pari Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. Ravindra Gettu Title of thesis : Creep and Shrinkage of high performance concrete. Thesis abstract : Concrete is the most widely used material in the world. Lot of research work is being carried out in concrete and new innovative products such as high performance concrete are designed and produced. Factors affecting the strength and durability of concrete is the mechanical stability. Creep and shrinakge are the two main parameters affecting the mechanical stability of concrete. Factors affecting the creep and shrinkage of concrete are binder content, water to binder ratio, mineral admixtures, relative humidity, temperature, age of loading and aggregates volume . Creep and shrinakge of high performance concrete will be studied for a minimum period of six months. Skills : 1) Microsoft office. 2) Sima Pro 3) Microsoft office project. 4) Quality systems 5) Concrete performance modelling. Research interests : Creep and Shrinkage Quality systems Product development Materials science Areas of interest : CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY, CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL, RISK MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, CEMENT, BITUMEN. Publications/Conferences : About me : I am a determined person who tries to put what I preach into practice. I believe in smart work and integrity. I am globe-trotter and like to get accost with people and their culture. Education : 1) B.E Civil Engineering, 2004-2008, MSEC, Anna university E-mail id : [email protected] Nibedita Sahoo Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Sathish Kumar S R Title of thesis : Performance Based Seismic Design of Industrial Steel Structures Thesis abstract : Study of seismic performance of single-storey portal frames and improve the performance of frames under seismic loading Skills : STAAD Pro SAP 2000 ABAQUS MATLAB Research interests : Design of Steel Structures Earthquake Resistant Structural Design Areas of interest : Tall Structures, Pre Engineered Buildings, Seismic Design About me : I did my B.Tech in civil engineering from NIT,Rourekla.I joined MECON limited ( a Govt. of India Enterprieses) as a structural design engineer and worked there for 3 years.I have designed various junction houses, conveyor galleries and its supporting structures,pump houses and plate mills for JSW,Toranagallu and JSPL,Anagul.In IIT Madras,I am working on improving the performance of steel structures under seismic loading. Education : B.Tech,Civil Engineering,2004-2008,National Institute of Technology,Rourkela E-mail id : [email protected] P.pandi Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr.U.Saravanan and Dr. Rupen Goswami Title of thesis : Determining current state of a bridge using quasi static loading and strain measurement Thesis abstract : One is interested in determining the current state of a bridge for a variety of reasons like to ascertain whether the axle load and/or the speed of the vehicle can be increased over the bridge. Thus determining the current state of the bridge involves not only determining whether the bridge is damaged but also to find material stiffness degradations as well as the condition of the support. A methodology for finding the material stiffness and the possibility of bearing seizure from strain measurements at preferred predetermined locations under slow moving normal vehicle loads in simply supported bridge decks after just one analysis is proposed. Strain gauges are to be pasted on the bridge at locations where the longitudinal bending stresses are alone present. Using the fact that, in a statically determinate, homogeneous bridge the bending stresses are independent of the material model, the linear elastic material parameters, namely Young’s modulus and shear modulus are determined after just one analysis. The bearing seizure is found by looking for reversal of curvature at a section close to the support as the vehicle moves over the bridge. The current state of a prestressed ultra high performance concrete(UHPC) bridge instrumented and tested before the above methodology was available is determined using the proposed algorithm. The efficacy of the algorithm to detect damage is also studied. Skills : FEM packages : ABAQUS , ANSYS Civil packages: STAADPRO, SAP 2000, Programming languages : FORTRAN, PYTHON, MATLAB Utility packages: AUTOCAD, MS Office Research interests : Computational Mechanics Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) Finite Element analysis Optimization methods Nonlinear solid mechanics Areas of interest : Computational Mechanics, Structural Health Monitoring, finite element analysis, Damage analysis Publications/Conferences : Pandi. P. Saravanan. U. and Goswami. R, (2012), “An algorithm to determine the current state of a statically determinate bridge from strain measurements”, 7th International Conference on Asia Pacific Network of Centers for Research in Smart Structure Technology (ANCRiSST 2012) 27-28 July (2012), Indian Institute of Science Bangalore India. Pandi. P., Saravanan. U. Goswami. R. and Wipf. T. “Determining the current state of a statically determinate bridge based on strain measurements” American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Journal of Structural Engineering (to be submitted for publication). Education : D.C.E, Diploma in Civil Engineering, 2002-2005, Alagappa Polytechnic College Karaikudi B.E Civil Engineering, 2005 -2009, The Institution of Engineers India, Kolkata M.S Structural Engineering, 2009 -2012, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Payal K. Firodiya Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. Amlan K. Sengupta, Prof. Devdas Menon Title of thesis : Probabilistic assessment of strength deterioration of reinforced concrete bridge deck due to corrosion of rebar Thesis abstract : Reinforced concrete (RC) bridges constructed in the coastal areas and marine environment deteriorate with time due to the ingress of moisture with chloride ions. The cross-sectional areas of the steel bars reduce due to corrosion, which leads to reduction in the flexural capacity of the deck of a bridge. The present study describes a probabilistic approach for assessing the deterioration in the capacity for a typical girder-andslab road bridge deck, considering chloride induced corrosion of plain mild steel (MS) and cold twisted deformed (CTD) bars that were traditionally used in bridges. The rate of corrosion of the bars is one of the important parameters to predict the service-life of a corroding structure. It is necessary to determine the rates of corrosion of such rebars, which can be substantially different from those of the bars presently used. An experimental program was undertaken to determine the rates of corrosion of MS and CTD rebars, under standard laboratory environmental conditions. The Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR) technique with a 3-electrode corrosion cell setup was used to measure the corrosion rates. Next, the modelling of chloride induced corrosion of bars for estimating the flexural capacity of a girder of the bridge deck was done. Finally, the time-variant flexural capacity of the girder using Monte Carlo simulations is described. Skills : Technical skills: SAP, MATLAB, Staad Pro Research interests : Studying the behaviour of reinforced concrete members Assessment of bridge decks for deterioration due to corrosion Areas of interest : Designing of reinforced concrete structures, Structural Health Monitoring About me : I have a good qualitative aptitude along with good grasping power and eagerness to learn Linguistic ability : Excellent command over English, Marathi and Hindi Good experience of organizing events ans working in groups Education : B.Tech Civil Engineering, 2006-2010, College of Engineeing Pune (COEP) E-mail id : [email protected] Sanish K B Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. Manu Santhanam Title of thesis : Ultrasonic and electrical methods for evaluation of early age behavior of cement paste and concrete Thesis abstract : Analysing early as well as later age properties of cementitiuos materials using non-destructive testing (NDT) methods Monitoring material papameters such as porosity, and hydration process using electrical conductivity methods Prediction of porosity and setting time of cementitious materials using conductivity data Monitoring and predicting compressive strength development of concrete using ultrasonic methods Analysis of rheology of cement paste using conductivty data Skills : · · · Good team player Good communication skills Good in analytical problem solving · · Programming - C, C++ Software – Autocad, Revit, primavera, ZPlot, rheocalc, Origin, Sigmaplot Research interests : Non-destructive testing methods on concrete Concrete technology Areas of interest : NDT application in Civil engineering Publications/Conferences : Sanish, K.B., and Santhanam, M., ”Ultrasonic and electrical impedance based methods for property estimation and condition evaluation of cement paste and concrete”, Poster presented for Asian Conference on Ecstasy in Concrete, Chennai, 5th-9th December, 2010 Sanish, K.B., and Santhanam, M., ”Characterization of strength development of concrete using ultrasonic method”, Paper accepted for 18th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, South Africa, 16th-20th April, 2012 About me : My aim is to work in a professional atmosphere that enables me to utilize my knowledge and abilities to contribute towards the growth of the company, along with getting exposed to emerging trends and technologies, ensuring overall personal and intellectual development. Education : B. Tech, Civil Engineering, 2003-2007, Kerala University E-mail id : [email protected] Shaik Shabber Hussain Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Dr. P. Alagusundaramoorthy Title of thesis : Ultimate Strength of Isogrid Stiffened Composite Cylindrical Shells Thesis abstract : Structural efficiency is a primary concern in aerospace and aircraft industries. The development of light weight and highly efficient structural components is desirable for space and launch vehicles. Due to high strength to weight ratio and high stiffness to weight ratio CFRP stiffened shell structures have been used to fulfill these applications. Shells are stiffened along longitudinal, circumferential or in both directions on inner or outer surfaces. The concept that is found most promising is isogrid pattern of stiffening the shells and the grid members are arranged in an equilateral triangle pattern. Hence isogrid stiffened CFRP composite cylindrical shell structures are used in launch vehicle payload rings, interstage rings, engine ducting, and space station modules and are subjected to axial loads and it is important to study the buckling and post buckling behavior for practical applications. Skills : Finite Element Soft ware: ANSYS MATLAB Research interests : Composite Structures Finite Element Analysis Areas of interest : Finite Element Analysis of Structural Components, Manufacturing of Composite Structural Components Publications/Conferences : Shaik Shabber Hussain and Alagusundaramoorthy P. (2011) “Buckling strength of isogrid stiffened CFRP composite cylindrical shells” The first national conference on Advances in Composites and Solid Mechanics, held at Sardar Vallabhai Patel Institute of Technology, Vasad, Gujarat. About me : I am a positive thinker and self motivative. The quote I generally believe in is " Hope for the best and prepare for the worst" Education : B.E., Aeronautical Engineering, 2005 - 2010, Aeronautical Society of India. M.S., Structural Engineering, 2010 - 2013, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] V S Sowmiyaa Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Civil Engineering Guide : Vidya Bhusan Maji & Robinson R G Title of thesis : Equivalent Material Approach to Reinforced Soil Thesis abstract : Reinforcement soil is a composite material consisting of soil and reinforcing elements To analyse them as a composite material and to study their interaction behaviour is quite complex This equivalent approach, considers the composite reinforced soil as an equivalent material Simple laboratory tests on reinforced soil is carried out to determine equivalent properties Using those equivalent properties, reinforced soil is analysed numerically using a Finite Difference based numerical software and compared with that of experimental results. This approach is then tried to analyse a small scale bearing problem using CBR mould Skills : Good Communication Skills Positive Attitude Flexible with working environment Research interests : Soil Reinforcement and Geosynthetics Ground Improvement Techniques Areas of interest : Reinforced soil structures, Ground Improvement Techniques, Deep Foundation Techniques About me : Born and brought up in Salem, Tamilnadu, which is well known for Mangoes Completed my graduation in B.E. Civil Engineering from sona college of technology salem My hobbies are listening to music, reading novels My Strengths are positive attitude, compatibility with the people and environment i work with Short Term Goal- To start my career in a well reputed organisation Long Term Goal- To reach a respectable position, with sound Technical knowledge and experience. Education : B.E Civil Engineering, 2005-2009, Sona College of Technology, Salem E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Computer Science and Engineering John Jose Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Dr. Madhu Mutyam Title of thesis : Energy Efficient High Performing Adaptive NoC routers for Multi-core Architectures. Thesis abstract : The effectiveness of multicore architecture depends on theunderlying NoC framework which is the communication backborn of the system. My thesis contains a collection ofrouter architecture and algorithms that improve the average packet latency of the network and reduces power andarea consumption of routers. Skills : Good team player Fast learner Dedication and sincererity to work Research interests : Congestion aware Network on Chip (NoC) router designs in multicore processors. Energy efficient bufferless NoC router design in multicore procesoors. Areas of interest : Computer Architecture Publications/Conferences : 1. John Jose, Bhawna Nayak, D. Kranthikumar, Madhu Mutyam, DeBAR : Deflection Based Adaptive Router with Minimal Buffering, to appear in proceedings of 16th IEEE / ACM International Conference on Design , Automation and Test in Euope (DATE-'13), Grenoble, France, March 18-22, 2013. 2. John Jose, K.V. Mahathi, J.Shiva Shankar, Madhu Mutyam,TRACKER: A Low Overhead Adaptive NoC Router with Load Balancing Selection Strategy, in proceedings of the IEEE/ACM- 30th International Conference on Computer Aided Design (ICCAD'12), SanJose, California, USA, November 5 to 8, 2012. 3. John Jose, J.Shiva Shankar, K.V. Mahathi, D. Kranthikumar, Madhu Mutyam, BOFAR: Buffer Occupancy Factor based Adaptive Router for Mesh NoCs, in proceedings of the ACM 4th International Workshop on Network on Chip Architectures (NoCArc-'11) held in conjunction with the 44th Annual IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Microarchitecture, Porto Alegre, Brazil , December 3 to 7, 2011, pp-23-28. About me : I am a doctoral scholar from IIT Madras. I am in the last stage of the doctoral research and I hope to complete my thesis by end of 2013. After that I am looking for faculty positions in reputed insitutes or as research fellow positions in reputed R&D firms. I am hailing from a small village from central Kerala. Education : Ph.D (CSE) - Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. (2009- ) M.Tech (CSE) - Vellore Institute of Technology, (VIT University), Tamil Nadu. (2004-2006) B.Tech (CSE) - College of Engineerign Adoor, (Cochin University), Kerala. (1999-2003) E-mail id : [email protected] S Sharmila Deva Selvi Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : PROF. C. PANDU RANGAN Title of thesis : DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF PROVABLY SECURE PUBLIC KEY CRYPTOSYSTEMS Thesis abstract : The basic problem of cryptography can be considered to be the issue of secure communication between two parties using a communication medium which is not under the exclusive control of these two parties. Such a medium is called a public channel, highlighting the fact that the information flowing across this channel is publicly accessible. An alternate view of cryptography is the task of building an implicit secure communication channel over an explicitly given insecure public channel. In spite of the importance of the problem, the security of a cyptographic protocol / primitive was established in an ad-hoc or unscientific fashion in the earlier days of cryptography. In fact, even as late as early 70's, we did not have a formal way to specify on security requirements and no specific attack model was available either. Over the years, "Provable Security" has become an important research area in modern cryptography. We have provided new / improvement / efficient / cryptanalysis of cryptographic primitives - encryption, signature, signcryption and their variants in the public key setting. We have given affirmative answers to several significant open problems, provides first solutions to newly formulated primitives and refines existing security models of few public key primitives. Skills : Coding with OPENSSL Expert in coding with GMP and PBC library C, C++ Designing, formally proving and implementing cryptographic protocols. Research interests : PROVABLE SECURITY: PUBLIC KEY CRYPTOGRAPHY SIGNATURES AND ITS VARIANTS ENCRYPTION SIGNCRYPTION PROXY CRYPTOGRAPHY PROXY RE-CRYPOGRAPHY KEY ENCAPSULATION MECHANISM CLOUD SECURITY International Conferences and Workshops [SS01] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Deepanshu Shukla, C. Pandu Rangan: “Efficient and Provably Secure Certificateless Signcryption Scheme for Multiple Receivers”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (ProvSec 2008), China. [SS02] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, G. Ragavendran, K. Naga Naresh, C. Pandu Rangan: “Cryptanalysis of Mu and Li’s Broadcast Signcryption Scheme and a provably secure Broadcast Signcryption Scheme”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (WISA 2008), Korea. [SS03] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Neha Jain, C. Pandu Rangan: “Cryptanalysis of Li et al.’s Threshold Signcryption Scheme”, IEEE conference Trust Security and Privacy for Pervasive Applications 08 proceedings (TSP 2008), China. [SS04] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Naga Naresh K, Ragavendran G, C. Pandu Rangan: “Cryptanalysis of Bohio et al.’s Broadcast Signcryption Scheme for Wireless Ad-hoc Networks”, IEEE workshop “Privacy Security and Trust ’08” proceedings (PST 2008), Canada. [SS05] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “On the security of Identity Based Ring Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings, (ISC 2009), Italy. [SS06] S. Sree Vivek, Sharmila Deva Selvi, Gopinath Sikha, C. Pandu Rangan: “Breaking and Developing of Group Inside Signatures”, Springer LNICST conference proceedings, (SECURECOMM 2009), Greece. [SS07] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, C. Pandu Rangan: “On the security of TWO Ring Signcryption Schemes”, INSTICC Conference proceedings, (SECRYPT 2009), Italy. [SS08] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Breaking and Fixing of an Identity Based Multi-Signcryption Scheme”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings, (PROVSEC 2009), China. [SS09] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Rahul Srinivasan, C. Pandu Rangan: “An Efficient IdentityBased Signcryption Scheme for Multiple Receivers”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (IWSEC 2009), Japan. [SS10] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, K. Shriram, S. Kalaivani, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Aggregate Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings, (INDOCRYPT 2009), India. [SS11] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, G. Ragavendran, K. Naga Naresh, C. Pandu Rangan: “On the Provable Security of Multi-Receiver Signcryption Schemes”, (ICISC 2009), Korea. [SS12] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Cryptanalysis of Certificateless Signcryption Schemes and An Efficient Construction Without Pairing”, Springer LNCS Conference proceedings (INSCRYPT 09), China. [SS13] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Shilpi Nayak, C. Pandu Rangan: “Breaking and Building of Threshold Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS Conference proceedings, (INSCRYPT 09), China. [SS14] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Certificateless KEM and Hybrid Signcryption Schemes Revisited”. Springer LNCS Conference proceedings, (ISPEC 2010), Australia. [SS15] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Ring Signcryption with Public Verifiability”. Springer LNCS Conference proceedings, (SECRYPT 2010), Greece. [SS16] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Public Verifiable Signcryption Scheme”. Springer LNCS Conference proceedings, (PROVSEC 2010), Malaysia. [SS17] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Gopinath S, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based SelfDelegated Signature – Self Proxy Signatures”. IEEE Conference proceedings (APWCS 2010), Australia. [SS18] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “On The Security of Identity Based Threshold Unsigncryption Schemes”. IEEE Conference proceedings (APWCS 2010), Australia. [SS19] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, Radha Krishnan, C. Pandu Rangan: “Conditional Proxy Re-Encryption Scheme-A More Efficient Construction”, IEEE Conference proceedings (ICCSEA 2011), Dubai. [SS20] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi , C. Pandu Rangan, “CCA Secure Certificateless Schemes Based on RSA ”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (SECRYPT 2011), Spain. [SS21] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan, “Deterministic Identity Based Signature With Tight Reduction ”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (IWSEC 2011), Japan. [SS22] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan, “Online/Offline Encryption and Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (InfoSecHiComNet 2011), India. [SS23] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi , Sobin. C, C. Pandu Rangan, “Special Purpose Proxy ReSignature ”, IEEE conference proceedings (Innovations and Information Technology 2012- Innovations 2012), Dubai. [SS24] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Dhinakaran Vinayagamurthy, C. Pandu Rangan, “ID Based Signcryption Scheme in Standard Model”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (ProvSec 2012), China. [SS25] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan,, “Deterministic Identity Based Signature Scheme and Its Application for Aggregate Signatures”, Springer LNCS conference proceedings (ACISP 2012), Australia. [SS26] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, C. Pandu Rangan “Identity Based Partial Aggregate Signature Scheme Without Pairing”, 35th IEEE Sarnoff Symposium – 2012, United States of America. [SS27] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, C. Pandu Rangan,, “Compact Stateful Encryption Schemes With Ciphertext Verifiability”, To appear in Springer LNCS conference proceedings (IWSEC 2012), Japan. [SS28] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, Ramarathnam Venkatesan and C. Pandu Rangan, “A Special Purpose Signature Scheme for Secure Computation of Traffic in a Distributed Network”, Accepted in 4th International Workshop on Managing Insider Security Threats (MIST-2012), Japan. [SS29] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Vivek Krishna Pradhan and C. Pandu Rangan, ”Efficient Certificateless Online/Offline Signature for the Cloud”, Accepted in 4th International Workshop on Managing Insider Security Threats (MIST-2012). [SS30] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Salini Selvaraj Kowsalya and C. Pandu Rangan: PKI Based Signcryption Without Pairing, “An Efficient Scheme With Tight Security Reduction”, Accepted in 4th International Workshop on Managing Insider Security Threats (MIST - 2012). Refereed International Journals [SS31] S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Ring Signcryption Schemes Revisited”, Journal of Math For Industry, Japan. [SS32] S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, Radha Krishnan, C. Pandu Rangan: “Conditional Proxy Re-Encryption Scheme-A More Efficient Construction”, International journal of Network Security & Its Applications(IJNSA) . About me : I am a friendly and jovial person with the following traits, Eager to learn new concepts. Never give up attitude in finishing a task. Self-Organized. Adaptable to new and extreme environments. Enjoy doing research and writing research papers. Education : Ph.D. Scholar - Computer Science and Engineering(2006-Till now) Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India Advisor: Prof. C. Pandu Rangan M.E.(Gold Medalist) - Computer Science and Engineering(2004-2006) Anna University, Chennai, India Advisor: Dr. N. Chandrasekhar B.E. - Computer Science and Engineering(1998-2002) Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, India Advisors: Asst. Prof. Pushpha Ranjini, Sr. Lecturer. Muthuselvi E-mail id : [email protected] Sree Vivek S Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Prof C. Pandu Rangan Title of thesis : STUDIES ON SOME ENCRYPTION, SIGNATURE AND SIGNCRYPTION SCHEMES Thesis abstract : Public Key Cryptography can be studied in various settings: PKI based, Identity Based and Certificateless to name a few. This thesis is a consolidation of research work done with respect to several cryptographic primitives with respect to one or more of the above settings. The research work reported in this thesis is on provably secure public key cryptosystems and their variants. The nature of work done may be designing new cryptographic primitives according to the sheer need for practical security and considering new types of attack models, modeling them mathematically and providing counter measures for improving the security of systems to with stand the new type of attacks, cryptanalysis of existing primitives, fixing the existing scheme, efficiency improvement and proposing new security models. More specifically the work done in this thesis are as follows: • We have initiated a research to counter the attacks due to malwares such as RAM scrapers and extended the existing security model to capture the effect of RAM scrapers precisely. We refer this extension as adaptive chosen ciphertext attack with glass box decryption. After formally introducing the new kind of attack/threat, we show the vulnerability of few existing schemes in the newly proposed model and propose new secure schemes. • We have formally argued that the security claim made for one of the stateful identity based encryption schemes is impossible to achieve. We have provided a new security proof for the scheme, assuming the hardness of the Gap Bilinear Diffie Hellman (GBDH) problem. • We have proposed two new stateful public key encryption schemes with ciphertext verifiability. Our schemes offer more compact ciphertext when compared to all existing stateful public key encryption schemes with ciphertext verifiability. • A conditional proxy reencryption (C-PRE) scheme is one in which the proxy can transform the ciphertext generated with the delegator’s public key, associated with a condition set by the delegator into ciphertext under delegatee’s public key, (so that the delegatee can decrypt it) only if the proxy has the re-encryption key for that condition. There are few C-PRE schemes in the literature. We have proposed a more efficient C-PRE scheme which uses substantially less number of bilinear pairings when compared to the existing ones and proved the security of the scheme in the random oracle model. • We have proposed two novel RSA based adaptive chosen ciphertext secure (CCA2) certificateless encryption schemes. The new schemes are efficient when compared to other existing certificateless encryption schemes that are based on the costly bilinear pairing operation and are quite comparable with the certificateless encryption scheme based on multiplicative groups (without bilinear pairing) and the only existing RSA based CPA secure certificateless encryption scheme. We consider a slightly stronger security model than the ones considered in the literature to prove the security of our schemes. • A Self Proxy Signature (SPS) is a type of proxy signature wherein, the original signer delegates the signing rights to himself (Self Delegation), there by generating temporary public and private key pairs for himself. Using a SPS the signer can prevent the exposure of his permanent private key from repeated use in an insecure environment. We have proposed the first identity based self proxy signature scheme. We have given a generic scheme and a concrete instance in the identity based setting. We have defined the appropriate security model for the same and proved both the generic and concrete schemes in the defined security model. • Group Inside Signature (GIS) is a signature scheme that allows the signer to designate his signature to be verified by a group of people, so that members other than the designated group cannot verify the signature. In Broadcast Group Oriented Signature (BGOS), a user from one group can designate his signature to be verified by members of another group. An Adaptable Designated Group Signature (ADGS), is one in which a user can designate his signature to be verified by a selected set of members who are from different groups. We have cryptanalyzed few schemes on all the above mentioned areas and have proposed a new identity based ADGS scheme and proved its security in the random oracle model. • Confidential communication with sender authentication is efficiently achieved by using a single cryptographic primitive called signcryption. In Threshold Signcryption scheme, only if “t” out of “n” users in the sender group (where t < n) combine together, signcryption can be performed. When this constraint is posed on the receiving end (i.e “t” out of “n” users in the receiving group combine together), the scheme is called as Threshold Unsigncryption. We have analyzed the security of all existing threshold signcryption schemes, identity based threshold signcryption schemes and identity based threshold unsigncryption schemes. We have proposed new threshold signcryption schemes both in PKI and identity based setting and an identity based threshold unsigncryption scheme, and prove the security of the schemes in the random oracle model. • It is often required that multiple senders have to signcrypt a single message to a certain receiver. Obviously, it is inefficient to signcrypt the messages sepa rately. The concept of multi-signcryption is similar to that of multi-signatures with the added property - confidentiality. We show the weakness of the only existing multi-signcryption scheme and provide a fix for the scheme and formally prove the security of the fixed scheme. Skills : Research Activities: Acted as Referee for the Following International Journals: – Springer - Designs, Codes and Cryptography (DESI). – Defense Science Journal (DSJ). – Elsevier - Information Processing Letters (IPL). – Elsevier - Journal of Systems and Software (JSS). – Elsevier - Theoretical Computer Science (TCS). – Elsevier - Information Sciences (INS). – IET Information Security Journal. – KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems. Acted as External Reviewer for the Following Conferences: – International Conference on Cryptology and Network Security (CANS - 2008) – International Conference on Cryptology in India (Indocrypt - 2009) – IEEE Global Communications Conference (IEEE Globecom - 2009) – National Conference on Communications (NCC - 2010) – International Conference on Distributed Computing and Networking (ICDCN - 2010) – International Conference on Provable Security (ProvSec-2010, 2011) – IEEE International Symposium on Advanced Networks and Telecommunication Systems (IEEE ANTS - 2011) – IEEE Global Communications Conference (IEEE Globecom - 2012) Research interests : Cryptography Provable Securty Public Key Cryptography RFID Security Practical Security. Areas of interest : Cryptography, Public Key Cryptography, Cryptanalysis, Provable Security, Algorithms & Data Structures, Grapg Theory. Publications/Conferences : CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS: International: 2008: 1. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Deepanshu Shukla, C. Pandu Rangan: “Efficient and Provably Secure Certificateless Signcryption Scheme for Multiple Receivers”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference, (ProvSec 2008), China. 2. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, G. Ragavendran, K. Naga Naresh, C. Pandu Rangan: “Cryptanalysis of Mu and Li’s Broadcast Signcryption Scheme and a provably secure Broadcast Signcryption Scheme”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference, (WISA 2008), Korea 3. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Neha Jain, C. Pandu Rangan: “Cryptanalysis of Li et al.’s Threshold Signcryption Scheme”, IEEE conference Trust Security and Privacy for Pervasive Applications 08 (TSP 2008), China 4. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Naga Naresh K, Ragavendran G, C. Pandu Rangan: “Cryptanalysis of Bohio et al.’s Broadcast Signcryption Scheme for Wireless Ad-hoc Networks”, IEEE workshop “Privacy Security and Trust ’08 (PST 2008)”, Canada. 2009: 5. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “On the security of Identity Based Ring Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference, (ISC 2009), Italy. 6. S. Sree Vivek, Sharmila Deva Selvi, Gopinath Sikha, C. Pandu Rangan: “Breaking and Developing of Group Inside Signatures”, Springer LNICST Proceedings of the Conference, (SECURECOMM 2009), Greece. 7. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, C. Pandu Rangan: “On the security of TWO Ring Signcryption Schemes”, A part of ICETE - The International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications. INSTICC Press 2009, (SECRYPT 2009), Italy. 8. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Breaking and Fixing of an Identity Based MultiSigncryption Scheme”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference, (PROVSEC 2009), China. 9. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Rahul Srinivasan, C. Pandu Rangan: “An Efficient Identity-Based Signcryption Scheme for Multiple Receivers”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference (IWSEC 2009), Japan. 10. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, K. Shriram, S. Kalaivani, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Aggregate Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference, (INDOCRYPT 2009), India. 11. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, G. Ragavendran, K. Naga Naresh, C. Pandu Rangan: “On the Provable Security of Multi-Receiver Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference, (ICISC 2009), Korea. 12. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan : “Cryptanalysis of Certificateless Signcryption Schemes and An Efficient Construction Without Pairing”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference (INSCRYPT 09). 13. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Shilpi Nayak, C. Pandu Rangan : “Breaking and Building of Threshold Signcryption Schemes”, Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference (INSCRYPT 09). 2010: 14. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Certificateless KEM and Hybrid Signcryption Schemes Revisited”. Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference (ISPEC 2010). 15. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Ring Signcryption with Public Verifiability”. A part of ICETE - The International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications. SciTePress 2010 (SECRYPT 2010). 16. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Public Verifiable Signcryption Scheme”. Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference (PROVSEC 2010). 17. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Gopinath S, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Self-Delegated Signature – Self Proxy Signatures”. IEEE Conference (NSS-APWCS 2010). 18. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “On The Security of Identity Based Threshold Unsigncryption Schemes”. IEEE Conference (NSS-APWCS 2010). 2011: 19. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, V. Radha Kishan, C. Pandu Rangan: “Conditional Proxy ReEncryption - A more Efficient Construction”. Springer LNCS – CCIS Proceedings of the Conference (CNSA 2011). 20. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, V. Radha Kishan, C. Pandu Rangan: CCA Secure Certificateless Encryption Schemes Based on RSA. A part of ICETE - The International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications. SciTePress 2011 (SECRYPT-2011). 21. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Online/ Offline Encryption and Signcryption Schemes Revisited”. Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference (InfoSecHiComNet 2011) 22. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity-Based Deterministic Signature Scheme without Forking-Lemma”. Springer LNCS Proceedings of the Conference (IWSEC 2011). “Best Student Paper Award” 2012: 23. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, C. Sobin, C. Pandu Rangan: A Special Purpose Proxy Re-Signature Scheme. IEEE Proceedings of Innovations 2012 (IIT 2012). 24. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, J.Shriram, C. Pandu Rangan: Identity Based Partial Aggregate Signature Scheme Without Pairing, 35th IEEE Sarnoff Symposium - 2012. 25. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: Deterministic Identity Based Signature Scheme and its Application for Aggregate Signatures, Accepted in LNCS Proceeding (ACISP – 2012). 26. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Dhinakaran.V, C. Pandu Rangan: ID Based Signcryption Scheme in Standard Model, Accepted in LNCS Proceeding (PROVSEC – 2012). 27. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, C. Pandu Rangan: Compact Stateful Encryption Schemes With Ciphertext Verifiability, Accepted in LNCS Proceeding (IWSEC – 2012). 28. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, Ramarathnam Venkatesan and C. Pandu Rangan: A Special Purpose Signature Scheme for Secure Computation of Traffic in a Distributed Network, Accepted in 4th International Workshop on Managing Insider Security Threats (MIST 2012). 29. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Vivek Krishna Pradhan and C. Pandu Rangan: Efficient Certificateless Online/Offline Signature for the Cloud, Accepted in 4th International Workshop on Managing Insider Security Threats (MIST 2012). 30. S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, Salini Selvaraj Kowsalya and C. Pandu Rangan: PKI Based Signcryption Without Pairing : An Efficient Scheme With Tight Security Reduction, Accepted in 4th International Workshop on Managing Insider Security Threats (MIST 2012). JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS: 2011: 1. Sharmila Deva Selvi, S. Sree Vivek, C. Pandu Rangan: “Identity Based Ring Signcryption Schemes Revisited”. Journal of Math-for-Industry-2011A, 2011. 2. S. Sree Vivek, S. Sharmila Deva Selvi, V. Radha Kishan, C. Pandu Rangan: “Conditional Proxy ReEncryption - A more Efficient Construction”. Accepted in The International Journal of Network Security & Its Applications (IJNSA) About me : I started my career as a lecturer in the Computer Science and Engineering Department of The PET Engineering College in India, which is affiliated to Anna University. I worked there for three years and six months. During my service there, I taught basic engineering subjects to undergraduate students. More specifically, I taught Data Structure, Computer Algorithms, Programming Languages C and C++, Object Oriented Programming, Compiler Design, Computer Architecture, Unix System Programming and Digital Electronics. At first I felt hard to deal with new subjects and face students immediately after graduation. I had to spent most of the time preparing class notes and presentations. After some time I found it interesting to do this and got fully indulged into teaching. My knowledge on these subjects improved due to my preparation and the valuable doubts rose by students in the class. My post graduation was at this period and my knowledge has improved a lot due to my teaching experience and was able to excel with flying colors in my post graduation. I used to present to my fellow lecturers new areas, which I read, from the Internet or from new textbooks. It was very much appreciated by the head of the department. I handled several undergraduate laboratory courses and projects during this period. Next, I joined the Jimma University, in Ethiopia. I delivered my service as lecturer there for one year and six months. There too, I was able to impart knowledge to the undergraduate students on subjects like Data Structure, Computer Algorithms, Programming Languages C and C++, Object Oriented Programming and Computer Architecture. Every semester I received good feedback from the head of the department. It was during my stay there, my passion towards research started. I started reading research articles and journals at this time and I started the quest. Currently I am a PhD scholar in IIT Madras. I have acted as teaching assistant for a variety of classes including Theoretical Computer Science, Cryptography Theory and Practice, Design and Analysis of Algorithms & Data Structures. I have also secured the “BEST Teaching Assistant Award” during this period. As my research is on public key cryptography, I wish to teach cryptography in the advanced level. There were lots of students from other institutes who come for internship to our institution. I have acted as a mentor to them and had frequented discussions with them. This helped me share lot of ideas and thoughts with them. Often I offer tutorials to the new comers to introduce the state of the art and enlighten young brains. Education : PhD: Doctor of Philosophy: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India Jan 2008 – Oct 2012 M.Tech: Master of Technology, Computer & Information Technology; Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Trinelveli, India, First class with distinction Aug 2002- July 2004 B.E: Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering; Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India, First class July 1997 – June 2001 HSC: Higher Secondary School Education SLB Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil; First class with distinction May 1995 – March 1997 E-mail id : [email protected] Ashok Gautham J Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Shankar Balachandran Title of thesis : Energy Efficient Shared Data Synchronization Thesis abstract : Shared data synchronization is at the heart of the multi-core revolution since it is essential for writing concurrent programs. Ideally, a synchronization technique should be able to fully exploit the available cores, leading to improved performance. However, with the growing demand for energy-efficient systems, it also needs to work within the energy and power budget of the system. In this thesis, various shared data synchronization techniques are compared and characterized. Further, enery-efficient alternatives are proposed. Skills : Strong C, C++, Python, Bash Make Git, Mercurial GNU/Linux PThreads, RSTM Emacs Familiar Java, Scala, Ruby, Common Lisp, Haskell LaTeX Qt Research interests : Computer Architecture Parallel Computing Energy Efficiency Areas of interest : Computer Architecture, Parallel Computing Publications/Conferences : Ashok Gautham, Kunal Korgaonkar, Patanjali SLPSK, Shankar Balachandran, and Kamakoti Veezhinathan, "The Implications of Shared Data Synchronization Techniques on Multi-Core Energy Ef?ciency" HotPower '12, October 2012 About me : I am an open-source enthusiast and am very strong at *nix-like operating systems. I love programming languages and spend a lot of time picking up a new programming language. I love working with large code bases. I am a minimalist by nature. I love debating. I have given talks about open-source technologies at a few colleges. I helped set up the DCF lab in the Computer Science department taking up the task of porting users and file shares to newer operating systems and writing scripts to automate the setup of new systems. Education : B.Tech Information Technology, 2006-2010, Meenakshi Sundararajan Enginnering College (Affiliated with Anna University) E-mail id : [email protected] Debarun Kar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Sutanu Chakraborti , Balaraman Ravindran Title of thesis : Novel Feature Weighting, Confidence based Prediction and Visual Data Mining Techniques with Applications to Case Based Reasoning Systems Thesis abstract : The quality of the cases maintained in a case base has a direct influence on the quality of the proposed solutions. The presence of cases that do not conform to the similarity hypothesis decreases the alignment of the case base and often degrades the performance of a CBR system. It is therefore important to find out the suitability of each case for the application of CBR and associate a solution with a certain degree of confidence. Feature weighting is another important aspect that determines the success of a system, as the presence of irrelevant and redundant attributes also results in incorrect solutions. We explore these problems in conjunction with a real-world CBR application called InfoChrom. It is used to predict the values of several soil nutrients based on features extracted from a chromatogram image of a soil sample. We propose novel feature weighting techniques based on alignment, as well as a new alignment and confidence measure as potential solutions. The hypotheses are evaluated on UCI datasets and the case base of Infochrom and show promising results. We have also looked into the aspects of visualization of high-dimensional spaces for effective multivariate data analysis using parallel coordinates. Skills : Computer Programming : C, C++, Java, SQL, Matlab, R, Weka Matlab skill set : Linear algebra, nonlinear numerical methods, polynomials, statistics, visualization Matlab Toolboxes : statistics, curve-fitting, optimization, neural network, image processing, bioinformatics, parallel computing Markup Languages : HTML, XML, LaTeX Operating Systems : Microsoft Windows family, Linux Research interests : My currnt research interest lies in mining and analyzing high dimensional heterogenous data, like web data (both text, images and videos), astronomical data, etc. My goal is to learn interesting elements of the underlying distribution(s) that generated the data and how it was generated. I am primarily interested in statistical and machine learning or AI related techniques that help us achieve the above. In the future, I would also like to work on algorithmic game theory, multi-agent systems and social choice theory. Areas of interest : Machine Learning, Game AI, Stream Reasoning, Information Retrieval, Semantic Web, Case Based Reasoning Publications/Conferences : Kar, D., Chakraborti, S., and Ravindran, B. Feature Weighting and Confidence based Prediction for Case Based Reasoning Systems. In: Case-based Reasoning Research and Development - Proceedings of the International Conference on Case based Reasoning, LNAI (Springer), Sept 3-6, 2012. Oral Presentation. Choudhury, P. P., Sahoo, S., Hasssan, S. K., Basu, S., Kar, D., Ghosh, D., Ghosh, A., Ghosh, A., and Ghosh, A.K. Classification of Cellular Automata Rules based on their Properties. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Trends in Optics and Photonics, Mar 2009. Oral Presentation. $ERXWPHHi, I'm Debarun Kar, more fondly called 'Dolby' by old school mates. My hometown is The City of Joy (Kolkata). did my schooling from South Point High School, which featured in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the largest educational institute in the world. I'm currently enrolled as an MS (Research) student in the CSE department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. I'm part of two labs : Artificial Intelligence and Databases (AIDB) and the Interactive Intelligence Laboratory (IIL), which is part of the Reconfigurable and Intelligent Systems Engineering (RISE) group. I am advised by (in last-name lexicographic order) Dr. Sutanu Chakraborti and Dr. Balaraman Ravindran. For my MS thesis, I've been working in machine learning, case based reasoning and visualization of highdimensional spaces for effective multi-variate data analysis. My future research interests lie at the intersection of computer science and economics. It includes, but is not limited to, specific areas in algorithmic game theory & its applications to the internet and development of the field of multi-agent systems, mechanism design and machine learning. Education : MS (CSE), 2010 - Present, IIT Madras B.Tech (CSE), 2005-2009, Netaji Subhash Engineering College, WBUT (Kolkata) E-mail id : [email protected] Ganesh Chennimalai Sankaran Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Prof. Krishna M. Sivalingam Title of thesis : ONU POWER SAVING MECHANISMS IN PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORKS Thesis abstract : Power efficiency will be one of the primary factors dictating the choice of future network deployments. Passive Optical Networks (PON) in general consume less power and are well positioned to be the technology of choice for future access networks. In a PON, the Optical Network Units (ONU), that provide the interface between the end user and the optical line terminal (OLT), consume a substantial amount of power. In particular, large buffer capacity typically in the order of megabytes (MB) is required for holding the upstream packets at the ONU. In this thesis,we propose three schemes viz. Zero Buffers (ZB),Node Proportional Buffers (NB) and Rate Proportional Buffers (RB). They impose aggressive buffer capacity constraints on the ONU to save power. With this, the packets will be buffered predominantly at the EN. By buffering at the EN, an increase in the end to end packet delay is expected. The network performance of the proposed schemes is studied through a discrete-event simulation model. The simulation results indicate that despite buffer size reduction, an acceptable network performance can be achieved. Skills : Problem solving Research interests : Optical Access Networks, Power efficiency and Resource Optimization Areas of interest : Optical Access Networks, Power efficiency Publications/Conferences : 1. Neeharika Jana, C. S. Ganesh, Krishna M. Sivalingam and Gerard Parr, “Performance Analysis of Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation Algorithms for LongReach PONs”, in IEEE International Symposium on Advanced Networks and Telecommunications Systems (ANTS), (Mumbai, India), Dec 2010. 2. C. S.Ganesh and Krishna M. Sivalingam, “ONUBuffer Elimination for Power Savings in Passive Optical Networks”, in IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), (Kyoto, Japan), Jun. 2011. 3. Anusha Sivakumar, C. S. Ganesh, Krishna M. Sivalingam and Gerard Parr, “Protection Architectures for WDM Passive Optical Networks: A Survey”, in Resilient Optical Network Design: Advances in Fault-Tolerant Methodologies, (Ed.: Kavian Sharif), IGI Global. Dec 2011 4. Anusha Sivakumar, C. S. Ganesh and Krishna M. Sivalingam, “ONUWavelength Grouping Scheme for Efficient Scheduling in Long Reach-PONs”, in IEEE International Symposium on Advanced Networks and Telecommunications Systems (ANTS), (Bengaluru, India), Dec 2011. 5. C. S. Ganesh and Krishna M. Sivalingam, “Reporting in ONUs with Reduced Buffers”, in International Conference on Optical Network Design and Modeling, (Colchester, UK), Apr. 2012. 