Sneha C | Catalysis | Women Researcher Award

Ms. Sneha C | Catalysis | Women Researcher Award

NIT Karnataka, India

👨‍🎓Profiles

🎓 Early Academic Pursuits

Sneha C, from Elathur, Calicut, Kerala, has maintained an excellent academic record since her early education. She began with strong performances in school, which led her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering at Government College of Engineering, Kannur. Motivated by a deep interest in advanced science and technology, she then undertook a Master’s program in Nanotechnology at NIT Karnataka. Her academic path reflects a clear progression toward interdisciplinary expertise at the intersection of electronics and materials science.

👩‍💼 Professional Endeavors

Sneha has been actively involved in the academic field, teaching at a private coaching institute where she mentors students in engineering disciplines. In addition to her instructional responsibilities, she has also worked as a Teaching Assistant in nanotechnology, supporting course delivery and student engagement in advanced topics.

🧪 Contributions and Research Focus

Her academic journey includes a range of impactful projects. During her undergraduate studies, she developed a Heartbeat Analyzer using LabVIEW, applying electronic systems to biomedical contexts. For her postgraduate research, she focused on the influence of substrate temperature on the characteristics of ZnO and AZO thin films created by thermal vapor deposition. Currently pursuing doctoral research, her focus is on the design and fabrication of gas sensors, investigating how material properties and doping techniques affect sensor behavior and sensitivity.

🌐 Impact and Influence

Sneha has contributed significantly to scientific literature through multiple peer-reviewed publications. She has authored articles in prestigious journals including Springer’s Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, and Elsevier’s Sensors and Actuators A: Physical and Surfaces and Interfaces. Her work on thin-film nanomaterials and sensor technology is well-regarded, and she serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, demonstrating her recognized expertise in the field.

📊 Academic Cites and Recognition

Her commitment to academic excellence is further reflected in her achievements in national-level competitive examinations. She has earned accolades for her technical presentations, including the Best Oral Presentation Award at an international conference hosted at NIT Calicut. These achievements underscore her analytical skills and effective communication of complex research.

💻 Technical Skills

Sneha possesses strong technical competencies, including programming knowledge in C and MATLAB, and is adept with Windows and Ubuntu operating systems. Her core areas of interest lie in electronics, nanotechnology, thin-film materials, and sensor devices, aligning with her academic background and research contributions.

🧑‍🏫 Teaching Experience

With extensive teaching experience, Sneha has guided numerous students in understanding complex concepts in electronics and nanoscience. Her involvement in academic instruction as a teaching assistant, along with her mentoring roles, highlights her dedication to cultivating the next generation of engineers and researchers.

🏅 Leadership, Outreach, and Extracurriculars

Sneha has actively contributed to academic communities beyond the classroom. She served as a class representative during both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies and was involved in organizing key technical events. She played integral roles in Explore, the technical fest at her engineering college, and led the publication and program committees for an international conference at NIT Calicut. These leadership activities highlight her teamwork, coordination, and communication skills.

🔮 Legacy and Future Contributions

Sneha C is shaping her legacy as a researcher at the intersection of electronics and nanotechnology. With a focus on solving real-world problems through innovation in sensor technologies, her future contributions are expected to advance environmental and biomedical monitoring systems. As an educator and scholar, she is committed to fostering academic excellence and scientific progress in the years ahead.

📖Notable Publications

  • Antimony doped tin oxide MOS sensors for hydrogen detection at low concentrations
    Contributors: C. Sneha, V.K. Baiju, S. Varghese
    Journal: Sensors and Actuators A: Physical
    Year: 2023

  • Effect of substrate temperature on the characteristics of ZnO films produced by a combination of thermal vapor deposition and oxidation processes
    Contributors: C. Sneha, C. Prabukumar, M. Jayalakshmi, S. Bhat, K. Udaya Bhat
    Journal: Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics
    Year: 2017

  • Structural and morphological changes with substrate heating in zinc films synthesized by thermal vapor deposition technique
    Contributors: C. Sneha, C. Prabukumar, M. Jayalakshmi, K.U. Bhat
    Journal: Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics
    Year: 2017

  • Nickel-sensitized Sb:SnO₂ thin films for enhanced room temperature hydrogen gas sensing
    Contributors: C. Sneha, S. Varghese
    Journal: Surfaces and Interfaces
    Year: 2025

 

Muthuraj Arunpandian | Catalysis | Excellence in Research Award

Dr. Muthuraj Arunpandian | Catalysis | Excellence in Research Award

Yeungnam University, India

👨‍🎓Profiles

👨‍🔬 Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Muthuraj Arunpandian began his academic journey in Tamil Nadu, India, earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Madurai Kamaraj University. He further pursued doctoral studies at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, where he specialized in nanomaterials and catalysis. His academic training laid the foundation for his focused research in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, aiming at environmental and energy-related solutions.

🌐 Professional Endeavors

Since 2023, Dr. Arunpandian has been serving as an International Research Professor at the School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, South Korea. In this role, he leads cutting-edge research in the field of catalysis, collaborating internationally to address challenges in sustainable energy and environmental remediation. His work bridges material science and chemical engineering, emphasizing interdisciplinary solutions.

🔬 Research Contributions and Focus

Dr. Arunpandian’s research is primarily focused on two interconnected areas: photocatalysis and electrocatalysis.

  • In photocatalysis, his group develops visible-light-driven semiconductor nanostructures for environmental cleanup and solar hydrogen production. Their innovations in doping strategies, heterojunction design, and surface modifications have dramatically enhanced charge carrier separation, light absorption, and overall catalytic efficiency.

  • In electrocatalysis, he pioneers low-cost, high-efficiency electrocatalysts for water splitting. His work on transition metal-based materials and single-atom catalysts has produced systems with low overpotentials, high current densities, and outstanding durability, offering scalable paths toward clean hydrogen production.

📈 Impact and Influence

Dr. Arunpandian has published over 75 research and review articles in reputed national and international journals, garnering more than 1,200 citations to date. In addition to these publications, he has contributed