6. Anusha Sivakumar, C. S. Ganesh and Krishna M. Sivalingam, “A Comparative Study of DBA algorithms for Long Reach Passive Optical Networks”, (To Appear) in Institute of Electronic and Telecommunication Engineers Technical Review. $ERXWPH Working with HCL Cisco Offshore Development center since 1999 on Network Management products/services and recently in to Deep packet inspection product line. Holds 10 patents mostly in the area of Network Management and LAN switching. Currently working towards his Ph.D at IIT Madras. Education : M.S (by Research) Computer Science and Enginnering, 2009-2012, IIT Madras B.E Electronics and Communications Engineering, 1995-1999, Alagappa Chettiar College of Engg and Tech, Karaikudi E-mail id : [email protected] Manimaran S S Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Dr. B Ravindran Title of thesis : Practical applications of Reinforcement learning in robotics Thesis abstract : Sampling based planners have been successfully applied in path planning problems in robotic domain. However they do not perform well in general optimal control of complex non holonomic systems. We propose an algorithm for extending conventional RRT like planners to underactuated systems by combining them with Reinforcement Learning techniques. This results in a new RRT based algorithm that can solve optimal control tasks. Skills : Languages : C/C++, Python, L TEX, Matlab Operating Systems : Windows, Linux Technologies : GIT, ROS, OpenCV, OpenRave, OpenNI, Aria, Arduino Robotic Platforms : Create, Kinect, Pioneer 3DX Research interests : Robotics Machine Learning Robot Learning Areas of interest : Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, robotics, Data Mining Publications/Conferences : Pradyot K. V. N., Manimaran, S. S., Ravindran, B., and Natarajan, S. (2012) "Integrating Human Instructions and Reinforcement Learners : An SRL Approach". To appear in the Proceedings of the UAI workshop on Statistical Relational AI (StarAI 2012). Pradyot, K. V. N., Manimaran, S. S., and Ravindran, B. (2012) "Instructing a Reinforcement Learner". To appear in the Proceedings of the Twenty Fifth Florida AI Research Society Conference (FLAIRS 2012). AAAI Press. Aswin, N. R., Manimaran S. S., Harini A., and Ravindran, B. (2010) "Accurate Mobile Robot Localization in Indoor environments using Bluetooth". In the Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2010), pp. 4391-4396. IEEE Press About me : Im a roboticist who specializes in robot learning. Im interesting in applying learning techniques to enable robots to learn novel tasks throughout their lifetime. Education : B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering, 2006-2010, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli E-mail id : [email protected] Mehta Hemang Kandarpbhai Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Prof D. Janakiram Title of thesis : Design and Implementation of a Service Abstraction-Based Operating System with a Case Study of Linux Kernel Thesis abstract : Traditional procedural operating system (OS) kernels sacrifice maintainability and understandability for optimum performance. Though object oriented (OO) kernels can address these problems upto a certain extent, they lack the layered approach of services and service compositions. We present a new kernel design model Dhara, that raises the level of abstraction from objects and procedures to services. The service model of Dhara is richer in abstractions than current web service model and paves the way for building a new distributed OS kernel. Dhara conceives an OS as being constructed by multiple stacks of services containing several layers of abstracted services. A key research challenge we envisage in building such model is automatic service compositions of kernel services which can provide desired QoS. A kernel built using Dhara can easily be customized using composed services to derive optimal performance for different applications such as databases. A prototype is developed using Linux kernel as a case study by applying the design concepts of Dhara. We show that overhead of implementation of Dhara is 5% to 15%, which is reasonable, considering the advantages of new design and increased capacity of the hardware in recent times. Skills : Programming Languages: C, C++, Java Comfortable with research and anyalysis Good knowledge of Linux kernel internals Research interests : Design of Operating Systems Kernel Programming Distributed Systems Areas of interest : Design of Operating Systems, Kernel Programming, Distributed Systems Publications/Conferences : H Mehta, S J Balaji, D Janakiram, “A g++ Extension for Supporting Nontrivial Designated Initializers” at 10th Intl. Conf. on Numerical Analysis and Applied Math. (ICNAAM 12), September 19-25, 2012, Kos, Greece D Janakiram, H Mehta, S J Balaji, “Dhara: A Service Abstraction Based OS Kernel Design Model” at 17th Intl. Conf. on Engineering of Complex Comp. Systems (ICECCS 12), p. 127 – 136, July 18-20, 2012, Paris, France V Rajani, H Mehta, S J Balaji, D Janakiram, “KAAS : Kernel As A Service” at 8th World Congress on Services (SERVICES 12), p. 340 – 345, June 2012, Hawaii, USA About me : I am a research scholar, pursuing MS in Computer Science at IIT Madras. My research areas include Operating Systems, Distributed Systems and Kernel Programming. Education : B. Tech Computer Engineering, 2004-2008, Institute of Technology, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, India E-mail id : [email protected] Prasun Kumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Dr. Jayalal Sarma M. N. Title of thesis : Degree Sequence and Sets - Algorithms and Combinatorial aspects Thesis abstract : Representation of graphs is a fundamental problem in graph theory. Adjacency matrix/list is one way of representing graphs using O(|V|2) space. Similarly,there is another alternative way of representing them through their degree sequence at the cost of loosing uniqueness which takes O(|V|log|V|) space. Degree sequence d=<d1,d2,….,dn> of a graph G(V,E),where V={v1,v2,..,vn}, is defined as a sequence such that for all i ?[n], deg(vi)=di. Similarly, if we collect distinct terms in the degree sequence we get the corresponding Degree set. There exists characterizations of different graphs, viz. simple graphs, trees, connected graphs, bipartite graphs, digraphs etc., in terms of degree sequence and sets. For DAGs this problem is NP-complete. All characterizations mentioned above are of potential nature so we are trying to forcibly characterize DAGs in degree sequence world. We are also exploring similar results in degree set domain. Skills : programming languages known : C, C++, Python OS used : Windows XP, windows 7, Ubuntu, Fedora Graph Theory, Discrete Maths, Algorithms, Theory of Computation Research interests : Graph Theory, Algorithms, Combinatorics Areas of interest : Graph Theory, Theory of Computation, Discrete Maths, Algorithms Publications/Conferences : Communicated in WALCOM-2013 : "prasun kumar, Jayalal Sarma M N, Saurabh Sawlani", "On Directed Tree Realizations of Degree sets" About me : I am Prasun. I am currently working on Degree Sequence, Sets and their combinatorial aspects in Graph theory. Finding new stuffs, getting some good results in my research area excites me enough and i always try to enhance my knowledge base and skills so that i can apply them to get some good outputs that gives me a lot of satisfaction. Education : B.Tech Computer Science & Engg, 2006-2010, Kalyani Govt Engg College, West Bengal MS(by research) Computer Science & Engg, 2011-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Preethi Chandur Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Prof. Krishnamoorthy M Sivalingam Title of thesis : Study of Scheduling Algorithms in IEEE 802.16e and 3GPP Release - 10 networks Thesis abstract : Resource allocation problem is a widely researched area in wireless broadband networks given the complexity of the problem and the growing popularity of 4G technologies. The first part of the work is regarding the performance of some well known scheduling algorithms such as PF (Proportional Fairness), MLWDF (Modified Longest Weighted Delay First), Exponential rule and its variants with respect to WiMAX or IEEE 802.16e networks. A new scheduling algorithm based on the exponential rule has been proposed and compared to the previously mentioned algorithms. The study shows that hierarchical schedulers i.e, the ones which use different scheduling rules for different traffic types perform better in a WiMAX scenario. Scheduling algortihms like MLWDF and exponential rule for waiting times are more effective in allocating resources to realtime applications and proportional fairness, proposed variation of exponential rule work effectively for non-real time applications. The simulation for this part of the work has been done on OPNET Modeler. The second part of the study proposes a scheduling algorithm for streaming video applications which allocate resources based on the QoE (Quality of Experience) of the users. This part of the work has been done on NS-3 modeler over an LTE network. Skills : C,C++, shell scripting, Perl, Python Simulators: NS3, OPNET Modeler Research interests : Wireless Communication networks Areas of interest : Wireless and cellular communications, Cloud Computing, Computer networks Publications/Conferences : Preethi Chandur, Karthik R.M and Krishna Sivalingam, "Performance Evaluation of Scheduling Algorithms for Mobile WiMAX Networks", PerCom Workshops 2012,pp 764-769 About me : Looking for development jobs in computer networks, preferably wireless domain. Education : B.E Information Science, 2004-2008, PESIT, Bangalore E-mail id : [email protected] R. Anand Kumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Deepak Khemani Title of thesis : Planning for the Convoy Movement Problem Thesis abstract : Convoy movement problem has significant practical applications. Convoys are groups of vehicles that travel between a source and a destination. Depending on the requirements, these convoys have to obey certain constraints. The problem has been attempted in many styles with varying results. We try to address it as an AI Search and Planning & Scheduling problem. The work focuses on modeling the convoy movement problem using PDDL and attempting a solution using existing planning methods and planners. Initial results indicated problems of scalability. To address this we propose a two stage planning process. This can be extended to many stages depending on need. Skills : C, C++, Java Qt, JaxaFX Linux Kernel AI Planning, Search Research interests : Artificial Intelligence Planning Areas of interest : artificial intelligence, Planning, Search Publications/Conferences : Anand Kumar, I. Murugeswari, Deepak Khemani and N.S. Narayanaswamy, Planning for the Convoy Movement Problem, ICAART 2012 About me : I am interested in computers and photography. My area of research is artificial intelligence planning. I found this to be an interesting area because it is universally applicable, we do it all the time and yet it is quite diffcult to achieve in a computing machine. This is an important area of human intelligence. Education : M.S. Computer Science and Engineering, 2010 - , IIT Madras B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering, 2003-2007, Pondicherry Engineering College E-mail id : [email protected] Rangadurai Karthick R Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Dr. B Ravindran Title of thesis : Sequence Modelling to Detect Netwok Intrusions Thesis abstract : Intrusion detection systems(IDSs) play a key role in detecting malicious activities and enable administratorsin securing network systems. Anomaly based IDS profiles normal traffic behaviour and flags any deviation from the model as anomalous. We propose anomaly based IDS for TCP based traffic. The work done is in three parts - simple sequence modelling classfier, hybrid approach combining two IDS and a layered sequence learner to explain the nature of TCP traffic. First, we propose a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) based IDS to model TCP traffi c. The inherent sequential nature of TCP tra ffic is captured effectively using HMM. TCP packet features are used to learn the parameters of the model. Various design choices and performance improvement measures were included to make the model e ffective. The model gave high detection accuracy with very low false positive rate on various data sets. Second, we propose a hybrid model combining the proposed HMM classifier with a Na ve Bayes (NB) based classifier. This merging of classifiers is to address a few shortcomings which prevented HMM model from being a stand-alone classifier. The NB model acts as an online classifier with the HMM as its o ffline counterpart. The combined model was tested with various real-time data sets and found to perform well. Third, we propose a layered model, containing an ensemble of basic HMMs, to model TCP connections. Contrary to the usual notion of classifying connections, this model tries to explain how a TCP connection evolves over time. Diff erent configurations of the model have been built and tested with very long TCP connections. Skills : Programming: C, C++ Scripting: Shell, Perl, Python Tools: Matlab, R Research interests : Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Big Data, Data Mining Areas of interest : Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Data Mining, Big Data Publications/Conferences : Rangadurai Karthick, R., Vipul P. Hattiwale and Ravindran, B, Adaptive Network Intrusion Detection System using a Hybrid Approach. COMSNETS, 2012. About me : Graduate Student at CSE Department Education : BTech Information Technology, 2004-2008, Thangavelu Engineering College. E-mail id : [email protected] Subhadeep Dey Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Hema A. Murthy Title of thesis : Universal Syllable models for language identification Thesis abstract : Automatic Spoken Language Recognition makes extensive use of phonotactics for identifying a language. The accuracy of phonotactic information depends upon the amount of data available for training. The state of the art approaches capture the phonotactics in terms of phonemes. But building a phoneme tokeniser needs labelled speech corpora which is expensive. In my work, I have suggested an alternative to phoneme tokens, namely, syllable based tokens. Syllables implicitly capture the phonotactics. Modelling sequence information requires modelling of syllable tokens by Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). Although, unsupervised HMM clustering successfully determines syllable inventory in every language, it nevertheless, requires significant tuning of parameters. It is suggested the use of a universal syllable models initially. These syllable models are then adapted for every language. Experimental results on benchmark dataset show that the proposed approach is very promising and performs quite well as that of a manually trained system. Research interests : Speech Processing, Speaker and Language Identification, Machine Learning. Areas of interest : Speech Processing, Machine Learning Publications/Conferences : Subhadeep Dey, Rajeev Rajan, Padmanabhan R. and Hema Murthy, “Feature Diversity for Emotion, Language and Speaker Verification”, National Conference on Communication 2011, IISc Bangalore Subhadeep Dey and Hema Murthy, “Universal Syllable Tokeniser for Language Identification”, National Conference on Communication 2012, IIT Kharagpur. Subhadeep Dey and Hema Murthy, “Unsupervised Clustering of syllables for language identification”, European Signal Processing Conference 2012, Bucharest, Romania. Education : B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering, NIT Silchar. M.S Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Vadiraj Panchamukhi Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Computer Science and Engineering Guide : Prof. Hema A. Murthy Title of thesis : Traffic Verification - A frame work for port-based anomaly detection Thesis abstract : An anomaly is an activity that deviates from the wellknown behaviour of the system. Anomaly detection in networks is of interest from two perspectives: an organization’s perspective and an Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) perspective. Protection of its computer network infrastructure is an important task for all organizations. Organizations desire that their networks are robust and resilient to any kind of attack. Anomaly detection forms an important part of this network resiliency. Also the ISPs want to maximize the utilization of their resources. Hence an ISP would be interested to know any resource failure immediately so as to correct the problem. ISPs would also be interested in safeguarding their network from malicious activities. We describe here a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM)-based traffic verification system as a paradigm for network anomaly detection. The traffic characteristics aggregated over a period of time is given to the model to verify the validity of the traffic. If the traffic does not obey the model then we raise an alarm flagging it as an anomaly. Skills : Unix shell scripting C Linux Kernel Programming Research interests : Network traffic Modeling Network Security Areas of interest : Machine Learning, Network Traffic Modeling, Network Security, Design of Operating Systems Publications/Conferences : Panchamukhi, V., Murthy, H.A., “Port-based Traffic Verification as a paradigm for Anomaly Detection,” Proc. of National Conference on Communications (NCC) 2012, February 2012, IIT Kharagpur. About me : Have a total of about 6 years of experience 3 years of Research experience as a Project Associate at IIT Madras 3 years of experience in Software Development. Have done Research in Network Anomaly Detection Have experience in Linux Device Drivers Development, Java/J2EE Education : 2008 – 2013, M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Madras, Chennai. 2000 -- 2004, B.E. in Computer Science and Engineering from K. L. S. Gogte Institute of Technology, Belgaum, Karnataka affiliated to Visvesvaraya (Visveswaraiah) Technological University, Belgaum, Karnataka with an aggregate of 68.47%. E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Engineering Design Bharath Ram S Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Engineering Design Guide : M Ramanathan Title of thesis : Matching of freeform shapes in 2D Thesis abstract : Matching and retrieval of shapes, both in two and three dimensions, have been a topic of interest to researchers in the field of computer graphics, vision and geometric modeling for more than a decade. A shape is defied as a set of freeform curves/surfaces forming a closed loop. A freeform curve/surface is typically represented in Bezier or B-spline form. A prominent approach to matching curved outline is the graph-based approach, where a skeleton such as medial-axis or Voronoi-diagram is used for obtaining the graph. In general, graph matching is a hard problem and the comparison costs increase proportionally with graph size and hence slows down the process. Moreover, the computation of skeletons for freeform shapes is an intricate problem. The main aim of this research is to use shape functions like the shortest path and medial axis for matching and retrieval, because they are more robust, easy to compute/represent, and compact in terms of computer memory. To aid in matching and retrieval, shape signatures are then obtained from shape functions. Skills : Geometric algorithms: IRIT, OpenGL and OpenCV Programming: C and Matlab CAD : CATIA,Pro-e,Autodesk Inventor Design and Analysis: Ansys, ADAMS, Fluent Research interests : Computational geometry Computer aided design Geometric algorithms Shape matching and feature extraction Pattern recognition Finite element analysis and optimization Areas of interest : Computational geometry, Computer aided design, Geometric algorithms, Shape matching and feature extraction, Pattern recognition, Finite element analysis and optimization Publications/Conferences : ‘S. Bharath Ram and M. Ramanathan, "Shortest path in a simply-connected domain having curved boundary", Computer-Aided Design, 43(8), 2011, pp. 923-933. ‘ About me : I am an mechanical engineer currently working in the broad field of Computer Aided Design and Engineering. I graduated from College of engineering, Guindy (CEG), Anna University in 2009 (CGPA 8.9) and briefly worked in Bharat Petroleum for 6 months. I was an endowment award winner for Engineering Graphics and ardent coder in C and VB (codes for Su-Do-Ku solving, multiplayer Nots-and-Cross etc). Due to my interest in CAD and programming, I got associated with Dr. M Ramanathan in Engineering Design at IIT Madras. So I quit my job and joined as MS research scholar in January 2010 batch under Dr. M Ramanathan in Engineering Design. As I developed lot of interest in research (and with a good CGPA of 9.4), I upgraded myself to direct PhD. Presently I am working to solve the freeform curve matching problem using exact algorithms for shape functions. Education : B.E Mechanical Engineering, 2005-2009, College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), Anna University, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] S.saravanakumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Engineering Design Guide : Dr. Asokan Thondiyath Title of thesis : INVESTIGATIONS ON OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE AND PATH FOLLOWING OF AN UNDERACTUATED FLAT-FISH TYPE AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE IN 3D SPACE Thesis abstract : The main objective of the research is to develop control strategy and control algorithm for obstacle avoidance and dynamic path planning of a flat-fish shaped underactuated AUV in 3D space by incorporating the vehicle speed variations, obstacle size and obstacle speed in the control strategy. The proposed research work is to improve the precision and accuracy of vehicle guidance and navigation system which will enable more challenging missions in underwater applications possible. To develop a detailed mathematical model of a flat-fish shaped underactuated AUV by considering the dynamics of the vehicle. To design a suitable control strategy and control algorithm for obstacle avoidance and dynamic path planning in 3D space. To incorporate the vehicle speed variations, object size and object speed in the control strategy. To simulate and study the behavior of the system under different operating conditions. To develop a hardware in the loop simulator (HIL) using dSPACE for implementing the control algorithm in real time. Skills : Mechanical Software : Autodesk InventorSeries and AutoCAD : Matlab/Simulink, dSPACE-RTI, controlDEsk and Targetlink, and LabVIEW Control Software : Windows and Linux Operating Systems Programming Languages : C, VHDL and Python Research interests : Robotics, Dynamic system modeling and simulation, Control Systems, Mechatronics Systems, Microcontrollers, Embedded systems and Automotive electronics Areas of interest : Modeling and Simulaion, Robotics and Control, and Rapid control prototyping and HIL tesing Publications/Conferences : Subramaniam Saravanakumar and Thondiyath Asokan, “An Improved Guidance Algorithm for Smooth Transition at Way-Points in 3D Space for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles” , International Journal of Ocean System Engineering, Vol. 2, No.3, September 2102, pp. 139-150. S. Saravanakumar, G. Thomas and T. Asokan, “Obstacle avoidance using multipoint potential field approach for an underactuated flat-fish type autonomous underwater vehicle in dynamic environment”, International Conference on Intelligent Robotics, Automation and Manufacturing (IRAM -2012), Malaysia, November 2012. (Accepted for publication). S. Saravanakumar, G. Thomas and T. Asokan, “Hardware-in-the-Loop Verification for 3D Obstacle Avoidance Algorithm of an Underactuated Flat-Fish Type AUV” , IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO 2012), Guangzhou, China, December, 2012 . (Accepted for publication). S. Saravanakumar, G. Thomas and T. Asokan, “dSPACE DS-1104 based Real-Time Verification of 3D Collision Avoidance for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles”, dSPACE user conference, Bangalore, September 2012. Divya Konda, B. Keerthana and S.Saravanakumar, “A Review of Path Planning Algorithms for Planar Navigation of Autonomous Underwater Robot”, International Conference on Computer Vision and Robotics, Tiruppathi, October 2012. S. Saravanakumar, Divya Konda, B. Keerthana and T. Asokan, “3D modeling and virtual simulator for a flat-fish shaped Autonomous Underwater Vehicle”, 2nd International Conference on Modeling, Simulation and Analysis, Coimbatore, India, December 2011, pp.385-390. S. Saravanakumar and T. Asokan, “Path planning of autonomous underwater vehicle in 3D space for smooth transition at waypoints”, 2nd IASTED International Conference on Robotics (Robo 2011), Pittsburgh, USA, November 2011, pp. 338-344. S. Saravanakumar and T. Asokan, “Waypoint guidance based planar path following and obstacle avoidance of autonomous underwater vehicle”, 8th International Conference on Information in Control, Automation and Robotics, The Netherlands , July 2011, pp. 191-19. M. Santhakumar, S. Saravanakumar, T. Thiruppathi and T. Asokan, “Design of Interactive Simulation System and Graphical User Interface for Underwater Vehicle Control and Navigation”, 8th ISOPE Ocean Mining Symposium, NIOT, Chennai, India, September 2009, pp. 290-294. About me : To be a researcher with good analytical and problem solving abilities, positive approach to work and to be a solution provider to the problems associated with the organization and human society with professional ethics. To be a technical leader with good working relationship to the management as well as co-workers through communication and inter personal skills. Education : M.Tech Machatronics Engineering, 2001-2003, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) Vellore B.E Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, 1995-1999, Bharathiyar University Coimbatore E-mail id : [email protected] A. Vijay Alagappan Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Engineering Design Guide : Prof. R. KrishnaKumar Title of thesis : Estimation of tyre road forces through FEA Thesis abstract : The forces involved in longitudinal and lateral vehicle dynamics at the tyre road interface are estimated using finite element analysis. Skills : Solid Modeling - CATIA, NX Analysis - Abaqus, ANSYS, Adams, CarSim Programming - C/C++, FORTRAN, MATLAB Control Software - Simulink,LabVIEW Research interests : Vehicle Dynamics & Control Tyre Mechanics & Tyre Models Computational Mechanics (Finite Element Analysis) Areas of interest : Automotive Systems, Vehicle Dynamics & Control, NVH, Computational Mechanics Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai E-mail id : [email protected] K Mythreyi Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Engineering Design Guide : Dr. R. Krishnakumar and Dr. C.S.Shankar Ram Title of thesis : Closed Loop Control of Blood Glucose Levels in Diabetic Patients Thesis abstract : Control of blood glucose levels in glucose-insulin regulatory system is necessary in the diabetic patients. BGL is measured using a glucose sensor. To maintain constant BGL, a control strategy is implemented in the computer using Matlab and the amount of insulin to be injected is estimated. A novel mathematical model of delay differential equations for glucose-insulin interactions in diabetic patients is proposed. An observer is designed to measure the state estimates of the model. These state estimates can then be used in the control algorithm. A few parameters in the mathematical model are patient specific and these must be estimated for accurate modeling. The control algorithm calculates the amount of insulin to be injected to the patient to maintain the BGL in the normal range. This value is then fed to the infusion pump hardware and the drug is delivered accordingly. Skills : Languages - Embedded C, MATLAB Hardware - Board design with analog and digital circuitry MSP430 microcontrollers, TMS320 microprocessor Software - Matlab, Code Composer Studio, IAR Workbench Research interests : Embedded system design Nonlinear control system System identification Areas of interest : Embedded system design, Nonlinear control system and System identification Education : M.S in Biomedical device design and Nonlinear controls, 2010-2013, IIT Madras B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2006-2010, JNTU, Hyderabad XII in Maths Physics and Chemistry, 2005, Board of Intermediate, 2005, Hyderabad E-mail id : [email protected] S V S Suresh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Engineering Design Guide : Prof. R. Krishna Kumar & Prof. V. Kamakoti Title of thesis : Design and development of Wireless ECG device and implementation of heart rate detection algorithm Thesis abstract : A novel design of a portable low cost wireless wearable ECG device is presented. This device acquires the raw ECG signal using electrodes placed on the chest of the subject. An analog circuit board conditions this raw signal which is then sent to the microcontroller for further filtration of artifacts. A novel method is used for phase compensation. Bluetooth module receives the filtered data from the microcontroller and transmits it to the user’s phone where the ECG is displayed and simultaneously stored in text and JPEG format. The recorded JPEG image can be transmitted to the doctor’s mobile phone via MMS and the latter can give an instant feedback. The analog front-end (AFE) module is designed using low cost reliable components. TI’s MSP430F47186 microcontroller runs the digital filters written in C language. The Bluetooth module ”WT12” is from Bluegiga and the system requires 3 volts for operation. The Android application was written in Java for acquiring, plotting and storing the data in the phone’s SD card, in text and JPEG formats. Samsung Galaxy Fit android phone was used for the prototype design. All through the system design, cost incurred was kept to a minimum. Skills : Technical skills: Programming languages - Embedded C, C++, Java (Android OS), PLC ladder programming. Hardware: 16 bit and 32 bit microcontrollers. Robots: Yaskawa and Motoman Industrial Robot teaching. Research interests : Embedded System Design Analog and Digital Signal Processing Areas of interest : Electronics-analog circuits, signal processing and electronic systems design Publications/Conferences : Portable low cost 3 Lead wireless wearable ECG device S.V.S. Suresh(1), R. Krishna Kumar(1) and V. Kamakoti(2) 1 Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India 2 Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India M. Long (Ed.): World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, IFMBE Proceedings 39, pp. 1331–1334, 2012. (WC2012, Beijing,China) About me : I love reading biographies of scientists, mathematicians or any other inspirirational person. Listening to hindi music is my favourite past-time. Playing the keyboard and singing sufi songs,discussing about music and science are among other interests. Education : M.S (by research ) in Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras (2010 - 2013). B.E. Electronics and Communication Engineering (2001 - 2005), SJMIT, Karnataka. XII and X from Gulmohur High School, Jamshedpur (2001 & 1999 respectively). E-mail id : [email protected] S Vinuchackravarthy Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Engineering Design Guide : Sankara J Subramaniam Title of thesis : Implementation and application of 3D-Digital Image Correlation Thesis abstract : Developed software for performing three-dimensional Digital Image Correlation (3-D DIC), a non contact, full-field experimental technique for estimating the shape, displacement and strain in a deforming body. The software uses the techniques of corner and centroid finding, image rectification, image matching, image interpolation, image denoising, and image thresholding; and contains the following modules: Calibration of stereo rig, using an open-source code Computation of stereo correspondences between pairs of acquired images Estimation of 3-D shapes of object through the course of deformation Measurement of in-plane and out-of-plane displacement by correlation of 3-D shapes Validated each software module and demonstrated that the computed 3-D displacements were as accurate as or better than those computed by Vic-3D, the most popular commercial 3-D DIC software Implemented an algorithm for calibrating the stereo rig setup using the square and dotted grid patterns Proposed a new method for reducing noise in computed 3-D surfaces using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Validated proposed method on several sets of synthetic data to which varying amounts of Gaussian noise was added (manuscript under preparation) Studied efficacy of different ligation techniques used in orthodontic brackets using 2D-DIC Designed the experimental set-up with Autodesk Inventor Fabricated fixture and platform for holding a bracket and turning an archwire through it using two stepper motors Acquired images of a 4 mm2 area of the bracket and performed DIC to show that both elastomeric ligation and steel-wire ligation are both effective in improving bracket stiffness Assessed quality of boiler header tube at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Trichy, India using edge detection and thresholding. Studied initiation of the crack propagation in carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) material under fatigue loading using 2-D DIC. This initial study demonstrated that DIC can be used as an effective tool for studying initiation and propagation of damage Assisted and mentored others in various DIC measurements: uniaxial tensile tests of friction-deposited samples, biaxial tests of aluminium samples and 3-D measurement of strain evolution during friction-stir welding Carried out preliminary studies of change in curvature of Krypton substrate after deposition of aluminium and full field deformation of stainless steel stents used in angioplasty using 2-D DIC technique in a laboratory setting Developed software for performing three-dimensional Digital Image Correlation (3-D DIC), a non contact, full-field experimental technique for estimating the shape, displacement and strain in a deforming body. The software uses the techniques of corner and centroid finding, image rectification, image matching, image interpolation, image denoising, and image thresholding; and contains the following modules: Calibration of stereo rig, using an opensource code Computation of stereo correspondences between pairs of acquired images Estimation of 3-D shapes of object through the course of deformation Measurement of in-plane and out-of-plane displacement by correlation of 3-D shapes Validated each software module and demonstrated that the computed 3-D displacements were as accurate as or better than those computed by Vic-3D, the most popular commercial 3-D DIC software Implemented an algorithm for calibrating the stereo rig setup using the square and dotted grid patterns Proposed a new method for reducing noise in computed 3-D surfaces using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Validated proposed method on several sets of synthetic data to which varying amounts of Gaussian noise was added (manuscript under preparation) Studied efficacy of different ligation techniques used in orthodontic brackets using 2D-DIC Designed the experimental set-up with Autodesk Inventor Fabricated fixture and platform for holding a bracket and turning an archwire through it using two stepper motors Acquired images of a 4 mm2 area of the bracket and performed DIC to show that both elastomeric ligation and steel-wire ligation are both effective in improving bracket stiffness Assessed quality of boiler header tube at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Trichy, India using edge detection and thresholding. Studied initiation of the crack propagation in carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) material under fatigue loading using 2-D DIC. This initial study demonstrated that DIC can be used as an effective tool for studying initiation and propagation of damage Assisted and mentored others in various DIC measurements: uniaxial tensile tests of friction-deposited samples, biaxial tests of aluminium samples and 3-D measurement of strain evolution during friction-stir welding Carried out preliminary studies of change in curvature of Krypton substrate after deposition of aluminium and full field deformation of stainless steel stents used in angioplasty using 2-D DIC technique in a laboratory setting Developed software for performing three-dimensional Digital Image Correlation (3-D DIC), a non contact, full-field experimental technique for estimating the shape, displacement and strain in a deforming body. The software uses the techniques of corner and centroid finding, image rectification, image matching, image interpolation, image denoising, and image thresholding; and contains the following modules: Calibration of stereo rig, using an open-source code Computation of stereo correspondences between pairs of acquired images Estimation of 3-D shapes of object through the course of deformation Measurement of in-plane and out-of-plane displacement by correlation of 3-D shapes Validated each software module and demonstrated that the computed 3-D displacements were as accurate as or better than those computed by Vic-3D, the most popular commercial 3-D DIC software Implemented an algorithm for calibrating the stereo rig setup using the square and dotted grid patterns Proposed a new method for reducing noise in computed 3-D surfaces using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Validated proposed method on several sets of synthetic data to which varying amounts of Gaussian noise was added (manuscript under preparation) Studied efficacy of different ligation techniques used in orthodontic brackets using 2D-DIC Designed the experimental set-up with Autodesk Inventor Fabricated fixture and platform for holding a bracket and turning an archwire through it using two stepper motors Acquired images of a 4 mm2 area of the bracket and performed DIC to show that both elastomeric ligation and steel-wire ligation are both effective in improving bracket stiffness Assessed quality of boiler header tube at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Trichy, India using edge detection and thresholding. Studied initiation of the crack propagation in carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) material under fatigue loading using 2-D DIC. This initial study demonstrated that DIC can be used as an effective tool for studying initiation and propagation of damage Assisted and mentored others in various DIC measurements: uniaxial tensile tests of friction-deposited samples, biaxial tests of aluminium samples and 3-D measurement of strain evolution during friction-stir welding Carried out preliminary studies of change in curvature of Krypton substrate after deposition of aluminium and full field deformation of stainless steel stents used in angioplasty using 2-D DIC technique in a laboratory setting Skills : VIC 2D, VIC 3D, ANSYS (introductory level), Abaqus, Pro-E, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, LaTeX, MATLAB, C, MS Windows and MS Office Suite Research interests : 3D-Digital Image Correlation Experimental mechanics Solid mechanics Areas of interest : Experimental mechanics, Solid Mechanics, Production Engineering Publications/Conferences : Vinuchackravarthy, S., and Sankara J Subramaniam., Curvature computation from stereo images using Principal Component Analysis, manuscript in preparation About me : Always interested to learn continuously and provide technical leadership Education : M. S., Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras , Sep 2012 B. E., Production Engineering, Madras Institute of Technology, Anna university, June 2009 E-mail id : [email protected] Umesh Neettiyath Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Engineering Design Guide : Dr. T. Asokan Title of thesis : Formation Control of Multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Thesis abstract : Multi robot coordination and control for underwater robots is an area of significant importance in many underwater missions. A new approach for leader follower formation control of multi AUV systems is formulated. Termed state estimation based controller, this estimates the next desired position of the follower robot from the past and current positions of the leader and follower robots. The control signals are then issued to the follower robot to align it to the estimated trajectory. This control scheme has the capability to compensate for initial errors and follow the leader under various operational scenarios. The system was simulated in Matlab/ Simulink and is found to be efficient. A fleet of surface vessels were constructed which was used to test the real world implementation of the system. Skills : Simulation : Matlab/ Simulink, Scilab Embedded Systems : Assembly,AVR, PIC, Arduino Programming : C, Python, Fortran,VBscript PCB Design : Orcad, Eagle,etc. OS Environments : Windows, Linux Research interests : Underwater robotics Mobile robots Multi-robot formation control Areas of interest : robotics, multirobot systems, mechatronic systems, electronic circuit design - analog and digital, Programming, Model Based Design, mathematics Publications/Conferences : Umesh, N., Asokan, T., “Improved Leader Follower Formation Control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Using State Estimation”, International Conference on Informatics in Control,Automation and Robotics (ICINCO), Rome, Italy, July 2012 Umesh, N., Asokan, T., ” Leader Follower Formation Control of Multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles”, Robotics Society of India Workshop on Advances in Robotics, New Delhi, India, July 2012 About me : I am a student/researcher, curious about almost anything that challenges my imagination. I am interested in hands on projects, while I get excited by seeing a beautiful equation. I have a lot of passion for robotics, which is why I joined IIT Madras in the first place. I take part in a lot of activities ranging from poetry and spirituality to badminton. Also, I like to sit and enjoy the beautiful nature around me. Education : BTech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2004-2008, Govt. Engg. College Thrissur E-mail id : [email protected] Venkataramesh Bhimasingu Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Engineering Design Guide : Dr. Nilesh Jayantilal Vasa Title of thesis : Influence of Substrate Temperature, Pressure and Grit Size on Synthesis of SiC Thin Film by Pulsed Laser Deposition Technique Thesis abstract : PLD technique to minimize the droplet formation on the film by varying different grit designation has been incorporated and also the effect of substrate temparature and pressur and grit size of the particle has been studied by different t characterization techniques for crystalline structure, surface morphology, elemental composition, elastic modulus (GPa), hardness (GPa), thickness etc were inves- tigated by standard techniques like XRDA, SEM, EDS, Nano Indentation andoptical surface pro?lometer measurement techniques are described. Skills : basics in "c" Research interests : 1. Pulsed Laser Deposition of SiC Thinfilms For Photo-Voltaic Applications. Areas of interest : semiconductor devices Publications/Conferences : conference proceedings Venkataramesh Bhimasingu, N. J. Vasa, “Pulse Laser Deposition of SiC Thin Films on Crystalline-Si and Glass Substrates”, International Conference on Trends in Optics and Photonics 2011, Kolkata, December 7-9, 2011. Venkataramesh Bhimasingu, N. J. Vasa, I. A. Palani, ”Influence of Substrate Temperature, Pressure and Grit Size on Synthesis of SiC Thin Film by Pulsed Laser Deposition Technique” International Conference on Intelligent Robotics, Automation and Manufacturing (IRAM) 2012, Malaysia, November 28-30, 2012 (Accepted for oral presentation). BOOK CHAPTER B. Venkataramesh, Nilesh J. Vasa, “Synthesis of Polycrystalline Silicon Carbide (SiC) Thin Film Using Pulsed Laser Deposition” ZnO Indo Japan Symposium, January 9-19, 2012. About me : Teaching Assistant for undergraduate students. Trained for the same. Secretary of residing hostel for social activities. Member of Optical Society of America (OSA). Education : B.Tech Electronics and communication engineering, 2005-2009, Sir C. R. Reddy college of engineering. MS in Engineering Design,2010-2013,IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Electrical Engineering A.vijayakumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Shanti Bhattacharya Title of thesis : Design, fabrication and evaluation of Fresnel based optical elements Thesis abstract : Fresnel based optical elements like Fresnel zone lenses, Fresnel axicons are very attractive for designing composite optical elements. Based on this idea, a phase shifted Fresnel zone lens with a diameter of 2 mm and more than 1300 zones was designed, fabricated using EB direct writing and implemented for coherent generation of Terahertz radiation. A phase shifted Frensel axicon was designed for generation of multiple Bessel beams suitable for optical interconnections. A spiral phase Fresnel zone plate was designed for generation of more focused donut beams for optical trapping. INSTRUMENTS HANDLED 1. Focused Ion Beam system and Scanning electron microscope (Quanta 3D FEG (FEI)). 2. Electron beam system (Elionix ELS3700S and (Quanta 400F (FEI)). 3. Spin coating machines, Sputtering unit. 4. Surface profilers (Dektak and Veeco). 5. UV lithography system – Model J500 – IR/Visible (Mask Aligner) – OAI. 6. Optical microscopes – Nikon eclipse LV150 and basic systems. 7. Optical spectrum analyzers and wavemeters. 8. DBR lasers, He-Ne lasers etc Research interests : 1. Diffractive optics 2. Interferometry 3. Holography and computer generated holograms 4. Micro/Nano fabrication Areas of interest : Diffractive optics, Interferometry, Holography and computer generated holograms, Micro/Nano fabrication Publications/Conferences : Journals 1. A.Vijayakumar and Shanti Bhattacharya, “Design and fabrication of a spiral phase Fresnel zone lens for optical trapping,” Appl.Opt. 51 6038-6044 (2012). (Publisher – Optical Society of America, Impact factor – 1.748) 2. A. Vijayakumar, M. Uemukai and T. Suhara, “Phase-Shifted Fresnel Zone Lenses for Photomixing Generation of Coherent THz Wave,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 51 070206 (2012). (Publisher – Japanese society of applied physics, Impact factor – 1.058) 3. A.Vijayakumar and Shanti Bhattacharya, “Phase shifted Fresnel Axicon,” Opt.Lett. 37, 1980-1982 (2012). (Publisher – Optical Society of America, Impact factor – 3.399) Conferences 1. V.Pramitha, A.Vijayakumar and Shanti Bhattacharya, ‘Multilevel spiral phase plate by electron beam lithography for optical trapping’ to be presented in 12th international conference on MOEMS and Minaturized systems (SPIE). 2. V.Pramitha, M.S.Gayathri, A.Vijayakumar and Shanti Bhattacharya, “Focused ion beam fabricated subwavelength gratings,” to be presented in IEEE International Nanoelectronics Conference. 3. A.Vijayakumar and Shanti Bhattacharya, “Design, Fabrication and Evaluation of a micro Fraxicon,” to be presented in Photonics 2012. 4. A.Vijayakumar and Shanti Bhattacharya, “Design of Multilevel Spiral Phase Fresnel Zone Plates,” Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics (OMN), 2012 International Conference on, 95-96 (IEEE xplore). 5. A.Vijayakumar and Shanti Bhattacharya, “Analysis of versatile phase zone plates,” Proc. SPIE 8173, 817316 (2010). Photonics 2010, IIT Guwahati, December 2010. Physics education 1. A.Vijayakumar, B. J. Jackin and P. K. Palanisamy, “Computer generated Fourier holograms for UG laboratory,” submitted to Physics Education. 2. A. Vijayakumar and S. R. Inbanathan, “A simple intensity tuner for laser,” Bulletin of IAPT Jan 2012. 3. A.Vijayakumar, “An opto-electronic spring balance based on Michelson interferometer,” Bulletin of IAPT 2009. 4. A.Vijayakumar and S. R. Inbanathan, “A simple Fizeau wavemeter,” Bulletin of IAPT, Sep 2007. 5. A.Vijayakumar, Sathya Sheela and Israel Stalin, “Study of motion with linear time dependent variation of acceleration,” Bulletin of IAPT, Feb 2007. About me : PROJECTS COMPLETED: Ø “Design of a Diffraction Scanner” at UG physics Department, The American College. Duration – 6 months. Ø “Design of a Michelson Interferometer based wavemeter” under JNCASR summer research programme, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. Duration – 2 months. Ø “Design of a Fizeau wavemeter” at Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. Duration – 6 months. Ø Reading project in “Quantum Information Theory” at Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai. Duration – 2 months. SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES Ø Einstein prize – B.Sc physics Ø Manuel.A.Thangaraj prize – B.Sc physics Ø Richard Riez Prize – M.Sc physics Ø Project Eureka – State level competition – First Prize – B.Sc Ø Quiz competition – B.Sc Ø JNCASR summer student – B.Sc Ø IMSc summer student – M.Sc Ø MEXT (Monbukagakusho Fellowship) research student – (2010 – 2012) POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY 1. Reviewer of applied optics Journal. 2. M.Tech Student Representative (Aug 2007 – June 2009). 3. Service Learning Programme – Student Representative (Aug 2001 – June 2003) 4. National Service Scheme leader – (Aug 2001 – June 2003). Education : Ø Master of Technology in Laser and Electro Optical Engineering Institution : Anna University, Chennai. Degree issued by : Anna University, Chennai. Course Duration : August 2007 - May 2009 Year of passing : May 2009 Percentage of Marks : 84.5% Dissertation : Computer generated Fourier holograms Advisor : Dr.P. K. Palanisamy Ø Master of Science in Physics Institution : The American College Degree issued by : Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai. Course Duration : June 2005– April 2007 Year of passing : April 2007 Percentage of Marks : 77.8% Dissertation : 1. Analysis of salt solutions using Beer Lambert Law Advisor : Dr. S. Stephen Rajkumar Inbanathan Dissertation : 2. Quantum Information Processing Advisor : Dr. K. Gnanasekaran Ø Bachelor of Science in Physics Institution : The American College Degree issued by : Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai. Course Duration : June 2001 – April 2004 Year of passing : April 2004 Percentage of Marks : 82% Dissertation : Fabrication of a Diffraction Scanner Advisor : Mr. N. Manickam COMPUTER SKILLS Ø Operating systems known Ø Programming Languages E-mail id : [email protected] : Windows operating system : Matlab, Visual C++, Lab VIEW etc Aravinth S Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Prof. R Sarathi Title of thesis : Influence of nano particles produced through wire explosion process on polymeric-composite electrical insulation. Thesis abstract : Nanoparticles are known to have enhanced properties due to their increased surface to volume ratio. In the present research, tungsten-carbide nanoparticles are produced through wire explosion process and its influence as a nano filler material in polymer nanocomposites are under investigation for alternative partial discharge free electrical insulation. Skills : Languages and programming : C, Matlab, Ladder program, Assembly language and LabVIEW Simulation and design : SPICE, COMSOL, AutoCAD and SolidWorks Project management and office : Mindmeister, MS office packages Research interests : Nanoparticle generation and characterization Polymeric electrical insulation Nano dielectrics Condition monitoring of power apparatus Areas of interest : Nanomaterils, Micro/Nano fabrication, system automation, electrical insulation, green energy Publications/Conferences : S Aravinth, Binu Sankar, S R Chakravarthy and R Sarathi, Generation and Characterization of Nano Tungsten Oxide particles by Wire Explosion Process, Materials Characterization, 2011, 62, 248 – 255. S Aravinth, Binu Sankar, M Kamaraj, S R Chakravathy and R Sarathi , Synthesis and characterization of hexagonal nano tungsten carbide powder using multi walled carbon nanotubes. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, 2012, 33, 53-57. About me : Passionate about engineering research which can provide solutions to todays' society's problems. Education : Diploma in Electrical and electronics Engg., 2001–2004, DOTE-TN. BE in Electrical and electronics Engg., 2004–2007, Anna Univ. MS-Ph.D in Electrical Engg., 2008–2013, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Karthik Ks Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Bhaskar Ramamurthi Title of thesis : Wireless Relays for Proximate Destination Node Clusters Thesis abstract : The focus of my Ph.D research work is on the use of advanced relays in wireless systems comprising a large number of nodes that are constrained by physical size and energy restrictions. Skills : C, C++, MATLAB Research interests : Wireless and cellular communications, relaying and interference mitigation in wireless networks, signal processing methods for communications, cellular standards. Areas of interest : Wireless and cellular communications Publications/Conferences : K. S. Karthik and B. Ramamurthi, “Prediction of SINR improvement with a directional antenna or antenna array in a cellular system,” in Proc. Nat. Conf. Commun. (NCC’11), Bangalore, India, 2011, pp. 1–5. About me : I am interested in wireless communications in general and cellular communications in particular. Education : B.E, Electronics and Communications Engineering, 2001-2005, BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore E-mail id : [email protected] R Sugunakar Reddy Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : R Sarathi Title of thesis : Wire explosion technique for synthesizing alloy (stainless steel) nanoparticles & Zr Compound (ZrC & ZrN) nanoparticles Thesis abstract : Stainless steel is an excellent corrossion resistive material & have interesting magnetic properties, nanomaterials have an improved properties because of it's higher surface to volume ratio. I am working on wire explosion technique for synthesizing stainless steel nanoparticles. These nanoparticles will be characterized, and will be studied for corrosion resistance & magnetic property. ZrC & ZrN Nanoparticles are synthesized by wire explosion process using Zr as source material. These particles are characterized using various characterisation techniques. I am also working on modelling of wire explossion process Skills : Languages: C, Matlab, Assembly language Simulation tools: COMSOL basics, Simulink, OrCAD & LabVIEW Interpretation of characterization results like XRD, VSM, FT-IR, UV-Visible, SEM / TEM SAED Research interests : Nanotechnology High Voltage engineering, Power Electronics Control Systems Digital Signal Processing Areas of interest : Nanotechnology, high voltage, Power Electronics, control system, Digital Signal Processing Publications/Conferences : R SugunakarReddy, M Kamaraj, U KamachiMudali, SR Chakravarthy, R Sarathi “Generation and Characterization of Zirconium Nitride Nanoparticles by Wire Explosion Process” Ceramics International38(07), September 2012, pp. 5507–5512 R SugunakarReddy, M Kamaraj, U KamachiMudali, SR Chakravarthy, R Sarathi “Generation and Characterization of Zirconium Carbide Nanoparticles by Wire Explosion Process” Materials Transactions53(08), 2012, pp.1420-1424 About me : I am interested in fields which involves multiple disciplines Ready to work, which involves mathematics, simulation & Experimentation Education : B.Tech Electrical & Electronics Engineering 2003-2007, HIT&M affilated to JNTU M.Tech Nanotechnolgy, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad E-mail id : [email protected] Abhishek Ranjan Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Boby George Title of thesis : New Capacitive Sensors for Safety Application Thesis abstract : Determining human presence is a critical parameter attached to safety. Capacitive sensors proves to be very low power consuming and efficient in this regard unlike IR , thermal or weight based sensors. One such scenario is of babies being left behind in parked cars which seems to be unalarming yet has proved to be fatal in many cases reported in different countries. Parents or guardians forgets their child inside car (intentionally or un-intentionally) due to hectic urban lifestye. The temperature inside increases rapidly even on a normal day. Since the thermoregulatory system in children are underdeveloped child often suffers from hyperthermia. Sensors to detect the presence of a baby , like the ones used for adult seat occupancy have been built to avoid such mishaps. The ones available are based mechanical switches, weight , thermal and optical methods. Capacitive based sensors for such application are much more reliable. Skills : Virtual Instrumentation: LabVIEW Finite Element analysis : Comsol Mutiphysics Research interests : Capacitive Sensors Signal Conditioning Automation Areas of interest : system automation, signal processing and electronic systems design About me : I am a person who loves exploring and keep learning whether it in technical domain or in personal life. From technical view point I like challenging position to explore and innovate - to make things better, however small it may be. Education : B. E Electronics and Communication, 2006-2010, Panjab University Chandigarh M.S Control and Instrumentation, 2011-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Bharath L R Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. R. Aravind and Dr. RadhaKrishna Ganti Title of thesis : Outage and Goodput analysis in ARQ multiple access channels Thesis abstract : Automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol is used to combat packet losses in error prone networks. It is a simple protocol which retransmits packet until it is received successfully at the receiver. ARQ protocol is well understood in point to point communication and the optimal packet reliability for maximizing goodput is known. In our work we consider ARQ in a fading multiple access channel (MAC) scenario where a number of users transmits information packets to a single receiver. With ARQ, goodput (long term average of rate at which packets are successfully received) is a function of transmission rate and packet error probability. Since we consider a fading MAC, the packet error probability is given by the channel outage which is the probability that a chosen rate cannot be sustained by the channel. In a MAC, there are two notions of outage probabilities: Common and Individual outage probability. Under these two notions of outage probabilities, we analyse the optimal packet error probability that will maximize goodput for different SNRs and number of users. Skills : Programming Languages: C, MATLAB, Mathematica Research interests : Research allocation and optimization problems in Multiple Access Channels ARQ & Hybrid ARQ protocols in wireless communications MIMO techniques Areas of interest : PHY layer design and development, Cross layer algorithms, MIMO techniques, Signal Processing Publications/Conferences : Bharath Rao, R. K. Ganti and R. Aravind, "Outage and Goodput analysis in ARQ multiple access channels", IEEE proc, SCC' 13, Jan 2013, Munich, Germany. Education : Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communications from Shri Jayachamarajendra College of Engg.(SJCE), Mysore (2003-07). E-mail id : [email protected] Bhargav Srinivas Ch Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. S Umesh Title of thesis : Adaptive Training for Triphones with less amount of data Thesis abstract : A large amount of data is needed to build a Speaker Independent (SI) model because of large number of parameters. Building a SI model with less amount of data often causes a problem. Here, we develop a new technique to speech recognition, where all the triphone states of Hidden Markov Model (HMM) are obtained by linear combination of monophone Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM). Instead of directly finding the parameters of triphone state, we just need to find the linear combination that gives GMM for triphone state. This allows significant reduction in number of parameters, which enables us to build the model with less amount of data. Skills : Programming Languages: Matlab, C Tools: Hidden markov model Tool Kit (HTK) Research interests : Speech Recognition by Speaker Adaptation Noise robust Speech Recognition Areas of interest : Signal Processing, Machine Learning About me : Joined Speech Processing Group of IIT Madras in January 2011. My work has been on adaptive training techniques which does speech recognition by speaker adaptation and techniques which extract noise robust features for speech recognition. Education : B.E Electronics & Communications Engineering, 2006-2010, ANITS E-mail id : [email protected] Bincy B N Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr Venkatesh Ramaiyan Title of thesis : An Oblivious Distributed Medium Access Protocol for Delay Optimality Thesis abstract : A novel contention resolution protocol is developed which can be used for leader election in any multiple access networks with absolutely no information about the network topology. This protocol is proved to be the best compared to all existing protocol in terms of average delay to elect a leader in adverse conditions. Using this protocol, all existing k-selection protocols in radio networks can be improved. Skills : Programming Languages: MATLAB, C Softwares: MATHEMATICA, LyX, X-fig Operating Systems Used: Ubuntu, Fedora, Windows. Mathematical Analysis of Algorithms, Rubik's cube Research interests : Algorithm design and Analysis MAC scheduling Information Theory Areas of interest : Mathematical Analysis of algorithms, Information Theory, Scheduling, Networking Education : B.Tech Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2005-2009, GEC Wayanad, Kerala E-mail id : [email protected] D S Pavan Kumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Prof. S. Umesh Title of thesis : Efficient Feature Extraction for Noise Robust Speech Recognition Thesis abstract : The accuracy of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems degrades severely in noisy environments. Many approaches have been developed in literature to address the problem of robust speech recognition, which include feature-normalization algorithms, model based compensation and adaptation methods, etc. While implementing these methods, there is always a trade-off between the improvement in recognition accuracy and the computational cost introduced by them. Therefore, to approach this problem optimally, we focus on feature space normalization, which basically tries to refine the feature space from noise as much as possible using various techniques. Skills : MATLAB, Scilab and GNU-Octave Hidden Markov Model Toolkit (HTK) C Programming Linux Shell Programming Research interests : Speech Processing and Recognition Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning Signal Processing Areas of interest : Speech Recognition, Speech Processing, Pattern recognition, Machine Learning, Signal Processing About me : My primary interests are in building robust speech recognition algorithms that are immune to various kinds of background noises, using the concepts of signal processing and machine learning. I currently work on improving the current state-of-the-art feature normalization techniques Education : B.E. Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2006-2010, Sir C R Reddy College of Engineering, Eluru E-mail id : [email protected] Devika Jay Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Prof. K.Shanti Swarup Title of thesis : ECONOMIC OPERATION OF SMART POWER SYSTEMS UNDER LOAD FREQUENCY CONTROL Thesis abstract : With the advent of Information Communication Technology, power systems have become smarter. This facilitates a situation in which demand side management plays an important role in grid operation. The first part of the thesis proposes a probability based model of the power gain achieved due to price based demand response from thermostatically controlled loads. The advantage of this model is that an economic operation from a consumer perspective is achieved. This model is then used to investigate the contribution of demand response in Load Frequency Control. The results promise a positive potential for the participation of demand response in Load Frequency Control. The second part of the thesis proposes an economic Load Frequency Control scheme under a deregulated system in which competing generation companies are involved. This scheme has been modeled as a stochastic game which is collaborative. The agents involved in the game learn the optimal action, i.e. Nash Equilibrium of the game, with Reinforcement Learning based approach. The advantage of the proposed scheme is that the generation companies produce optimal amount of power that is required to minimize the cost of production of the system, preserving the concept of deregulation in the system and competing among the companies. The simulation results show that the frequency deviation was also minimized, which is the primary objective of Load Frequency Control. Skills : Programming - C,C#, ASP.NET, Matlab Technologies - JavaScript, CSS, XML, HTML Packages - MiPOWER, Power World Simulator Research interests : POWER SYSTEM OPERATION AND ECONOMICS INTELLIGENT CONTROL SYSTEM Areas of interest : POWER SYSTEMS. CONTROL SYSTEMS, Economics, GAME THEORY Publications/Conferences : Devika Jay, K.S. Swarup, “Dynamic Demand Response and Control in Smart Grid Environment", Proc. of INDICON 2011, 16th to 18th Dec. 2011, Bits Pilani, Hyderabad. Devika Jay, K.S. Swarup, “Frequency Restoration using Dynamic Demand Control under Smart Grid Environment", International Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies (ISGT) 2011, India, 1st to 3rd December 2011. Devika Jay, K.S Swarup, “Price Based Demand Response of Aggregated Thermostatically Controlled Loads For Load Frequency Control”, National Power System Conference, IIT-BHU. (Accepted), December 2012. About me : Sincere, Enthusiastic and a Quick learner. With an objective to enhance my professional skills in research and development of power systems and fostering the spirit of teamwork for organizational growth, thereby serving the nation. Education : B.Tech (Electrical and Electronics) TKM College Of Engineering, Kerala University E-mail id : [email protected] Dhivagar B Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Prof. K. Giridhar Title of thesis : Advanced MIMO Receivers for SC-FDMA based Wireless Systems Thesis abstract : As the 4G standard LTE have adapted SC-FDMA based Uplink transmission, advanced receivers are being proposed by many people improving the performance of the system. Although a lot of receivers are available for SISO models, MIMO based receivers for Multiple-Stream or Multi-User transmissions are not analysed extensively . We are interesting in proposing an advanced receiver algorithm for MIMO based transmission which performs better than any existing algorithm. Skills : High Level Languages - C,C++ Low Level Languages - Matlab, ITPP OS - Linux, WIndows Research interests : Channel Equalization Algorithms for MIMO systems Receiver Design for Advanced Wireless Systems Areas of interest : Wireless and cellular communications About me : I am a Research Engineer working in CEWiT since 2007, responsible for simulation of System-Level-Models of Wireless Networks. I designed the Multicell architecture of BWSim- A Broaadband Wireless simulator own by CEWiT. And I am doing my MS as a part-time candidate under Prof.K.Giridhar since 2011. Education : B.E ECE , 2003-2007 , Madras Institute Of Technology E-mail id : [email protected] Durgum Khasim Hussain Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. R. Manivasakan Title of thesis : Multiservice Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation in GPON Access Networks Thesis abstract : Distributing available bandwidth fairly in GPON access networks is an issue. A Scheme is developed to investigate the QoS parameters which supports Proportional Diffserv Model, and to allocate the available Bandwidth relatively among the service classes. This results in satisfying the requirements of high priority classes relative to the low priority classes. Skills : Programming Languages: C, C++, MATLAB Packages/Tools: OPNET Modeler, OPNET SP GURU Transport Planner, Windows xp/07 Research interests : Analysis of MAC Protocols Optical Networks Designing Scheduling Algorithms to attain best QoS parameters SDH/SONET Computer Networks Areas of interest : communication (Networking) About me : I received B.Tech degree from JNTU Hyderabad. My Research interests includes computer networks, Optical Networks, analysis of MAC protocols, scheduling algorithms and SDH/SONET. I would like to pursue a career in communication industry and contribute novelty to the same. Apart from research career I am interested in playing cricket, reading books and listening to music. Education : B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2005-2009, VIF College of Engineering and Technology E-mail id : [email protected] Gorla N Brahmendra Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Lakshminarasamma Title of thesis : An active soft switching technique for phase shifted full bridge converters. Thesis abstract : Full bridge converters are widely used for medium and high power applications. Phase shifted full bridge converters are preferred because of their inherent zero voltage switching property for leading leg. ZVS for lagging leg is load dependent. At light load conditions or for high input voltages, ZVS for lagging leg is not possible. Many passive and active soft switching circuits are proposed in literature to address this issue. Passive soft switching circuits are able to achieve ZVS for a wide range of load at the cost of reduced efficiency. The novelty of proposed active soft switched circuit lies in achieving ZVS for active switches, ZCS during turn on and turn off of auxiliary switches used. Since auxiliary switches are turned on for smaller durations, losses due to additional circuit didn't have an impact on overall efficiency. A 350 W, 100 kHz and 200kHz prototypes are built to validate the theory. Skills : Known simulation softwares: SABER, MATLAB, Pspice, LABVIEW; PCB Design: Easy PC; Languages known: C; Hardware debugging; High frequency PCB board desing; Research interests : Switched mode power conversion, Soft switching. Areas of interest : Applications of Power Electronics in Power Systems, Power Electronics, SMPS. Publications/Conferences : Published: 1. Brahmendra, B.N.; Lakshminarasamma, N.; , "Novel soft transition pushpull converter: Analysis, modeling, design and implementation," IECON 2011 - 37th Annual Conference on IEEE Industrial Electronics Society , vol., no., pp.1486-1491, 7-10 Nov. 2011 Accepted for publication: 2. Title: Novel Soft Transition Bridge Converter With Auxiliary Coupled Inductor, Authors: Brahmendra G N, Lakshminarasamma N Conf: IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Drives and Energy Systems 2012 (PEDES 2012) 3. Title: Analysis and Design of a Novel Active Soft Switched Phase-Shifted Full Bridge Converter Authors: Brahmendra G N, Lakshminarasamma N Conf: 34th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Power Electronics Education : B.Tech Electrical Engineering, 2006-2010 Bapatla Engineering College MS Power Electronics, joined: July-2010, IITMadras E-mail id : [email protected] Gurusanthosh P Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. R. Manivasakan Title of thesis : Load optimized L2 mobility for LTE using OpenFlow switches Thesis abstract : According to an estimate about mobile traffic forecasts, there will be an incredible growth in the mobile data by the introduction of increased capacities of radio access technologies like LTE. The immediate effect is the increase in signaling load pressure on the mobile backhaul. Hence, the present backhaul solutions proposed for LTE, which are based on GTP cannot cope up with this increased signaling load on the core network. This leads to the change in the direction of mobility implementation at layers other than network layer. Mobility at Layer-2 is an attractive proposition since it hides mobility from network layer and consequently the IP point of attachment remains static throughout the communication session. The basic issues of ethernet switch based mobility schemes (such as poor scalability and flooding) make it complex to implement at Layer-2. But by the advent of OpenFlow switches, the issues of typical ethernet switch are solved. We implemented a novel mobility scheme using OpenFlow switches in the access and aggregation networks by making minimal changes to the existing LTE mobility schemes. It is observed that handover latency and signaling load on the core network are drastically reduced with a minimal increase in initial attach latency when compared with existing LTE mobility schemes. Skills : Software programming: C,C++ Network programming: OmNet++ Packages: MATLAB Hardware Description Language: VHDL Research interests : Mobility management in backhaul networks QoS issues in backhaul networks Areas of interest : Communication Networks, Mobile Backhaul Networks About me : Basically a deep thinker (generally thinks about the creation of this beautiful world) and a normal person interested in leading a calm life. Tries to finish things as early as possible. Interested in learning new things. Education : B.Tech Electronics and Communications Engineering, 2006-2010, Rajeev Gandhi Memorial college of Engineering, JNTA Nandyal E-mail id : [email protected] Harish Sasikumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Deepa Venkitesh, Dr. Bijoy Krishnadas Title of thesis : Periodic Structures in Silicon Waveguides Thesis abstract : Silicon photonics is an immerging and potential area of research which utilizes the conventional CMOS and MEMS fabrication technology to realize various compact and high performance devices. In my research, I have designed, fabricated and characterized Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) structures in silicon waveguides. They have interesting device physics as well as a variety of uses in sensors and communication devices. They can be used as optical equivalent for electronic filters which is an integral component of all-opticalsignal-processing. They are potential components in amplifieres and lasers. Also these structures can be used to enhance, tailor or add some usefulness in the conventional optical devices like add-drop multiplexers, interleavers, modulators, dispersion compensators, waveguide couplers, resonators etc. Though these structures were well known and well implemented in many applications, their possibilities utilizing higher order diffraction was not properly explored. As part of my research program, I have done the anlytical and numerical modelling of these structures using coupled mode analysis and Fourier analysis. I have also demonstrated DBR in silicon waveguides with eleventh order diffraction. The characterization results of the fabricated DBRs showed 85% reflectivity and 2.5 nm full width at half maxima. Skills : General Analytical and lateral thinking Problem identification and solving Computer Implementation of data acquisition and control systems using microcontrollers and computers Programming - C, Python, Matlab Familiar Operating Systems - Linux, Windows Modelling tools - MEEP, COMSOL Softwares - LaTeX, MS Office, Photoshop, Macromedia Flash, Encryption and synchronization softwares Research Specific Microelectronic fabrication - photolithography, reactive ion etching, focused ion-beam milling, oxidation, surface profiling Optical characterization - familiar with optical spectrum analysers, lasers and development of characterization setups. Research interests : Silicon Photonics Integrated Optoelectronics Microelectronics Analog and Digital IC Design Numerical Modelling and Programming Quantum Computation Areas of interest : Silicon Photonics, Integrated Optoelectronics, VLSI, Quantum Computation, Programming, Computational Electromagnetics, Theoretical Physics, electronic circuit design - analog and digital Publications/Conferences : S. Harish, D. Venkitesh and, B.K. Das, “Highly Efficient DBR in Silicon Waveguides with Eleventh Order Diffraction,” SPIE, PHOTONICS-WEST, Feb 1-7, 2013, San Francisco, USA About me : I am an enthusiastic learner who finds joy in exploring the surprises of Physics. I believe that a good combination of engineering skills, passion for maths and physics, and lateral thinking is the key for innovation. Education : B. Tech Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2006-2010, NSS College of Engineering, University of Calicut Master of Science (Research) Electrical Engineering, 2010-present, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Immanuel David Rajan M Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Bharath Bhikkaji Title of thesis : (specified later) Thesis abstract : Data Modelling and dimension reduction, Various ways to better the estimate, also to reduce the data dimension so that computation becomes easier. Skills : MATLAB (GUI and Programming) C PCB designing Logical Reasoning Research interests : Data Modelling and Estimation Independent component analysis and Sparse signal Processing Areas of interest : sparse signal processing, Detection and Estimation Theory, Probability Theory, Digital Signal Processing, Acoustics About me : Curiosity with it's power to kill is the greatest motivator for research and to gain knowledge. I try to be the best in my field of expertise and work towards the same. Education : B.Tech, Electrical Engineering, 2006- 2010, Amrita School of Engineering Coimbatore. E-mail id : [email protected] Kishore P Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr.Bhaskar Ramamurthi Title of thesis : Development of a LTE Channel Emulator Thesis abstract : Modeling a channel is important wireless communication systems. A wideband wireless channel exhibits behaviors like path loss, fading, multipath, shadowing, noise, ISI, propagation delay, Doppler shift and is highly time varying. Any wireless system designed has to me made fairly robust against these channel behaviors. To test such algorithms, it is practically impossible to use the actual physical channel. A channel emulator is a device which can mimic the actual physical channel by taking certain control inputs from the user and creating a link which behaves like a actual physical wireless channel. My work is on developing such a device for LTE applications. Skills : Languages: C, Embedded C, Assembly (Blackfin- BF533, BF537, BF561, Tigersharc TS201, uC 8051), C++ basics Scripting: MATLAB, SCILAB, Shell HDL: Verilog Tools: Visual DSP ++, Xilinx ISE, HTK , Modelsim, Proteus VSM, Roborealm, Packet tracer; DebuggersGDB, DDD Interfacing DSPs/ ?Controllers to peripherals, using DSO, Spectrum analyzers, working knowledge on devicedrivers for Blackfin 533/537 DSP’s. Completed CCNA1 and CCNA2 courses (June 2008) Research interests : DSP and FPGA implementations Image processing Neural networks Areas of interest : Real time Embedded systems (DSP & FPGA based), Image Processing, Neural networks Publications/Conferences : "Sarath Chandra V, Anup Kulkarni, Kishore Prahlad, Kavitha Gopal, Ashok Jhunjhunwala", "Implementation of DSP Lab on a Cloud", " NCC", February 2012 About me : Robotics and Embedded systems enthusiast Fan of music/musical instruments, 3D origami and Rubik's cube Education : M.S, Electrical Engineering (currently pursuing), IIT Madras, Chennai, Cumulative GPA: 9.56/10 B.E, ECE, College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University Chennai, Cumulative GPA: 8.47/10 12th Grade, Sri Chakravarthy Matriculation, Chennai Percentage: 95.33 E-mail id : [email protected] N.raguvaran Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr.Nitin Chandrachoodan Title of thesis : Implementation of Time to Digital converter on an FPGA Thesis abstract : Time to Digital Converter is a module which measures the time delay or difference between two signals and produces the same as digital output. Here the goal is to create a time to digital converter module which can measure the delay difference in the order of few 10’s of pico seconds. This project involved variety of tasks which are given below. Skills : Programming language : VHDL, Verilog, C, SystemVerilog and SystemC FPGA Design Tools : Xilinx ISE Simulation Tools : ModelSim, Xilinx ISim, ActiveHDL, Questasim Synthesis Tools : Xilinx XST, Synplify PRO, Quartus II Timing Analyzing Tools : Xilinx P&R, Static Timing Analyzer Debugging Tools : Chipscope Tool chain & Compiler : Visual C++, Bus Protocol Standards : GTP Transceiver, Ethernet, USB, SPI, RS232 Version control Tools : Redmine, Dropbox FPGA Architecture : Spartan 3, Spartan3e, Virtex 4, Virtex 5 Research interests : ASIC / FPGA based VLSI designs. Areas of interest : FPGA, ASIC, VLSI, Digital circuit design and verification About me : Almost 5 years of experience in Digital design using VHDL/Verilog. Having solid experience in all the phases of FPGA development cycle including requirements analysis, device selection, RTL design, development, verification, timing closure, testing and documentation. Good knowledge in interfacing the FPGA with PC through Ethernet, USB and RS232r, ADC, DAC and all the type of memory interfacing. Good knowledge of programming using C++, Verilog. Good knowledge on EDA tools like Xilinx ISE, Modelsim, Chipscope, Visual Studio, Matlab, Python and Multisim. Having knowledge in writing the Application Programming Interface’s (API) using C++ in Visual studio for windows. Having knowledge on interfaces like GTP Transceiver, Ethernet and UART. Strong interpersonal and excellent communication skills. Education : MS (VLSI), secured 80% from IIT MADRAS, Chennai, Tamil nadu (2013) B.Tech (Telecommunication Engineering), secured 85.30% from Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil nadu (2007) DIPLOMA (Electronics and Communication Engineering), secured 90.40% from Sri Venkateswara Polytechnic College, Vellore, Tamil nadu (2004) E-mail id : [email protected] Noel Augustine Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Anjan Chakravorty Title of thesis : Compact Modeling of Non-Quasi-Static Effects in SiGe HBTs Using an Improved Charge Partitioning Scheme Thesis abstract : The excellent high-frequency performance of silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors (SiGe HBTs) makes them a suitable choice for radio frequency (RF) circuit applications. Efficient and accurate non-quasi-static (NQS) models are required to predict the high-frequency behaviour of SiGe HBTs for RF circuit design and simulation. The thesis presents the development of an accurate physics-based NQS model using an improved charge partitioning scheme. The developed model is suitable for implementation in Verilog-A and yields straightforward parameter extraction techniques. A more efficient NQS model is also developed that offers similar accuracy and lesser simulation time. The bias dependence of the NQS model parameters is also discussed. Skills : Simulation Tools: MEDICI, ATLAS, DEVICE, Spectre(CADENCE) Programming Languages: Matlab, Python Basic knowledge of C, C++ Research interests : Semiconductor device modeling Nanoelectronics Areas of interest : semiconductor devices Publications/Conferences : Journals Noel Augustine, Khamesh Kumar, Arkaprava Bhattacharya, Thomas Zimmer and Anjan Chakravorty, "Modeling Non-Quasi-Static Effects in SiGe HBTs Using an Improved Charge Partitioning Scheme," IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, vol. 59, Sept. 2012, pp. 2542-2545. Conferences/Workshops Noel Augustine, Khamesh Kumar and Anjan Chakravorty, "Applicability of Partition Charge Based Approach for Modeling Non-Quasi-Static Effects in SiGe HBTs,” 16th International Workshop on the Physics of Semiconductor Devices, Kanpur, India, Dec. 2011. Noel Augustine, Khamesh Kumar, Arkaprava Bhattacharya, Thomas Zimmer and Anjan Chakravorty, "Efficient Models for Non-Quasi-Static Effects and Correlated Noise In SiGe HBTs," accepted in IEEE International Conference on Electron Devices and Solid State Circuits 2012. About me : I obtained the B. Tech degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from College of Engineering, Chengannur, Kerala. I am presently working toward the M. S degree in the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai. My research interests include semiconductor device physics and modeling of semiconductor devices. Education : B. Tech Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2005 - 2009, College of Engineering, Chengannur, Kerala M. S Microelectronics and VLSI, July 2010 - present, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Pratyush Sahay Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. A.N.Rajagopalan Title of thesis : Geometric and Photometric Reconstruction of Large Missing Regions in 3D models Thesis abstract : Generation of digital 3D models of real world structures is a popular theme in computer vision, graphics and virtual reality. In general, post-processing of the acquired or generated point clouds is warranted to generate ‘watertight’ 3D models. However, there may naturally exist structures that show large damaged or broken regions (e.g.: archaeological structures) due to numerous enviromental and man-made forces of degradation at work. Using traditional post processing methods, the ‘watertight’ 3D model generated will also contain such a damaged region, which may result in visually unpleasant outputs for applications such as a ‘Virtual Tour’. In this work, filling-up of such naturally existing damaged regions (or, holes) in 3D models is addressed. Once a salient geometric reconstruction of the holes in a broken 3D model has been achieved, an intensity filling-in (or, inpainting) for the reconstructed surface points is the next objective. This part of the work aims to perform inpainting of the per-colour channel brightness information over the 3D geometry itself for the hole-filled region which helps in making the inpainting process view independant. As a direct result of this, even the reconstructed surface points occluded in a given view can be intensity inpainted. Skills : Programming Languages: C, C++, Bash, Python, MATLAB / Scilab / Octave Libraries & Tools : OpenCV, CUDA, Clutter, MeshLab Research interests : 3D reconstruction techniques Geometry in Computer Vision Image Processing Areas of interest : Computer Vision, Image Processing Algorithms Publications/Conferences : Pratyush Sahay and A. N. Rajagopalan, “Harnessing self-similarity for reconstruction of large missing regions in 3D models,” in IEEE International Conference on Pattern Recognition, Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Nov 2012 Education : MS by Research, 2010 - 2013, IIT Madras B.E (Electronics and Communication), 2006 - 2010, Manipal University XII, DPS Vasant Kunj, 2005, New Delhi X, Don Bosco Academy, 2003, Patna E-mail id : [email protected] Projesh Basu Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Harishankar Ramachandran Title of thesis : Spectral Analysis of Non-Ideal Plasma in Waveguides and Designing such Waveguides Thesis abstract : We generated plasma in a rectangular waveguide at different voltages and different flow rates of gases. The motive was to test the characteristics and the line spectra of soil. The temperature of the plasma was calculated using comparison with blackbody radiation and that was used to chracterise the nature of the plasma. The conductivity profile of the plasma was then used for the 3D Modelling of our experiment. A relevant circular waveguide was used for the same experiment as it is easier to design and it also reduces the cost of the experiment . For the spectral analysis of the plasma, a UV-Visible spectrometer which gives a resolution of 1nm to 3 nm lines is also designed.This is what is required for a soil analysis and that is also the reason why a low cost design is even possible. Skills : C Matlab,Scilab Python Ubuntu Latex MS office Research interests : RF and Microwave Engineering Computational Electromagnetics Plasma Physics Optical Engineering Areas of interest : RF and Microwave Engineering, Computational Electromagnetics About me : I am a fun-loving guy who takes interest in different aspects of life. Doing research in IIT Madras was a great learning experience for me. Education : MS(by Research) IIT Madras, 2009-2012 BTech, JIS College of Engineering, 2004-2008 E-mail id : [email protected] Sakthivel P Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Prof.Nadita Dasgupta and Dr.Bijoy Krishna Das Title of thesis : SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF DIFFUSION DOPED P-I-N STRUCTURES FOR SILICON PHOTONICS Thesis abstract : Designed, simulated, fabricated and characterized the integrated optical / optoelectronic devices viz., p-i-n optical phase and intensity modulators, Variable Optical Attenuators (VOA) and 3-dB optical power splitters on SOI platform by using CMOS fabrication facility available at microelectronics lab, Department of Electrical engineering, IITM. The above mentioned devices are the building blocks for high speed optical communications and signal processing in integrated digital photonic circuits and electronic circuits ( PICs/ICs ) Skills : Singing Songs Servicing Electronic Equipments Research interests : VLSI and Digital IC Design Photonics Device Design VLSI Technology Areas of interest : VlSI design and technology, Silicon Photonics Publications/Conferences : P.Sakthivel, N.Dasgupta and B.K Das "Simulation and Experimental Studies of Diffusion Doped p-i-n Structures for Silicon Photonics” for Oral presentation to be presented 6 February 2013. This conference is part of SPIE OPTO which will be held 2nd February 2013 to 7th February 2013 in San Francisco, California USA, and will be published in SPIE proceedings. About me : Very interested in knowing the secrets of nature. Love on research and teaching Like musics Education : MS ( Microelectronics ) 2009-2013, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai. M.Sc. ( Physics & Electronics) 2008 Vivekananda College, Mylapore, Chennai. B.Sc.( Physics ) 1996-1999 Government Arts College Thiruvannamalai. E-mail id : [email protected] Sandeep Kumar Singh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. R. Manivasakan Title of thesis : Design of Virtual Optical Bus Networks Thesis abstract : VOB is a new concept that establishes the optical bus network with the intent of minimizing packet collision in the network. Flows are grouped together into a set of VOBs. A co-ordination is established among flows so that intra-VOB packet collision is completely suppressed and inter-VOB packet collision is minimized. Skills : C, Matlab, VHDL, Omnet++ Integer linear Programming Electronic Circuit Design Research interests : Virtual Optical Bus Networks Optimization Problems Areas of interest : Networks, Optical Access Networks, Cloud Computing Publications/Conferences : Rostami, A.; Singh, S.K., "Design of virtual optical bus networks: A heuristic approach," Networks and Optical Communications (NOC), 2012 17th Europian Conference. About me : I want to build a research oriented career where I can utilize and enhance my knowledge of the field of communication Networks. Education : B.Tech Electronic and communication Engineering, 2006-2010, SASTRA University , Tanjavur, Tamilnadu E-mail id : [email protected] Sheik Mohammed Ali S Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Boby George Title of thesis : Design and Development of a Novel Inductive Loop Sensor System Thesis abstract : This project presents a novel inductive loop sensor which can detect vehicles under a heterogeneous and less-lane disciplined traffic and thus can be used to support a traffic control management system in optimizing the best use of existing roads. The loop sensor proposed in this report detects large (e.g., bus) as well as small (e.g., bicycle) vehicles occupying any available space in the roadway, which is the main requirement for sensing heterogeneous and lane-less traffic. To accomplish the sensing of large as well as small vehicles, a multiple loop system with a new inductive loop sensor structure is proposed. The proposed sensor structure not only senses and segregates the vehicle type as bicycle, motor cycle, scooter, car and bus but also enables accurate counting of the number of vehicles even in a mixed traffic flow condition. A prototype of the multiple loop sensing system has been developed and tested. Field tests indicate that the prototype successfully detected all types of vehicles and counted, correctly, the number of each type of vehicles. Thus the suitability of the proposed sensor system for any type of traffic has been established. This project also presents a new pattern of multiple loops that improves reliability. Output data from this system has been processed using a machine learning algorithm to automate the classification process. Skills : Programming / Scripting Partial Element Analysis Circuit Simulation : Matlab, C, C++ : Comsol, Magnet : Pspice, Multisim, Simulink, Tina-ti Research interests : Sensors and Transducers Virtual Instrumentation Mechatronic System Design Machine Learning Systems Intelligent Transportation Systems. Areas of interest : System Design and Development Publications/Conferences : S. S. M. Ali, George B., Vanajakshi L and Jayashankar V., “A Multiple Inductive Loop Vehicle Detection System for Heterogeneous and Lane-Less Traffic”, IEEE Tranransaction. on Instrumentation and Measeasurement, vol. 61, no. 5, pp. 1353-1360, May 2012. About me : Interested in a progressive career that will facilitate to apply my potential, creativity and technical knowledge. Education : Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India Master of Science, Sensors and Instrumentation for Intelligent Transportation System July 2011 – July 2013 Anna University, India Bachelor, Electronics and Communication Engineering E-mail id : [email protected] Jun 2005 - Apr 2009 Sneha Sanjeevini Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Bharath Bhikkaji Title of thesis : Stability Analysis of Switched Systems with "mixed" small gain and passivity property Thesis abstract : This paper deals with the stability of switched systems and their feedback interconnections. Each of the subsystems of the total switched system possesses "mixed" small gain and passivity property, i.e, the system has small gain as well as passivity property. A linear feedback system is said to possess “mixed” property if its loop gain is less than unity in certain frequency intervals while being passive in the rest. An equivalent definition of this property in time domain is given for both linear and nonlinear systems. It has been proved that a system with the mixed property is dissipative and there exists a storage function such that the dissipativity inequality is satisfied. A definition of dissipativity for switched systems is described, where each subsystem is assumed to have independent storage function. Using this definition, it is shown that a switched system with the mixed property is stable under certain conditions. Also, the negative feedback interconnection of two switched systems is dissipative and hence stable. Skills : Worked in MATLAB, LABVIEW programming languages - C++, VHDL Research interests : Controls Theory Optimization Estimation Applied mathematics Areas of interest : control system, Controller design, Convex optimization, Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Modeling, Optimal Control, Nonlinear control system Publications/Conferences : Sneha Sanjeevini, Arya Sree. T, Shayama Subair, and Binu. L.S, "Adaptive Control of Uncertain Nonlinear Systems using CMAC", Proceedings of National Conference on Mathematics of Soft Computing, National Institute of Technology Calicut, 2012. About me : My work interests are mainly in research, design and development in control system theory, related applications and algorithm development. I like to learn new things and explore different applications. Good communication skills, organization capability and teaching ability are my strengths. My hobbies are music and reading books. Education : B.Tech Electronics and Instrumentation, 2007-2011, College of Engineering Trivandrum E-mail id : [email protected] Sumantra Chaudhuri Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : HARISHANKAR RAMACHANDRAN Title of thesis : Effects of RF Wave Induced Electric Field On Blood Proteins Thesis abstract : The goal of my MS is to investigate the formation of the screening potential around charged molecules in biological tissue. Of interest is the time scale on which this potential is formed, and the nature of this potential when RF at higher frequency that the inverse time of formation is applied to such molecules. The motivation for this study is to understand mechanisms by which Electromagnetic Waves from a mobile handset could affect biological tissue. Biological cell membranes are selectively permeable which means that they allow only certain molecules to pass through them. One observation in these studies has been that in the presence of RF, the selective permeability of cell membranes does not function correctly. Specifically some studies have seen traces of albumin in the brain, which could only be due to the malfunctioning of the blood brain barrier. Before going to the level of analyzing the movement of proteins through such membranes it becomes necessary to know their behavior in the main solvent of the human body i.e. blood. Under normal circumstances RF fields should not have any physiological effect.However, albumin(main blood protein) has a charged sheath around it to shield this charge. Should it change in size, for example, the diffusive rates could change. This can be a potential cause of leakage of albumin across blood-brain-barrier.Thus it becomes necessary to understand the behavior of this Debye shield in presence of RF signal. In my project it will be demonstrated how an RF signal affects the sheath. Skills : MATLAB, Scilab, Python, C LyX, MS Word Research interests : Computational Electromagnetics RF Design Modeling and Simulation Areas of interest : Computational Electromagnetics, RF Design Publications/Conferences : None till now but I plan to send a report of my work for a journal publication soon. About me : My primary area of interest is RF designing. Other than that I am keen to work for an institution which is involved in the manufacture of scientific softwares and simulation tools. Education : B.E. Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2005-2009, VTU, Belgaum , Karnataka M.S. Electrical Engineering E-mail id : [email protected] Syam T P Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Bharath Bhikkaji Title of thesis : State observer design for battery management system of Lithium ion cells for hybrid electric vehicle applications Thesis abstract : To develop algorithm for a battery management system (BMS) which can 1. Accurately estimating capacity and health of Lithium ion battery 2. Control Charging / discharging more efficiently and safely. The internal dynamics of lithium ion battery is characterised by a set of Partial and ordinary differential equations.These equations forms an electrochemical model of the battery. These equations can be numerically solved for estimating centain internal state variables of the cell. A state observer has to be developed for this purpose. By knowing these states, the battery can be charged more safely and efficiently than the conventional voltage based charge/discharge control method. Accurate value of State of charge and state of health of the battery can also be calculated from the state measurements. The challenge is to find out an alogorithm which can perform in real time without compromising on accuracy of state estimations.Such high performance algorithm can be useful for BMS used in hybrid electric vehicles. Skills : Working knoledge in COMSOL multiphysics Worked in MATLAB and LABVIEW Programming language : Embedded C Research interests : State estimation and control of systems Battery management systems Model based control of complex physical systems Areas of interest : control system, Instrumentation, Battery management systems Publications/Conferences : NA About me : A person with interests ranging from evoltionary biology to game theory to cosmology to quantum physics. I like to cook, I like to swim, I like to draw and paint and I wish to lay my hands on many more things I havent tried yet. Being a scientist was always my dream, no matter in which field. Now it stands as a partly fulfilled one. After coming into engineering, Control system became dearest of all subjects as I was fascinated to see a feedback mechanism playing at every corner along all the known areas of science - from economics to biology. For me it is like a portal to travel everywhere and taste everything in science. Hence I decided to wander around in control engineering. My goal is to work in any area in control system where I can do extensive research. I always like to extend my boundaries while doing any kind of job. As Maria Sharapova once said: " I hit a ball for a living, but I have that passion to keep learning ". Education : B.Tech Electronics and Communication, 2004 - 2008, Govt. Model Enginering College, Cochin, Kerala E-mail id : [email protected] Tumbali S S K Chaitanya Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. S Krishna Title of thesis : Discrete Control of Excitation System for Transient Stability Improvement Thesis abstract : Transient stability is the ability of a system to maintain synchronism when subjected to a large disturbance. Maintaining transient stability is important because any incidence of a fault may lead to generator tripping due to loss of synchronism. Since cascaded tripping of generators leads to black out, there is a need to improve the transient stability of the system. This can be achieved by proper system design and use of control action. I was involved in developing a control algorithm based on the concept of equal area criteria and implemented the same on the multimachine system with braking resistor in which generator is modelled in detail. I have used the concept of wide area measurement in designing the algorithm and have taken communication delay into consideration. I have been trying to decide the rating of braking resistor based on the energy function and sensitivity. Also, I have been trying to implement the same control algorithm on excitation systems. Skills : Simulation Tools : MATLAB, GNU-Octave, Simulink, LabVIEW, Scilab Programming Languages : C, C++ Operating Systems : Linux, Windows, Mac OS X Packages : Libre Office, MS Office, LaTeX Research interests : Power system stability FACTS, HVDC Areas of interest : POWER SYSTEMS. CONTROL SYSTEMS About me : Confident go-getter. Ability to keep myself abreast with changing technology and thereby grasp new things and acquire requisite skill set quickly. Self motivated A keen team player with ability to work in a team and individually. Aspiring to achieve position in an organization, which encourages learning and creativity that provides exposure to new ideas and that stimulates personal and professional growth. Education : Pursuing M.S in Electrical Engineering, 2011(Jan)-2013, IIT Madras B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 2006-2010, St Martin's Engineering College (JNTU-H) E-mail id : [email protected] V Thangamani Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. A. N. Rajagopalan Title of thesis : Restoration of foggy motion blurred images Thesis abstract : Bad weather like fog or mist leads to a contrast-loss in the captured image. This degradation is a function of the scene depth. Simple histogram based equalization methods will not handle such space-variant degradations. Hand-held cameras are prone to shake and hence the final image is also motion blurred. We have studied the restoration of such foggy motion blurred images. Skills : Programming languages: C, Matlab Operating systems: Linux, Windows, Solaris Research interests : Image Processing and Computer Vision Time series analysis Statistical estimation and decision theory Numerical linear algebra Areas of interest : Image Processing, Computer Vision, Signal Processing, Non linear analysis Publications/Conferences : A.S. Sharma, T. Veeramani, "Extreme events and long-range correlations in space weather", Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics, 18, 719-725, 2011. (Impact factor: 1.658) A. Surjalal Sharma, Thangamani Veeramani, Jian Chen, and Xi Shao, "Dynamical and Statistical Modeling ofthe Multiscale Magnetosphere", MODERN CHALLENGES IN NONLINEAR PLASMA PHYSICS: A Festschrift Honoring the Career of Dennis Papadopoulos. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1320, pp. 72-76 (2011). S. Sharma, T. Veeramani, "Complexity of the magnetosphere: Dynamical and statistical features from extensive correlated data", AGU Joint Assembly Meeting, 24-27 May 2009. Surja Sharma, Jian Chen, Thangamani Veeramani, "Spatio-temporal dynamics of the magnetosphere: Mutual information function analysis", 49th Annual Meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics, Volume 52, Number 11, 2007. Thangamani Veeramani, Surja Sharma, "Multiscale phenomena in the magnetosphere: Power-law and Weibull distributions", American Physical Society, 48th Annual Meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics, October 30-November 3, 2006 T. Veeramani, A. Sharma, "Forecasting geomagnetic activity using Kalman filters", AGU Joint Assembly Meeting, 23-26 May 2006. About me : Hometown: Mettupalayam, Tamilnadu Mothertongue: Tamil Education : M.S (by research), Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras (Aug 2010 - present) B.E, Electronics and Communication, College of Engineering, Guindy (CGPA - 9.35/10) 12th standard, Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, SIV Matriculation School, Sirumugai (95.08%) 10th standard, San Jose Matric School , Mettupalayam (90.45%) E-mail id : [email protected] Vaibhav Pratap Singh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Anil Prabhakar Title of thesis : Sensor Networks Thesis abstract : Wireless Sensor Networks- Increasing CO2 concentration in atmosphere is one of the major cause of global warming. increased soil respiration in recent years is considered a major source. Suggested sources for increase in soil respiration are microbes (due to increase in temperature) and plant roots. The need is to come up with a hardware which can do soil and atmospheric CO2 measurement with low power consumption and transmit the data over wireless to a personal computer (PC). We are in the process of designing such a system. Optical Sensor Networks- India Based Neutrino Observatory (INO) has about 30,000 neutrino detector each generating data at about 500 kbps. A robust network is required to collect data from all the nodes accurately. Keeping in mind the EMI due to high voltage surroundings, optical fiber network looks a suitable option. We are in process of designing a passive optical network according to the need at INO. Research interests : Wireless Sensor Networks. Optical Sensor Networks. Passive Optical Networks. Education : B.Tech Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2007-2011, Dehradun Institute of Technology, Dehradun E-mail id : [email protected] Vesalapu Gowri Suresh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Shanti Bhattacharya, Dr. Nandita Dasgupta Title of thesis : Tunable MEMS Diffraction Gratings Thesis abstract : MEMS diffraction gratings whose period can be tuned during operation find applications in micro-spectrometers, optical switches and in display devices. Tunable MEMS diffraction grating with out-of-plane actuation of the fixed-fixed beams is designed. The effect of the non-planar bending of the fixed-fixed beams on the diffraction efficiency during actuation is investigated for 633nm wavelength. A new beam structure and actuation mechanism has been proposed to improve the displacement profile of the beams used in the grating. Skills : Programming languages : C, MATLAB, Verilog, VHDL OPerating Systems : Windows, LINUX Simulation Tools : Intellisuite, Eldo SPICE Research interests : Computational Lithography MEMS modelling and fabrication Areas of interest : Digital circuit design and verification, Computational Lithography, Semiconductor device fabrication and characterization Publications/Conferences : V.Gowri Suresh, Nandita Dasgupta and Shanti Bhattacharya, "Tunable MEMS Diffraction Gratings", IWPSD 2011, December 2011, IIT Kanpur. V.Gowri Suresh, Shanti Bhattacharya and Nandita Dasgupta, "Tunable MEMS Diffraction Gratings with improved Displacement Profile of the fixed-fixed Beams", to be presented at MOEMS and MEMS conference, SPIE Photonics West, Sanfransico, USA. About me : Working in the area of optical MEMS. Can handle semiconductor fabrication and characterization tools. Good knowledge of Digital VLSI. Education : B.Tech(Electronics and Communication), 2006-2010, MVGR College of Engineering, JNTU Kakinada. E-mail id : [email protected] Yashwant K Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Prof. K.Shanti Swarup Title of thesis : Process bus in Substation Automation Systems based on IEC 61850 Thesis abstract : IEC 61850 is a standard for the design of electrical Substation Automation Systems (SAS). It defines the communication between Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDS, like multifunctional relays) in the substation and the related system requirements. The GOOSE messaging, Substation Configuration description Language (SCL) makes IEC 61850 more reliable, and the bottlenecks faced like the one of interoperability have been addressed. My work involves studying and analyzing this standard and case studies of the systems which have been designed and deployed based on this standard across the world. I have been working on applying the concepts like Process Bus to Bus Bar Protection. Also, I got myself acquainted with Object Oriented design methodology based on which the data and object models for such systems are constructed. Skills : Simulation Tools : GNU-Octave, Matlab, Scilab Programming Languages : C, C++, Python Platforms : GNU/Linux Research interests : Power System Automation Communication and Computer Networks in a Smart Grid Areas of interest : POWER SYSTEMS Publications/Conferences : Yashwant K & Swarup K S; “Modeling an IEC61850 Based Substation Automation System”; Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON), Hyderabad, 16th - 18th December 2011 About me : A quick learner with good analytical skills. An enthusiastic person with a strong social commitment. Education : Pursuing MS (by Research) in Electrical Engineering, 2010 - 2013, IIT Madras, Chennai B. Tech. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 2006 - 2010, St. Martin’s Engineering College, Hyderabad E-mail id : [email protected] Yusuf Panbiharwala Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Electrical Engineering Guide : Dr. Balaji Srinivasan Title of thesis : Investigation of power scaling issues in pulsed fiber lasers Thesis abstract : High power pulsed fiber laser can be generated using a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration. The aim of the research work was to generate laser at 1064nm with kilo-Watt level of peak power for nano-second pulses with kilo-Hertz repetition rate which can be useful for many applications. Ytterbium doped double clad fiber was used as a gain fiber in MOPA configuration of amplify input power of hundreds of milliWatt which is obtained from a semiconductor laser diode to hundreds of Watts. A second stage of amplifier was used which consists of an Ytterbium doped large mode area double clad fiber, to achieve output power of kilo-watt level. Numerical simulations were performed by solving differential equations in Matlab, for optimizing the complete design of the amplifier system. Study of mode area reduction in a large mode area double clad fiber due to coiling was done. Study of self-pulsing phenomenon, which occurs as a limitation for amplification of pulsed input in MOPA configuration. Skills : Programming languages: C, C++. Tools: Matlab, Python Experimental: Optical fibers, semiconductor laser diodes, passive optical components, fiber bragg grating fabrication, optical fiber splicing. Research interests : High Power fiber Lasers, Q-switch Lasers Areas of interest : High Power fiber Lasers, Q-switch Lasers Publications/Conferences : Yusuf Paniharwala, C.Sathish Kumar, Deepa Venkitesh, Balaji Srinivasan, “Investigation of self pulsing in Ytterbium doped fiber amplifier”, selected for publication in Photonics 2012 conference,IIT Madras. Education : M.S. (Research) Electrical Engineering, 2011-2013, IIT Madras. B.E. Electronics and communication, 2006-2010, Acropolis Institute of Technology and Research, Indore E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Management Studies Aruna B Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr.M.P.Ganesh and Dr.R.Madhumathi Title of thesis : Aligning field officers' motivation to attain social efficiency in the context of microfinance Thesis abstract : Objective of my study is to understand the concept of ‘Social Efficiency’ in the context of Indian Microfinance and the role played by the field officers of a Microfinance Institution to achieve the same. Drawing from the rich research literature on important organizational aspects such as Business Ethics, Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, Organizational Loyalty and Compliance, a variable is conceptualized in the present study and it is referred to as 'Intention to engage in Social Performance'. On the basis of the dominant themes reflected while reviewing the research literature, the different research dimensions are identified. The variable 'Intention to engage in Social Performance' is the fundamental concept which forms the heart of this study and its relation with the individual level performance ratings (awarded by the supervisors) as well as the organizational level social efficiency is determined in this study. A thorough investigation of possible organizational antecedents that shape up a field officer’s intention to engage in Social Performance is carried out with the help of an established employee motivational approach known in literature as‘Social Information Processing Approach’. Skills : SPSS, Amos, Multivariate statistics, Data envelopment Analysis Research interests : Microfinance, Social performance, Encouraging Field officers to Work towards Social Goals, reaching Social Efficiency at the Field officer level as well as at the Organizational level. Areas of interest : Organizational Behavior and Human resource management Publications/Conferences : Aruna B, Dr. M.P. Ganesh and Dr.R. Madhumathi (2012) “Aligning field officers’ motivation to the social mission of microfinance”, Cost Management Journal (Publisher: Thomson Reuters) Accepted in press.To be published in the forthcoming issue March, 2013. Aruna B, Dr. M.P.Ganesh and Dr.R.madhumathi Understanding field officer's intention to engage in social performance in the Indian Microfinance context.XXI Annual convention of NAOP, IRMA, Gujarat- India, December 13-17, 2011. Aruna B, Dr. M.P.Ganesh and Dr.R.madhumathi Application of Social information Processing Approach in the context of Microfinance..Third international conference on institutional and technological environment for Microfinance, January 3-7, 2012. Education : BSc Psychology, Prajyoti Niketan college, Pudukkad, Thrissur. MA Applied Psychology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum. E-mail id : [email protected] Josephine N. Gemson Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr. Thillai Rajan A. Title of thesis : Risk Management in Private Equity Investments: Evidence from the Infrastructure sector Thesis abstract : Key Words - Private Equity, Infrastructure Deals, Syndication, Staging, Strategy, Investments, Risk and Uncertainty, Information Asymmetry, PE firm characteristics, Infrastructure company characteristics, Deal characteristics, Country risk characteristics Purpose - This dissertation presents an analysis of the choice for, drivers of and exent of syndication and staging when Private Equity (PE) invest in infrastructure projects. Both syndication and staging of investments have been recognised as non-monetary tools used by PE investors to mitigate uncertainty and information asymmetry in difficult enviroments. Previous studies with respect to syndication or staging have been limited to developed countries; with few studies synthesizing the overall findings of research to support investment decisions at a sector level. Infrastructure projects have long maturities (5-40 yrs) and resource flows into the project only after they become operational, risk characteristics which are different from manufacturing / corporate finance projects. With PEs increasing their scale of investing in infrastructure, an examination of syndication / staging would shed insights into strategies used by PE firms when investing in such non conventional projects. Objective / Design / Methodology / Approach - The main objective of this dissertation is to examine syndication and staging strategies of PE firms and the relationship between these two strategies when PEs invest in infrastructure. This is achieved by three sets of studies - one, that analyses syndication of PE investments, two, that examines the staging of PE investments and three, that explores the relationship between syndication and staging of PE investments. This thesis uses secondary data analysis; and the empirical analysis uses a multi methodology approach to test the various objectives at hand. Scope of infrastructure projects includes global industrial / energy deals, transport deals and water and utilities deals from 1990 - 2009. Skills : Econometric and Quantitative Analysis Technical proficiency in Windows based systems, MS Office Applications (Word, Excel, Visio, Powerpoint) Technical proficiency in SPSS, Stata, eViews, Bloomberg, AMOS; Knowledge of ARENA Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Research interests : Private Equity Infrastructure Finance Real Options Areas of interest : Infrastructure and Project Finance, Private Equity, Real Options, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Financial Analysis and Valuation, Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, Data Modeling, Interpretation and Presentation, Project Transition and Development, Project and Team Management Publications/Conferences : Gemson, J., K.V. Gautami, and A. Thillairajan, (2012), Impact of private equity investments in infrastructure projects. Utilities Policy, 21, 59 - 65. Gemson, J. and A. Thillairajan, “Infrastructure Finance: A Comparative Analysis of Projects with and without Private Equity Funding”, 24th Australasian Finance and Banking Conference, Sydney, Australia, December 14-17, 2011. Thillairajan A. and J. Gemson, (2011), Financial Closure of Bengaluru International Airport Limited, Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies Collection, 2011 Thillairajan A., M. Doshi and J. Gemson, India Venture Capital and Private Equity Report 2011 – Private Equity in Real Estate and Infrastructure - co-authored Infrastructure section. Report was released at IITM on 15 Nov, 2011 About me : Finance graduate from University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, currently pursuing Phd at Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Worked at Zenta as a Process Lead of Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities and at HCL Capital Market Services primarily in Debt Securities Operations. Education : MSc. (Finance), 2002 - 2003, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK B.Com, 1999 - 2002, Bishop Cotton Women's Christian College, Bangalore, India E-mail id : [email protected] Medha Satish Kumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Studies Guide : T J Kamalanabhan Title of thesis : Intra-Individual and Inter-Individual factors affecting expatriate intercultural development and engagement Thesis abstract : Organizations actively focus to prepare their managers to function effectively in a global workplace; they are constantly seeking better direction for effectively building skills. Off- the-shelf programs and learning about national culture, though important, are insufficient in equipping the managers in the much needed aspect of building intercultural competencies. This study investigates intra-individual and inter-individual factors that have an influence on the intercultural development and engagement of international workers. The evidence for the specific factors such as emotional intelligence, openness to experience, cosmopolitanism, trust as well as ratings of social support, perception or out-group and frequency of interaction were gathered from 461 international employees using a survey. Results obtained using SEM model, throws new light on some aspects of intercultural development. Cosmopolitanism, a previously unexplored concept in this area, emerges to the forefront. Hypothesized relationship of intercultural development with emotional intelligence, social support and frequency of interaction show contrasting results. A comparative analysis of Indian and non-Indian respondents highlight a need for tailor-made programs to prepare managers for working in a global context. This study has implications for selection, training and development, career management and diversity management. Skills : Multivariate statistics and SPSS package and AMOS Research interests : Organizational Behaviour Cross cultural management Intercultural development and Expatriate engagement Areas of interest : Playing music (Guitar and Violin), Painting, reading Publications/Conferences : Kumar, M.S. and Kamalanabhan, T.J., "A study on the factors affecting student’s intercultural development and its effect on student engagement", "Indian Association of Applied Psychology", June, 2012 About me : My name is Medha Satish Kumar, I am a PhD scholar at IITM. I am specializing in the area of cross cultural management and expatriate engagement. I am interested in understanding and enriching human work life and I have been interested in cultural aspect of work. I am also interested in taking up an academic career and have had several opportunities to share my learnings with students. I am enthusiastic, driven and creative. Education : B.A. Psychology, Economics and Sociology, 2003 - 2006, Christ College, Bangalore M.SC. Aplied Psychology, 2006 - 2008, Women's Christian College, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] P.kalpana Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr.Arshinder Kaur Title of thesis : Split ordering decisions in single period supply chain with contracts and information updating Thesis abstract : The lifecycle of a product has become short due to the innovation in technology, and these products have the attributes of seasonality and perishability. The challenges in integrating the supply chain pose issues like managing complex structure of supply chain, demand uncertainty and leftover units after the selling season. Due to these reasons, the supply chain members of such products are facing difficulties in selling their products and making decisions in order quantities. These issues can be resolved by using variants of the classical newsboy (single period) model which helps in determining optimal order quantity by managing the trade-off between the risk of over-stocking and under-stocking. We have introduced the concept of “split-ordering” to absorb the variability in demand, thereby reducing the expected over-stocking and under-stocking costs. Coordination mechanisms (supply chain contracts) have been introduced for sharing the risks and rewards among the supply chain members. Mathematical models have been developed for various scenarios and stochastic dynamic programming technique is used to solve the models. Skills : Programming Skills: VC++,Java Optimization Software: ILOG CPLEX, LINGO, Mathematica Simulation Software: ARENA, MATLAB Others: Weibull++7, MS-Project, Systat,MRP Software, Simulink Applications:MS Office (MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint) Research interests : Supply chain Management Operations research Operations Management Simulation Areas of interest : Operations Managemet, Supply chain Management Publications/Conferences : Kalpana, P., and Arshinder Kaur, ‘Ordering decisions of single period split order supply chain with various demand distributions’, Accepted in the International Journal of Operational Research. Kalpana, P., and Arshinder Kaur, (2012) ‘Single period inventory models with multiple ordering opportunities: a Review’, International Journal of Logistics and Systems Management, 13(2), pp.209-229. Kalpana, P., and Arshinder Kaur, (2012) Optimal ordering decisions and revenue sharing in a single period split order Supply Chain. Technology, Operation Management, 2(2), 61-79. About me : I am currently pursuing Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management and submitted my thesis on 6th September 2012 . Having a sound knowledge of Operations Management and related domains, I would like to take up a career in Supply Chain Management. My interests include solving supply chain and logistics related issues, linear and non- linear optimization, mathematical modeling and simulation modeling Education : B.E Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 1998-2002, RVSCET Dindigul M.E Industrial Engineering, 2005-2007, PSG Tech, Coimbatire E-mail id : [email protected] Preetha Menon Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Studies Guide : Vijayaraghavan P Title of thesis : *Understanding Exchange Offers and Enhancing its Efficacy Thesis abstract : * An ‘Exchange offer’, is a sales promotion offer (in durables) that takes back a used product as part payment, in exchange for a new one. The Indian consumer’s reluctance to retire a product that is still functional, space constraints to store it while purchasing an upgraded product and a need to gain maximum value, make exchange offers a popular sales promotion tool. Further, the practice of recovering used products lends it to be refurbished, remanufactured or recycled in an environmental friendly manner. This research seeks an explanation for the rise of this phenomenon in various theories like the Prospect theory and the Subjective Theory of Value. Further, my study traces the relevance of an exchange offer to its stakeholders viz. the firm, the retailer and the customer. It also reveals the current trends that make up an exchange offer advertisement. This study will then, demonstrate ways of making the exchange offer advertisement more effective. This research contributes to academic literature by providing a better understanding of exchange offers. Marketing practitioners stand to benefit from the demonstration of new applications in message framing that improve the efficacy of exchange offers. Research interests : *Price Promtions, Exchange offers and persuasive communication, Sales Promotion Strategies.Under Areas of interest : Marketing Strategy, Consumer behaviour in sales promotion, persuasive communication, price promotions and exchange offers E-mail id : [email protected] Ture Rameshwar Shivadas Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr. M.P. Ganesh Title of thesis : Understanding pro-environmental behaviours: how individual characteristics or organization practices influence it? Thesis abstract : Environmnetal problems are becoming centre of discussion of all. The solution to this problem can be technical, social as well as behavioural. In this research are trying to understand behavioural apsect of sustainability. This study will examine how pro-environmental behaviours in business organizations are affected by individual characteristics and organizational environmental efforts. Skills : Multivariate data analysis Proficiency in SPSS and AMOS Research interests : Pro-environmental behaviours in business organizations Sustainable behaviours environmnetal psychology Organization climate International Conferences Geevarghese, R.S. Ture, and S. Manivel The effect of age and length of service on employees' organizational identification and intention to stay. Conference on Global Strategies for an Emergent India, Kozhikode, 27-28 Secember 2012 (Accepted) Ture, R.S. and M.P. Ganesh Understanding employee eco-actions: Interviews with managers. XXII Annual Convention of National Academy of Psychology, Bangalore, 10-12 December 2012 (Accepted) Ture, R.S. and M.P. Ganesh Effect of health consciousness and material values on environmental belief and pro-environmental behaviours. 2nd International Conference on Strategy Management and Research, Singapur, July 23-24, 2012. Ture, R.S., R.K. Pradhan, and Geevarghese Effect of organizational climate on organizational effectiveness. 47th National and 16th International conference of Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, Cochin, June 15-17, 2012. Ture, R.S. and M.P. Ganesh Individual and organizational drivers of employee eco-actions: A conceptual framework. Athenaeum 2012, VI International Conference on Management Research, Tiruchirapalli, February 11-12, 2012. (Won Special Prize) National Journal Paper Ture, R.S. and M.P. Ganesh (2012) Individual and organizational drivers of employee eco-actions: A conceptual framework. The Journal-Contemporary Management Research. Special Issue, 38-47. Education : M.Tech. in Human Resources Development and Management, June 2009 IIT Kharagpur Graduate in Aeronautical Engineering (A.M.Ae.S.I.), June 2007 The Aeronautical Society of India, New Delhi E-mail id : [email protected] Vijayalakshmi.r Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Studies Guide : Prof.Dr.T.T.Narendran Title of thesis : A Study of Business Model Innovation in the India- A case of the Pharmaceutical Industry Thesis abstract : An industry that is considered most innovative by the Indian government has been unable to cope with the onslaught of foreign arrivals in its own native ground. This is chiefly because Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is unable to produce original compositions and add to their patent corpus. Post 2005, with changing regulations and legislations, Indian firms have been mandated to introduce original formulations and pharmaceutical ingredients into the market. The inability to file patents except a few deserving firms, Indian firms have adopted alternative strategies to combat competiton for survival. The end of process patent regime is a bad news for the Indian firms. While exporting, alliances and off patented drugs are alternative strategies for growth they would not be able to confer sustainance and longer lifelines to these firms. Long term survival strategies may involve looking at the industry challenges through a different lens and suggesting models that sideline the conventional innovation management adoption and assimilation techniques,. The determinants, antecedants and types of Innonvation need to viewed differently. The capabilities and competencies of the industry is examined from the physical, finacial and human side. The systems processes and resources have been studied. Is Buiness Model Innovation an answer to their long term survival and growth of Indian Pharmaceuticla Industry? Can business model Innovation give a turn around to the way Indian Pharma firms are operating? Can Business Model Innovation boost competiton in the Indian market among the domestic firms and also challenge the profits of MNCs in india? An attempt is made to develop a partial working model for the industry. Skills : Indepth thinking, Analysis and classification, Root cause analysis, Short and long term solution to problems. New Business Model Development and creative solutions Innovative Solutions on Management Issues Good application software Skills Team management Research interests : Innovation Management and Sustainability Intellectual Property Rights Corporate strategy, Core Competencies of Companies and Survival Strategies of Companies Public Policy, and Public Systems Areas of interest : Innovation Management, Sustainability, Intellectual Property Rights, Corporate Strategy, Public Policy, Public Systems Publications/Conferences : Publication-"The Influence of level of subsidies on the performance of healthcare and education sector in India"- Vijayalakshmi.r, communicated to Economic and Political weekly, 2012, India "Colour of Profit is Green"- Environmental Issues in the hotel Industry, Emerging Trends in Business Innovation and Sustainability - September 2009, School of Business Management , Mohali, Chandigarh, Punjab. $ERXWPH God Fearing and committed to what I do, my being in any organization can give a direction to it. I am confident and socially pally. I am fond of the work that i take up and hence work itself is as joyous as leisure for me. I am a double Masters in Education and Management studies. I graduated in Commerce and possess a post graduate certificate in software applications. An allumunus of IIM-Ahmedabad and IIT-Madras, I have a good exposure of both the business and technical world. The august company of best minds in the country has helped me shape and sharpen my personality and work culture to an enviable extent. I have been a class A student always. My teachers and professors have always appreciated my sincerity and committment with work . I intend doing my post doctoral fellowship from a school that belongs to the IV league. Education : B.Com (Hons)- 1989-1992 Delhi University PGDCA 1992-1993 Delhi M.Ed - 1998 Mumbai University Masters in Management Studies- 2004- 2006 --Mumbai University FDP2008 IIM-Ahmedabad PhD2013 IIT-Madras E-mail id : [email protected] B H Kiranmai Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr. V. Vijayalakshmi Title of thesis : Influence of industry and academic collaborations on innovation capabilities of industry in context of software and IT companies. A comparative study of the German and Indian Research Eco-systems. This study aims at understanding how industry and academic collaborations influence Thesis abstract : innovative competitiveness of software and IT sector industries. A tech-innovation embodies information and thus reduces uncertainty about cause-effect relationships in problem solving. While innovation is indicated by patent counts, new product announcement and other factors, the said innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. This is called the diffusion of an innovation. Universities not only play a vital role in this information generation but also act as a channel through which the information could be communicated. This study aims to establish how industry and academic collaborations provide various avenues of improvement with regards to the innovative competitiveness of a company actively involving itself in the collaboration. For the purpose of this study, a comparative analysis of the research ecosystems which influence innovation in Germany and India, has been conducted with the help of empirical evidence collected through questionnaire and personal interviews. The variables indicate channels of knowledge transfer and their significance, barriers to these collaborations and cultural aspects. Though this cannot give an indepth idea on the differences between the two eco-systems, it throws light on the basic differences. Based on the responses, the common opinion was that, academia can contribute to innovation in terms of knowledge transfer which can take place through the channels of: human, intellectual and structural capital exchange. The study is however not devoid of pro-innovation bias and we aim to explore this area in the future. Skills : Team Management Organizational skills Basic Data Analysis Life skills and Business Etiquette MS Office Research interests : Strategic Human Resource Management Innovation management HR Analytics Organizational Behavior Areas of interest : Innovation Management, Strategic Human Resource Management, Innovation clusters, HR Analytics, Strategic Management, Organizational Behavior About me : I did my schooling and Under-graduate studies from Hyderabad. My under-grad was in Textile Engineering. After I finished my Under-grad, I worked in the Department of Textile Engineering on a Polymer science related Project for a twelve months. While in college,I and a few other friends felt the need to improve the facilities in our college by several folds and worked accordingly. During my stay at IIT Delhi, I worked as a part-time Associate HR for a student start-up called "thewittyshit.com". I observed that working with people was one thing that constantly excited me. I realized my strength in management and started my Masters in Human Resource and Organizational Behavior specilization. I performed well and got selected for an Exchange program in "Technical University of Munich" for the Summer semester from April 2012 to September 2012. As a part of my course work, I studied Technology and Innovation Management and realized the potential implications of this field in India. I did a case study as a part of my Master's thesis which aims at understanding how industry and academia collaborations influence innovation capabilites of an Industry. I am interested in Reading and Writing. Education : B Tech, Textile Engineering, 2006-2010, University college of Technology, Osmania University, Hyderabad E-mail id : [email protected] Deepthi U Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr. Rupashree Baral Title of thesis : Understanding the generational differences and diversity climate of the organization in state of psychological contract fulfillment, and its impact on employee’s cognitive responses: A conceptual analysis Thesis abstract : The study of psychological contract is of increasing interest to organizations, practitioners, and researchers alike and is an important area of inquiry for management research. It is necessary to study the perceived psychological contract fulfillment, in order to better understand the employer- employee relationship. Organizations must also recognize the influence of the values and work preferences of employees belonging to different generations, impact of diversity climate of the organization and its effects on employee’s cognitive responses, in order both to retain staff and to groom future leaders. This paper examines the employeeemployer exchange in terms of perceived psychological contract fulfillment and its effect on employee’s behaviors and attitudes. This paper also aims at studying how employees belonging to different generational cohorts employed in diverse climate perceive their state of psychological contract and its resulting effect on their attitudes and behaviors. Based on literature, a conceptual framework is developed to link all the variables which will be tested in a follow up empirical study. It is proposed that employees belonging to different generations working in a positive diversity climate will report psychological contract fulfillment which in turn will have significant impact on work related attitudes and behaviors. If organizations are able to modify their cultures and work environments to adequately balance the employer employee relationship, then there is a possibility of improvement in attitudes and behavior of employees and this in turn lead to better organizational performance. The findings from the present research would add considerably to the literature and practice on generational differences, diversity climate and state of psychological contract fulfillment. This research would also contribute to academic literature given the limited amount of studies in this area in the Indian context. Skills : Basic Software Testing concepts Basics of General Insurance Life Skills and Business Etiquettes Defect Tracking VB 6.0 , HTML, MS Office Research interests : Workplace and Workforce Diversity Areas of interest : Human Resources, Training and Development, Workforce Engagement About me : Strong team player with good interpersonal skills Eager and quick to learn Strong team working skills and ability to work under pressure. Successfully completed projects within the time frame and budget constraints Dynamic, hardworking and goal oriented Education : B. Tech Leather Technology, 2006 - 2010, Anna University - Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] John Mathew Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Amit R.K Title of thesis : Topics in the Competitive Newsboy Model Thesis abstract : In the modern world, a product life cycle is very short because of the innovations in technology.Supply chain management is about matching supply with the demand, especially with the inventory management.Too much of supply leads to inventory risk(cost of unsold inventory) whereas too much of demand leads to supply risk(cost of insufficient supply).A supply chain with a manufacturer selling seasonal products to two retailers(buyers) working in a common market is considered.The products are substitutable so that, if there is any unsatisfied demand in one retailer, it will go to the other .The retailers(acting as a newsvendor) need to determine the optimal order quantity so that they could capture the maximum market.Both the retailers make demand forecasts independent of each other, and is a private information.Also, they make an assessment about the forecast of the other retailer knowing his own forecast.The equilibrium of the competition game is to be determined which will indicate the optimal order quantity of each buyer.Game theoretic concepts are used for modelling the problem. Skills : Optimization software : Mathematica, Cplex, Lingo Statistical/Analytical Software :SAS, SPSS Programming Languages :C,C++ Simulation Software: ARENA,MatLab Applications :MS Office(MS Excel,MS Word, MS Powerpoint,MS Visio) Other :AutoCAD,Latex Research interests : Game Theory Operations Research Supply Chain Management Areas of interest : Operations Management, GAME THEORY, Supply chain Management About me : Highly motivated Hardworking Team player Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2005-2009, Mar Athanasius College of Engineering,Kothamangalam E-mail id : [email protected] K.vinodh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Saji K Mathew Title of thesis : Web Personalization for Technology Acceptance Thesis abstract : Web Personalization acts as a moderating effect for the acceptance of Technology domain Skills : Software Research interests : Web Mining E Commerce Distributed Data bases Areas of interest : Computer Science Publications/Conferences : Vinodh Krishnaraju, K.Elayaraja, Dr.M.Saravanan, "Discovering unique members from mobile social networks" About me : A software guy interested in coding databases. Education : BE, Anna University, 2009 E-mail id : [email protected] S Mahalakshmi Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Thenmozhi M Title of thesis : The Effect of Firm Structure on Cash Holdings of Indian Firms Thesis abstract : For companies to survive in the increasingly competitive scenario with high capital market imperfections, liquidity management has become a major concern especially during the crisis period and at times of macroeconomic uncertainty. Companies with sufficient cash on hand may escape the need to rely extensively on credit provided by banks as well as increasingly costly credit markets. The effect of firms’ organizational structure (i.e., whether a firm is diversified or focused) on cash holdings is examined from an Indian perspective. The study attempts to investigate and explain the difference in cash holdings level between diversified and focused firms and also how cash holdings affect firm valuation. Skills : Statistical/Analytical software: SPSS, E-Views, STATA Programming languages : C, C++ Others: Microsoft Office applications Research interests : Corporate Liquidity Mergers and Acquisitions Firm Valuations Portfolio Management Areas of interest : Corporate Finance, Financial Markets, Liquidity Management Publications/Conferences : " S. Mahalakshmi, Dr. M. Thenmozhi", "The Effect of Firm Structure on Cash Holdings", COSMAR 2012", "Nov 16-17th". About me : I primarily work in Corporate liquidity. I am highly motivated and enjoy learning new things. I work well in groups and love challenging tasks. I show great enthusiasm and determination in getting things done. I have a great passion for singing and a big foodie. Education : B.E Materials Science and Engineering, 2007-2011, College of Engineering, Guindy (Anna University) E-mail id : [email protected] Sandeep Menon S Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Arshinder Kaur Title of thesis : Strategic Sourcing practices in Indian automobile companies Thesis abstract : Strategic Sourcing practices in Indian automobile companies Research interests : Strategic Sourcing Supply chain Management Operations Management Areas of interest : Strategic Sourcing, Supply chain Management, Operations Management Education : B.E Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2005-2009, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai E-mail id : [email protected] Sowmya Raja Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr. Richa Agrawal Title of thesis : Consumer Perceived Green Image: Scale Development and Validation Thesis abstract : "Environment? is not a passing fad anymore. People today, recognize their obligation to be environmentally responsible and purchase products that are environment friendly and also increasingly expect companies to behave in an environmentally responsible manner. More and more companies try and project themselves as environmentally responsible and environment friendly. They communicate the green credentials of their products, activities, etc. through marketing and promotion. Since companies spend considerable resources to get a green image, it would be useful for marketers to know how their efforts are being perceived by customers and/or what their sentiments are towards all such activities. An attempt has been made in the present study – 1. to identify all marketing efforts that are made by companies in order to get a green image. 2. to develop a measure of customers' perceived green image of the company as a result of these efforts. Skills : Programming languages : C, C++ Analytics Software: SPSS Modeling software : Solidworks Design software: DESIGN II, HYSIS Packages: MATLAB Other: MS Office Research interests : Consumer Behaviour Innovation Sustainability New Product Development Areas of interest : Green Marketing Publications/Conferences : Raja, S., and Agrawal, R., "Creating a Green Image: Marketing Efforts and Customer Sentiments", Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference, 2012. About me : Avid reader, Passionate musician, Volleyball enthusiast Education : B.Tech Chemical Engineering, 2005-2009, Vellore Institute of Technology University, Vellore. E-mail id : [email protected] Sruthy Sara Mathew Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Dr. Richa Agrawal Title of thesis : Loyalty program membership: A study of factors influencing customers' decision Thesis abstract : At present, companies across various sectors like apparel retail, grocery retail, hotels, airlines and railways are offering loyalty programs in order to retain customers and encourage loyalty. With increase in the number of companies offering these programs, customers are making a conscious choice on whether to accept or not accept the membership of any loyalty program. Given that no effort has been made in the past, an attempt is being made in the present study to identify all such factors that influence and impact customers' decision to accept or not accept the membership of a loyalty program. Qualitative study which consisted of in depth interviews were conducted with individuals who are familiar with and knowledgeable about loyalty programs in general. Further study is being done to validate the findings of the qualitative study. Skills : Excellent communication skills Good at creative writing Team player Research interests : Loyalty programs Advertising Areas of interest : Qualitative research, Marketing, Advertising Publications/Conferences : Mathew, S.M., and Agrawal, R., " Loyalty program membership: A study of factors influencing customers' decision", Academy of Marketing Conference", July 2012 About me : I am currently doing my MS (By research) in Marketing in the Department of Management Studies. I am passionate about any task I take up and ensure that I give it my best. I am thankful to God for all the opportunities that he has given me so far, which has helped me gain ample exposure in the industry, especially in media and advertising. Education : M .A. Public Relations, 2005-2007, M.O.P Vaishnav college, Chennai B.Sc Visual communication, 2003-2005, Women’s Christian college, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] Vignesh J Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Management Studies Guide : Arun Kumar G Title of thesis : Sector Index : Do they tell the right story? Thesis abstract : Index in emerging economies are constructed similar to developed markets, although there exist significant differences in the characteristics of the markets. Indian capital markets having been proved to be inefficient, index construction by free float market capitalization method systematically under weights or over weights the constituent stocks, thereby biasing the index. The effectiveness of a uniform method of index construction in the context of the distinctive characteristics of the sectors and the need, if any, for dissimilar method of index construction forms the core of this study. The relationship between the sector index and the nonindex stocks in a representative set of sectors is studied. Alternative methods of index construction and their effectiveness are then compared. Daily closing price data of stocks listed in one of India’s largest exchange, National Stock Exchange, is analyzed. By testing for cointegration between the sector index and its stocks, evidence has been found that a majority of stocks in specific sectors are cointegrated with a subset of the constituent stocks rather than the index itself. It is concluded that market cap based index construction might not accurately represent the sector and a uniform method of construction for all sectors might not be appropriate. Skills : Excel : Excel Macro Time Series Analysis : E-Views Statistical Packages : SPSS, SAS, R Optimization Tool : Lingo, Excel Solver Programming Languages : C, C++, Java, VB Scripting, SQL MS Office : MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Access Research interests : Capital Markets Market Efficiency Econometric Techniques Forecasting Areas of interest : Quantitative Finance, RISK MANAGEMENT, Forecasting, Data Analysis, Econometric Techniques, Financial Analysis and Valuation About me : I have been good at studies from my childhood scoring 90% in my X standard and 96% in my XII standard. I joined Accenture after completing college and worked for about 16 months during which time i completed certifications and brought about a improved and efficient work practice. I was during this time I developed a liking for finance and joined IIT MS programme at DoMS. I developed an inclination toward equity, derivatives, bond and data analytics. I had a specific interests in the field of quantitative risk management and time series analysis. I further cleared CFA Level I and am appearing for Level II. I became adept at coding and data analysis using EViews, SPSS, Excel Macros, C++. In the past I have demonstrated good record of innovation skills, analytical thinking, self-motivation and team spirit. I am adaptable and eager to learn new concepts and a as a whole person of agreeable personality. Education : B.Tech Information Technology, College of Engineering, Anna University. E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Ocean Engineering Harender Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran Title of thesis : Power generation using Mechanical Wave Energy Converter Wave energy, Power take-off mechanism, Risk analysis, Thesis abstract : ABSTRACT KEY WORDS: Mechanical wave energy converter, Point absorber, Model tests Oil crisis in recent years has compelled exploration of alternate resources of renewable energy; focus is set on large-scale power generation from ocean waves. Potential for improvement of technologies on wave energy is high while survivability and reliability of many devices are still to be demonstrated for offshore operations in particular. Salient advantages of wave energy are namely: i) time required for research and development is shortened by the proven re-engineering technologies of offshore oil and gas, wind power and shipbuilding industries; ii) wave power is predictable and dependable with the ability to forecast wave power spectrum, days in advance; iii) environmentally benign and non-polluting; and iv) energy density being the highest among renewable energy sources. Power available from wave energy is considerably high in the heave degree-of-freedom. Recent research activities on wave energy converters deploy hydraulic and pneumatic devices as power take-off mechanisms (PTO); complexities in the conversion mechanisms result in expensive and high precision machining. Although shore line devices like oscillating water columns do not require deep-water moorings or long lengths of underwater electrical cable, wave power exposed is relatively lesser despite being an economical alternative. Recent studies show that use of hydraulic and pneumatic devices as power take-off mechanisms result in complexities in the conversion mechanisms due to the requirement of expensive and high precision machining. Experimental studies carried out by various researchers on scaled model of wave energy devices show unique set of challenges in the integration of prime movers and generators. Average wave energy potential along Indian coast is around 5 to10 kW per meter length of wave crest which shall yield to a maximum of 20 kW/m during monsoon period. The present study describes feasible design of a new mechanical wave energy converter along with the detailed design of its components that employs point absorber as wave energy capturing device; proposed device is simple and easy to fabricate and maintain. The scope of present work is limited to harness wave energy using point absorber in heave mode using a mechanical power take-off mechanism. For harnessing wave energy, linear heave oscillation of the buoy is converted into rotary motion through the design. Risk analyses are carried out on the proposed device using failure mode and effects analysis that estimates risk and failure rate of different components; design modifications are made to improve the proposed design of the device. Failure modes are highly detectable in the improved design, which is one of the major advantages. Detailed experimental studies are also carried out on the scaled models of the proposed devices to verify their functionality and suitability for operational sea states of Indian coast. Desired trials in design and experimental studies are carried out to improve mechanical advantages of the wave energy converter. Preliminary analyses are carried out to arrive at the design configurations of the newly proposed mechanical wave energy converter. Various components are critically examined for their performance vulnerability as a part of the preliminary analyses. Experimental investigations are carried out on the scaled model (1:5.5) of the device to estimate its efficiency. Two floating buoys namely: i) 620 mm diameter and 500 mm height; and ii) 800 mm diameter and 700 mm height are deployed to draw power from the encountering waves. Overall efficiency of the device is computed on the basis of average power measured at the output shaft. Based on the experimental studies carried out on the device, it is seen that fluctuations in electric power generated from the output shaft are reduced significantly by installing the flywheel. Design modifications made in the device enhanced the mechanical efficiency from 13 to 19%. It is also seen that electric power output of the device increases with the increase in wave height. Maximum electric power available at the output shaft of the device is for 30 cm wave height and 2.8 s wave period, which is a near-resonance period of the float. Power available at the shaft of the prototype device is significant for the developed mechanical system and is comparable with other commercial alternatives available at present; compact design, cost effectiveness, ease of fabrication and cheap maintenance make the proposed device more attractive. Operational wave period for the proposed device is in the range of 5-8.2 s. Skills : Matlab Wamit software Solidworks software Research interests : Biofuels Wave Energy Solar Energy Wind Energy Areas of interest : Renewable Energy and Thermal Engineering Publications/Conferences : International Journals 1. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran and Harender (2010), Proposed mechanism of mechanical wave Energy converter. Ship and Offshore, 4, 101 (2010). 2. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran and Harender (2012), Power generation using Mechanical Wave Energy Converter, International Journal of ocean and climate systems, 3, 57-70. 3. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran, Amar Karthick Karuppan Sivakumar and Harender (2012), Laboratory experiments on non-floating body to generate electric energy from ocean waves. Frontiers in Energy (Accepted: Manuscript ID- FIE-2012-0014 dated 2-7-2012). 4. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran, Amar Karthick, Karuppan Sivakumar and Harender (2012), Experimental Investigation on Novel Method of Improving Efficiency of Point Absorber by using a Non-Buoyant object for Ocean Wave Energy Conversion.(Communicated in IET Renewable Power Generation, Manuscript ID: RPG-2012-0244). International Conferences 1. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran and Harender, “Design and efficiency analysis of Mechanical Wave Energy Converter” Proceedings of the ASME 2011 30th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, OMAE 2011, June 19-24, 2011, Rotterdam Rotterdam,Netherlands. 2. Harender kumar and Shiv lal, A comparative study of karanja and soyabean biodiesel. Proceedings of Ist International conference on "New Frontiers in Biofuels" January 18-19, 2010, New Delhi, India. Patents filed/awarded 1. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran and Harender (2010), “ Power generation using a mechanical wave energy converter. Patent filed with Intellectual Property of India (Patent application No. 2482/CHE/2010 dated 27-8-2010). About me : I'm a God fearing person. I really enjoy meeting and working with a lot of different people. I strongly believe that improvement in small small things bring perfection but perfection isn not a small thing. Therefore, I pay attention to all the details, and like to be sure that everything is just right. I'm a creative thinker. I like to explore alternative solutions to problems and have an open mind about what will work best. I'm efficient and highly organized. This enables me to be as productive as possible on the job. I enjoy solving problems, troubleshooting issues, and coming up with solutions in a timely manner. Education : Program Specialization Institution %/CGPA Year of completion Ph.D Ocean Engg. Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 8.2 2012 (Thesis submitted) M.Tech. Thermal Engg. Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, Rajasthan 7.3 2009 B.E. Mech. Engg. Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 6.7 2003 XII Vaish Public School, Rohtak, Haryana 73 1998 X S.M. Hindu Sr. Sec. School, Sonepat, Haryana 83 1994 E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Mechanical Engineering A. S. S. Balan Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. L.Vijayaraghavan Title of thesis : Modeling and Simulation of Minimum Quantity Grinding (MQL) of Nickel Based Super Alloys Thesis abstract : For decreasing environmental and health hazards, change from wet cutting to dry/near-dry cutting is highly recommended. In recent years, Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) machining is regarded as a promising method for reducing machining cost and cutting oil, while improving cutting performance; thus, it has been investigated vigorously. Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) has a good advantage of green, lubricating and cooling effect. Very few investigations have been carried out on the influence of MQL parameters, such as oil flow rate and air pressure on droplet size. The work aims to develop a simulation model to replicate the mist formation in MQL grinding using Fluent based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) flow solver. The MQL parameters considered are air pressure and the mass flow rate. Simulation of the atomization under turbulent conditions was done in discrete phase model (DPM) owing to the fact that oil mass flow rates are very low and oil acts as a discrete medium in air. Jet velocity and droplet diameters were obtained under different inputs to find the optimum value of air pressure and mass flow rate of oil to achieve the better results in MQL grinding of superalloy (Inconel 751). Skills : CAD Tools Solver CAM Tools 100iB, Statistical tools Catia v5 R15 Abaqus 6.5, Deform 3D 3.0, Fluent 6.3, Ansys 13 Cadem, Programming Formats includes Sinumerik, Fanuc, Heidenhein, Fanuc Matlab R2009b, SPSS, MINITAB 16 Research interests : Metal Removal Process Computational fluid dynamics Micromachining Advanced material processing Areas of interest : Modeling and Simulation of Manufacturing, Finite Element Analysis in Manufacturing, Metal cutting Publications/Conferences : ‘Micromachining: technology for future’ International Journal on Materials and structural Integrity, Vol.1, Nos.1/2/3, 2007, pp. 161-179. ‘Study on Parametric Influence, Optimization and Modeling in Micro WEDM of Ti Alloy’, Advanced Materials Research, Vol. 76-78, 2009, pp 571-576. ‘Optimization and Modeling of Micro-Wire Electro Discharge Machining of Titanium Alloy’, Journal for Manufacturing Science and Production. Volume 10, 2009, Pages 147–154. ‘Monitoring and prediction of tool wear in microturning of copper’, International Journal of Precision Technology, Vol. 1, Nos. 3/4, 2010, pp.343–355. Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis for Predicting the Droplet Size in MQL during Grinding of Superalloy ,37th MATADOR Conference 2012, Manchester, England. Experimental Study on the Applicability of Minimum Quantity Lubrication in Grinding of Inconel 751 Alloy ‘, AIMTDR Conference 2012, India. An Investigation on Grindability of Nickel Based Superalloy, ICAMP 2011, International Conference on Advanced materials and processing, Kavaraipettai, Chennai, India. Study on Parametric Influence, Optimization and Modeling in Micro WEDM of Ti Alloy, ISAAT-2009, International Symposium on Advances in Abrasive Technology, Australia. On line monitoring of microturning process through Acoustic emission technique EUSPEN-2008, International Conference of the European Society of Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology, Zurich, Switzerland. Optimization of Machining Parameter for surface finish in microturning of copper, COPEN-2007, International conference on Precision, Meso, Micro and Nano engineering, Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala, India. Finite Element Analysis of Microturning of AISI 1045 Steel, International Conference on Advances ICADM 2007, August 9-11, Sethu Institute of Technology, Kariapatti, Virudhu nagar, India. Education : M.S(by research) in Micromachining , 2006-2008,College of Engineering, Anna university, Chennai. B E in Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai. E-mail id : [email protected] Abilasha T K Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. Krishnan Balasubramaniam Title of thesis : Studies on the propagation of feature-guided ultrasonic waves in plates with small radius transverse bends Thesis abstract : Investigated the influence of bends constituting the profile of annular polygonal structures on ultrasonic guided waves propagating along their axis. Considering a single bend as a bent plate connects this problem to the better-understood physics of guided waves in straight plates. Using 3D finite element (FE) simulation validated with experiments showed that bends in plates act as features that can concentrate and guide ultrasonic energy along their length. Two interesting feature-guided modes are idiscoveredwhen the bent plate is subjected to ‘in-plane’ or axial excitation applied uniformly along a through-thickness line bisecting the bent edge. This mode is shown to be more strongly generated in smaller angle bends where it has a low attenuation. The results are discussed in light of simple modal studies performed using the Semi Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) method. Skills : Finite Element modeling with ABAQUS Development of Virtual Instrument interface using LabVIEW Working experience on Phased array Ultrasonic Equipment Well experienced on Automated ultrasonic C-scan system and data analysis Experience on all the conventional and Advanced NDE techniques and equipments Research interests : ultrasonic NDE Material Characterisation Lasers and Optical Fibers Finite Elemement Analysis Areas of interest : ultrasonic NDE Material Characterisation, Lasers and Optical Fibers, Finite Elemement Analysis Publications/Conferences : International Journals - 3 International Confrence Proceedings - 4 National Conference Proceedings - 10 About me : Aimed at building a career with committed and dedicated people and and seeking challenging research career to learn new skills. Looking for a position that will make me a valued member of a team and willing to work in a renowned organization wherein my skills can be put in worth and to make a high quality contribution. Education : Ph.D - Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2007-Till date, IIT Madras. M.Tech - Non Destructive Testing, Department of Physics, NIT, Trichy M.Sc - Physics, School of Physics, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai. E-mail id : [email protected] Bogala Konda Reddy Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. C. Balaji Title of thesis : Estimation of Thermo-physical properties and transport coefficients using Liquid Crystal Thermography experiments and Inverse techniques Thesis abstract : Parameter estimation in inverse heat transfer concerns the estimation of causes (thermophysical properties and transport coefficients) from the effects (temperature). A parameter estimation problem is generally an ill-posed problem as several causes could lead to the same effect. Stochastic based Bayesian inference technique is used to estimate parameters. Temperature data required for the parameter estimation is collected using Liquid Crystal Thermography experiments. Skills : Analytical: Governing equations, Boundary conditions and analytical solutions Numerical: ANSYS, Fluent softwares and MATLAB programming Experimental: Conducting experiments and analyzing results Research interests : Mutimode and Inverse Heat Transfer Optimization in Thermal Sciences Areas of interest : Heat transfer, Fluid & Thermal sciences, Optimization of thermal systems Publications/Conferences : B. Konda Reddy, C. Balaji, "Estimation of temperature dependent heat transfer coefficient in a vertical rectangular fin using liquid crystal thermography", International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 55 (2012), 3686–3693. B. Konda Reddy, N. Gnanasekaran, C. Balaji, Estimation of thermo-physical and transport properties with Bayesian inference using transient liquid crystal thermography experiments, International Journal of Physics: Conference series (in press). C. Balaji, B. Konda Reddy, H.Herwig, Incorporating engineering intuition for parameter estimation in thermal sciences, Journal of Applied Physics (under review). B. Konda Reddy, N. Gnanasekaran, C. Balaji, Simultaneous Estimation of Multiple Parameters with Bayesian Inference Based on Liquid Crystal Thermography Data, 21st National and 10th International ISHMT - ASME Heat and Mass Transfer Conference, IIT Madras, India, 27 - 30th December, 2011. About me : I am basically a hard working person. Education : Ph. D.: Pursuing in Heat transfer area, 2010-till date, IIT Madras. M. Tech.: Thermal Engineering, 2005-2007, NIT Warangal. B. Tech.: Mechanical Engineering, 2000-2004, JNTU Hyderabad. D. M. E.: Mechanical Engineering, 1996-1999, Vasavi Polytechnic, Banaganapalli. S.S.C.: 1995-1996, ZPH School, Chennur, YSR District. E-mail id : [email protected] D. Giridhar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. L. Vijayaraghavan Title of thesis : Micro-grooving studies on different ceramic materials In general there are two strategies adopted in machining of ceramic materials. They are Thesis abstract : removing the material at lower depth of cut and machining the material at higher temperature. While removing the material at lower depth of cut, material behaves in a ductile manner, whereas at higher temperature above glass transition temperature, the material softens and behaves as a ductile material. It is essential to understand the mechanism of material removal that helps to identify the desirable conditions of the machining process. The mechanism of material removal changes during ductile to brittle transition of work piece material. So for enhancing the ceramic machinability. The objective of the present work is to study the material removal mechanisms in a scratch test with effective strategy in condition monitoring to identify the conditions of ductile to brittle transitions in the different ceramic materials using Acoustic Emission sensor. Skills : Structural and thermal analysis in FEA softwares Condition monitoring in machining process Fabrication of experimental setup Designing and conducting experiments Material preparations – polishing, etching Software skills FEA Packages – ANSYS, ABAQUS Modeling & Drafting packages – Pro-E Wildfire, AutoCAD Programming packages - Matlab, COMSOL Statistical packages- Minitab, SPSS, Qualitech NI Labview 8.0 Research interests : Non-traditional machining of materials Condition monitoring of process Optimization techniques Machine vision Modeling of machining process Areas of interest : • Structural and thermal analysis in FEA softwares • Condition monitoring in machining process • Fabrication of experimental setup • Designing and conducting experiments • Material preparations – polishing, etching Publications/Conferences : Giridhar, D., Vijayaraghavan, L., Krishnamurthy, R., “Acoustic emission response of sintered alumina zirconia composite during grooving process”, NDT & E International, Volume 46, March 2012, Pages 55-62. - Analyzed the acoustic emission signal properties in Zirconia Toughened Alumina for modes of grooving. analyzing different Giridhar, D., Vijayaraghavan, L., Krishnamurthy, R, “Analytical Modelling of grooving process for validation of AE response in Alumina ceramics”, International conference on advanced materials and processing held at RMK Engineering College, Chennai, 2011, pp. 256 -262. -Validated the strain energy released during the material removal and the Root Mean Square energy of the Acoustic emission signal during a grooving process. D. Giridhar, L. Vijayaraghavan, R. Krishnamurthy,”Study on the effect of acoustic emission sensor position in a micro-grooving process”, presented at ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, November 11-17th , 2011, Denver, CO, USA. - Acoustic emission sensor was kept at two different locations viz. tool and below the work piece for the same conditions of the micro-grooving process. Several AE parameters such as root mean square, event duration, rise time, number of counts, peak frequency and power of the signal were taken into consideration. Giridhar, D., Vijayaraghavan, L., Krishnamurthy, R., “An Approach for Identification of Mode in Micro Grooving of Sintered Alumina”, All India Manufacturing Technology, Design and Research (AIMTDR), December 2010, pp. 861- 866. (accepted in International Journal of Precision Technology) - Evaluation of acoustic emission parameters for the identification of the mode of grooving in alumina ceramic material. Giridhar, D., Vijayaraghavan, L., Krishnamurthy, R., “Micro-grooving studies on Alumina ceramic material”, Journal of materials and manufacturing process, 2010, Vol.25, 1148-1159. - Studied the grooving process of ceramic materials and the ductile mode of grooving was identified at certain conditions of grooving Muruganantham, C. Jawahar, N., Ramamoorthy, B. and Giridhar, D. , “Optimal settings for vision camera calibration”, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 2009, Vol. 42, pp. 736–748. - Analysed Tsai camera calibration algorithm by using Taguchi Orthogonal array design, the optimal conditions of CCD camera were identified using optimization techniques such as Taguchi quality loss function, Total loss function and desirability functions. About me : Dynamic Perseverant Adaptable Co-ordinative Education : M.E. Production Engineering, 2004-2006, Anna University B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 1999-2003, Bharathiar university E-mail id : [email protected] Finney Charles Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. R. Gnanamoorthy and Dr. Parag Ravindran Title of thesis : Rolling Contact Fatigue behavior of polymer nanocomposite. Thesis abstract : Polymeric viscoelastic materials are replacing metallic components in many engineering applications because of their superior tribological and self-lubrication properties over metals in light load applications. Polymers are reinforced with micro and nano particles in order to widen the application of polymeric materials for engineering components like gears, bearings, cams, wheel and rail and more. One can find a large number of research studies of composites filled with micro and nano particles primarily in sliding conformal contact conditions. However, the rolling contact fatigue behavior is different from the pure sliding contact behavior. Research on rolling contact fatigue of polymer materials is scarcely available and there is a tremendous lack of knowledge in this area with respect to the polymer nanocomposites. Current study involves the investigation of rolling and rolling- to-sliding contact mechanisms and mode of failures in rolling contact mechanism. The research also involves finite element study of viscoelastic polymer material under rolling contact fatigue conditions using ABAQUS. Skills : Modelling Software: Pro-E, Solid works, AutoCAD. Analysis Software: Abaqus and Ansys. Other softwares: Matlab, NI Labview, Latex and MS office. Research interests : Design and development of machine elements (polymeric micro-nano composite materials) Analysis of engineering components (Elastic and viscoelastic materials) using commercial FE packages Areas of interest : Machine Design, Manufacturing of Composite Structural Components, finite element analysis Publications/Conferences : International Journals Finney Charles, D. Gnanamoorthy, R. and Parag Ravindran (2010) “Rolling Contact Fatigue behavior of polyamide Clay reinforced Nanocomposite - Effect of Load and Speed”, Wear, 269, 565–571. Finney Charles, D. Gnanamoorthy, R. and Parag Ravindran (2012) “The e?ect of nano-clay reinforcement on the rolling contact fatigue behaviour of polyamide 6 ”, IMechE Part J: Journal of Engineering Tribology, (available online from 20th Augest). International Conferences Finney Charles, D. and Gnanamoorthy, R. “Rolling contact fatigue behavior of polyamide 6 nanocomposite”, , July 2-4, 2008, IISc Bangalore, India. Finney Charles, D. and Gnanamoorthy, R. “E?ect of speed on rolling contact fatigue performance of polymer clay based nanocomposites”, ICIT-2008, December 06-08, 2008, 6th International conference on Industrial Tribology, New Delhi. Finney Charles, D. Gnanamoorthy, R. and Parag Ravindran, “A constitutive model for polymeric nanocomposite material subjected to cyclic contact loading”, ICNANO-2011, December 18-21, 2011, University of Delhi, New Delhi. Finney Charles, D. Gnanamoorthy, R. and Parag Ravindran, “Polymer nanocomposites and its application in rolling contact fatigue”, RAMP-2011 December 23-24, 2011, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore Finney Charles, D. Gnanamoorthy, R. and Parag Ravindran, “In?uence of stress on nano-clay reinforced Polyamide 6 subjected to rolling contact fatigue ”, ASME/IMECE 2012, November 09-15, Houston, Texas, USA. National Level comference Finney Charles, D. and Joseph Davidson, M. and Sivasankaran “Effect of bolt-hole clearance, clamping resistance, strength criterion and 3-D stress analysis in composite bolted joint using FEA”, NCLTME-2005, April 1-2, 2005, Pollachi, India. About me : I am largely an experimental person who would like to pursuit a career where there is a lot of scope for experimenting and development of new components and test rigs for the conduction of experiments/testing of components. My current research is a study of polymeric nanocomposite behaviour under rolling contact fatigue loading conditions. I have a strong passion towards teaching and sharing which i would like to take up after a decade with a strong industrial background. Education : Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, (85 %), 1996-2000, Techincal Education, Tamil Nadu B. E , Production Engineering (7.89 CGPA), 2000-2003, Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu. M. E , CAD/CAM, (8.4 CGPA), 2003-2005, Anna University, Tamil Nadu E-mail id : [email protected] Ismail Gani Rahamathullah Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. M.S. Shunmugam Title of thesis : Modeling and Analyses of Forces and Hole Quality in Micro-drilling of Glass/Carbon Fabric Laminated Composites Thesis abstract : Aerospace and automobile industries use components made of composites which require micromachining operations to be carried out. Excessive thrust and torque are detrimental to the life of the microdrills, and the quality of holes produced. This work investigates the cutting forces and quality of the holes produced during micro-drilling of plain sheet (matrix material), glass fibre and carbon fabric laminated plastics. Prediction models for thrust force and torque are developed based on drill geometry and minimum uncut chip thickness and validated with experimental data. The results show good agreement between the measured and predicted values. Delamination damage, roundness error and diameter of these drilled holes are measured and analyzed with variation of the process parameters. The results indicate that the good quality, high aspect ratio micro-holes can be produced by selecting proper process parameters and strategy. Skills : Programming Software: Design and Analysis Software: Post-processing software: Other Software: Special Machine Tools Handled: Instruments Operated: C, Matlab AutoCad, SolidWorks, Catia, Ansys, Abaqus Cimatron Ms Office, Minitab, SPSS, ESP Util, Heidenhain Kern Evo 5-axis micro-machining centre,Miiniaturized Machine tool (MMT) Perthometer, Roundness tester, Non-contact 3D Profiler, Carl-Zeiss CMM Research interests : Mechanical micro-machining Modeling and simulation of machining processes Signal processing in machining processes Metrology Areas of interest : Micro-machining, Micro-manufacturing, process modeling, simulation Publications/Conferences : Journal papers based on Ph.D thesis Rahamathullah, I. and Shunmugam M. S., “Thrust and Torque Analyses for Different Strategies Adapted in Micro-drilling of Glass-Fibre-Reinforced Plastic”, Journal of Engineering Manufacture, IMechE, Part - B: 225, 505-518. Rahamathullah, I. and Shunmugam M. S., “Analyses of Forces and Hole Quality in Micro-drilling of Carbon Fabric Laminate Composites”, Journal of Composite Materials. 2012, DOI: 10.1177/0021998312445594. Rahamathullah, I. and Shunmugam M. S., Force prediction model for micro-drilling of epoxy based fibre reinforced composites (to be communicated) About me : Nationality: Languages Known: Hobbies: About me: Indian Tamil (Mother tongue), English, Hindi and Arabic (R) Playing cricket, ball badminton Self motivated, Team player, Adaptable, facinated with numbers Education : B.E., Mechanical Engineering, Bharathidasan University, Trichy M.E., Manufacturing Engineering, Anna University, MIT Campus, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] P Kondaiah Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Shankar Krishnapillai and Dr. N Ganesan Title of thesis : Finite Element Analysis of Magneto-Electro-Elastic structures under Thermal environment Thesis abstract : Magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) composite materials have the ability to generate magnetic, electric and mechanical responses when they experience a thermal stimulus due to its significant coupling between mechanical, electric, magnetic and thermal fields, which are potentially useful in smart or intelligent structure applications.These composites provide the product properties (pyroelectric and pyromagnetic ) strong enough to be useful for many practical applications. For example, enhancing the performance of more traditional sensors. Response studies are carried out for the application of two phase MEE materials as sensor bonded to mild steel beam, plate and shell under thermal environment. The aim of the study is to to examine the pyroelectric and pyromagnetic effects on MEE sensors. These studies will be useful for enhancing the performance of magneto-electro-elastic sensors under thermal environment. Skills : ANSYS, MATLAB, ADAMS, PRO-E, FORTRAN, MAPLE, ABACUS, AutoCAD Research interests : Smart Structures FEM Areas of interest : Smart Structures, FEM Publications/Conferences : Publications in International Journals 1. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N. Ganesan, “Pyroelectric and pyromagnetic effects on multiphase magnetoelectro-elastic cylindrical shell for axisymmetric temperature” Smart materials and structures (Minor revision submitted) 2. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N. Ganesan, “Pyrolectric and pyromagnetic effects on behavior of magnetoelectro-elastic plate” Int. Journal of Coupled Systems and Mechanics (Under Review) 3. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N. Ganesan (2012), “Studies on Magneto-Electro-Elastic Cantilever Beam under Thermal environment” Int. Journal of Coupled Systems and Mechanics, 1(2), 205-217. 4. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N. Ganesan (2012), “Magneto-electro-elastic beam under thermal environment”. International journal of Advanced Materials Manufacturing & Characterization, 1(1), 36-47. Publications in International Conferences 5. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N Ganesan, “The Pyroelectric and Pyromagnetic effects on multiphase Magneto-Electro-Elastic sensors bonded to mild steel cantilever beam”, (AMPC2013), Anna University Chennai, India, 6th -8th February, 2013. (Accepted) 6. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N Ganesan, “Studies on multilayer multiphase MEE/BaTiO3 Beam under Thermal environment”, (ICCMS 2012), IIT Hyderabad, India, 10th -12th December, 2012 (Accepted) 7. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N Ganesan, “Magneto-Electro-Elastic Smart Cantilever Plate under Uniform Temperature” (CAN2012 AES-ATEMA), McGill University Montreal, Canada, 18th -22nd June, 2012. 8. P. Kondaiah, K. Shankar and N Ganesan, “Optimal placement of Magneto-Electro-Elastic sensor on cantilever beam”, (IC-MAST 2012), Budapest, Hungary, 24th -28th May, 2012. 9. P. Kondaiah, Sathisha H M, Appu Kuttan K K and Ravikiran Kadoli, "Investigation on free vibration due to laminar flow of lubricant in a pipe" (FIME 2010), NIT Karnataka, Surathkal, India, 20th -22nd May, 2010. 10. Narasimha Marakala, P. Kondaiah, Appu Kuttan K K and Ravikiran Kadoli, "Experimental studies on dynamic behavior of cantilever slender pipe conveying compressed air " (ISTAM 2009), Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India, 18th -21st December, 2009. Education : B. Tech Mechanical Engineering, JNTU, Hyderabad, 2006. M. Tech Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, NIT Karnataka, Surathkal, 2009. Ph. D. Machine Design, Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, 2010 onwards. E-mail id : [email protected] P Nandakumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr Shankar Krishnapillai Title of thesis : Parametric identification and damage detection of structures using transfer matrix and state vector in the time domain. Thesis abstract : Parametric identification of a structures is posed an inverse problem in which the parameters of the structure are identified from input and output responses of the structure. A new structural identification (SI) method based on Transfer Matrix (TM) concept is proposed here to identify structural parameters. Transfer matrices based on lumped mass and the more accurate consistent mass models are used here, based on displacement measurements in the time domain. The consistent mass based TM is derived from the dynamic sti ness matrix of a beam element with and without damping. The state vector at a location is the sum of the internal and external contributions of displacements, forces and moments at that point - when multiplied with the TM, we obtain the adjacent state vectors. The method of identification proposed here involves predicting the displacements at certain locations using the TM, and comparing them with the measured displacements at those locations. The mean square deviations between the measured and predicted responses at all locations are minimized using an optimization algorithm, and the optimization variables are the unknown sti ness and damping parameters in the TM. A non-classical heuristic Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (PSO) is used, since it is especially suited for global search. Di erent strategies for calculating the initial state vector, as well as two identification processes such as simultaneous and successive methods are discussed. Numerical simulations are carried out on four examples ranging from a simple spring mass system to a nine member framed structure. The method is also experimentally validated on a cantilever and a substructure of a fixed beam. A new transfer matrix has been developed for cracked beam elements. Using the TM for cracked beam element the seviority of damage and its location also detected. The speed and accuracy of identification using this method are good. One main advantage of this method is that it can be applied at any portion of the structure to identify the local parameters in that zone without the need to model the entire global structure. Skills : Matlab Ansys Research interests : Parameter identification of structures Damage detection in structures Optimization techniques Mechanical vibration Kinematics and dynamics of machinery Areas of interest : Machine dynamics, Machine Design, Optimization of Mechanical systems Publications/Conferences : International Conference 1. P. Nandakumar and K.Shankar, Identification of Structural Parameters Using Transfer Matrix and State Vectors in Time Domain, in Proc of 5th International Conference on Advances in Mechanical Engineering, S.V. National Institute of Technology, Surat , India, pp 175-179, June 06-08, 2011. 2. P. Nandakumar and K.Shankar, Simultaneous and Successive Identification of Structural Parameters in Time Domain using Transfer Matrices, ANNA WORLD CONGRESS & EXPO, Chennai, December 1-3, 2011. 3. P. Nandakumar and K.Shankar, Particle Swarm based Structural Identification using Consistent mass Transfer Matrix Method, in Proc. of Advances in Control and Optimization of Dynamic systems (ACODS-2012), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, February 16-18, 2012. 4. P. Nandakumar and K.Shankar, Identification of Structural Parameters using Damped Transfer Matrix and State vector, in Proc. of UKACC International conference on Control, Cardiff, UK, pp 870-875, September 3-5, 2012. International Journal 1. P. Nandakumar and K.Shankar, Estimation of Structural Parameters using Transfer Matrices and State Vectors, International Journal of Applied Science and Engineering, Vol.10, No.3, 2012. (In Print) 2. P. Nandakumar and K.Shankar, Structural Parameters Identi About me : DOB 16.04.1974 Age: 38 Native: Erode, Tamil nadu Mother tongue : Tamil Languages Known: Tamil, English Maritial status: Married Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 1992-1996, Bharathiar University M.E. Engineering Design, 1996-1998, PSG College of Technology E-mail id : [email protected] R. Ramakrishnan Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr.Somashekhar S.Hiremath & Dr.M. Singaperumal Title of thesis : Theoretical and experimental investigations on series hydraulic hybrid system for passenger vehicles. Thesis abstract : Today, non-availability of gasoline and its high price compel industries like automobile, agricultural machinery and construction machinery find an alternative technology that could create fuel efficient and energy saving systems. In this current scenario, Hydraulic hybrid systems are mitigation measure for the current fuel crisis. It is a combination of two source of power, typically, one energy source is used for the conversion of fuel to energy and the other source is used as storage unit. Series hydraulic hybrid system consists of subsystems such as prime mover, hydraulic pump, hydro-pneumatic accumulator and hydraulic motor in series configuration. In conventional systems, kinetic energy in wheels is lost as heat energy during mechanical friction braking, but, series hydraulic hybrid system has the capability to regenerate the kinetic energy into useful hydraulic energy and it's called hydraulic regenerative braking. Scope of work : Mathematical model of series hydraulic hybrid system is developed and subsequent simulation of the system is carried out. To achieve maximum transmission efficiency,a multi-objective parametric optimization is carried out on system mathematical model to get optimal system parameters . To control the power from two sources efficiently,a power management control strategy is developed . Experimental investigations on series hydraulic hybrid system are carried out to validate the control strategy and simulation results. Skills : Knowledge based skill :Well versed in physical system modeling using Power Bond Graph Modeling Technique. Computer Skills : CAE software LMS AMESim, 20 SIM, MATLAB / SIMULINK, ADAMS-VIEW/CAR, LABVIEW, ModeFRONTIER. CAD software SOLIDWORKS 2011, PRO-E 2009, CATIA, AUTODESK, AUTOCAD(2D), ANSYS, ABACUS. Others MS-DOS, MS-office, OriginPro, Windows 95-2000, Xp, Hardware and Assembling Transferable skills :Communication – speaking, writing. Research and Planning – gathering and analyzing information, goal setting and strategy development. Soft skills :1. Delivered an invited talk on "Recent Trends in Hydraulic : Hydraulic Hybrids" at workshop on Industrial Hydraulics to Ashok Leyland Pvt.Ltd held on 16-18 August 2011 in Engineering Design Department, IIT Madras, CHENNAI. 2. Delivered an invited talk on "Hybrid Vehicles - the Future of Transportation" to third year automobile engineering students held on 16th March 2012 at Velammal Engineering College, CHENNAI. 3. Delivered an invited talk on "Role of Artificial Intelligence in Humanoid Robots" at Robotix Research Academy, ADYAR, CHENNAI. 4. Delivered an guest lecture on "Introduction to robotics" to school students at Tamilnadu Science and Technology Centre (Birla Planetarium),CHENNAI organized by RACE Robotics Pvt.Ltd. 5. Cleared Ph.D comprehensive viva examination. Research interests : Hydraulic Hybrid system, Mechtronics, Robotics, Dynamics and Control,System Modeling and Simulation,Multiobjective optimization. Areas of interest : Mechatronics, robotics, Fluid power Publications/Conferences : International Journal (Peer reviewed): 1. R. Ramakrishnan, Somashekhar S. Hiremath and M. Singaperumal, Theoretical investigations on the effect of system parameters in series hydraulic hybrid system with hydrostatic regenerative braking, The Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, vol. 26, no. 5, pp.1321-1331, 2012. International Conference (Peer reviewed): 1. R. Ramakrishnan, Somashekhar S. Hiremath and M. Singaperumal Open Loop Dynamic Performance of Series Hydraulic Hybrid System with Hydrostatic Regenerative Braking, Proceedings of ASME-JSMEKSME Joint Fluids Engineering Conference 2011(AJK2011-FED), July 24-29, 2011, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. 2. R. Ramakrishnan, Somashekhar S. Hiremath and M. Singaperumal, "In-line Inspection Robot System using Image Processing Technique", Proceedings of International Conference on Plant Equipment and Reliability (ICPER2010), June 15-17, 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 3. R. Ramakrishnan, Somashekhar S. Hiremath and M. Singaperumal, "Power bond graph modeling of series hydraulic hybrid system", Proceedings of the 37th National & 4th International Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power (ICFMFP2010) , FMFP10 - FP - 16, December 16-18, 2010, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. 4. R. Ramakrishnan, Somashekhar S. Hiremath and M. Singaperumal, "Prediction of Closed-loop Behavior in Series Hydraulic Hybrid System from Open-loop Response using Frequency Domain Analysis" , Proceedings of International conference on advances in manufacturing technology (ICAMT), 15-17 June,2012, Chennai, India. 5. R. Ramakrishnan, Somashekhar S. Hiremath and M. Singaperumal, " Power Bond Graph Modeling, Simulation and Parametric Design Optimization of Series Hydraulic Hybrid System" , Proceedings of International conference on All India Manufacturing Technology, Design and Research (AIMTDR), 15-17 December, 2012, Kolkata, India. National Conference: 1. R. Ramakrishnan, Somashekhar S. Hiremath and M. Singaperumal, " Development of Production line Machine Vision-Inspection System with Articulated Arm Robot Manipulator", Proceedings of National Conference on Mechanical Engineering Technology (COMET), June 4, 2011,kerala,India. 2. R. Ramakrishnan and R. Sivaramakrishnan, "Modeling, analysis and feasibility study of teleoperated robot manipulator for a battle tank", Proceedings of National conference on SNCETET, 2009, Bangalore. 3. R. Ramakrishnan and R. Sivaramakrishnan, "Kinematics and dynamics analysis of teleoperated robot manipulator”, Proceedings of National conference on COMAX, 2009, Chennai. About me : I am Ramakrishnan from chennai doing my 4th year Doctor of Philosophy in Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle. I did my schooling in N.DJ.V.V Vivekananda Vidyalaya (CBSE) ,Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Anna university and Masters in Manufacturing Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology,Chennai. I feel Privileged to pursue my Ph.D in this esteemed world class instituttion. I am passionate about innovations and engineering which help society. i have developed several robots and mechanisms by my own interest , which are useful to common people in day to day life. generally, I think that instead of working hard, i use to work intelligent.My optimistic and planned approach in things i do is what driving me towards my success. I come from a middle class family born and brought in the multi-cultured,multi-cuisine flavours of chennai. i am the last son of my parents. I have an elder brother and sister. My elder brother is also a Ph.D in medicine and i got inspiration from him to pursue my research carrier. Education : Ph.D,Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle,CGPA-9,Year of Passing-on going,Indian institute of Technology Madras (IITM). M.E, Manufacturing Engineering,CGPA-9.3,Year of Passing-2009,Madras institute of Technology (MIT),Chennai. B.E,Mechanical Engineering,79%,Year of passing-2007,Anna university, Chennai. XIIth Standard, 85.33 %,Year of passing-2003,Kaligi Ranganathan Montford Higher Secondary School,Chennai. Xth standard,68.40 %,Year of passing-2001,CBSE,N.D.J.V.V Vivekananda Vidyalaya,Chennai. E-mail id : [email protected] Rajendra Machavaram Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Shankar Krishnapillai Title of thesis : Structural Identification Using Improved Artificial Neural Networks Thesis abstract : Purpose- The main purpose of the present investigation is to provide an effective and simple technique to structural damage identification particularly to identify the crack in a structure. Artificial neural networks approach is an alternative to identify the extent and location of the damage over the classical methods. Radial basis function (RBF) networks are good at function mapping and generalization ability among the various neural network approaches. RBF neural networks are chosen for the present study of crack identification. Design/Methodology/Approach- Analyzing the vibration response of a structure is an effective way to monitor its health and even to detect the damage. A novel two-stage improved radial basis function (IRBF) neural network methodology with conventional RBF in the first stage and a reduced search space moving technique in the second stage is proposed to identify the crack in a cantilever beam structure in the frequency domain. Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique is used in both stages to sample the frequency modal patterns to train the proposed network. Study i s also conducted with and without addition of 5% white noise to the input patterns to simulate the experimental errors. Findings- The results show a very good significant improvement in identifying the location and magnitude of a crack by the proposed IRBF method in comparison with conventional RBF method and other classical methods. For a typical test case, the crack depth was identified with 0.80% identification error by the proposed IRBF method in comparison with 6.59% by the other classical methods. It takes very less computational effort to identify the crack as compared to other hybrid neural network approaches and classical methods. Originality/value- The proposed novel IRBF crack identification technique is unique in originality and can identify the crack location and crack depth with very good accuracy, less computational effort and simple technique. Skills : Research Areas: Farm Power and Renewable Energy, Design optimisation, Damage identification and evolutionary algorithms. Languages: C/C++ Softwares: MS office, MATLAB, AutoCad2007, Mechanical Desktop 6, ProE (Wildfire2&3), SAP, VB6, Design expert. Tools: FEA, CCRD, ANN, PSO and GA. Research interests : Farm Power and Renewable Energy Design optimisation Damage identification and evolutionary algorithms. Areas of interest : Farm Power and Renewable Energy, Design optimisation, Damage identification and evolutionary algorithms. Publications/Conferences : Conference Papers: Rajendra, M. and Shankar, K. (2011). “Damage Identification of Multimember Structure Using Improved Neural Networks”. Proceedings of the International Conference on Design and Advances in Mechanical Engineering (ICDAAME 2011), SKP Engineering College, Tiruvannamalai, TN., India. 16-17 December, 2011. pp. 89-96. Rajendra, M. and Shankar, K. (2012). “Structural Damage Detection in Time Domain Using Improved RBF Neural Networks”. Proceedings of Advances in Control and Optimization of Dynamic Systems (ACODS 2012), J. N. Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, KA., India. 16-18 February, 2012. Journal Papers: Rajendra, M. and Shankar. K., " Structural Damage Identification Using Improved RBF Neural Networks in Frequency Domain," Advances in Structural Engineering, Vol. 15, No. 10, 2012, pp. 1689-1703. Rajendra, M. et al., "Biodiesel production from mixture of mahua and simarouba oils with high free fatty acids," Biomass and Energy, Vol. 34, 2010, pp. 1108-1116. Rajendra, M. et al., "Predicting the draught requirement of tillage implements in sandy clay loam soil using an artificial neural network," Biosystems Engineering, Vol. 104, 2009, pp. 476-485. Rajendra, M. et al., "Prediction of optimized pretreatment process parameters for biodiesel production using ANN and GA," Fuel, Vol. 88, 2009, pp. 868-875. About me : Rajendra Machavaram received his Masters Degree (M. Tech) from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) in 2008 specializing in the area of Farm Machinery and Power. He worked from 2008 to 2010 as Research and Development Member at the TAFE R&D Center, Chennai, India. He is currently a Ph. D. Scholar in the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras). His research interests are Farm Power and Renewable Energy, Design optimisation, Damage identification and evolutionary algorithms. Education : B. Tech Agricultural Engineering, ANGRAU, Hyderabad, 2002-2006. M. Tech Farm Machinery and Power, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 2006-2008. Ph. D. Machine Design, Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, 2010 onwards. E-mail id : [email protected] Rajesh Baby Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof.C.Balaji Title of thesis : Experimental studies on thermal performance of Phase Change Material (PCM) based heat sinks Thesis abstract : Experimental investigations on finned heat sinks filled with phase change materials for thermal management of portable electronic devices. The phase change material (PCM) used is n-eicosane and is placed inside a heat sink made of aluminium. Aluminium acts as thermal conductivity enhancer (TCE), as the thermal conductivity of the PCM is very low. The heat sink acts as an energy storage and a heat-spreading module. Studies are conducted for heat sinks on which a uniform heat load is applied for the unfinned and finned cases. The test section considered in all cases in the present work is a 80 x 62 mm2 base with TCE height of 25 mm. A 60 x 42 mm2 plate heater with 2 mm thickness is used to mimic the heat generation in electronic chips. Heat sinks with pin fin and plate fin geometries having the same volume fraction of the TCE are used. The effect of different types of fins for different power level (ranging from 2 to 7 W) in enhancing the operating time for different set point temperatures and on the duration of latent heating phase were explored. The results indicate that the operational performance of portable electronic device can be significantly improved by the use of fins in heat sinks filled with PCM. Skills : Optimization of thermal systems using ANN and GA Matlab Research interests : Thermal management of electronics Phase Change heat transfer Optimization of thermal systems Areas of interest : Heat transfer, Refrigeration and air conditioning, Cryogenics Publications/Conferences : Rajesh Baby and C. Balaji, “Experimental investigations on phase change material based finned heat sinks for electronic equipment cooling”, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 55, 2010, pp. 1642-1649. Rajesh Baby and C. Balaji, “A neural network based optimization of thermal performance of PCM based finned heat sinks”, Experimental Heat Transfer, 2012 (in press) Rajesh Baby and C. Balaji, “Thermal management of electronics using phase change material based pin fin heat sinks ”, International Journal of Physics: Conference Series , 2012 (in press) Rajesh Baby and C Balaji, " Improving the performance of portable electronic equipment using finned heat sinks filled with phase change materials" , 21st National & 10th ISHMT-ASME Heat and Mass Transfer Conference, IIT Madras, December, 2001 27-30, About me : Hard working Can easily work in groups Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 1997-2001,M.G.University, Kerala M.Tech in Industrial Refrigeration and Cryogenic Engineering, 2002-2004, Kerala University, Kerala E-mail id : [email protected] Rajesh Kumar Panda Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. B.V.S.S.S. Prasad Title of thesis : CONJUGATE HEAT TRANSFER FROM A FLAT PLATE WITH COMBINED IMPINGEMENT AND FILM COOLING Thesis abstract : Several cooling schemes are used in gas turbine blades to ensure that the blade temperature and thermal stresses are within safe limits. Among them, film (on external surface) and impingement (on internal surface) cooling are frequently used. Previous researchers investigated either film cooling or impingement cooling independently. However, investigation with the combined film and impingement schemes are sparsely reported. In the present paper, such a study on a flat plate will be reported with experimental as well as computational investigations. External side of the plate is exposed to hot mainstream as well as to the (film) coolant. The other (internal) side experiences impinging air jets. A specific geometric configuration with multiple staggered rows of cylindrical film holes and a matrix of impingement holes are considered. Each film hole has a stream-wise injection angle of 35° with length to diameter ratio of four. Thermochromic liquid crystal (TLC) technique is used to measure the surface effectiveness. The k-omega SST model is used in CFD simulation. The grid convergence index (GCI) method is used for the grid refinement study. The parametric variations considered are: (i) the blowing ratio is from 0.6 to 1.6; and (ii) two plate materials with lower (0.2 W/m K) and higher (14.9 W/m K) thermal conductivity. A good agreement of effectiveness distribution on the surface is found between the measured and the conjugate calculation. The results are explained through various flow features observed: jet lift off, counter rotating vortex pair, downstream spiral separation node, side spilled vortex interaction, interaction of upstream and downstream hole in the staggered arrangement, shearing between jet and mainstream etc. In case of lower conducting material, local patches of higher effectiveness are observed close to jet exit but are found to reduce with distance. For higher conducting material the effectiveness values are lower but uniform across the plate. A comparison between film cooling and impingement cum film cooling indicates that the steady state temperature value for the combined cooling is lower. Besides, due to the inclusion of impingement jet, conduction becomes dominant and leads to a more uniform plate temperature. Further, it is observed that the fluctuations induced by the impinging jet are dissipated as it comes out through the film hole. Skills : Programming language: C, C++ Engineering Software: Matlab, Fluent, Gambit, Unigraphix,AutoCAD, ICEM CFD, CFX, SOLID Works Communication Language : English, Hindi and Oriya Research interests : Gas Turbine Blade Cooling Turbomachines Computational Fluid Dynamics Areas of interest : Heat transfer, Gas Turbine, Turbomachines, CFD Publications/Conferences : 1. Rajesh Kumar Panda, B.V.S.S.S. Prasad, 2011, "CONJUGATE HEAT TRANSFER FROM A FLAT PLATE WITH SHOWER HEAD IMPINGING JETS", Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer (FHMT), Vol. 2, 013008, DOI: 10.5098/hmt.v2.1.3008 1. Rajesh Kumar Panda and B.V.S.S.S. Prasad, “Computational and Experimental Study of Conjugate Heat Transfer for a Flat Plate with Impinging Jet”, ASME-Turbo Expo 2010, Paper id: GT 2010-22572, June 14-18, 2010, Glasgow, UK. 2. Rajesh Kumar Panda, Sreekala P. and B.V.S.S.S. Prasad, "Computational and Experimental Study of Conjugate Heat Transfer for a Flat Plate with shower Head Impinging Jets", asme-International Heat Transfer Conference (IHTC-14), Paper id: IHTC14-23188, August 8-13, 2010, Washington D.C., USA. 3. Rajesh Kumar Panda and B.V.S.S.S. Prasad, “Study of fluid flow on a flat plate with shower head impinging jets”, Thirty seventh International Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power, Paper id: 561, December 16-18, 2010, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. 4. Rajesh Kumar Panda and B.V.S.S.S. Prasad, “Flow Visualization and Conjugate Heat Transfer Study From Shower Head Impinging Jets”, ASME-Turbo Expo 2011, Paper id: GT2011- 45098,June6-10,2011, Vancouver, Canada 5. Rajesh Kumar Panda, Sudheer Kumar, B.V.S.S.S. Prasad, "Conjugate Heat Transfer From a Flat Plate With Different Film Cooling Configurations", 21st National & 10th ISHMT-ASME Heat and Mass Transfer Conference, Paper id: ISHMT_IND_03_013, December 27-30, 2011, IIT Madras, India. 6. Rajesh Kumar Panda, B.V.S.S.S. Prasad, Conjugate Heat Transfer From A Flat Plate With Combined Impinging And Film Cooling, ASME-Turbo Expo 2012, Paper id: GT2012-68830, June 11-15, 2012, Copenhagen, Denmark About me : To optimally utilize my problem solving skill, leadership and interpersonal skills and a passion to work in a challenging and creative environment and effectively contribute towards the goals of the organization. This will help me find a strategic fit between my internal strengths and the organizational opportunities and leveraging them to herald a new growth story for the organization. Education : M.Tech, 2007-2009, Mechanical Engineering/Thermal Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras B.Tech, 2003-2007, Mechanical Engineering, GIETGunupur/BPUT, ORISSA E-mail id : [email protected] Rayapati Subbarao Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : PROF. M.GOVARDHAN Title of thesis : Computational studies on counter rotating turbines Thesis abstract : Objective of this work is to generate a computational model and carry out the flow and performance analysis using CFD. ICEMCFD and CFX are used for geometry preparation, meshing, solving and post processing. Analysis is done by varying geometrical and flow parameters like spacing between blade rows, specific speed, angle of incidence, speed ratio etc. Comparison is done in the aspect of flow development and performance. Research interests : Turbomachinery, Counter Rotating Turbines Areas of interest : Turbomachinery, Counter Rotating Turbines, Axial Flow Machines, Combined Cycle Power Plants, Fuel Cells, SOFC-GT, Power Plant Cycles, Alternative Fuels Publications/Conferences : INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS: 1. ‘Mathematical modeling of incorporated Physico-Electrochemcial processes and polarization distinctiveness in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells’, V.U.Senthil Vadivel, Rayapati Subbarao, P.M.V.Subbarao, AMSE periodical, 2006, vol.1, pp. 78-89. 2. ‘Performance Analysis of Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell – Gas Turbine Power Generating System’ Rayapati Subbarao, V.U.Senthil Vadivel, P.M.V.Subbarao, Journal of Institution of Engineers, 2009, vol.90, pp. 1-5. 3. ‘Experimental investigation and performance evaluation of DI Diesel engine fueled by waste oil-diesel mixture in emulsion with water’, K.Nantha Gopal and Rayapati Subbarao, Journal of Thermal Science, 2009, vol. 13(3), pp. 83-89. 4. ‘Experimental Investigation on the Performance and Emission Characteristics of Two-Stroke Spark Ignition Engine with Hydrogen as Supplementary Fuel’, K.Nantha Gopal, Rayapati Subbarao, R.Natarajan, Sanjay Jain, Fulender K and Ram Vinoy K, Journal on Future Engineering & Technology, 2009, vol.4(4), pp. 22-28. 5. ‘Thermodynamic analysis on Diesel Engine Integrated with PCM Based Energy Storage System’, K.Nantha Gopal, Rayapati Subbarao, V. Pandiyarajan, R. Velraj, Journal of Thermodynamics, 2010, vol. 13(1), pp. 15-21. 6. 'Hydrogen enriched Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) - A Futuristic fuel for internal combustion engines’, K.Nantha Gopal, Rayapati Subbarao, T.Elango, P.Bhaskar and K.Annamalai, Journal of Thermal Science, 2011, vol. 15(4), pp. 1145-1154. 7. ‘Effect of axial gap on the aerodynamics of a single stage turbine’, Rayapati Subbarao and M.Govardhan, Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering, 2012, vol 1, pp:371-377. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES: 8. ‘Mass Flow Measurement in Buoyancy Induced Flow through a vertical Tube’ Sangeeta Kohli, M.R.Ravi, R.Subbarao (Proceedings of the 5th ASME-ISHMT Heat & Mass Transfer Conference, Calcutta, pp. 796-801, 2002). 9. ‘Performance characteristics of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and its upstream fuel processing options’, Senthil Vadivel, Rayapati Subbarao, P.M.V.Subbarao (Proceedings of the International conference on Sustainable Energy Development, New Delhi, pp. 256-265, 2006). 10. ‘Thermodynamic modelling of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell – Gas Turbine power plant’, Rayapati Subbarao, Senthil Vadivel, P.M.V.Subbarao, (Proceedings of the International Congress on Renewable Energy (ICORE), Hyderabad, pp. 531-538, 2006). 11. ‘Mathematical modeling of incorporated Physico-Electrochemcial processes and polarization distinctiveness in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells’, V.U.Senthil Vadivel, Rayapati Subbarao, P.M.V.Subbarao (Proceedings of the International Conference on Modelling and Simulation, Kuala Lumpur, pp. 771-778, 2006). 12. ‘Performance Analysis of Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell – Gas Turbine Power Generating System’ Rayapati Subbarao, V.U.Senthil Vadivel, P.M.V.Subbarao (Proceedings of the World Renewable Energy Congress - IX, Italy, 2006). 13. ‘Mathematical Modelling of Activation Overpotential in High Temperature Fuel Cells’, Rayapati Subbarao, V.U.Senthil Vadivel, P.M.V.Subbarao (Proceedings of the 3rd BSME-ASME International Conference on Thermal Engineering, 2006, Dhaka, Bangladesh). 14. ‘Effect of axial gap on the aerodynamics of a single stage turbine’, Rayapati Subbarao and M.Govardhan (Ms-48, Proceedings of the International Conference on Recent Advances & Challenges in Energy, India, 2012). 15. ‘Effect of axial gap on the aerodynamics of 1 and 1.5 stage turbines', Rayapati Subbarao and M.Govardhan (73, Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Applied Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering, AMME-15, Egypt, 2012). 16. "Effect of axial spacing between the components on the performance of a counter rotating turbine', Rayapati Subbarao and M.Govardhan (Proceedings of ISFMFE, Korea, 2012). NATIONAL CONFERENCES: ‘Effect of axial gap on the aerodynamics of a one and half stage turbine’, Rayapati Subbarao and M.Govardhan, TM-07, Proceedings of the 38th National Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power (FMFP) , India, 2011. About me : I am Rayapati Subbarao with 10+ years of experience in Research & Development, Teaching and Training. Presently, pursuing Ph.D from IIT Madras in the area of ‘Counter Rotating Turbines’. My previous employers include IIT Delhi, VIT University, BIT and HiTec Info,USA. I have about 17 publications as on date and more to follow in the areas of Turbines, Power generation, IC engines, Alternative fuels and Fuel cells. My experience also includes Certification work like ABET, USA and NBA, NAAC of India and Training & Placement and Counselling of students. Apart from Teaching and R&D, I have also been involved involved conducting workshops/conferences, preparation of course materials and lab handouts. My interest has always been to serve the organization to which I am associated with/country in the best position available. I am Member of Institution of Engineers, India. Also, actively associated for my life term with Combustion Institute, FMFP and ISTE. Education : Ph.D (Thermal Turbomachinery) from IIT Madras (From 2009) M.Tech (Thermal Engineering) from IIT Delhi (CGPA 8.25) in 2006 B.Tech (Mechanical Engineering) from Nagarjuna University in 1996 E-mail id : [email protected],[email protected] S Rajkumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. Pramod S Mehta and Dr. Shamit Bakshi Title of thesis : Phenomenological Modeling of Multiple-injection Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) Diesel Engines Thesis abstract : Multiple-injection is known to achieve simultaneous reduction of NOx and soot emissions which are the major pollutants of diesel engines. However, the simultaneous reduction of NOx and soot requires an optimal injection schedule suiting an engine load and speed operating conditions. Arriving an optimal injection schedule through extensive experiments is tedious and expensive and hence an attempt has been made to develop phenomenological for predicting combustion and emission characteristics of multiple-injection common rail diesel engines. The detailed physics involved in the spray, mixing, combustion and emission processes of multiple-injection technique are explored through the model. The model is validated with a wide range of experimental results. Parametric studies are carried out to analyze the effect of fuel quantities in each pulses and dwell period between the injection pulses on combustion, NOx and soot particulate emissions and specific fuel consumption. Skills : C, C++, Visual Basic and ASP Matlab Exposure to Gambit Star CD [CFD software] Research interests : 1. Phenomenological modeling of engine combustion and emission processes 2. Alternate fuels 3. Engine testing 4. CFD Areas of interest : IC Engines, Alternative Fuels, Modeling and Simulaion Publications/Conferences : 1. Rajkumar, S. and Nagarajan, G. CFD modeling of combustion and emission characteristics of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine. SAE INDIA International Congress and Exposition 2005, Chennai, October 2005. 2. Rajkumar, S. and Nagarajan, G. Modeling of combustion and emission characteristics of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition engine using CFD. 19th National Conference on IC Engines and Combustion, Chidambram, December 2005. 3. Rajkumar, S., Mehta, P.S., and Bakshi, S. Predicting mixing rates in multiple injection CRDI engines, ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division 2009 Fall Technical Conference, 2009, Paper No. ICEF2009-14081. 4. Rajkumar, S., Mehta, P.S., and Bakshi, S. Parametric Investigation for NOx and Soot Emissions in Multiple-injection CRDI Engine using Phenomenological Model, 2011 JSAE/SAE International Powertrains, Fuels and Lubricants, 2011, Paper No. JSAE 20119210 (SAE 2011-01-1810). 5. Rajkumar, S., Mehta, P.S., and Bakshi, S. Modeling Spray Processes in High Pressure Multiple-injection CRDI Engines,22nd National Conference on IC Engines and Combustion, 2011, Paper No. 3-005 (Awarded as the best paper). 6. Rajkumar, S., Mehta, P.S., and Bakshi, S. Phenomenological Modeling of Combustion and Emissions for Multiple-injection CRDI Engines. International Journal of Engine Research, 13(4), 2012, pp. 307-322. 7. Mehta, P.S., Rajkumar, S., and Bakshi, S. Modeling of Spray and Mixing Processes in High Pressure Multiple-injection CRDI Engines, The Eight International conference on Modeling and Diagnostics for Advanced Engine Systems (COMODIA) , 2012, Paper No. SP-08. About me : To reach greater heights in career integrating my personal goals with that of the organization. Open to exploring new avenues and yearning to learn new concepts and technology. Good interpersonal skills Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 1990-1994, Bharathidasan University M.E. Internal Combustion Engineering, 2002-2005, Anna University E-mail id : [email protected] Somasundaram D Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof.A.Mani and Prof.M.Kamaraj Title of thesis : Studies on Heat and Fluid Flow Characteristics of Flat Heat Pipe Thesis abstract : The application of heat pipe as a heat transport device for thermal management of electronic systems and devices is an important area of research and development. Present research work deals with threedimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis on thermal and hydro dynamic characteristics of flat heat pipe with copper foam as wick. Multiphase mixture model is applied to study the two-phase flow physics taking place inside the flat heat pipe. The user defined functions are developed and coupled with governing equations of mixture model to enable evaporation and condensation process. Experimental work has been carried out to validate the numerical model. Skills/Abilities CFD Package Post Processor Programming Language Modeling Package Operating systems : FLUENT, GAMBIT, Ansys : SigmaPlot, Tecplot : C, C++ : Auto CAD, Pro-E : Windows XP, 7 Professional Research interests : Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics. Areas of interest : CFD, Heat transfer in heat pipes, thermodynamics, Fluid flow Publications/Conferences : International Conferences: 1. Somasundaram, D., and Mani, A., “Experimental Studies on Porous Wick Flat Plate Heat Pipe”, International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference at Purdue, USA, July 12-15, 2010. 2. Somasundaram, D., Mani, A, and Kamaraj, M., “Heat Pipes Application in Electronic Cooling”, International Conference on 4G Wireless Computer Networks, India, March 4, 5&6, 2011. 3. Somasundaram, D., Mani, A, and Kamaraj, M., “Metal Foam Wick Structure for Heat Pipe Applications”, Annual International Conference on Materials Science, Metals and Manufacturing (M3 2011), Singapore, December 12-13, 2011. 4. Somasundaram, D., Mani, A, and Kamaraj, M., “Numerical analysis of thermal performance of flat heat pipe”, International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference at Purdue, USA, July 16-19, 2012. About me : I am a PhD research scholar in Mechanical Engineering having good experience in industry and in depth knowledge in subjects with vast computer skills to face future challenges. Education : M.E in Energy Engineering, (8.45 CGPA), 2001-2003, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore. B.E in Mechanical Engineering, (74.1%), 1995-1999, Institute of Road and Transport Technology, Erode E-mail id : [email protected] Srinivasa Ramanujam Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. C. Balaji Title of thesis : RETRIEVAL OF GEO-PHYSICAL PARAMETERS FROM MICROWAVE RADIANCES Thesis abstract : Developing algorithms for retrieval of geo-physical parameters (vertical cloud and rain structure) from remote measurements of microwave radiances emerging out of a raining atmosphere was considered as the research goal for my Ph.D thesis. Estimation of rain rate from the retrieved vertical rain structure as well as its prediction from numerical weather models that assimilate radiances from satellites is critical for agrarian economies like India. The estimation of surface rain rate will also help in forecasting flood and other related natural calamities, which can help save several thousands of humans and live stocks from drowning. The numerical weather research and forecast (WRF) model generated thermodynamic and atmospheric parameters are simulated for various cyclone events originated in north Indian Ocean region. These parameters are fed as input to the in-house FORTRAN code that simulates brightness temperatures in the microwave region as output. The WRF model generated input, the in-house model simulated brightness temperatures and observed microwave brightness temperatures from a space borne radiometer are judiciously combined in a Bayesian framework to retrieve a three dimensional cloud and rain structure of the earth’s raining atmosphere. Skills : Programming Languages: C, FORTRAN Scientific computing Language: MATLAB Operating Systems: Windows, Linux Specialized softwares: Quickbeam (Radar reflectivity simulator), WRF (numerical weather model), PRTE (inhouse polarized radiative transfer equation solver) Research interests : Artificial Neural Networks Bayesian inference Inverse problems in engineering Microwave remote sensing Non-linear optimization Radiative transfer through participating media Areas of interest : rainfall estimation, satellite remote sensing, multi-parameter estimation, artificial neural networks, numerical weather modelling, radiation in participating media Publications/Conferences : Journal publications: Ramanujam K.S, Abishek S, and Katte S.S, "Differential View Factor for a Rectangle with Intervening Parallelepiped or Sphere", Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer, Vol. 20, 2006, pp. 604-607. Abishek S, Ramanujam K.S and Katte S.S,"View Factors between Disc/Rectangle and Rectangle in Parallel and Perpendicular Planes", Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer, Vol. 21, 2007, pp. 236-239. Ramanujam K.S and Balaji C, "Radiative Transfer Simulations for the MADRAS Imager of Megha-Tropiques", Journal of Earth System Science, Vol. 120, 2011, pp. 1-18. Ramanujam K.S, Chandrasekar R and Balaji C, "A new PCA-ANN algorithm for retrieval of rainfall structure in precipitating atmosphere", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 21, Issue 8, 2011, pp. 1002-1025. Ramanujam K.S, Chandrasekar R, Subramani D and Balaji C, "On the Effect of Non-Raining Parameters in Retrieval of Surface Rain Rate Using TRMM PR And TMI Measurements", IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, Vol. 5, Issue 3, 2012, pp. 735-743. Praveen K, Ramanujam K.S and Balaji C, "An Artificial Neural Network Based Fast Radiative Transfer Model for Simulating Infrared Sounder Radiances", Journal of Earth System Science, Vol. 121, Issue 4, 2012, pp. 891-901. Ramanujam K.S, Subramani D, Balaji C and Chandrasekar V, "A WRF-Radar-Radiometer Combined Algorithm For MADRAS Imager Of MeghaTropiques", IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, (communicated). Conference publications: Balaji C, Ramanujam K.S, Venkateshan S.P, Gairola R.M, Sarkar A and Agarwal V.K, "A Neural Network based Fast Forward Model for the Simulation of Microwave Brightness Temperatures", International Conference on MEGHA-TROPIQUES Science and Applications, ISRO, Bangalore, 2009, pp. 64-65. Ramanujam K.S and Balaji C, "A New Rain Screening Algorithm Based on Non-Dimensional Microwave Brightness Temperatures", International Conference on MEGHA-TROPIQUES Science and Applications, ISRO, Bangalore, 2009, pp. 66-67. Balaji C, Chaturvedi M, Ramanujam K.S, Chandrasekar V, Nguyen C and Martinez M, "What Is The Information Content Of TRMM Precipitation Radar For Determining Radiometer Observations And Vice Versa?", IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Hawaii, USA, 2010. Ramanujam K.S and Balaji C, "A Fast Polarized Microwave Radiative Transfer Model for a Raining Atmosphere", International Heat Transfer Conference (IHTC-14), Washington DC, USA, 2010. Balaji C and Ramanujam K.S, "Retrieval of rainfall from MADRAS Microwave Imager on Megha Tropiques", IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Vancouver, Canada, 2011. Ramanujam K.S, Subramani D and Balaji C, "Profile Correction Algorithm using TRMM PR and TMI measurements in a Bayesian framework", Opportunities and Challenges in Monsoon Prediction in a Changing Climate, OCHAMP, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, 2012. About me : Srinivasa Ramanujam received B.E degree in Mechanical Engineering from Madras University in 2003, Master of Science (in Engineering) from SASTRA University in 2008 and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras in 2012. His current area of research is developing improvements to rainfall estimation using neural networks. Education : B.E Mechanical Engineering, 1999-2003, Madras University M.S (in Engineering) by Research Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2008, SASTRA University Ph.D Mechanical Engineering, 2008-2012, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Tapano Kumar Hotta Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. S P Venkateshan & Prof. C Balaji Title of thesis : Studies on Cooling of Discrete Heated Elements in an Application to Electronic Cooling Industries Thesis abstract : The main objective is to find the optimal distribution of discrete heat sources (Aluminum) mounted on a substrate board (Bakelite) loosing heat by convection, and radiation. The discrete heat sources are the individual heated elements mounted on the mother board of a computer, or on the printed circuit board (PCB) of any electronic devices. For the present case the PCB (Actually made of FR4) is mimicked by a low thermal conductivity material, Bakelite, and the chips or heat sources mounted on the PCB (Actually made of Silicon) are by Aluminum. The optimal configuration is one for which the maximum temperature excess among heat sources (temperature difference between the heat sources, and ambient) is minimum among all other possible configurations, which is determined by a non-dimensional geometric parameter '?'. Experiments have been conducted for both square (identical), and rectangular (non-identical) protruding discrete heat sources, which are five in number, subjected to uniform heat flux, under natural and mixed convection heat transfer. The effect of surface radiation on these heat sources has been studied by painting them with black paint. It has been found that, radiation plays an important role for the cooling of discrete heated elements, as there is a temperature drop upto 15%, which helps in better cooling. The number of possible configurations for arrangement of both square, and rectangular heat sources on substrate board is determined by a MatLab programme. Experiments have been conducted for some of the configurations (choosen on the basis of '?' value) at different power levels and for polished and black painted surfaces. These experimental data are used as a forward model to Artificial Neural Network (ANN), which is then coupled with Genetic Algorithm (GA) to determine the global optimal position of discrete heat sources, for which the maximum temperature excess is minimum among all possible configurations of heat sources. This optimal configuration is then experimentally validated, and it has been found that, the maximum temperature excess in both the cases agree with each other with an error band of 1.5%. Flow visualization study has been carried out by using Schlieren and Shadowgraphy technique,to study the interaction between discrete heat sources. This whole idea suggests some guidelines for the design of electronic devices, and helps in better thermal management. Skills : Good in experiments Optimization by using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) Numerical simulations by using Fluent and Comsol MatLab programming Research interests : Cooling of discrete heat sources Thermal management of electronic devices Optimal distribution of discrete heat sources loosing heat by convection and radiation Flow visualization studies by using Schlieren and Shadowgraphy technique Interaction of conduction and convection with surface radiation heat transfer Areas of interest : Electronic Cooling, Thermal Management of Electronic Devices, Flow Visualization Studies, Optimization of thermal systems, Interaction of natural and mixed convetion heat transfer with surface radiation Publications/Conferences : Tapano Kumar Hotta, S P Venkateshan, “Natural and Mixed convection heat transfer cooling of discrete heat sources placed near the bottom on a PCB”, International Journal of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Vol 6 2012, Page No 266. Tapano Kumar Hotta, Pullarao Muvalla, S P Venkateshan, “Effect of surface radiation on the optimal distribution of discrete heat sources under natural convection”, Heat and Mass Transfer - Springer. (Available online) Tapano Kumar Hotta, Pullarao Muvalla, S P Venkateshan, “Optimal distribution of discrete heat sources under natural convection using ANN coupled with GA”, Heat Transfer Engineering - Taylor and Francis. (Under Review) Tapano Kumar Hotta, A Sneha Reddy, S P Venkateshan, “Experimental studies on optimization of natural convection heat transfer from protruding discrete heat sources”, National seminar on recent trends in engineering, VITAM Engineering college, Orissa, India, 6th October 2010. Tapano Kumar Hotta, S P Venkateshan, “Natural convection heat transfer from protruding discrete heat sources”, 21st National and 10th ISHMT- ASME Heat and Mass Transfer Conference, IIT Madras, India, 27 - 30st December 2011. Tapano Kumar Hotta, S P Venkateshan, “Natural and Mixed convection heat transfer cooling of discrete heat sources placed near the bottom on a PCB”, International Conference on Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics (ICFMHTT), Zurich, Switzerland, January, 15 - 17, 2012. About me : I am Tapano Kumar Hotta aka Tapan, a research scholar (PhD) from HTTP Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering since January 2010. I belong to Berhampur, Orissa (Presently Odisha). My research interest includes in broad sense Electronic cooling, Thermal management of electronic devices, Flow visualization studies, Optimization of thermal systems, Interaction of natural and mixed convection heat transfer with surface radiation. I have a keen interest towards teaching, and have worked for around 5 years before joining the PhD programme. I love reading novels and playing cricket during my leisure time. It's been a great pleasure being a part of IIT Madras over the years. Education : H.S.C.E (10th ) from B.S.E Orissa, in 1998 with 83.33%. H.S.E (10+2) from C.H.S.E, Orissa, in 2000 with 77.22%. B-Tech in Mechanical Engineering from JITM, Paralakhemundi, under BPUT, Rourkela, Orissa, in 2004 in First class (H) with 75.66%. M-Tech in Thermal Engineering from ITER, Bhubaneswar, under Siksha ’O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa in 2009 in First class (H) with a CGPA of 8.96. Pursuing PhD in Heat Transfer and Thermal Power Laboratory of Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras in the area of Cooling of discrete heat sources in an application to electronic industries, since December 18' 2009. E-mail id : [email protected] Thangaraja J Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Pramod S Mehta Title of thesis : NOX REDUCTION IN BIO-DIESEL FUELED COMPRESSION IGNITION (CI) ENGINE Thesis abstract : Biodiesel has been receiving considerable attention for its potential use as an alternative fuel to petroleum diesel. The properties of biodiesel are close to the petroleum diesel and its use in diesel engines provide significant reduction in particulates and to some extent of unburned hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and net carbon dioxide emissions. The biodiesel fuels, however, have a cold flow characteristics, lower heating value, lower storage stability, some what poor atomization due to slightly higher viscosity and higher emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx)]. The increased NO emission from biodiesel fuels restrict their widespread use, as the NOx emissions lead to the formation of ozone and photochemical smog when reacting with hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight. The realization of these severe effects of engine exhausts NOx emissions brought the aspects of understanding the biodiesel-NOx penalty and NOx emission control to the forefront and drives the changes in biodiesel fuelled CI engines. The present research work envisages an experimental investigation on biodiesel operation of the engine for determining an appropriate injection timing and exhaust gas recirculation to provide the required engine performance and emission levels. Skills : Pro active perseveranc Team facilitator stimulator Research interests : Alternate Fuels Engine Exhaust Emission Control Engine Tuning Emission Testing according to Standards Areas of interest : Engine Exhaust Emission studies and control Publications/Conferences : Presented a paper titled, “Accurate Estimation of Indicated Mean Effective Pressure in a Diesel Engine using Performance Test“ in the Proceedings of the 22nd National Conference on IC Engines and Combustion, NITCalicut, Kerala, India: 10-13 December, 2011. Presented a Paper titled, “Experimental investigations on combustion, performance and emission characteristics of neat Jatropha biodiesel and its methanol blend in a diesel engine” in the Proceedings of the 2012 Fall Technical Conference of the ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division, Vancouver, Canada, 23-26 September, 2012. Poster presentation at IISc Bangalore about the biodiesel research in IIT Madras About me : I was born in southern part of tamilnadu on 10.10.1984. My father ( Dr.T.Jeyaseelan) is a doctor and mother (J Thangamani) is a housewife I was curious to know the things and truth around me, so i am pursuing my dreams through my own education and degress. Education : M.E. in Internal Combustion Engineering from College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, Chennai B.E in Mechanical Engineering from Karunya Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu E-mail id : [email protected] A Kiran Kumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr Krishna Kannan Title of thesis : Computational micro mechanics of composite materials Thesis abstract : Computational micro mechanics plays an important role in the research of advance engineering material such as composites. Representative volume element (RVE) approach is used to predict the elastic properties as well as the local distribution of the stress associated with in the fiber reinforced composites. The accuracy of prediction of stress in the micro level depends on accuracy of the local morphology of the micro structure. Nearest Neighbour algorithm (NNA) is used to generate the random fiber in a RVE. ABAQUS is used to simulate macro mechanical and micro mechanical behavior of composite materials. The main objective of simulation is to predict the mechanical properties of the composite material and to predict the probability of interfacial failure. Skills : ABAQUS, Matlab, python, catia V5 Elfini, Patran, Nastran, Hypermesh Research interests : Composites, constitute modeling, Finite element analysis, computational micro mechanics, multiscale modeling Areas of interest : Aerospace Education : MS Mechanical Engineering 2010-2012, IIT madras B.Tech Mechanical Engineering 2002-2006, S V C E T chittoor,JNTU hyderabad E-mail id : [email protected] Alwan V Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. Seshadri sekhar A Title of thesis : Design, Development and Dynamic Analysis of shafts made with different Composite Materials Thesis abstract : Design and dynamic analysis of composite shafts is the primary objective of this work. Shafts are studied for its dynamic characteristics. Finite element methods and experimental methods are used for the study. Shafts modeled with Glass/epoxy and carbon/epoxy composite materials are used for the study. The influence of materials, angular orientation and stacking sequences on the bending and torsional natural frequency of composite shafts are studied. The influence of thickness of the fiber layer on the dynamic characteristics is studied. Hybrid shafts are modeled, studied and the properties are compared with the normal shafts. An empirical relation to identify better optimized shaft with low cost and improved performance has been developed. Shafts are manufactured and their properties are experimentally assessed. The torque transmission characteristics of various shafts are studied. Shafts are manufactured by introducing nano fillers and their properties are observed. Skills : Programming – MATLAB, MATHEMATICA Modeling and analysis – CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, HYPERMESH, ANSYS, ABAQUS Data acquisition programs – DEWESOFT, RTPRO FOCUS Research interests : Composites Vibration Areas of interest : composites, Solid Mechanics, Vibration Publications/Conferences : 1. Alwan, V., Sekhar, A. S., and Velmurugan, R., “Dynamic analysis and damage studies on non-rotating composite shafts”, presented at International Conference on Theoretical Applied Computational and Experimental Mechanics, IIT Kharagpur, ICTACEM paper No. CCXI, 2010. 2. Alwan, V., Ankit Guptha., Sekhar, A. S., and Velmurugan, R., “Dynamic analysis of shafts of composite materials”, Journal of reinforced plastics and composites, November 2010. 3. Ankit Guptha., Alwan, V., Sekhar, A. S., and Velmurugan, R., “Vibration analysis of shafts of composite materials”, Journal of Sound and Vibration, 1974, 37(1), pp.1-15. 4. Alwan, V., Sekhar, A. S., and Velmurugan, R., “Mechanical characterization of carbon epoxy composites”, presented About me : I completed my under gradution in December 2007 in Aeronautics. I Worked in NAL, bangalore for few months after graduation. Following that, I joined IIT Madras to work in a research project sponsored by AR&DB. I joined MS in January 2010 and in the final stages of my work . Education : 1. (Graduation)M.Ae.S.I - The Aeronautical Society of India, New Delhi, 59.6%, 2007. 2. (Higher secondary)XII - Merit Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Ambasamudram, 84.67%, 2001. 3. (Matriculation)X - Merit Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Ambasamudram, 86.9%, 1999. E-mail id : [email protected] Athi Sankar P Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Shankar Krishnapillai Title of thesis : Identification of Elastic Constants of Composite Plate Using Response surface methodology Thesis abstract : The purpose of this work is to obtain the elastic constants of composite material by analyzing its dynamic response. Thin orthotropic plate was taken and its response for the impact force was observed in both time and frequency domain. Finite element model that reflects the actual system properties are developed. The response of the system for an initial range of input values was predicted using the finite element model. The difference between the experimentally measured and theoretically predicted responses is counted as error. The error is minimized by updating finite element model. The procedure is applied to the plate bending problems and the experiments are simulated numerically with known parameters of the material Skills : MATLAB Research interests : Optimization Composite identification Vibration Finite element Analysis Areas of interest : Mathematical Modeling, Finite element analysis and optimization, Mechanical Vibration, Composite Materials Publications/Conferences : 0. Athi Sankar P. and Shankar, K. "Identification of Elastic Constants of an Isotropic Plate Using Response Surface Methodology in Time Domain". Fifth International conference on advances in mechanical engineering, Jun 2011. 0. Athi Sankar P. and Shankar, K. Inverse identification of material constants of orthotropic plate using response surface methodology in time domain. International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering and Technology, August 2012. About me : Self motivated Education : B.E Mechanical Engineering,2002-2006, Noorul Islam College Of Engg, Anna University Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] B V S S Bharadwaja Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : N. SIVA PRASAD Title of thesis : A STUDY OF NOISE RADIATION BY TIRE ACOUSTIC CAVITY Thesis abstract : Noise levels in urban aresa are touching peak levels due to high traffic density. Its no wonder to say that the contribution of tire is about 30% on the whole noise produced by the vehicle. So, its very important to study the noise emission mechanisms in deterministic manner. Tire noise is broadly divided into two types, Air borne noise and Structure borne noise. we are mainly concentrating on influence of factors viz.., inflation pressure, static preload, temperature, rolling speed etc. on the tire acoustic cavity. For this we are modelling and analyzing tire with air using ABAQUS . Skills : Finite element package: Abaqus, Ansys, HyperMesh Modeling Software : Pro-E Research interests : NOISE VIBRATION HARSHNESS (NVH) FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS (FEA) Areas of interest : NVH, FEA About me : I am a person who is always ready to accept challenges in my life, because that is the time where we can learn and improve ourself.My hobbies are playing chess and watching TV. I believe in hard work. Education : M.S Mechanical engineering,2011-2013, IIT Madras B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2010, Bapatla Engineering College E-mail id : [email protected] Bhupesh Verma Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Prabhu Rajagopal Title of thesis : Studies on the influence of axial bends on low frequency ultrasonic guided waves in hollow cylinders (pipes) Thesis abstract : Ultrasonic guided waves in hollow cylinders (pipes) are today widely applied as rapid screening tools in the inspection of straight pipe segments in oil, power generation and petrochemical processing industries. However, the characteristics of guided wave propagation across features such as bends in the pipe network are complicated, hampering a wider application of the developed techniques. Although a growing number of studies in recent years have considered guided wave propagation across elbows and U-type bends, the topic is still not very well understood for a general bend angle ?, mean bend radius R and pipe thickness b.The objective of this work is to study the influence of axial bends on low frequency ultrasonic guided waves in hollow cylinders (pipes). Here we use 3D Finite Element (FE) simulation to illumine the propagation of fundamental guided pipe modes across bends of several different angles ?. Also the reflection and transmission characteristics of bends were studied, in order to differentiate them from effect due to possible defect in the bend region. FE models were validated through experiments and analysis. Skills : Design and Analysis Tools: Abaqus v6.11, Ansys , ProE WF v4, UniGraphics NX4, Programming Tools: MATLAB AutoCAD Research interests : Finite Element Modeling and Analysis Guided Ultrasonic Wave techniques for Non-destructive Evaluation Design and Structural Analysis Non-destructive Testing Acoustic and Noise Control Areas of interest : • Finite Element Analysis • Mechanics of Solid • Non-Destructive Testing • Acoustics and Noise Control • Signal Processing of Mechanical System Publications/Conferences : Bhupesh Verma, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, Prabhu Rajagopal “Studies on the Influence of Axial Bends on Ultrasonic Guided Waves in Hollow Cylinders (Pipes)” in review of quantitative NDE, edited by D. O. Thompson and D. E. Chimenti, AIP Conference Proceedings, New York, (2012), in press. Bhupesh Verma, Swaminathan Annamali, Prabhu Rajagopal " The Effect of Curvature on the Scattering of Circumferential Higher Order Mode Cluster (C-HOMC) from Changes in CrossSection" Proceedings of the Indian Society for NDT-Annual Seminar on NDE, Chennai, India (2011), Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 2005-2009, C.S.V.T.U. Bhilai MS by research (Machine Design) 2011- 2013, IIT madras E-mail id : [email protected] Boopalan M Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. N. Ramesh Babu Title of thesis : An improved setup for ice bonded abrasive polishing of metallic and non-metallic materials Thesis abstract : Freezing of water into ice serves as a bond that can firmly hold the abrasives and aids to form a flexible tool for polishing. Unlike the earlier setup that made use of liquid nitrogen to prepare a IBAP tool, this work was attempted to develop a refrigerating unit that helps to prepare the tool in-situ and to enhance the life of tool by maintaining its temperature within reasonable limits. Preliminary experiments were attempted on metallic materials in order to study the effectiveness of improved setup. Improvements were made in work holder holder and tool preparation technique too. Later, surface integrity studies were made on polished metallic and nonmetallic materials. Skills : Experience in product design and fabrication Experience in characterization of various metallic and non-metallic materials Solid modelling : Pro/E, SolidWorks, AutoCAD Research interests : Unconventional machining Polishing Metrology Areas of interest : advanced material processing, Polishing, Metrology, Unconventional machining Publications/Conferences : Boopalan M, Venkatarathnam G and Ramesh Babu N, 'An improved setup for precision polishing of metallic materials using ice bonded abrasive tool', 37th MATADOR Conference, July 2012, (inprint). About me : Quick Learner Strong commitment towards work Good team player Strong technical, communication and people skills Education : B.E in Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2010, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore M.S (by research) in Manufacturing and Precision Engineering, 2010-2013, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Deepchand Singh Negi Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Arvind Pattamatta Title of thesis : Investigation of Heat Transfer Augmentation on dimpled surfaces using impinging jet flows. To study the cumulative effect of geometric parameters of the dimpled target plate in an Thesis abstract : impingement jetcooling configuration such as dimple diameter, dimple height and the spacing between dimples on the heat transfer enhancement and to optimize the configuration of the dimpled target plate. To study the effect of dimple shape in an impingement jet cooling configuration on heat transfer enhancement and optimize the dimple shape. Detailed experimental study of heat transfer on optimized geometry along with optimized configuration. Parameters such as eccentricity between jet hole and dimple, and different crossflow schemes will be chosen to explore the possibility to enhance the heat transfer coefficient. Skills : Computational Fluid Dynamics CAD Modelling Programming Language Operating System Fluent, Star CCM+ CATIA C++, FORTRAN, Matlab Microsoft Windows, Ubuntu Research interests : Heat Transfer Fluid Stucture Study Turbulence Modelling Areas of interest : CAD modelling, Sketching with pencil Publications/Conferences : Conference: Negi S. Deepchand and Pattamatta Arvind, Parametric design and optimization for impingement jet heat transfer over dimpled topologies: CFD Study ,ASME IMECE 2012 (November 9-15, 2012, Houston, Texas, USA). Negi S. Deepchand and Pattamatta Arvind, Parametric design and optimization for impingement jet heat transfer over dimpled topologies, Journal of Heat Transfer, (Under Review) About me : Enthusiastic in learning new things. Education : MS (Thermal Engg.) Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 8/10 2013 B Tech in Mechanical North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Nirjuli Itanagar 4.13/5.0 2009 E-mail id : [email protected] Dileep Chandran P M Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. B.V.S.S.S Prasad Title of thesis : Experimental and Computational Conjugate Heat Transfer Study on a Gas Turbine Inlet Guide Vane in a Linear Cascade Thesis abstract : Heat Tansfer in Gas Turbines has been a topic of wide discussions and research for the past three decades. To increase the efficiency, as there is a tendency to increase the inlet temperature of a gas turbine, reduction of thermal loads and maintain turbine blades at a safer temperatire limit is a necessity. Various cooling schemes, external (Film cooling) and internal (Convective, Impingement cooling), are widely used and studied. While most of the previous studies are done under adiabatic condition and concentrating on individual cooling schemes, the objective of the work is to conduct the study with multiple cooling schemes for a realistic turbine blade under conjugate condition where conduction is considered and flow & heat transfer is coupled. Experiment is done on the laboratory linear cascade wind tunnel. A refrigeration system is designed to supply secondary cold air. Infrared thermography technique is used for temperature measurement. The effectiveness of cooling schemes under various blowing ratios is studied. Computational work is carried out in Ansys-Fluent. Geometry is same as experimental teset section and conditions are maintained. Meshing is done in Gambit. Komega SST turbulence model is used. Results are validated with experiments. Skills : Solid Modelling :- Solidworks, AutoCAD Meshing :- Gambit CFD :- Ansys-Fluent Programming :- Matlab, C Virtual instrument interfacing using LabView. Research interests : Gas Turbine Heat Transfer Conjugate Heat Transfer Techniques Computational Fluid Dynamics Areas of interest : Gas Turbine Heat Transfer, Conjugate Heat Transfer, Computational Fluid Dynamics Publications/Conferences : Dileep Chandran P.M, Paresh Halder, Rajesh Kumar Panda, Prasad B.V.S.S.S, "A Comparative Study of Film Cooling Effectiveness on a Flat Plate with Adiabatic and Conjugate Conditions for Different Hole Shapes", Proceedings of ASME Turbo Expo-2012, paper id:GT2012-69142, June 11-15, 2012, Copenhagen, Denmark. About me : Compared to other engineering disciplines, more friendly and familier terms in the syllabus book drove me to take mechanical engineering in my B.Tech. There I developed interest to study more about thermal and fluid systems and hence to do further studies in that field. I would like to learn and work in this field in realistic problems and develop my knowledge. Education : B.Tech, Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2010, University of Calicut, Kerala. MS by Research, Mechanical Engineering, December 2010 till date, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] G Sudarshan Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. Pramod S Mehta Title of thesis : Burn Rate Analysis of Multiple-injection Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) Diesel Engine Thesis abstract : The advantages of multiple injections have been well demonstrated by experimental investigations and modelling results that are reported in literature. A control system however requires a simple empirical model rather against complex CFD models and in this regard development of an empirical model for a common rail engine has been envisaged. The approach of empirical modelling used is the Wiebe type burn rate law to describe the fraction of energy released in a cycle. The following points briefly provide an idea of the entire process: Experimental pressure histories are acquired on a FORD common rail engine and are processed for obtaining ignition delay, energy release and combustion duration Correlations are formulated to predict the ignition delay and combustion duration obtained in the previous step The energy release information is used to extract burn fractions at the different operating conditions The Wiebe curve is fitted for these burn fraction profiles obtained previously and the constants appearing in the equation are correlated with engine operating conditions Skills : Experimental work Matlab SPSS software for data analysis Diesel RK for engine simulation MS-Office Basic knowledge in AutoCAD and Pro-E Research interests : 1. Engine Testing 2. Energy Release Analysis 3. Use of Alternate Fuels in Modern Engines 4. Engine Control via Open ECU 5. Modes of Engine Operation (HCCI, GDI etc.) Areas of interest : IC Engines, Alternative Fuels, Data Analysis, Empirical Modelling About me : I am an enthusiastic young learner eager to broaden and sharpen my skills as an engineer and as a professional. My interests primarily rest with engine testing. I am willing to explore new areas in engines such as use of alternate fuels, different engine operating regimes (HCCI, GDI etc.). I believe in hard work and sincerity to achieve maximum productivity and I also pride in good communication skills. I would like to merge my preferences with organization's requirement. Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 2006-2010, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Sriperumbudur High School completed in St. Micheals Academy, Adyar E-mail id : [email protected] Gyanishankar Sharma Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Abhijit Sarkar and Prof. N. Ganesan Title of thesis : Directivity based noise control from vibrating structures Thesis abstract : Passive control of noise and vibration control is known to have poor performance for global noise and vibration control in low and medium frequency region. A directivity based method to achieve local noise control is explored. Skills : FEM software - ANSYS Programming language - MATLAB Analytical computation - MAPLE Modelling software - ProE Documentation and presentation - LATEX and Beamer Research interests : Vibration Acoustics Finite Element Method Areas of interest : Finite Element Method, Vibration, Acoustics Publications/Conferences : Gyanishankar Sharma, Abhijit Sarkar, N. Ganesan, “Using directivity of radiated sound for noise control applications” National Symposium on Acoustics, 5-7 December 2012. Full length paper submitted About me : A hardworking person with good leadership qualities. Education : B.E, Mechanical engineering with Honours division from RIT Raipur, 2007-2011, Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Techanical University (C.G) E-mail id : [email protected] Jennifer David D Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : DR.P.V.MANIVANNAN Title of thesis : BEHAVIOR BASED FORMATION CONTROL OF TRUCK-TRAILER MOBILE ROBOTS Thesis abstract : FORMATION PLANNING AND COORDINATION CONTROL STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT FOR A COUPLE OF MOBILE ROBOTS WITH LOCALIZATION AND PATH TRACKING ALGORITHM Research interests : MOBILE ROBOTICS AND CONTROL Areas of interest : Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation, Control Systems, Hydraulics and Pnueumatics Education : BE Mechatronics Engineering, 2004-2008, Sri Krishna College of Engineering&Technology, Coimbatore E-mail id : [email protected] Jitendra U.itankar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. C. Sujatha Title of thesis : Experimental and Analytical study of Particle Damping Thesis abstract : Particle or impact damping technology is one of the latest techniques being used in vibration and noise attenuation applications. It is a passive vibration damping approach wherein metallic or non-metallic particles in spherical form are placed inside cavities or attached to structures by an appropriate means at strategic locations, to absorb vibration energy. The inherent advantages over conventional damping methods include fitness at extreme low or high temperatures and applicability over wide frequency ranges. In the present work particle dampers are tested experimentally on simple aluminum cantilever beam for vibration attenuation. The particles are embedded inside cavities at the anti-nodes of first, second and third bending modes. The success of this preliminary work has lead to the application of particle dampers in honeycomb structures. Here, Finite element method (FEM) is used to predict the flexural dynamic behavior i.e., natural frequencies and mode shapes of the aluminum honeycomb plate by doing a structural modal and harmonic response analysis simulation. The results are validated by an experimental transient impact modal test on hexagonal aluminum honeycomb specimen in free-free condition. Next, particle damping in the form of stainless-steel spheres of varying sizes viz. 0.8mm;1mm and 2mm is applied at appropriate locations to study the influence of particle sizes and volumetric packing ratios on first, second and third bending modes of a honeycomb panel subjected transient impact modal test. The Frequency Response Functions (FRF) are acquired and measured using Smart Office Spectrum Analyzer Software. The frequency shift, response attenuation attained and damping factors are experimentally found out and compared with baseline measurements It has been found out that particle damping leads to substantial reduction in vibration amplitudes over first few modes. The more the packing fraction, the more is the attenuation attained. Results also confirm the non-linear behavior of particle dampers whose efficiency is affected by the quantum of excitation forces and density of particles distribution. An optimum is reached for the best damping efficiency for a particular bending mode. In order to simulate the granular motion of the spherical particles in cavities, MSC.ADAMS codes are executed .To get an insight into particle-particle and particle-wall interactions from computational multi-body dynamics point of view, spring-dashpot models are constructed. The motions are evaluated in time and frequency domain and responses calculated. Generally, particle motion is widely studied using Discrete Element Method (DEM). To analyze the granular motion from computational molecular dynamics point of view PFC 3D (Particle Flow Code) are run and particle motion is visualized to get a better appreciation into the granular flow of particulate assembly inside cavity. Skills : Experimental Skills: Automotive Vibration testing--Lab and On-road Automotive Noise Testing--Lab and On-road Modal test and Analysis Vibration and Acoustic Data Acquisition skills with Digital Signal Processing softwares Abiltiy to drive vehicles( SUVs and MPVs) on test roads. Analytical Skills: -Coding in MATLAB -Software usage to solve stress analysis, structural dynamics and acoustics problems in ANSYS -Software usage skills to solve multi-body dynamics and vehicle dynamics problems in MSC.ADAMS -Software script wrting skills in PFC-2D and 3-D for Granular Dynamics problems. Research interests : Structural Dynamics Granular Dynamics Damping in machine members and new materials Mutli-body dynamics Computaional Methods in engineering Multi-body Dynamics Analytical Mechanics Mechaincs of materials Areas of interest : Automotive Noise and Vibration -Testing and Simulation;Experimental and Analytical application of new methods in troubleshooting structural dynamics problems in machine vibrations. learning and teaching Mechanics and Structural Dynamics Publications/Conferences : J.U. Itankar, S.Chandramohan,"Experimental Studies of Particle Damping in Honeycomb Structures" “IMAC-XXXI Conference & Exposition on Structural Dynamics” February 11-14, 2013. About me : Deeply intersted in understanding and working out new experimental and analytical methods in structural dynamics. I have a passion to learn and teach engineering in the right way. Education : B.E from Nagpur University , 2002-2006 Pursuing M.S programme in IIT-Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Kiran Yelmar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : K. Viswanath Title of thesis : COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS OF RECESS VANE GEOMETRY MODIFICATION IN THE CASING TREATMENT APPROACH TO ENHANCE STALL MARGIN IN AXIAL FLOW FANS Thesis abstract : Different casing treatment methods exist to improve the operational range of an axial flow fan. Recess vane casing treatment constitutes one of these approaches. In this approach a circumferential recess with vanes around the casing is employed for stall margin enhancement. The flow at the tip of the axial flow fan is allowed to enter through an opening into the recess and de-swirled by the vane and redirected into the main passage of the fan. This redirection of the flow will remove the re-circulating flow near the fan tip inlet. Present study concerns modifications to the recess vane geometry to allow for additional enhancement of the fan operating range. Numerical simulations of the effect of variation of the axial blade chord exposure and provision of different recess height for each exposure, vane count and Vane curvature is the subject matter of this study. The sensitivity of the operating range to the modifications is analyzed and the most important recess vane geometry parameters are evaluated. Improvements to the stall margin are obtained with some of the modifications to the recess vane geometry. Skills : MATLAB ANSYS ICEM CFD, CFX Research interests : Thermal Turbomachines Areas of interest : Gas turbine Engine, Axial flow Fan and Compressors About me : Played at National Level Games, Kho-Kho, 2000 Played Regional Level games in Athletes, 2001 Played National Level Games, Kabaddi, 2003 Qualified 52nd Annual All India General Knowledge Test on december10, 2002. Education : B.E, in Aeronautical Engineering, 2004-2009, Ganesh Institute of Engineering, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] Kishorkumar Sarva Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. Kumaraswamy.S and Prof. Govardhan.M Title of thesis : Experimental Study of Centrifugal Pump As Turbine of different Specific Speeds Thesis abstract : The research is aimed to produce a report on methodology for selecting a pump that operates as turbine. The analysis is targeted to extract maximum power with reasonable efficiency. Understand flow behavior of a Pump As Turbine through experiments by analyzing the global parameters. Realize off design performance. Construe the behavior of these parameters for different pumps based on specific speed. Develop a correlation based on parameter variations of Pump and its PAT operation. Eventually, it is aimed to implement in Arunachal Pradesh, India where 700 streams are identified for micro hydro power. Skills : Modeling Tools CFD Tools Operating System Tools Auto CAD, ProE ICEM-CFD (Tetra - Hexa), CFX Linux, Windows MS-Office, Origin Research interests : Fluid Mechanics Turbomachines Renewable Energy Areas of interest : Fluid Mechanics, Turbomachines, Renewable Energy Publications/Conferences : Conference Kishorkumar Sarva, Kumaraswamy, S., and Govardhan, M., May 7th 2011. “Optimization of selection of a Pump for Turbine Mode operation”, Renewable energy Asia-2011 conference, New Delhi, India. Journal Kishorkumar Sarva, Kumaraswamy, S., and Govardhan, M., (2012). “Experimental study on Centrifugal Pump As Turbine at different Speeds of operation.” Journal of Applied Science (Accepted). Kishorkumar Sarva, Kumaraswamy, S., and Govardhan, M., “Effect of speed of operation of Pump As Turbine on global parameters.” (In progress for Journal of Renewable Energy) Kishorkumar Sarva, Kumaraswamy, S., and Govardhan, M., “Performance study on Pump as Turbine of different specific speeds at different operating conditions.” (In progress for Journal of Experimental Thermal and Fluid Sciences) About me : Passionate about playing Carnatic Music on Mandolin (Disciple of Mandolin Sri U. Mandolin Srinivas) Education : MS (Research), Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2010-2013, Indian Institute of Technology Madra B.Tech , Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2004-2008, JNTU, Hyderabad, India, E-mail id : [email protected] Libin M N Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. Krishnan Balasubramaniam Title of thesis : Mathematical modeling and finite element simulation for fatigue crack prediction in flat/curved plates using Tone-Burst Eddy current Thermography (TBET) Thesis abstract : Tone Burst Eddy Current Thermography (TBET) technique is a new hybrid, non-contact, NonDestructive Evaluation (NDT) method which employs a combination of both Eddy Current Testing (ECT) and Thermographic Non-destructive testing (TNDT) techniques. It is a widely used NDT technique for the analysis and detection of fatigue induced cracks, corrosion induced pits etc, which occurs common in aircrafts. The study focuses on the mathematical modelling and FE simulation (using FEA package Comsol 4.2a) of typical flat and curved aircraft components under fatigue loading, for the prediction of stress induced cracks using TBET. This technique uses induced eddy currents to heat the material being tested and the defect detection is based on changes of the induced eddy current flows which is revealed through thermal visualization captured by an infrared (IR) camera. For understanding the influence of cracking and pitting on heat generation and flow within a metallic body, a fundamental knowledge of the detailed induced current density distribution in the component under test is required. This information enables us to calculate the amount of heat produced by the defects and how that heat diffuses to the surface where it is imaged. The objective of this work is to determine whether the TBET method is suitable for the detection and characterization of service induced cracks, usually caused by either rolling contact fatigue or stress corrosion, with a high degree of sensitivity. Skills : Programming Language : Matlab, C Modeling Software : AUTOCAD, Solidworks, Catia V5, Hypermesh FEA Software : Ansys, Comsol3.5 & 4.2a, Abacus Image processing software : Altair Research interests : Finite Element Analysis Fracture and Fatigue Mechanics Mechanics of Solids Infrared Thermal Imaging Non Destructive Testing Vibration Heat Transfer Areas of interest : finite element analysis, Fracture and Fatigue Mechanics, Mechanics of Solids, Infrared Thermal Imaging, Non Destructive Testing, Heat transfer, Vibration Publications/Conferences : K. Prasad Rao, A. Veera Sreenu, H. Khalid Rafi, Libin M N, Krishnan Balasubramaniam “Tool steel and copper coatings by friction surfacing - A Thermography study”, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Volume 212, Issue 2, February 2012, Pages 402-407. Libin M N, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, B.W. Maxfield, C.V. Krishnamurthy, “Simulations and Measurements of Artificial Cracks and Pits in Flat Stainless Steel Plates using Tone Burst Eddy- Current Thermography” , QNDE 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado., United States, July 15-20, 2012 . Libin M N, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, B.W. Maxfield, , “Numerical Analysis of Angular Defects in Bent Plates Using Tone Burst Eddy-Current Thermography (TBET) ” QNDE 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado., United States, July 15-20, 2012. Libin M N, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, B.W. Maxfield, C.V. Krishnamurthy, “3D Finite Element Analysis of Flat and Bent Plates for Defect Detection using Tone Burst Eddy Current Thermography” " QIRT 2012, University of Naples Federico ??, Naples, Italy, June 11-14, 2012. Libin M N , Krishnan Balasubramaniam, C V Krishnamurthy, R. Engelbart. “Tone Burst Eddy-Current Thermography for the Estimation of Corrosion Defects in Aircrafts Components" QNDE 2011, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States, July 17-22, 2011. About me : I am a postgraduate student specialized in Machine design from IIT Madras. I am born and brought up in a small town belonging to Palakkad district of Kerala. I have completed my graduation in Btech. Mechanical Engineering from NSS collegge of Engineering, Palakkad, which is under Calicut University. About my family, we are 5 members including me,my father is retired from Govt. service, my mother is homemaker, I have two siblings, one elder and younger brother. My Hobbies are reading, listening to music, and playing batminton My strengths are, I am a result oriented person, I can easily adopt in any environment, quick learner and ability to work with the same amount of zeal at any time of the day. My short term goal is to be good in my position. Start my carrier by a reputed company like yours. My long term goal is to become more responsible and knowledgeable personality and on respectable position on my company. Education : MS by research, Machine Design, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011-2013, IIT Madras Bachelor of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) ,2005-2009, Calicut University E-mail id : [email protected] M Ajay Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. T N C Anand Title of thesis : "Application of Ultrasonic Atomization to SI Engine" Thesis abstract : Ultrasonic atomization is a very convenient method to produce very small droplets of fuel. Resulting droplet size distributions are very narrow and the mean diameter is essentially only controlled by the excitation frequency. Generation of droplets in the micron range can be achieved 130-140 kHz waves, with voltages of around 15-30 V. To explore the capabilities of ultrasonic atomization for combustion in an internal combustion engine, an excitation source i.e. ultrasonic atomizing micro-nozzle has been used. This ultrasonic atomizer is made of piezoelectric ceramic material. The flow rate with different pulse width at same frequency is found out., and it will further be used in combustion application of a small two wheeler internal combustion engine (110 cc) to determine its performance and emission. Skills : CONVERGE STAR-CD CFD ACE+ MATLAB PYTHON OPENFOAM Research interests : Ultrasonic Atomization Alternate Fules Chemical Kinetics IC Engines Combustion Areas of interest : IC Engines, Heat Trasnfer, CFD, Alternate Fules, Atomization Publications/Conferences : Ajay and Josy Pullockara, "Determination of an Aifcraft Propeller Thrust Using a CFD Code" Fourth Symposium on Applied Aerodynamics and Design of Aerospace Vehicles SAROD 2009 December 10 -12, 2009 Eagleton Resorts, Bangalore, INDIA. About me : Good Team Member Education : BE in Mechanical Engineering, 2003-2007, VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, BELGAUM, KARNATAKA, INDIA. M.Tech in Thermal Power Engineering, 2007-2009, VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, BELGAUM, KARNATAKA, INDIA. E-mail id : [email protected] Madan Kumar Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. Pramod S Mehta & Prof. A. Ramesh Title of thesis : Study of swirl motion in internal combustion engine Thesis abstract : Study of swirl measurement techniques Comparison of swirl measurement techniques Skills : Experimental skills pertaining to I C Engines Boost Software Lab view Matlab MS-Office Research interests : Internal combustion engines Areas of interest : Internal Combustion Engines, Heat and Mass Transfer About me : Very calm and cool. Education : MS (Research), Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011-2013, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. B Sc Engineering ,Mechanical Engineering, 2004-2008, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Mithun M G Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Shaligram Tiwari Title of thesis : EFFECT OF FLOW INDUCED VIBRATION ON FLUID STRUCTURE INTERACTION Thesis abstract : Flow-induced vibration (FIV) is a typical fluid-structure interaction problem. For example flow over automobiles, buildings, bridges, risers etc. The presence of bluff body (say square cylinder) in a flow alters the dynamics of the flow. When Reynolds number is sufficient it initiate vortex shedding from body. These vortices that are shed from the body will impart oscillatory forces on the body and make the body to vibrate and further may lead to the failure of the structure. Hence FIV has became an important area of research. FIV can also be studied by forcing the cylinder to vibrate using external source which is typically known as forced vibrations. The response of unsteady wake, aerodynamic forces, lock-in behavior etc. due to the presence of a single cylinder and combination of cylinders at different arrangements are studied numerically. Computations are performed using a developed Finite difference code using MAC algorithm and also using the commercial Finite volume software Fluent. Skills : Computational Fluid Dynamics- FLUENT, CFX Meshing- ICEM-CFD, GAMBIT FEM- ANSYS APDL, ABAQUS Solid modelling- Pro-e, Autocadd Programming- MATLAB, FORTRAN Research interests : Fluid Structural Interactions Computational Fluid Dynamics Bluff body Aerodynamics Flow Induced Vibrations Non-linear Dynamics Areas of interest : Fluid structure interaction, CFD, Fluid dynamics, Aerospace, Basic FEM Publications/Conferences : Raghu, V.G., Mithun,, M.G., Patil,P., Tiwari,S., "Characteristics of Unsteady Flow Past Synchronous Transverse Oscillation of a Square Prism," IUTAM Symposium on Bluff body flows (blubof 2011), IIT Kanpur, December 2011. Mithun, M.G., Tiwari, S., "Numerical Study of Two-dimensional Unsteady Flow Past Transversely Vibrating Square Cylinder," European Fluid Mechanics Conference 9, (efmc9), Rome,Italy. September 2012. Mithun, M.G., Tiwari, S.,Vasudevan, Raghavan., " Flow Over Two Inline Square Cylinder Vibrating With Phase Shift," International Conference on Applications of Fluid Engineering (CAFE 2012), September 2012 Antony Roam Symenthy., Mithun,M.G., Vasudevan, Raghavan.,Tiwari,S., "Effect of Aspect Ratio of an Upstream Elliptic Cylinder on The Wake Characteristics of a Circular Cylinder," International Conference on Applications of Fluid Engineering (CAFE 2012), September 2012 About me : My name is Mithun M G, I am born and brought in a place called Beypore in Calicut district, Kerala. I did my schooling in Technical High school and after that I did Diploma in Tool and Die engineering. I did my bachelor degree in Aeronautical engineering from Aeronautical society of India. Currently I am pursuing MS by research in Mechanical engineering from IIT Madras. I am very passionate towards learning new things and sharing that knowledge. My long term goal is to be a pioneer in the field that I am working. My short term goal is to get placed in a challenging position in an reputed organization and acquire maximum knowledge to support the organization where I am working. My strength is my knowledge, skill, will power and hardworking mentality. My weakness is, I will be restless and uncomfortable if my works are pending and I will take overload to complete work in time which may affect my health. Education : Diploma in Tool and Die Engineering, 2002-2005, Kerala Government Poly Technic College, West hill, Calicut, Kerala. Bachelor degree (AMAeSI) Aero-mechanical, 2006-2010, Aeronautical Society of India, New Delhi MS Mechanical Engineering, 2010-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Mohammad Naeem Khan Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. V Raghavan Title of thesis : Stability of Jet Diffusion Flames Thesis abstract : Behavior of flame characteristics like flame length, lift-off, blowout and blow off for various hydrocarbon fuels and for various fuel combination have been studied. Study has been carried out both experimentally and numerically. Numerical study has been carried out using commercially available CFD software ANSYS FLUENT V13.0. Various kinetic mechanisms in CHEMKIN format has been employed to correlate the experimental as well as numerical results. Emission characteristics have been studied. To observe the flame width behavior and thermal plume width, optical techniques like Schlieren and Shadowgraph are used. Fuels used for study are Hydrogen, Carbon-monoxide and Liquefied Petroleum Gas. Skills : Experimental skills pertaining to combustion Combustion modeling Flow visualization techniques (Schlieren and shadowgraph) Ansys Fluent Gambit Catia Research interests : Combustion & Propulsion Heat and Mass Transfer CFD Computational Combustion High Speed Combustion Areas of interest : Combustion & Propulsion, compressible flow and jet propulsion, Heat and Mass Transfer, CFD, Computational Combustion Publications/Conferences : Conference Naeem Khan, K. R. V. Manikantachari, Rahul Dutta Roy and V. Raghavan., June 14th 2012. “Experimental Study of Characteristics of LPG-Hydrogen Jet Diffusion Flames”, International Conference on Production, Energy and Reliability (ICPER 2012), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Journal Naeem Khan, K. R. V. Manikantachari, Rahul Dutta Roy and V. Raghavan., (2012). “Experimental Study of Characteristics of LPG-Hydrogen Jet Diffusion Flames.” Journal of Applied Science (Accepted). About me : Funny, calm n cool..... Education : MS (Research), Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011-2013, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. B.E Aeronautical Engineering, 2006-2010, Aeronautical Society of India, New Delhi. E-mail id : [email protected] Neeraj Singh Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. T. Sundararajan and Dr. V. Raghavan Title of thesis : Numerical simulation of coal gasification for high ash coal. Thesis abstract : The work aims to optimize the efficiency and reliability of gasifiers fuelled with high-ash content coals. This type of coal contains a relatively high share of ash, which makes it difficult to deploy it efficiently as fuel. The aim of the project is to boost the conversion efficiency of high ash coal for electricity generation. The project will allow optimizing the global efficiency of the gasification technology for high ash coal by minimizing the steam use, optimizing particle size vs. residence time, developing particle agglomeration avoidance strategies. Numerical simulation of moving bed and bubbling fluidized bed for coal gasification and parametric study for various parameters will be done under this work. Skills : * FLUENT for fluid dynamics simulation and BARRACUDA for particle fluid dynamics simulation. * Solid Works and pro-E for solid modeling and ASPEN PLUS for equilibrium analysis of processes with chemical reactions. * Numerical and experimental study regarding coal combustion and gasification. * Programming Language: Fortron. Research interests : * Modeling of particle and fluid flow along with combustion. * Numerical Modeling and experimental study of coal combustion and gasification. * Study of moving, bubbling and fluidised bed equipments for combustion and gasification purpose. Areas of interest : Numerical modeling of particle and fluid flow, Combustion modeling, Coal combustion and gasification About me : I am a confident person who love to learn and allways ready to work hard. I am friendly nature person so always get good friends so i can work with team sprit. Education : M.S., Mechanical Engineering (Thermal), 2011-2013, IIT Madras. B.E., Mechanical Engineering, 2007-2011, Chhatrapati Shivaji Institute of Technology, Durg (C.G.) E-mail id : [email protected] Oswald Jason Lobo Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee Title of thesis : Low Reynolds number flows in Mini and Micro Channels Thesis abstract : To develop numerical co-relations for Hydrodynaimc entrance length, separation lentgh and pressure drop in mini channels based on numericals results and to validate by doing experiments. Skills : Softwares - Matlab, Ansys ICEM CFD, Ansys CFX, Autocad, Solidworks. Research interests : Computatuional Fluid Dynamics Areas of interest : Microfludics, Fluid Mechanics Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 2005-2009, M.S. Ramaihah Institute of Technology, Bangalore E-mail id : [email protected] Rajesh Male Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Prof. N. Siva Prasad Title of thesis : Finite Element Analysis of Passenger Car Radial Tire Thesis abstract : The present research aims, to perform various analyses on a passenger car radial tire to predict its performance by proper selection of nonlinear Hyperelastic material model Various analyses include Inflation analysis, Rim fitment analysis, Footprint analysis, Rolling analysis, Cornering analysis The results obtained can be compared with experimental results for validation purpose Skills : Simulation Software: Abaqus, Ansys, HyperMesh Modeling Software : SolidWorks, AutoCAD Research interests : Finite Element Analysis Design and Structural Analysis Constitutive Modeling Non linear analysis Areas of interest : finite element analysis, Design and Structural Analysis, Constitutive Modeling, Non linear analysis Publications/Conferences : Rajesh Male, N. Siva Prasad, “Finite Element Analysis of Passenger Car Radial Tire using Mooney-Rivlin & Yeoh Models”, International Conference on Applications and Design in Mechanical Engineering, ICADME 2012, Penang, Malaysia. About me : Date of Birth: 1st July, 1988 Hobbies: Playing online chess Languages known: English, Hindi and Telugu Strengths: Self-motivation, Positive thinking Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2005-09, Gudlavalleru Engineering College, Andhra Pradesh. MS, Machine Design, 2010-12, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Roson Kumar Pattanayak Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Prabhu Rajagopal Title of thesis : Modal analysis of Ultrasonic Guided Waves for inspection of Structures with arbitrary crosssection using Semi Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) Method Thesis abstract : Ultrasonic guided waves are attractive for the long range inspection of large structure due to their unique features such as high velocity, through structure penetration and low attenuation in uncoated components. They are well established in the inspection of straight regular large structures with simple crosssection like plate; pipelines etc.To extracting the modal structures and understand the behavior of guided waves in irregular cross-sections is still often not known. So, we demonstrated the Semi-Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) Method to understand the modal structures in complex cross section. Recently the SAFE method has been widely used for such applications. The advantage of this method is that only the cross section of the wave guide has to be meshed by finite element i.e. the section normal to the direction of wave propagation.This significantly reduces the computational time and can be used to model large geomtries.we described solutions to dispersion curves and modal structures achieved using the SAFE method for complex geometries such as transverse bend plate ,Oval pipe, Eccentric pipe and polygonal pipe, which has a broad application in a number of industries and it will be more useful for practical NDE inspection. Skills : Designing tool : CATIA V5, Solid works, AutoCAD Analysis tool : COMSOL 4.2, Abacus V 6.9, ANSYS (Structural) Programming Language : MATLAB, Basic knowledge in “C”. Research interests : Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Dynamics of structures (vibration / Modal analysis) Ultrasonic Guided wave technique Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE ) Areas of interest : finite element analysis, Dynamics of Structures Publications/Conferences : Conference: Roson Kumar Pattanayak, Krishnan Balasubramaniam and Prabhu Rajagopal “Ultrasonic guided waves in elliptical annular cylinders (pipes)” International Congress on Ultrasonics, Singapore, may 2013 (accepted) Roson Kumar Pattanayak, Krishnan Balasubramaniam and Prabhu Rajagopal ‘Guided wave characteristics for inspection of pipes with irregular cross-section’ NDE, New-Delhi, Dec 2012 (submitted) Abilasha Ramadhas,S.P, Roson Kumar Pattanayak, Prabhu Rajagopal, and Krishnan Balasubramaniam , “Ultrasonic Waves Guided by Transverse Bends In Plates Subjected to Symmetric Excitation”Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE, American Institute of Physics, vol. 32, in press, New York,2012 International Journal Publication : Abilasha Ramadhas,Roson kumar Pattanayak, Krishnan Balasubramaniam and Prabhu Rajagopal “Antisymmetric feature-guided ultrasonic waves in plates with small radius transverse bends subjected to low-frequency symmetric axial excitation” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (communicated) Abilasha Ramadhas, Roson kumar Pattanayak, Krishnan Balasubramaniam and Prabhu Rajagopal “Studies on the focusing of symmetric feature guided ultrasonic wave in plates with transverse bends” Journal of Ultrasonics (communicated) About me : My Hobbies are playing Cricket,dancing , listening to music, and reading automobile magazines .etc. My strength is I have positive attitude, quick learner and ability to work with the same amount of zeal at any time of the day. My short term goal is to be good in my position. My long term goal is to become more responsible and knowledgeable personality and on respectable position on my company. Education : BTech Mechanical Engineering, 2005-2009, KIIT University ,Bhubaneswar,ORISSA MS by research, Machine Design, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Saransh Jain Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Anand TNC Title of thesis : Experimental Studies On Carburetors Thesis abstract : Spray Characterisation in Carburetors Flow in the emulsion tubes Skills : Solid modelling : Pro/E, SolidWorks Computational fluid dynamics: Converge, Star CD Matlab Lab View basics Image Processing Sketching Research interests : IC Engines Atomization & Sprays Carburetors CFD Laser diagnostics In Engines Areas of interest : IC Engines, Combustion & Propulsion, CFD and it's application to engine processes, Sprays and atomization, Image Processing, Laser Diagnostics in Engines About me : Hard Working Leadership skills Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2007-2011, Shri Shankarcharya College Of Engineering & Technology, Bhilai Master of Science by Research (MS) Thermal Engineering, 2011-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Sreedhar P Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. Krishnan Balasubramaniam Title of thesis : Condition monitoring of Marine diesel engines using Acoustic Emission Thesis abstract : In reciprocating machinery like IC Engines, due to the amount of power involved during the motion of the piston inside the cylinder, proper lubrication of the cylinder liner is critical. Lack of sufficient lubrication inside the cylinder can lead to a wide range of problems to the engine including power loss, excessive fuel consumption and in more serious cases, scuffing and damage to the liner and rings. Thus the monitoring of the lubricant oil supply to the cylinder is essential in achieving better efficiency for the engine in terms of power, fuel consumption etc. The objective of the work is to use acoustic emission signals for evaluating the effectiveness of lubrication inside the cylinder. Tests were conducted on different kinds of engines to study the relationship between the lubricant oil level and the frequency content of acoustic emission (AE) signals. Further the changes in the AE signal were studied quantitatively to prove its effectiveness as a tool to monitor lubricant oil level. Skills : Finite Element modeling with ABAQUS and ANSYS Coding with Matlab CAD modeling using AUTOCAD, Solidworks, CATIA Development of Virtual Instrument interface using LabVIEW Working experience on Phased array Ultrasonic Equipment Working experience on Automated ultrasonic C-scan system and data analysis Courses completed on Finite Element Analysis and Advanced Non-Destructive Evaluation Working knowledge on all Non–Destructive Evaluation techniques Research interests : Condition monitoring of Marine Engines Acoustic Emission Ultrasonic Testing Non Destructive Evaluation Areas of interest : Non Destructive Testing, Ultrasonics, Engine Condition Monitoring, Acoustic Emission Publications/Conferences : Sreedhar P., Janardhan Padiyar M., Maharajan R., Krishnan Balasubramaniam, "Development of an Acoustic Emission Condition Monitoring system for use in IC Engines.", Journal of Non Destructive Testing and Evaluation, Vol. 9 Issue 4, March 2011 Sreedhar P, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, "Acoustic Emission monitoring of Lube Oil Condi-tion in Large IC Engines” Proceedings of WCNDT2012, April 2012, Durban, South Africa. Sreedhar P, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, "Optimization of frequency band for the detection of Lubricant oil starvation in engines using Acoustic Emission" NDE2011 , Chennai Dec 2011 Sreedhar P., Anil V Singanamalli, Maharajan R., Krishnan Balasubramaniam, "Frequency Do-main Analysis of Acoustic Emission signals from IC Engines", 24th International Congress on Condition Monitoring and Diagnostics Engineering Management (COMADEM2011), Stavanger, Norway, May,2011. Sreedhar P., Janardhan Padiyar M., Maharajan R., Krishnan Balasubramaniam, "Development of an Acoustic Emission system for IC Engine Health Monitoring", NDE2010, Kolkata, Dec 10. Abilasha Ramadhas, Sreedhar P, Prabhu Rajagopal, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, "Ultrasonic Waves guided by transverse bends in plates subjected to symmetric excitation", QNDE2012,Denver,Colorado, July 2012 About me : I am currently a master's student at IIT Madras. I finished my Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from NSS College of engineering, Palakkad, Kerala (Which is my native). After my Bachelor's degree, I joined Centre for Non Destructive Evaluation in IIT Madras as a Project associate. I have handled various research and consultancy projects during my time as project associate. I joined for MS program in Dept of Mechanical Engineering in Jan 2010. I joined this program in IIT Madras because of my passion for research. My career goal is to hold a responsible and challenging position in the R&D lab of a reputed organisation. Education : Bachelor of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) ,2004-2008, Calicut University MS by research (Machine Design) ,2010 till date, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Vivek Agrawal Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Mechanical Engineering Guide : Dr. J.M.Mallikarjuna Title of thesis : In-Cylinder Flow Studies in Two-Stroke Engine Thesis abstract : Flow inside the engine decides the behaviour of fuel mixing and flame propagation. In-Cylinder Flow Studies in Two-Stroke Engine using Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV) and CFD. Skills : CFD Software - Star-CD Solid Modelling - Pro-E Programming Language - Matlab Operating System- Windows/Linux Research interests : IC Engines Fluid Mechanics CFD Laser Diagnostics in Engines Flow Visualization using Optical Techniques Areas of interest : Internal Combustion Engines, Fluid Mechanics, CFD and it's application to engine processes, laser Education : B.E. Mechanical Engineering, in 2010 from Shri Shankarcharya College Of Engineering & Technology, Bhilai(C.G.) Persuing Master of Science by Research(MS) in the IC Engines Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering A Joseph Berkmans Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Dr. Prathap Haridoss Title of thesis : Alignment of carbon nanotubes, synthesized using arc discharge method Thesis abstract : Multiwalled carbon nanotubes are synthesied and aligned using rotating cathode arc discharge method. The degree of alignment and the qualitiy of MWCNTs are characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscoy, SEM and TEM. Tailoring of the aligned nanotubes are achived by appliying simple physical forces. Skills : Synthesising new nanostructures Operating TEM, and observing lattice fringes of cnts using LaB6, 120 kV (cm12) TEM is my favourite work. Bright field, Dark field and Diffaction on magnatic and non magnetic materials and observing their microstructure details Growing defect less swcnt and mwcnts in cvd on silicon substrates synthesising aluminum/ cnt compsites through ball milling and characterization 'Cahracterization of nanomaterials Research interests : Carbon nanotubes Carbon nanohorns Nanocomposites (Metal matrix and Polymer matrix) Electron microscopy (TEM and SEM) Areas of interest : Carbon Nanotubes, Carbon nanohorns, composites, Materials Characterizaion, TEM. Publications/Conferences : Journal: Joseph Berkmans A and Prathap Haridosss, High yield formation of carbon nanotubes using arc discharge assisted with a nitrogen jet, Transactions of The Indian Institute of Metals,Vol.64, 2011,137-142. Conference: High yield formation of carbon nanotubes using arc discharge assisted with a nitrogen jet, JosephBerkmans A and Prathap Haridosss, ISRS 2010. About me : I am hard working and simple researcher. Analysing research problems and characterising materials are my intrests.Eager to work on nanotechnology and materials technology. Education : B.SC Physics 2001-2004, RDGAC college sivaganga M.Sc Materials Science, Anna University, CEG, 2004-2006, Guindy, Chennai M.Tech Materials Science, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirapalli,Tiruchirapalli. E-mail id : [email protected] B. Ratna Sunil Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Dr. T.S.Sampath Kumar, Dr Uday Chakkingal Title of thesis : Studies on ultrafine grained magnesium based materials processed by severe plastic deformation techniques for biomaterial applications Thesis abstract : Magnesium and its alloys have attracted great interest in the field of biomaterials due to their degradable nature in physiological environment and mechanical properties near to natural bone. However, controlling the rapid degradation is prime issue need to be addressed in developing biodegradable implants based on magnesium biocorrosion. Severe plastic deformation techniques attracted great attention due to the potential to achieve nano-submicron grain structures in solid state itself. Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP), accumulated roll bonding (ARB), high pressure torsion (HPT), friction stir processing (FSP) and groove pressing (GP) are the processes developed to refine the microstructure of metals. In the preset work, pure magnesium and AZ31 magnesium alloys were processed by ECAP, GP and FSP to achieve fine grain structure. The role of microstructure on the degradation rate, biomineralization and cell response was studied. ECAP was adopted for solid samples of rod shape of diameter 6mm and 10mm. GP was adopted for processing sheets of thickness 2mm. FSP was used to refine the microstructure at the surface and to prepare the surface composites using nanohydroxyapatite as the dispersing phase. Also, magnesium and hydroxayaptite composites were fabricated from high energy ball milling and sintering. All the materials processed by different routes are investigated in-vitro to evaluate the toxicity levels and material tissue interactions. Skills : Microscopy, Mechanical properties evaluation, Equipment design and fabrication, Writing and teaching skills. Research interests : Biomaterials Nanomaterials Metal forming Powder metallurgy Advanced material processing Areas of interest : Teaching/ R&D in Biomaterials, Nanomaterils, Powder metallurgy, advanced material processing, metal forming. Publications/Conferences : Refereed International Journals 1. B. Ratna Sunil, D. Sivaprahasam and R. Subasri Microwave sintering of nanocrystalline WC-12Co: Challenges and perspectives, International Journal of Refractory Metals & Hard Materials 28, (2010) 180-186 2. B. Ratna Sunil,T. S. Sampath Kumar and Uday Chakkingal ;Bioactive grain refined magnesium by friction stir processing, Materials Science Forum Vol. 710 (2012) 264-269 3. B. Ratna Sunil, Arun Anil Kumar, T. S. Sampath Kumar, Uday Chakkingal; Role of biomineralization on the degradation of fine grained AZ31 magnesium alloy processed by groove pressing, Material Science and Engineering C ( under review) International conferences 1. B.Ratna Sunil, T.S.Sampath Kumar, Uday Chakkingal, Biodegradable magnesium based materials processed by severe plastic deformation techniques, workshop on disruptive innovation in health care, 14th -19th Oct. 2012, Dept. of Engg. Design, IIT Madras, Chennai 2. B Ratna Sunil, T. S. Sampath Kumar, Uday Chakkingal, V. Nandkumar and Mukesh Doble Friction Stir Processing of Magnesium -Nanoapatite Composites for Rapid Biomineralization with controlled degradation, 4th Symposium on Biodegradable Metals (BIOMETAL2012), 27th Aug - 1st Sept 2012,Maratea, Italy 3. B Ratna Sunil, T. S. Sampath Kumar and Uday Chakkingal Bioactive grain refined magnesium by friction stir processing Int. Conf. Adv. Mat. and Manuf. Pro. for Str. Sec.(ICAMPS-2012), 19-21 Jan 2012, Trivandrum, Kerala 4. B. Ratna Sunil, T. S. Sampath Kumar, Uday Chakkingal Degradable metal matrix nanocomposites of AZ31 Mg alloy and HA by friction stir processing: characterization and bioactivity studies Int. conf. Bio. Imp. Dev. and Tissue Engg (BIDTE-2012) 6-8th Jan 2012, Rajalakshmi Engg College, Chennai. 5. B. Ratna Sunil, Arun Anil Kumar, T. S. Sampath Kumar and Uday Chakkingal Investigating in-vitro bioactivity of ultra fine grained AZ31 processed by groove pressing 11th Asian Bio Ceramics (ABC 2011) 30th Nov-2nd Dec 2011, Tsukuba, Japan 6. B. Ratna Sunil, T. S. SampathKumar, Uday Chakkingal, T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan Surface mechanical attrition treatment of magnesium for implant applications: characterization and bioactivity studies NMD-ATM 2011, 13-16 Nov. 2011, Hyderabad. 7. B. Ratna Sunil, T. S. Sampath Kumar, Uday Chakkingal, T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan Characterization of surface modified pure magnesium processed by SMAT for implant applications 4th Indo-Aust. Conf. on biomat., tissue engg and artificial organs 10-12th February 2011, Sardar patel university, Gujarat. About me : Born on 12-04-1981, Married, known English and Telugu languages Education : Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (D.M.E.) (1996-99) - M.B.T.S.Govt Polytechnic, Guntur, Andhrapradesh. B. E (Mechanical Engg.) (2000-04) - Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhrapradesh M. E.(Production Engg.) (2005-07)- Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhrapradesh Ph. D (Metallurgical and Materials Engg) (2010-Till date)- Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] Damodaram R Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Dr. S. Ganesh Sundara Raman and Dr. K. Prasad Rao Title of thesis : Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Alloy 718 Friction Welds. Thesis abstract : The microstructure and mechanical properties of alloy 718 friction weld joints are reported in this work. Developing friction welding process parameter windows for alloy 718 in solution treatment (ST) and solution treatment and aging (STA) conditions. Study the effect of pre – and post weld heat treatment on metallurgical and mechanical properties. Skills : Mechanical Properties Evalution. Operating SEM. Failure Analysis. Material Characterization. Research interests : Materials Joining Materials Testing Materials Characterization Failure Analysis Areas of interest : Welding, Material Testing, Material Characterization, Failure Analysis Publications/Conferences : Journal R. Damodaram, S. Ganesh Sundara Raman, K. Prasad Rao, Microstructure and mechanical properties of friction welded Alloy 718, Materials Science and Engineering: A, (Communicated). Conferences R. Damodaram, S. Ganesh Sundara Raman, K. Prasad Rao, Microstructure and tensile properties of friction welded Inconel 718. Annual Technical Meeting of the Indian Institute of Metals, November 13-16, 2011, Hyderabad. R. Damodaram, S. Ganesh Sundara Raman, K. Prasad Rao, Mechanical properties of Alloy 718 friction weld joints after direct aging treatment. The 3rd Asian Symposium on Materials and Processing, August 30-31, 2012, IIT Madras, Chennai. R. Damodaram, S. Ganesh Sundara Raman, K. Prasad Rao, The effects of post-weld heat treatments on microstructure and mechanical properties of Alloy 718 friction weld joints. Accepted for presentation in ISRS-2012, IIT Madras, Chennai. About me : Can get together with others easily. Able to grasp new things quickly. Hard working nature to achieve the goal Education : B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2003-2007,Srikalahasteeswara Institute of Technology, Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh. M.E Manufacturing Engineering, 2007-2009, Madras Institute Of Technology, Anna University, Tamilnadu. E-mail id : [email protected] Debalina Bhattacharjee Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Prof. M.Kamaraj (HOD) and Prof. R. Sarathi Title of thesis : Synthesis and wear behavior of nano tungsten carbide reinforced iron composites Thesis abstract : To optimize the process parameters for obtaining nano WC particles using wire explosion technique. Correlating the process parameters of wire explosion with the produced particle size, using optical emission spectroscopy Using the nano WC powder so produced, iron based MMCs were prepared,containing two different percentages of nano WC powder, through powder metallurgy route and subjected to sliding wear studies. Wear behavior of nano WC powder reinforced composites was compared with the wear beahavior of unreinforced and micron size WC powder reinforced iron matrices. Skills : XRD HRSEM along with EDS. TEM Microhardness FTIR UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy Sliding wear testing (Pin on disc) Ball mill Electroless nickel plating Optical microscopy Dry erosion testing Slurry erosion testing Abrasive wear testing Optical spectroscopy Research interests : Nano technology Iron based composites Tungsten carbide Tribology Thermal spray coatings Areas of interest : Nano technology, Iron based composites, Tungsten carbide, Tribology, Thermal spray coatings Publications/Conferences : Journals: Debalina, B., Kamaraj, M., Murty, B.S., Chakravarthi, S.R., Sarathi, R., "Generation and characterization of nano-tungsten carbide particles by wire explosion process", Journal of Alloys and Compounds 496 (2010) 122–128. Debalina, B., Kamaraj, M., Chakravarthi, S.R., Sarathi, R., Vasa, N.J., "Optical emission spectroscopic studies of tungsten wire discharged plasma", Accepted for publication in Plasma Science and Technology (IOP) on 26th December, 2011. Conference Proceedings: B. Debalina, M. Kamaraj, S.R. Chakravarthi, R. Sarathi, Generation and characterization of nano-tungsten carbide particles by wire explosion process with methane gas, Conference proceedings of Asian Particle Technology (APT, 2009),Delhi. B. Debalina, M. Kamaraj, S.R. Chakravarthi, R. Sarathi, Synthesis and characterization of nano-tungsten carbide particles by wire explosion process with paraffin-methane medium, Conference proceedings of Asian Conference on Nano science and Technology (ASIANANO, 2010),Tokyo. ? B. Debalina, M. Kamaraj, S.R. Chakravarthi, N.J.Vasa, R. Sarathi, Generation and Characterization of Nano Tungsten Carbide Particle by Wire Explosion Process (Invited Paper). Conference proceedings of IEEE Xplore-TENCON 2010, Fukuoka. About me : I am a woman with high ambitions, who believes that hard work is the key of success and want to challenge those people who believes that "girls can do nothing". I belong to north east region and reached this level with lot of struggle and motivation. Want to work further in research and development field and want to contribute to the society. During Ph.D tenure I have learnt to tackle several research problems with patience, intelligence and hardwork, which I think will help me to overcome any problems in life as well as in research. I am grateful to God and my parents for whatever I am today Education : B.Sc Physics, 2001-2004, Anna Adarsh College For Women, Madras University M.Sc Materials Science, 20042006, College of Engineering, Anna University Ph.D Metallurgical and Materials Engg., 2007-Ongoing, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] John Felix Kumar R Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Dr. Prathap Haridoss Title of thesis : Enhanced surface properties and electrochemical durability of multistage PTFE treated gas diffusion layers for proton exchange membrane fuel cells Thesis abstract : The main objective of research is to study the degradation of carbon based gas diffusion layers of Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells and to study the impact of aging on material properties under PEM fuel cell conditions. Degradation of the GDLs is studied in terms of surface chemistry changes due to formation of strong functional carbon oxides such as carboxyl which makes surface of the GDL wettable. Hydrophobicity of GDL is lost during the course of the operation of PEM fuel cell which causes flooding inside the cell resulting in mass transfer issues. The present study compares the degradation of GDL by electrochemical and chemical aging under simulated PEM fuel cell conditions in terms of hydrophobicity loss. Corrosion rate of GDLs are studied by potentiostatic aging response and the extent of electrochemical oxidation is understood from potentiodynamic (Cyclic voltammetry) analysis. The surface carbon oxygen functional groups responsible for increasing the wettability of GDLs are confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Hydrophobicity loss of GDLs is observed by surface contact angle and water uptake measurements. Influence of PTFE treatment on aging behavior of GDLs is studied and the impact of novel multistage PTFE treatment on the electrochemical durability of GDLs used in PEM fuel cells is examined. It is observed that it is possible to establish a gradient in PTFE profile in the GDL by adopting multistage treatment. Such gradients counteract loss in hydrophobicity resulting from carbon corrosion due to electrochemical aging. The results reveal that GDLs subjected to multistage PTFE treatment can have increased lifetime as opposed to conventional single stage PTFE treated GDL. Skills : Teaching Managing people Research interests : Fuel cells and Battery materials Polymers Carbon nanotubes Areas of interest : Materials Science and Electrochemistry Publications/Conferences : R. John Felix Kumar, V. Radhakrishnan and Prathap Haridoss. Effect of Electrochemical aging on the interaction between Gas Diffusion Layers and the Flow Field in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cell, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 36, April 2011, pp. 7207-7211. R. John Felix Kumar, V. Radhakrishnan and Prathap Haridoss. Enhanced mechanical and electrochemical durability of multistage PTFE treated gas diffusion layers for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 37, April 2012, pp.10830-10835. R. John Felix Kumar and Prathap Haridoss, "Electrochemical aging of carbon cloth gas diffusion layer under simulated PEMFC environment ", ISAEST 2010, Chennai. R. John Felix Kumar and Prathap Haridoss, "Durability of S-PEEK and blended membranes under humidity cycling”,ISRS 2010, IIT Madras, Chennai. R. John Felix kumar, P Kanakasabai, Abhijit P Deshpande, Susy Varughese and Prathap Haridoss, "Durability assessment of PVA/SSA membranes using peroxide permeation rate”,FUCETECH 2009, Mumbai. R. Jagdeesh, U. Kamachi Mudali, K.R. Balasubramanian,R. John Felix Kumar and A.K. Nath,"Development of Metal – Ceramic alloy coatings on AISI 1045 by Laser Processing”. Fifth DAEBRNS National Laser Symposium (NLS-5), Dec 7-10, 2005, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India. R. John Felix Kumar and S.Raman Sankaranarayanan,“Value added oxides from metallurgical wastes”, Presented at the 42nd National Metallurgists Day, 58th Annual Technical Meeting of the Indian Institute of Metals, November 17 – 19, 2004. Tiruvananthapuram. About me : Iam such a cheerful person having strong motivation on social values and capable of leading team of people. I possess research attitude to expore things in new ways.I love to read, teach and experiment the things always.A simple man with rich thoughts about nature. Education : M.Tech. Materials Science, 2002 - 2004, NIT, Trichy, Tamilnadu, M.Sc., Chemistry, 1997-1999, St.Joseph's college, Trichy, Tamilnadu B.Sc., Chemistry, 1994-1997, St.Joseph's college, Trichy, Tamilnadu E-mail id : [email protected] S. Anand Kumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Dr. S. Ganesh Sundara Raman Title of thesis : Influence of Surface Modification Processes on Microstructure, Fretting Wear and Plain Fatigue Life of Ti-6Al-4V and Alloy 718. Thesis abstract : The present study describes the influence of different surface modification processes on microstructure, fretting wear and plain fatigue behaviour of Ti-6Al-4V and alloy 718. Surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) and laser peening were employed has two different surface modification processes on both Ti-6Al-4V and alloy 718. Surface modified Ti-6Al-4V and alloy 718 were characterised with wide battery of characterisation techniques such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron back scattered diffraction technique, x- ray diffraction technique, nano indentation etc., SMAT treated Ti-6Al-4V and alloy 718 samples shows better microstructural, mechanical properties, fretting wear resistance and plain fatigue behaviour compared to laser peened Ti-6Al-4V and alloy 718. Skills : Robust process knowledge of surface engineering and heat treatment Hands on experience on advanced characterization and analysis tools like SEM, EBSD, XRD, experimental stress analysis, nano indentation, image analyzer, origin, Xpert Highscore etc. Material characterization ( (OM, SEM, EBSD, TEM, XRD, Nano Indentation) Excellent technical writing abilities (developed atlas of, stress-strain graph, micrographs and fractographs. Technical paper publications in international journal) Failure analysis and laboratory management. Design of Experiments tools: Minitab, DOE pack Regression Modelling: Artificial neural network Working knowledge in Matlab Research interests : Surface Modification Processes Material's Characterisation Techniques ( OM, SEM, EBSD, TEM, XRD, Nano Indentation) Nanostructured Surface Materials Severe Plastic Deformation Processes Fatigue and Fracture Tribology Material's Testing Heat Treatment Areas of interest : Surface Engineering, Tribology, Fatigue and Fracture, Material Characterisation, Mechanical behaviour of materials Publications/Conferences : Refereed International Journals Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., and Gnanamoorthy, R., “Fretting Wear Behaviour of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treated Alloy 718,” Surface & Coatings Technology, vol. 206, (2012) pp 4425–4432. Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., and Gnanamoorthy, R., “Influence of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment on Fretting Wear Behaviour of Ti-6Al-4V” Advanced Materials Research Vols. 463-464 (2012) pp 316-320. Anand Kumar, S., Sundar, R., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Kumar, H., Gnanamoorthy, R.,Kaul, R., Ranganathan, K., Oak, S.M., and Kukreja, L.M., “Fretting Wear Behavior of Laser Peened Ti-6Al-4V” Tribology Transactions 55 (2012) pp 615-623. Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., and Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N.,“Effect of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment on Fatigue Lives of Alloy 718” Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals 65(5) (2012) pp 473–477 Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., and Gnanamoorthy, R., “Influence of Counterbody Material on Fretting Wear Behaviour of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treated Ti-6Al-4V” Tribology International 57 (2013) 107–114. Sundar R. , Harish Kumar , Rakesh Kaul , Ranganathan K. , Hedaoo P. , Raghavendra G. , Anand Kumar S. , Pragya Tiwari , Dinesh C. Nagpure , Bindra K. S. , Lalit M. Kukreja and Oak S M.,"Studies on fatigue life enhancement of Pre-fatigued Spring Steel Specimens using Laser Shock Peening" Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, Under review International Conferences Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., and Gnanamoorthy, R., “Influence of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment on Fretting Wear Behaviour of Ti-6Al-4V” Oral presentation, 2nd International conference on Advanced Material Research (ICAMR), 7th - 8th January 2012, Chengdu, China. Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., and Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., “Influence of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment on Fatigue Life of Alloy 718” Oral presentation, 6th International Conference on Creep, Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue Interaction (CF-6), 22nd - 25th January 2012, Mamallapuram, India. Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., and Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., “Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treated Ti-6Al-4V”, Proceedings, International Symposium for Research Scholars (ISRS) on Metallurgy, Materials Science and Engineering, 20th - 22nd December 2010, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., Sakthivel,A., and Ananda Murthy, R., “Influence of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment and Shot Peening on Fatigue Life of Alloy 718” Oral presentation, 3rd Asian Symposium on Materials & Processing (ASMP – 2012), 30th & 31st August 2012, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., and Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., “Effect of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment Duration on Fatigue Lives of Ti-6Al-4V”, Oral presentation, 16th International Conference on Strength of Materials (ICSMA 16), 19th - 24th August 2012, Bangaluru, India. Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., Gnanamoorthy, R., Sakthivel,A., and Ananda Murthy, R.,“Influence of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment and Shot Peening on Fretting Wear Resistance of Ti-6Al-4V” Accepted for presentation, 5th International Symposium for Research Scholars (ISRS – 2012), 13th – 15th, December 2012, IIT Madras, Chennai, India. National Conferences Anand Kumar, S., Ganesh Sundara Raman, S., Sankara Narayanan, T.S.N., and Gnanamoorthy, R., “Fretting Wear Behavior of Surface Mechanical Attrition Treated Alloy 718”, Poster presentation, 65th Annual Technical Meeting (ATM) of the Indian institute of Metals (IIM), 13th - 16th November 2011, Hyderabad, India. Anand Kumar, S., and Rajadurai, R., “Fatigue Life Predictions Welded Connections Using Fracture Mechanics Methods”, Oral presentation, COMAX - 2009, 20th - 21st April 2009, HKBK College of Engineering, Bangalore, India. About me : Mechanical + Metallurgical Engineer with research experience in the areas of surface engineering, material technology, material characterization, material testing, tribology, fatigue and fracture, heat treatment, failure analysis, electron microscopy and laboratory management. Education : B.E in Mechanical Engineering, 2002-2006, Dr. AIT, Bengaluru M.Tech in Manufacturing Engineering, 2007-2009, Anna University E-mail id : [email protected] Ekta Jain Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Prof. Uday Chakkingal Title of thesis : Influence of groove pressing on the drawability of AA 5052 sheets. Thesis abstract : Aluminium alloy sheets have poor drawability compared to steel sheets as indicated by the values of the plastic strain ratio or the R value (Lankford value). Because of the textures developed during commercial annealing and cold rolling processes, the R value for aluminium alloys is typically less than 1. Thus there is a need for processing techniques that enhance R values of aluminium alloy sheets. Since the R value is heavily influenced by the crystallographic texture in the sheet, processes that develop a favourable texture can be utilised to improve the R value. In this study, a severe plastic deformation process called groove pressing has been used to repeatedly deform sheet specimens of aluminium alloy AA 5052. Annealed strip specimens of dimensions 220 mm x 50 mm and 1 mm thick were cut in three orientations namely 0°, 45° and 90° to the rolling direction. A set of asymmetrically grooved dies of groove angle 45° were used for groove pressing. The strip specimens were groove pressed in compression mode and then flattened using the flat dies. The process was repeated several times to impart large strain to the specimens. The thicknesses of the sheets remain largely constant after the process. The R values of groove pressed specimens were experimentally determined as per ASTM standard E 517-00. Tensile testing and micro structural characterization were also carried out. The changes in the R value are correlated with the variations in the texture. Skills : Knowledge of various softwares like Origin, X’pert high score plus etc., which are require for material characterization. Hands-on experience in operating characterization equipments like XRD, TEM, Micro hardness measurement as well as other equipments pertaining to research work. Research interests : Severe plastic deformation techniques (groove presssing), Al alloys. Texture analysis and characterization. Areas of interest : Aluminium alloys, Severe plastic deformation techniques, Characterization. Publications/Conferences : Jain, Ekta and Chakkingal, Uday, Evaluation of the groove pressing process for improving the drawing quality (R-value) of 5052 aluminium alloy, International Conference in Deep Drawing, IIT Bombay, India, November 2012. (Paper submitted) About me : I completed my B.E. (Mechanical engg.) from BIT, DURG (C.G.) in 2011 and joined IIT MADRAS as a MS research scholar in the department of MME. I am working under Dr.Uday and i am trying my level best to complete my work in June 2013. I am friendly by nature and ready to help everyone by any possible manner i can. Education : B.E. in Mechanical Engineering, 2007-2011, Bhilai Institute of Technology, Durg, Chhattisgarh. MS in Metallurgical and Materials, 2011-2013, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] Sandhya S Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Guide : Dr. Gandham Phanikumar Title of thesis : Study on semisolid processed Aluminum alloy A356 for joining process Thesis abstract : Semi-solid Aluminum alloy A356 is tungsten gas arc welded with cooling setup to study variation in morphology of grains from that of base metal. Semi-solid forming is the process of shaping the metal in the semi-solid state. As alloys solidify, the primary dendrites normally grow and coalesce with each other such that, as soon as a relatively small fraction of the melt has frozen, viscosity increases sharply, and flow practically ceases. In this research, the semi-solid metal (SSM) slurry of Aluminum A356 is prepared by linear electromagnetic stirring (LEMS) setup in IISC Bangalore. During this process the dendrite growth is suppressed by agitating the melt during solidification, reasonable fluidity persists and a strong fluid flow detaches the dendrites formed at the solid-liquid interface and carries them into the mould to form slurry. When this slurry solidifies, the microstructure is characterized by globular, non-dendritic primary phase particles, separated and enclosed by a near-eutectic lower-melting secondary phase. Such alloy slurries flow in a laminar manner, which allows for uniform die filling as opposed to the turbulent flow associated with casting processes. A three dimensional finite element model SYSWELD is employed to analyze the temperature distributions in the weld joints. Thermal properties like thermal conductivity, specific heat of aluminum A356, convection and radiation boundary conditions are considered in the model. The numerical results of the model are utilized to correlate the solidification substructure formed around the weld pool. The weld profile predicted by numerical analysis is compared with that of the results obtained through experimentation. Skills : Solid Modeling : Solidworks Finite Element Analysis : Sysweld Research interests : Study on semisolid formed Aluminium alloy Finite element simulation of weld profiles using SYSWELD Areas of interest : Semisolid processing, finite element analysis Publications/Conferences : About me : Self-confidence Ability to work under pressure Team Player Education : B.E Production Engineering, 2006-2010, Madras Institute of Technology Campus, Anna University, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Ocean Engineering Sharanabasappa C.sajjan Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Prof.S.Surendran Title of thesis : Study of moored vessel response optimizing moonpool shapes Thesis abstract : Moonpools are vertical wells onboard vessels like cable-laying vessels and offshore support vessels. Moonpool gives passage to underwater activities for different types of ships as per their mission requirements. It is observed that inside a moonpool considerable relative motions may occur, depending on shape, depth of the moonpool and frequency range of the waves to which the ship is exposed. The vessel responses are entirely different in zero and non-zero Froude number. Former situation is paid attention in this study as the mission requirement of the platform is to be in the particular location for long period of operation. It is well known that there are two modes of responses depending on the shape of the moonpool viz., piston mode and sloshing mode. Moonpools of square, circular and rectangular shapes with different aspect ratios of opening like 1:1.5 and 1:2 ratios are tested to measure the responses. The vessel moored using heavy lines are modelled and tested in the wave basin. The different modes of oscillations of water columns are measured using wave gauge and the vessel response at a particular situation is determined. RAOs determined for various situations provide better insight to the designer. Comparison, of experiments done in the wave basin, using a well known software package meant for handling moored floating bodies is presented in this paper. The ambiguities of the result using the said package programme are eliminated by verifying motion parameters obtained using experimental study. Skills : Solid modelling : Pro/E, CATIA, SolidWorks Finite element analysis :ANSYS, Aqwa Research interests : Machining Ship Hydrodynamics Areas of interest : Machining Publications/Conferences : B.Rajesh Reguram1, Sajjan S.C 2 and S. Surendran 3 "RESPONSE OF A CONTAINERSHIP AT OUTER ANCHORAGE" Proceedings of MARTEC 2010.The International Conference on Marine Technology,11-12 December 2010, BUET, Dhaka, Bangladesh.pp.439-444 Sajjan.S.C , S.Surendran "PISTON MODE EFFECTS OF MOONPOOL ON MOORED VESSEL RESPONSE" MARTEC 2012. The International Conference on Marine Technology, 20-22 October 2012, UMT, Kuala Terengganu,Malaysia About me : I am basically a Mechanical Engineering Graduate. I have both Industrial and teaching experience. I worked with industry in various fields, like maintenance of power looms. Worked with Swiss erector Mr.Otto Houser for more than a month for erection of 15 and 10 yard embriodary looms. Also have hands on experience on CNC Machining Centres,Turning Centres and Conventional Machines. Worked as a Development Engineer for development of new components on Machining Centre. Also have good knowldge in fixture design. Selection of tools for a perticular operation of machining. Worked as lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, handled subjects like Design of Machine Elements, Machine Drawing, Mechanical Vibration,Control Engineering,etc., Worked as a placement co-ordinator for Mechanical and Industrial Production Engineering Departments. Education : B.E Mechanical Engineering, 1989-1993, Karnataka University Dharwad,Karnataka M.Tech Design Engineering, 2000-2002, Visveswaraya Technological University, Belgaum,Karnataka E-mail id : [email protected] Anuj Gupta Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Prof.S.K.Bhattacharya Title of thesis : Analysis and Design of a floating offshore wind turbine Thesis abstract : Increasing numbers of floating offshore wind turbines are planned and designed these days due to their high potential in massive generation of clean energy from deeper water. In the present study for the analysis of a floating offshore structure we use Ansys Aqwa and FAST for the Wind Turbine analysis Focus of the present study is to couple the wind turbine loads on the Floating Offshore Platform. 1.5 MW wind Turbine is used for this study. Skills : Software :- Ansys Aqwa, Patran, FAST, WAMIT, Matlab, Star-CCM+ Research interests : Analysis and Design of offshore structures Analysis and Design of a floating offshore wind turbine Areas of interest : offshore structures, wind turbine Publications/Conferences : N/A About me : I am Anuj Gupta from Jhansi and pursuing my MS from Ocean Engineering Department. I like playing Cricket, Listening Music Education : B.E Aeronautical Engineering, 2005-2010, AMAeSI E-mail id : [email protected] Aswin Vuddagiri Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr.Abdus Samad Title of thesis : Aerodynamic analysis and optimization of symmetric wind turbine airfoil with a cavity. Thesis abstract : A symmetric airfoil is chosen which is used in the application of wind turbines. The airfoil is manipulated with a cavity placed on its upper surface. CFD analysis is carried out initially for monitoring lift coefficeint, drag coefficeint, pressure coefficeint and lift-to drag ratio for different Reynolds number and differnt angles of attack. The cavity shape, and its position along the chord of the airfoil is to be optimized for better efficeincy of the airfoil. Skills : Ansys, CFD C language Design softwares Research interests : Computational fluid dynamics Heat transfer Renewable energy Areas of interest : Heat transfer, Fluid mechancis, IC Engines, Turbomachinery Publications/Conferences : 1. N. Sitaram, Aswin Vuddagiri, Rajesh Kumar Panda, S.K. Soren, "High temperature calibration facility for multihole pressure probes", Proceedings of 38th National Conference on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power, Bhopal, Madhya pradesh, 2011. 2. Aswin Vuddagiri, Abdus Samad, “Delayed flow separation in airfoil”, 5th Int. Symp. on Fluid Machinery and Fluids Engineering, Jeju, Korea, 2012. 3. Aswin Vuddagiri, Abdus Samad, "Aerodynamic analysis of wind turbine airfoil with cavity", Proceedings of the International Conference on Energy resources and Technologies for Sustainable Development, Howrah, West Bengal, 2013(paper accepted) About me : I am workaholic and able to work under pressure. My hobbies are Playing various sports and games Listening to music Reading novels my passion: driving bike crazily Education : B.tech Mechanical Engineering, 2004-2008, GITAM Unversity, Visakhapatnam, A.P M.S Ocean Engineering, 2011-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Chirag Madhusudan Khalde Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Prof. S. K. Bhattacharya & Prof. V.G. Idichandy Title of thesis : Experimental and computational study of underwater vehicles Thesis abstract : Resistance test was done on an axisymmetric body experimentally and computationally. Shape Optimization done computationally using different Turbulent Models by Generating 3D Structured Hexa Mesh in ICEM CFD and cell height near the walls was decided according to the turbulent model requirement. Model was built and experiments were conducted in the towing tank to determine forces, centre of pressure and moments on submerged bodies and Hydrodynamic Co-efficient. The error between the computational and experimental results were found to be less than 8% for different turbulent models used (K?-SST and Ke- Realizable). Air Ejection: New Drag Reduction Technique was used to achieve maximum drag reduction and optimum size and location of air ejecting nozzle was established by using FLUENT13 Optimum Nozzle shape for maximum drag reduction was established using CFD analysis Super Cavitation: Computational study on a selected AUV profile was done using Schnerr- Sauer model in FLUENT13 and Strouhal no. was established which is a very important parameter in the design of AUV. To ensure the accuracy of this model first this model was used for flow over hydrofoil and validated with this Benchmark problem according to the literature. Skills : Computer Skills Software: ICEM CFD (proficiency), Fluent, Starccm and Catman Languages: Fortran 90 Platforms: Linux, Windows Post processing: Tecplot 360 Awards Won an Award of 10,000$ from Intellectual Ventures for Invention (USA) in 2012. Won Mathematica Quiz at Shastraa 2010, a national tech fest of IIT Madras. Achievements All India Rank- 3 (99.73 percentile) in GATE-2009. scholarship/grants awarded Financial assistance from IIT Madras for attending international conference/workshop in Rome, Italy. (2012) Boeing Travel Grant for attending an International conference in Rome, Italy. This grant is awarded for work related to Aerospace and Defence Engineering and/or Technology. (September 2012) Boeing Travel Grant for attending an international conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (June 2010) Half-time teaching/research assistantship for Master of Science (by Research) since December 2009. Membership of Professional bodies Life Member of “The Aeronautical Society of India”. Co-curricular activities General Secretary of Sindhu Hostel, IIT Madras. (May 2011- April 2012) Member of Council of General Secretaries, IIT Madras (2011-2012) Member of Student Activity Council (SAC), IIT Madras (2011-2012) Representative for Mess tendering process and administrating one mess in auditing at Krishna Hostel. Represented School and College as Captain of Volleyball team from 7th to 12th Standard at District Level. Attended and volunteered in "International workshop on Submarine Design". 12th and 13th January, 2012. Participated and volunteered in an International Conference on "Submarine Technology and Marine Robotics" 14th and 15th January, 2012. Presently Participated and volunteering in an International workshop on " Natural Gas HydratesExploration and Production" 7th - 9th August, 2012. Keen interest in swimming, trekking and travelling. Research interests : Computational fluid Dynamics Aerodynamics Hydrodynamics Rheology Thermodynamics Experimentational study on both models and prototypes Areas of interest : computational and experimental aerodynamics/hydrodynamics, Aerospace, Turbulence, Multiphase fluid flow, Axial Flow Machines, automobiles, waterjet hull interaction Publications/Conferences : Patent: J. Sangwai and K.M. Chirag (note-both are first inventors), Novel couette geometry for measurement of insitu dynamic viscosity of multiphase systems such as emulsions and slurries: US patents (approved Invention ID: IN-825082) Chirag Khalde and Jitendra Sangwai, Oriented Rheometers for investigating the rheological properties of emulsions and slurries: (communicated) Chirag Khalde, S. K. Bhattacharya and V.G. Idichandy, Novel drag reduction technology implimentation on underwater vehicles: (in process) International Journal Publication K.M. Chirag, K. Vijay, V. Raghavan and A.S. Rangwala, 2011. Smoldering Combustion of Biomass Particles: Journal of Applied Sciences, 11: 1862-1866 International Conference K.M. Chirag, S.K. Bhattacharya and V.G. Idichandy. Effects of Air Injection through Nose on Underwater Vehicles: A novel Approach to Drag Reduction, 9th European Fluid Mechanics Conference (EFMC-9), September 9th – 13th 2012, Rome, Italy. (Presenter) (Accepted for presentation) International conference of plant equipment and reliability, June 15th - 17th 2010, UTM Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Presenter and First Author). About me : I am from Talegaon(near pune), in maharashtra. My father is a retired Airforce personnel now and is busy enjoying his life in farming. My mother is a household wife and takes care of all of us. I am in chennai from last 7 years for my both bachelor's and master's degree. I have inculcated the qualities of hard work and sincerity from my parents who are always my inspiration and will use them forever for the betterment of my country. Education : X XII (Science Stream) B.E. (Aeronautical Engg.) M.S. (Ocean Engg.) E-mail id : [email protected] Mount Saint Ann Convent High School S.M.J.C The Aeronautical Society of India IIT Madras 2002-2003 2004-2005 2005-2010 2010-2012 Deepak Kumar Sharma Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. Nilanjan Saha Title of thesis : Numerical analysis of oscillating water column as a wave energy device. Thesis abstract : The work investigates the numerical analysis of a novel axi-symmetrical floating structure working as a wave energy device (WED). Wave energy is a non-polluting and renewable source of energy, created by natural conversion of part of the wind energy above the oceans. Wave energy device face waves from all directions and move in all the six-directions in which the heave response provides maximum energy. The present concept of WED consists of a floater, a tube with larger thickness (TLT) for providing stability and a tube with smaller thickness (TST) connecting the floater with the TLT (see Fig1). The floating concept of WED is modelled and analyzed using the finite element software ANSYS-AQWA for power take-off and efficiency in regular waves. A 100year wave condition is used for the study. The OWC is installed in 100m water depth with a catenary mooring configuration to keep the structure in position and to allow heave motion only. The wells turbine, having linear characteristic curves, as a power take-off system is modelled only as a point mass system. This WED is modelled such that the water is allowed to enter inside the water column through an opening at the bottom part. The TLT keeps the mean density of WED less than the water. Wave actions cause the WED to oscillate and then water enters into the water column, compresses the trapped air inside the upper portion of the water column which acts like a piston. The oscillations of the floater and the water column, apart from the heave, are restrained. In order to provide the optimal power for design considerations, it is important to make estimates of the hydrodynamic performance of the OWC under typical operating conditions. A parametric analysis of the WED with respect to diameter of the floater, submerged length and height of the air chamber is performed in order to obtain the optimum power extraction. All the above analysis is computed in time domain for a regular wave. The results bring out the optimized power performance of the WED. Keywords: Floating OWC, wave energy device, Power extraction, parameter optimization Skills : I know Ansys Aqwa, Wamit ,Modeling in Catia,Patran,Solidworks. Good communication Research interests : Renewable Energy Fluid structure interaction Areas of interest : Renewable Energy, Fluid structure interaction, AERODYNAMICS, Propulsion About me : As a student i would like to introduce my self as a graduate member (Aeronautical Engineer) from Aeronautical society of India who is pursuing his MS from department of Ocean Engineering and.. As a common man i belongs to jaipur(Rajasthan). I have some good habits and some bad habits, Love to watch movies, work on computer, love to eat, love to enjoy everything around me, want to move ahead everytime in my HQWLUHOLIH Education : B.Tech Aeronautical Engineering, 2005-2011, Aeronautical Society of India E-mail id : [email protected] Koshti Yuvraj Maruti Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. S Chandrasekaran Title of thesis : Dynamic Analysis of Tension Leg Platform Under Extreme Waves Thesis abstract : Recent observations of sea state that result in undesirable events confirm the presence of extreme waves like freak waves which can either cause irreparable damages to offshore installations or create inoperable conditions and discomfort to the crew onboard. Knowledge on extreme wave environment and related wave-structure interaction is required for safer design of deep water offshore structures. In the current research, typical long crested extreme waves namely i) New Year wave at offshore Norway; and ii) Freak wave at North Sea are simulated using combined wave model. Dynamic response of offshore Tension Leg Platforms (TLP) under these extreme waves is carried out for different wave approach angles. Skills : MS office 2007, matlab, Ansys Aqwa Research interests : Dynamics of Offshore structures Areas of interest : hydrodynamics of offshore structures Education : B. Tech Aeronautical Engineering, 2003-2009, AMAeSI MS Ocean Engineering, 2010-2013 E-mail id : [email protected] Liladhar Ganesh Dhoble Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Anantha Subramanian V Title of thesis : Numerical Simulation and Expt. Validation of Water-jet Propulsion System Thesis abstract : 1) Water-jet propulsion systems use the reaction force of water expelled from nozzle to drive the vessel. 2) They have relatively high Propulsive efficiency, good maneuverability, and low noise over conventional propellers. 3) Therefore Water-jets are widely used for high speed vessels and tugs in shallow water. 4) In the present study inlet duct with nozzle is studied first to get insight of flow behaviour and then impeller is used with former geometry to get the knowledge of complex flow behaviour due to impeller rotation. 5) Experiments are done with model scale geometry and results are compared with that obtained from CFD(StarCCM+). Skills : Star-CCM+, C, Ansys ICEM CFD, Research interests : Marine Propulsion Aerodynamics FSI Areas of interest : Marine propulsion, AERODYNAMICS, water-jet hull interaction. About me : 1) I completed my school from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, and degree from Aeronautical Society of India. 2) I was all India topper for four subjets in my UG. 3) I like to take challenges, they inspire me. 4) I like to play car racing games and volleyball. Education : BE Aeronautical, 2005-2010, Aeronautical Society of India. MS Ocean Engineering, 2010-2013, IIT Madras E-mail id : [email protected] Madhuri S Nannaware Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran Title of thesis : Dynamic analysis of Offshore Triceratop under seismic excitation Thesis abstract : Offshore triceratops is an alternate and desirable structural form required to encounter the environmental loads at ultra-deep waters; the requirement is vital as the oil and gas exploration is heading towards greater water depths. Triceratop consists of deck structure with a positively buoyant leg structure (BLS) connected through ball joint. Ball joint transfers only translational motions and restricts all rotational motions. Offshore triceratops is significantly resistant to rotational motion because of the presence of ball joints between the BLS units and the deck. Recent studies show that structures with universal joint show significantly lesser response under the encountered environmental loads. Though seismic loading is not inherent for every offshore platform due to the significant hydrodynamic damping, it is a mandate to consider seismic loads for extreme loading conditions. Offshore complaint structures experience significant tether tension variations under the vertical seismic excitations caused at sea floor. In the present study, time history of such tension variations that are imposed on tethers by two different vertical seismic forces are considered; platform is subsequently analyzed for the operational sea state under the changed pretension in the tethers. . Skills : Finite element analysis :ANSYS Aqua, Ansys Mech Solid modelling : SolidWorks Engineering Drawing : Autocad 2008 Subjects : Dynamics of offshore structures and Machinery Theory of Machines and Mechanisms Robotics and Automation Research interests : Design, Dynamics and analysis of offshore structures computational sciences Robotics and Automation Areas of interest : Dynamics, Mechanical Vibration, Robotics and Automation Publications/Conferences : (communicated to journal and under review process) Srinivasan Chandrasekaran, Madhuri Nannaware,Madhuri Seeram, Dynamic analysis of Offshore Triceratop under seismic excitation, Ship and Offshore Structures About me : I am a risk taker when all other follow the traditional path and I proved myself right uptill now. I follow a simple equation in professional life i. e. Profit + Growth = (Hard + Smart) Work +Skills I love to dream, which always sets higher and higher goals in front of me Education : M S Ocean Engineering, 2011-13, IIT Madras B E Mechanical Engineering, 2006-10, Pune University E-mail id : [email protected] Manjunath G L Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : DR. S SURENDRAN Title of thesis : STUDY ON FRACTURE AND FATIGUE CONTROL OF MARINE STRUCTURE Thesis abstract : DEVELOPING A DATABASE FOR DYNAMIC FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF MARINE STRCUTURE PROPPOSING METHODS LIKES COMPOSITE PATCHING AND METALLIC COATINGS FOR PREVENTIVE AND CORRECTIVE MANTAINANCE OF STRUCTURE IN MARINE ENVIRONMENT. INFLUENCE OF PATCHING AND COATING ON CORROSION CONTROL OF STRUCTURES IMPACT OF COATING ON FATIGUE STRENGTH OF STRCUTURES IN MARINE ENVIRONMENT SIMULATION BY USING PACKGES LIKE ABAQUS, FRANC 2D AND 3D Skills : SOFTWARE PACKAGES: ABACUS, ANSYS, LANGUAGE: FORTRAN, MATLAB Research interests : FRACTURE AND FATIGUE ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURES SUBJECTED TO CORROSION DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURE RELIABILITY OF STRUCTURE HYDRAULIC FRACTURING Areas of interest : FRACTURE, CORROSION AND FATIGUE ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURE Publications/Conferences : ·Manjunath G L and S Surendran. “Dynamic Fracture toughness of coated Structural Components” OMAE 2012 ASME 31st International Conference. Manjunath G L and S Surendran. “Dynamic fracture toughness of aluminium 6063 with multilayer composite patching at low temperatures” International Journal of Ship and Offshore Structures. About me : Candidate with an excellent analytical and technical background seeking a challenging technical position that encourages innovative solution approaches to problems in Engineering. Education : B.E IN MECHANCAL ENGINEERING, 2003-2007, UNIVERSITY B D T COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, KARANATAKA . M.S BY RESEARCH IN OCEAN ENGINEERING, 2010-2012, IIT MADRAS, CHENNAI E-mail id : [email protected] Mohit Goel Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. Rajiv Sharma,Dr.S.K.Bhattacharya Title of thesis : NURBS based Iso-geometric analysis for flow around contra-rotating propeller Thesis abstract : NURBS based geometric modeling gives us more accurate representation of our Engg. geometries which reducses the numerical error encountered during the modeling of the object because of its accuracy. Same basis functions are being used to approximate the flow variables which give more accuracy with higher continuty. In boundary integral equations to calculate the hydrodynamics of the flow which gives us accurate results with less computational cost because in this method we mainly do computation on boundary of the domain and the internal variables can be then post process using these solutions. Skills : Computer Language C,Fortran. Software- Matlab,ICEM,FLUENT. Research interests : Computational Fluid Dynamics Aerodynamics Areas of interest : Computational Fluid Dynamics, AERODYNAMICS Publications/Conferences : N/A About me : I am from uttrakhand , Iwin president and governer award in scouts and guides during my higher secondary. I secured all india 12th rank in gate 2009. Education : B.E. in Aeronautical Engg..,2005-2009,Aeronautical Society of India. E-mail id : [email protected] Neeraj Aggarwal Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr.Nilanjan Saha Title of thesis : Dynamic analysis of Floating offshore wind Turbine Thesis abstract : The 5MW NREL wind turbine (Jonkman 2007) resting at top of a spar floater in water depth of 200m is studied numerically . The wind turbine along with the spar floater is modelled such that they can withstand harsh wind and wave loading conditions. A 100 year wind and wave condition is taken for the study. The hydrodynamic analysis is performed using ANSYS-AQWA software (ANSYS AQWA 2010) while the aerodynamic analysis is done through FAST software (Jonkman 2007). The spar along with the turbine is modelled as a rigid structure subjected to regular waves. The linearised hydrodynamic wave loading is computed by using Morison equation. The hydrostatics and stability criteria are checked for the spar. Time domain analysis is done for parked condition under extreme environmental conditions. The effect of mooring lines attached to the fairlead point which will provide extra stiffness to the floating platform are also taken into the numerical study. The motion of the platform is also very important to study that account for the efficient system so Simulations were carried out to calculate the structural responses for the some regular sea states. Skills : ANSYS-AQWA, DNV-hydoD. patran, catia. FAST software Research interests : Floating offshore wind turbine(renewable energy) Hydrodynamic analysis of floaters using Ansys Aqwa Areas of interest : offshore structures Education : B.E Aeromechanical ,2005-2010, AMAesI E-mail id : [email protected] Patel Akshar P Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. Rajiv Sharma Title of thesis : Design and development of an integrated CAD+CFD model for simulation based ship hydrodynamic optimization problems Thesis abstract : Simulation based ship hydrodynamic (SBSH) optimization combines conventional areas of resistance and propulsion, sea-keeping, maneuvering, and computer aided design (CAD) + computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and offers a remarkable possibility of the implementation of an integrated design process from conception to design to production. development of SBSH demands a new paradigm for hydrodynamics research in which CFD, CAD and CAE are conducted simultaneously for the benchmark geometries and conditions using an integrated approach along with optimization methods, all of which serve as internal engine guaranteeing simulation fidelity. In the present paper the fundamental constitutive elements of a SBSH environment are presented and analyzed. Our focus is on complex engineering optimization problems which involve computationally expensive objective functions and nonlinear constraints. We discuss advanced strategies to reduce the overall computational efforts, optimization algorithms for nonlinear programming problems, and NURBS based CAD techniques for shape variation and mesh manipulation. A simple verification and validation (V&V) methodology for assessing errors and uncertainties in SBSH is also presented and it is primarily based on the trends. Finally, we present two different SBSH models and discuss one design problem, i.e., optimal shape redesign of a ship under real-world geometrical and functional constraints. To access the practicability of the design, the experimental results of the optimized models are analyzed. Skills : Software: NAPA, SHIPFLOW, MATLAB, ICEM-CFD, FLUENT, SOLIDWORKS Research interests : Design Optimization Computational Fluid Dynamics Areas of interest : Design Optimization, CFD Publications/Conferences : Design and development of an integrated CAD+CFD model for simulation based ship hydrodynamic optimization problems About me : I am from Gujarat and pursuing my MS from Dept. of Ocean Engineering. I like sports over reading books and also watching Badminton and Tennis. Education : B.E Aeronautical Engineering, 2005- 2010, AMAeSI E-mail id : [email protected] Priyanka Jain Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. Deepak Kumar Title of thesis : 'analysis of structure in time-frequency domain' Thesis abstract : Earthquake motions constitute random processes, the response of a structure to such motions becomes non-stationary with time-varying statistical characteristics. The wavelet transform is used to find nonlinear response in time and frequency domain simultaneously subjected to non-stationary excitation. The usefulness of wavelet scheme is demonstrated using multi-degree freedom systems. Skills : skilled in softwares like Auto-cad, Catia, Abaqus. operating systems: windows Xp, windows 2000, linux, MS DOs. coding in matlab. Research interests : Structural analysis Non-linear dynamic analysis of Offshore Structures. Seismic analysis of offshore structures. Dynamics of offshore structures. Areas of interest : structural analysis, Strength of materials, wavelet transform, hydrodynamics of offshore structures About me : skilled in coding in matlab. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to deal with people diplomatically. Willingness to learn. Team facilitator. Education : B.tech Aeronautical Engineering, 2006-2010, Aesi. M.S. ocean Engineering, 2011, IIT Madras. E-mail id : [email protected] R Raghavendra Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Prof.S.Surendran Title of thesis : NUMERICAL WIND-WAVE MODELING AND OPTIMIZATION OF SHIP MINIMUM TIME/FUEL ROUTE. Thesis abstract : Project(1):Numerical wind-wave modeling using Mike-21 and Wam-Cycle4 Numerical windwave modeling has been performed over total Indian ocean using MIKE-21 and WAm-cycle4,by giving input of NCEP winds and ETOPO-2 Bathemetry,MIKE-21,WAM CYCLE 4 considered effect of Refraction, Diffraction, shoaling, wave-wave interaction and Reflection give the output as Wave height,period,Direction ,swell height,period,direction and wind directions in GLOBAL as well as regional Domains.These results has been compared with buoy data at Cuddalore (India) location throughout the year of 2010,results can be applicable for exploitation of natural resources, ship-routing, design of harbors, breakwaters and jetties, loading and unloading of ship cargo and estimation of sediment transport and coastal and offshore structural activities.. Project(2): Optimization of Ship Minimum Time/Fuel Routing Output wave parameters of MIKE-21,WAm-cycle4 used for ship routing Ship Calm water resistance calculated using model test in towing tank,software packages and Coded using matlab Ship Added resistance has been calculated using software package of MAXSURF, SEAWAY Seakeeping Analysis (R.M.S Roll, R.M.S vertical acceleration at forward point and bridge location,slamming,deck wetness,pitch angle, RAO'S) has been calculated using packages like MAXSURF, SHIPMO-PC, ANSYS-AQUA. Network Algorithm is written using all above conditions giving shortest path between any two ports in the ocean. Skills : Computer Packages: MIKE-21, WAM-CYCLE -4, MAXSURF, SHIPMO-PC, SEAWAY, ANSYS-AQUA Program languages: MATLAB Research interests : NUMERICAL WIND-WAVE MODELING using MIKE-21 and WAM-CYCLE4 OPTIMIZATION OF SHIP MINIMUM TIME/FUEL ROUTING SHIP HYDRODYNAMICS Areas of interest : Analyst, Oean Off shore and Costal Engineering, Aerospace Industry Publications/Conferences : R.Raghavendra,S.Surendran."WAVE MODELING AND SIMULATION FOR INDIAN COASTAL LINE AND BEYOND",8th international conferance (MARTEC-12) October20-22,Kuala Terengganu ,MALAYSIA.(presenter) About me : I am Raghavendra, I live in one of the beautiful city in south india, Chennai I was born in Andrapradesh .I have spend my entire childhood over there only, schooling and college too. I did my Graduation from Aeronautical Scociety of india, New Delhi in Aerodynamic Stream At present I am doing Master of Science by Research from Ocean Enginneing in INIDAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS, Chennai. I was also trying my hand with this computer stuff.Somehow, I got so much intrested to learn differtnt software packages. I like to watch and play the cricket Games and also intrest in swimming I like all kind of Music.In General,all type of music are my favorites except Rock.I don't like Rock much. Education : M.S(Master of Science by Research) B Tech India E-mail id : [email protected] Ocean Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering 2010-2013, IIT Madras Aeronautical Scociety of Saravanakumar . S Master of Science by Research (MS) Department of Ocean Engineering Guide : Dr. Srinivasan Chandrasekaran , Dr. Rajamanickam Panneerselvam Title of thesis : Hydrodynamic response of perforated cylinders in regular waves and their application in offshore structures like Tension Leg Platform ( TLP ) Thesis abstract : Experimental and Numerical investigations are carried out on perforated cylinders. it is seen that the forces on inner cylinder increases with the increase in porosity; however, there is reduction in the forces on inner cylinder with the decrease in perforation size. Forces on inner cylinder reduce significantly with the perforated outer cylinder for short period waves compared to that of long period waves. Because of Perforation there will be reduction in Forces (Due to wave and Current) , reduction in VIV ( Vortex induced vibration ) .Hence Perforation concept can be used in Offshore (Column of TLP ,Riser and Subsea Pipeline etc.) Experimental results are validated with commercial CFD software STAR CCM+ A new retrofitting method of TLP members using perforated outer cylinders; experimental investigations carried out on the scaled model of TLP show significant reduction in complaint degrees-of-freedom of the platform. Reduction in tether tension is also seen in such forms which is a derived benefit of stress relief mechanism in the tethers as well. Skills : Awarded National Merit Scholarship 2001(Scholar Number 1635/2001) by Government of India for obtaining 94% marks in SSLC at rural area. Awarded MHRD scholarship by Government of India for qualifying GATE exam. State rank 21, school topper in SSLC and Second topper in HSC. Obtained All India rank 70 in GATE 2010 (Engineering Science). I hope i am good in academics, i want to apply this knowledge in my work. Interms of computer skills, MS office, Basic Knowledge in MATLAB CATIA V5, Catman, STAR CCM+, Basic knowledge in ANSYS AQWA, OrcaFlex (Learner) Research interests : Offshore structures Fluid Structure interaction CFD Basic FEM Areas of interest : offshore structures, Fluid structure interaction, CFD, Basic FEM Publications/Conferences : Saravanakumar Sampath , Yuvraj Koshti, Srinivasan Chandrasekaran, Deepak Kumar, S.K.Bhattacharya.,2012., “Strength and Durability test of HDPE Poly Floats for Carrying and storage capacity” World Maritime Technology Conference, WMTC2012, May 29-June 1, 2012, Saint-Petersburg, Russia Srinivasan Chandrasekaran, Rajamanickam Panneerselvam, Saravanakumar Sampath.,2012.," Retrofitting of offshore tension leg platforms with perforated cylinders" Third Asian Conference on Mechanics of Functional Materials and Structures (ACMFMS 2012)( Accepted ) About me : I am doing ms in ocean Engg , i am intersted to work where i can use my knowledge in Engineering , experience in my personal life. i want to constantly upgrade my knowledge and skills. I am decent human being. Education : Completed Aeronautical degree ; awarded by Aeronautical Society of India, with 58.9 % in Dec-2009. Completed HSC (Tamil Nadu State Board) at Bishop Heber Hr.Sec. School, Trichy with 91.1% in 2003. Completed SSLC (Tamil Nadu State Board) at Manickavasagar Hr.sec. School, Pandipathiram with 94% in 2001. E-mail id : [email protected] Department of Physics Brajesh Tiwari Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Physics Guide : Prof. M. S. Ramachandra Rao Title of thesis : Structural, optical and magnetic properties of LnCrO3 (Ln = La, Gd, Dy, Ho, Y and Er) Thesis abstract : Understanding of functional perovskite-type oxides ABO3 is of active research interest due to its relevance to both fundamental and application related issues. Perovskite-like metaloxides have a great degree of tolerance to adopt multitude of different structural distortions as well as coupling between charge, lattice and magnetic (spin and orbital) degree of freedoms giving rise to extraordinary physical properties such as ferroelectricity, (anti-) ferromagnetism, multiferroicity, colossal magnetoresistance, electronic and ionic conductivity, high temperature superconductivity, half-metallicity etc along with wide compositional flexibility. So it is of considerable importance to understand the coupling between spin, phonon, orbital degrees of freedoms and underlying phenomenon. In my Thesis work entitled "Structural, optical and magnetic properties of LnCrO3 (Ln = La, Gd, Dy, Ho, Y and Er)" it has been tried to understand the effect of structural distortions due to different ionic radii of Ln-site ions in LnCrO3 keeping the crystal symmetry (space group: Pnma) unchanged on their optical and magnetic properties as well as the coupling between different degrees of freedom like phonon, spin, orbital and charge. We observe that predominent magnetic ordering is antiferromagnetic where ordering temperature (TN) followes only orthorhombicity of unit cell and not on the magnetic moment on Ln-site ions while next-nearestneighbour interection depends on Ln-site magnetic moments. LaCrO3 shows optical phonon and dielectric anamaly at antiferromagnetic transtion temperature confirming magnetoelectric coupling. Skills : Sol-gel and solid-state reaction method for preparation of inorganic complex oxide materials. Experience on High-vacuum and thin film deposition techniques; Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) and Magnetron sputtering. Confocal Raman spectroscopy/imaging (CRM) and scanning probe microscopy (SPM). Electrical measurement techniques: Impedance analyzer, ferroelectric loop tracer, magnetoelectric coupling. Magnetic measurements: vibrating sample magnetometer attached to physical property measurement system. Software/computational skills: Rietveld refinements using GSAS for structural analysis, XCrysden and Diamond for crystal structure simulation, Origin lab and MATLAB for curve plotting and data fittings. MS Office. First-principal Density Functional Theory (DFT) for materials simulations and design using QUANTUM ESPRESSO-4.2. Research interests : Magnetic Materials,Ferroelectricity, Magnetolelectric multiferroics, Strongly Correlated Materials, Phosphers for lighting materials, Density Funtional Theory. Areas of interest : Multiferroics, AFM, Magnetoresistance, Ferroelectricity, Computational material science based on Density Functional Theory Publications/Conferences : K. S Kumar, C. Venkateswaran, D. Kannan, B Tiwari, M. S. R. Rao 'Mechanical milling assisted synthesis of Ba-Mn co-substituted BiFeO3 ceramics and their properties' Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 45 (41), 415302 Maneesh Chandran, Brajesh Tiwari, C.R Kumaran, Sunil K . Samji, S.S Bhattacharya, M.S. Ramachandra Rao (2012), ‘Integration of perovskite PZT thin films on diamond substarte without buffer layer’ . Phys.D: Applied Physics, 45, 202001-202005 (fast-track communication). P. Thiyagarajan, Brajesh Tiwari, M. Kottaisamy, N. Rama and M.S.Ramachandra Rao (2009), ‘UV excitable Y2-x-yGdySiO5:Cex phosphors for cool white light emission’, Applied Physics A, 94, 607-612.(citation 5) Shubra Singh, P. Thiyagarajan, K. Mohan Kant, Tirupathiah, B. Tiwari, N.Rama, M.M.K. Samy and M. S. Ramachandra Rao (2007), Topical Review: ‘Structural and physical properties of ZnO based materials in various forms: Bulk, thin film and nano’ J. Phys.D: Applied Physics, 40, 6312-6327 (citation 52). About me : I am interested in learning and using my understanding and experience in developing and contributing for well being. Education : B.Sc Physics and Geology, 2001-2004, University of Allahabad, Allahabad M.Sc Physics 2004-2006, IIT Madras, Chennai E-mail id : [email protected] Ganeshraj C Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Physics Guide : Dr. P.N.Santhosh Title of thesis : Structural, magnetic, dielectric and magnetocaloric properties of RMn0.5Fe0.5O3 (R= Pr, Dy) Thesis abstract : The structural, magnetic, dielectric and magnetocaloric properties of Polycrystalline samples RMn0.5Fe0.5O3 (R= Pr, Dy), synthesized using standard solid state reaction method, were investigated. Both the samples have found to have orthorhombic crystal structure with G type canted anti ferromagnetic structure. Impedance spectroscopy studies indicate PrMn0.5Fe0.5O3 has very high dielectric constant at room temperature than DyMn0.5Fe0.5O3 and it can be used for random access memories based on capacitive elements. Since the magnetic and ferroelectric transition temperatures are close to room temperature both materials can be used as multiferroics. Skills : Software CASTEP - Density functional theory (DFT) based software to study about the electronic, magnetic and optical properties of materials. LABVIEW – To interface and control various instruments with computer for automated data collection and analysis of data. Origin – For analyzing data. CrystalMaker – Crystal and Molecular Structures Visualization software. GSAS – General Structure (Crystal and Neutron) Analysis System. Latex – Document preparation program for better presentation of documents. Instrumentation Hands on training in the use of SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) to study magnetic properties of materials. LakeShore VSM 7410 (Vibrating Sample Magnetometer) for studying magnetic properties of materials. N4L PSM1735 (Newton4th Ltd, UK) impedance analyzer for studying dielectric properties of materials. PANalytical X’Pert Pro X-ray diffractometer for characterizing phase of materials at low and high . temperatures Janis CCR (Closed Cycle Refrigerator- CCS-100/202) for producing low temperature down to 15 K for studying resistivity and dielectric properties of materials Cryomech LHe P18 liquid He Plant for producing Liquid He. Research interests : Multiferroics- Materials that simultaneously show ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity. In laptops, the magnetic materials which stores the information and electical materials such as semiconductors which process the information and our research is to combine magnetic and electrical properties in single material, then one component would be able to do both jobs. It would obviously leads to reduction in size to improve Miniaturization and also in energy savings with much reduced energy consumptions. First principles calculations (DFT- Density Functional Theory) on perovskites and semiconductor materials to understand about its structural, electronic, magnetic and optical properties. Areas of interest : Magnetic and Semiconductor nanoparticles, Low temperature physics, Multiferroics, Computational material science based on Density Functional Theory Publications/Conferences : C.Ganeshraj, Rabindra Nath Mahato, D. Divyaa, and P.N.Santhosh, Magnetic, electrical, transport and structural investigations of orthorhombic perovskite Pr2FeMnO6, J. Appl. Phys, vol. 107, April 2010, pp.09E305 (1-3) . C. Ganeshraj, R. Pradheesh, and P. N. Santhosh, Structural, magnetic, transport and magnetocaloric properties of metamagnetic DyMn0.5Co0.5O3, J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 111, February 2012, pp.07A914 (1-3). About me : I , C. Ganeshraj, am doing P.hD in physics at IIT Madras. I am a passionate, optimistic and dedicated person who takes up challenging responsibilities with utmost enthusiasm. I am determined to succeed, to improve myself and to expand on all of my skills and talents whenever the chance arises. I have a great amount of perseverance to achieve my goal. My optimistic and planned approach in things I do is what driving me towards my success Education : Ph.D. (Physics), 2007 - to till date, IIT Madras, Chennai M.Sc. Physics, 1998- 2000, N.G.M College, Bharathiar University B.Sc. Physics, 1995-1998, N.G.M College, Bharathiar university E-mail id : [email protected] Maneesh Chandran Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Physics Guide : Prof. M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Prof. S.S. Bhattacharya Title of thesis : Synthesis of CVD diamond thin films on carbide and non-carbide forming substrates and fabrication of PZT/diamond heterostructures for applications Thesis abstract : Majority of diamond applications require a highly adherent diamond thin film deposited onto a non-diamond substrate. However, there are problems associated with the adhesion of diamond films on most of the substrates, especially on non-carbide forming substrates. The intention of the present work is to explore the possibility of realizing adhesive diamond thin films on carbide forming (Si and WC-Co) and non-carbide forming (Cu and Al2O3) substrates for wear resistant, thermal management and surface acoustic wave device applications. Skills : Hot filament CVD (M650, sp3 Diamond Technologies, USA) Pulsed Laser Deposition system (Nd:YAG, 355 nm, Quantel) RF magnetron sputtering unit Thermal evaporation unit Spin coating unit Confocal Raman Microscope (Alpha 300, Witec, Germany) Physical Property Measurement System (QD, USA) Nanoindenter (Hysitron, USA) Atomic Force Microscope (Dimension Edge, Bruker) Field emission SEM (Quanta 3D, FEI) High Resolution TEM (Technai F20, FEI) Ferroelectric loop tracer (Radiant Technologies) Impedance analyzer (Agilent-4294A) Research interests : Carbon based nanomaterials (Diamond, Graphene and CNT) and its applications Semiconductor materials (SiC,Si, ZnO and GaN) and its applications Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy Thin film deposition techniques (CVD, PLD and sputtering) Areas of interest : Semiconductor device fabrication and characterization, Nano technology, Nanomaterils, Atomic Force Microscopy, Biosensors Publications/Conferences : Maneesh Chandran and M.S Ramachandra Rao, Piezoelectric devices and methods for their preparation and use, US Patent # 13/698, 625 (PCT/IB2011/003086) Maneesh Chandran, Brajesh Tiwari, C.R Kumaran, Sunil K Samji, S.S Bhattacharya and M.S Ramachandra Rao, Integration of perovskite PZT thin films on diamond substrate without buffer layer, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. (Fast Track Communications) Vol. 45, 2012, pp. 202001. Maneesh Chandran, C.R Kumaran, Sriram Vijayan, S.S Bhattacharya and M.S Ramachandra Rao, Adhesive microcrystalline diamond coating on surface modified non-carbide forming substrate using hot filament CVD, Mater. Express Vol. 2, 2012, pp. 115. Maneesh Chandran, G.V Chakravarthy, S.S Bhattacharya, M.S Ramachandra Rao and M Kamaraj, A comparative study on wear behaviour of TiN and diamond coated WC-Co substrates against hypereutectic aluminium-silicon (Al-Si) alloys, Appl. Surf. Sci. (in press). Durgalakshmi D, Maneesh Chandran, Geetha Manivasagam, M.S Ramachandra Rao, R Asokamani, Studies on corrosion and wear behavior of submicrometric diamond coated Ti alloys, Tribol. Int. (in press). Maneesh Chandran, C.R Kumaran, S.S Bhattacharya and M.S Ramachandra Rao, Chemical vapor deposition of diamond coatings on tungsten carbide (WC-Co) riveting inserts, Int. J Refract. Met. H (under review). Ravikumar Dumpala, Maneesh Chandran, N Kumar, S Dash, B Ramamoorthy and M.S Ramachandra Rao, Growth and characterization of integrated nano-microcrystalline composite diamond caotings, Int. J Refract. Met. H (under review). Maneesh Chnadran, Mohan Kant, N Rama and M.S Ramachandra Rao, PLD Growth of CNTs using a Nanostructured Ni Buffer Layer: Dependence of H2 Partial Pressure, Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 951,2007, pp. 0951-E06-15. About me : A self motivated quick leaner who adapts well to fast changing environments Education : PhD Physics, 2007-present, IIT Madras MTech Solid State Technology, 2004-2006, IIT Madras MSc Physics, 2001-2003, Cochin University of Science and Technology BSc Physics, 1998-2001, University of Calicut E-mail id : [email protected] Muvvala Krishna Surendra Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Physics Guide : Prof. M.S. Ramachandra Rao Title of thesis : Effect of particle size on magnetic and dielectric studies of magnetic nanoparticles. Thesis abstract : My thesis work involves synthesis of nanoparticles with spinel strctures. By varying the particle size I studied the magnetic, dielctric and magnetodielectric studies for applications. I have coated the nanoparticles with hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfactants to study magnetic hyperthermia studies on these ferrofluids. Skills : Chemical synthesis methods to prepare nanomaterials with organic and inorganic surfactants. Hands on experience on High-vacuum, thin film coating units and ion beam lithography. Expertise in handling and transferring liquid Helium (LHe) for attaining lowest temperature. Good at troubleshooting the equipment [viz., “physical property measurement system” and “high resolution scanning electron microscope with focused ion beam lithography”]. Type writing in Higher (English) Speaks English, Telugu, Hindi and Tamil. Research interests : Effect of magnetic dead layer on magnetic studies of magnetite nanoparticles Magnetic and dielectric studies on cobalt ferrite nanoparticles Bulk and nano comparison of magnetic studies on cobaltchromite Growth of multilayer thinfilms for magnetoresistance (MR) studies Areas of interest : Material Characterisation, Material Synthesis, Material Science, Magnetic and Semiconductor nanoparticles Publications/Conferences : Krishna Surendra, M., D. Kannan and M. S. Ramachandra Rao, “Magnetic and dielectric properties study of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method” MRS Proceedings, Volume 1368, 2011, mrss11-1368-ww11-40 – 46. About me : I am self-motivated and able to work both independently and as well with people. I would like to obtain a position where I can use my strong organizational skills, educational background, knowledge which will contribute my years of experience that will allow me to grow personally and professionally and to work in a creative and challenging environment. Education : M.Sc. Physics, 2005-2007, Sri Venkateswara University Tirupathi B.Sc. Maths,Physics and Chemistry, 2002-2005, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur E-mail id : [email protected] Pradheesh R Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Physics Guide : Sethupathi K. and Sankaranarayanan V. Title of thesis : Disorder induced Jahn Teller effect and exchange bias in the spin glass state of magnetoresistive Sr2FeCoO6 Thesis abstract : My studies on this system revealed exchange bias effect which originates from a spin glass gro und state. Jahn Teller effects and magnetoresistance are also investigated in detail.I have synthesized my sampl es by sol-gel method and investigated spin glass and magneto-transport behaviour in these systems using SQUID magnetometry. My thesis focuses on the spin glass behaviour of Sr2FeCoO6 (SFCO) due to bond frustration in which exchange bias and a large magneto-resistance is observed. SQUID magnetometer (Quantum design, 7 T 2-400 K) was extensively used to study the spin glass behaviour (memory, aging and relaxation behaviour) and e xchange bias. Structural studies were undertaken using x rays and neutrons. Skills : Computer : OS- Windows, Linux Tools - LaTeX, Origin, FULLPROF, Matlab Research interests : My research interests are in the area of strongly correlated magnetic oxides. Areas of interest : Frustrated spin systems, Jahn Teller effect, Exchange bias, Magnetoresistance Publications/Conferences : Pradheesh R, Harikrishnan. S. Nair, C. M. N. Kumar, R. Nirmala, V. Sankaranarayanan, K. Sethupathi, Observation of spin glass state in weakly ferromagnetic Sr2FeCoO6, J. Appl. Phys. , Vol. 111, issue 5 2011, pp 053905. Pradheesh R, Harikrishnan. S. Nair, V. Sankaranarayanan, K. Sethupathi., Large magnetoresistance and Jahn Teller effect in Sr2FeCoO6, Eur. J. Phys. B Vol. 85, Jul 2012, pp 260 Pradheesh R, Harikrishnan S. Nair, V. Sankaranarayanan and K. Sethupathi, Exchange bias and memory effect in Sr2FeCoO6, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 101, Oct 2012, pp 142401. About me : Avid reader, interested in watching football and motorsports. Like to listen to music esp. Jazz, psychedellic rock, Pop, etc. Education : PhD. Experimental condensed matter physics, 2006 - present, IIT Madras MSc. Physics, 2000 - 2003, Mahatma Gandhi University BSc. Physics, 1997-2000, Mahatma Gandhi University E-mail id : [email protected] Samji Sunil Kumar Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Physics Guide : Prof.M.S. Ramachandra Rao Title of thesis : Structural and optical properties of nano ink based CIGS and CZTS thin films for Photovoltaic applications Thesis abstract : Do all the single crystalline materials show better photovoltaic performance compared to their polycrystalline counterparts? No. Grain boundries act as recombintion centers. As grain boundaries number increase the photovoltaic performance decreases. But this is NOT ALL. There are certain class of materials, chalcopyrites (CdTe, CIS, CIGS) which show better photovoltaic performance in their polycrystalline form. Chalcopyites have unique grain boundary physics, where in the grain boundaries are electrically benign. This reduces the rate of recombination, improves open circuit volage and hence phhotovoltaic performance. In, Ga in CIGS are either less abundant or very expensive. So replacing In, Ga with Sn, Zn (which are relatively more abundant and inexpensive) we realize a new chalcopyrite material CZTS with a direct band gap of 1.5 eV. CIGS solar cells show a lab level efficiency of 20.5% (Co-sputtering). CZTS synthesized by chemical routes show better performance (10%), compared to CZTS films grown by vacuum techniques. If CZTS has to completely replace CIGS it has to demonstrate all the properties of CIGS including unique defect physics. My research includes: Synthesis of CIGS and CZTS nano ink by hot-injection technique and deposition of thin films. Xray diffraction and Raman studies for phase identification TEM, SEM-EDAX studies for structural ,morphological and compostion analysis. Scannig Probe microscopy (Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy, Electro Static Force Microscopy) to understand grain boundary physics in CZTS Growth and characterization of CdS, ZnO thin films by Chemical Bath Depositin (CBD) and sputtering respectively for electrical properties study and device fabrication. Skills : Pulsed laser Deposition,DC/RF sputtering High resolution scanning electron microscope (HRSEM-FEI) Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS-EDAX) High resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM -Tecnai-F20) SPM (Dimension edge - Bruker) Confocal Raman spectrometer (Witech) XRD (PANalytical & Rich Seifert P3000, Germany) Computational and software skills: Origin, Matlab, X'pert highscore, Diamond software, Nanoscope analysis, C-programming Research interests : Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), CuInGaS2 (CIGS) and CdS chalcopyrite based materials for Photovoltaic applications Synthesis of CZTS,CIGS Nano-ink for Photovoltaic applications Scanning Probe Microscopy studies on and CZTSand CIGS thin films - unerstanding grain boundary Physics Electron Microscopy- Microstructure studies and composition analysis Thin film gowth techniques-PLD, sputtering, Spin coating and CBD (chemical Bath Deposition). Areas of interest : Scanning probe Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, Photo luminescence, Grain boundary physics in chalcopyrites Publications/Conferences : Shubra Singh, Sunil Kumar Samji and M.S.Ramachandra Rao, Synthesis of CuInGaS2 nano-ink for photovoltaic applications, Journal of Experimental Nanoscience, 7, 1-6, 2012 Shubra Singh, Sunil Kumar Samji, Kannan. D and M.S.Ramachandra Rao, Growth of nanocrystalline CuInS2 tubes from Cu2S-CuInS2 heterostructured hexagons for photovoltaic applications (communicated) Maneesh Chandran, Brajesh Tiwari, Kumaran, Sunil K Samji, S.S. Bhattacharya and M.S.Ramachandra Rao, Integration of perovskite PZT thin film on diamond substrate without buffer layer , J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 45 202001. About me : Let there be light ...... Let there be electricity..... Let there be electricity from light ! Guess what ?...............if your guess is solar cells it is correct.! I work on thin films for photovoltaic applications. Xray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Electron microscopy/diffraction, Scanning probe micrscopy coupled with thin film deposition techniques are bread and butter of my research routine. I believe in "Independent thinking and collective working. Research should bring out innovative ideas which should pave a way for business venture which on a large scale should generate employment as well as improve the technological acquaintance of a nation, add to the skilled work force and in the long run boost the economy of the nation". I would like to be an integral part of a team/organization with such a mission and vision and contribute myself to the team work. Education : MSc, Physics, 2005-2007, Sri Venkateswara University BSc, Maths, Physics and chemistry, Sri Krishna Devaraya University E-mail id : [email protected]
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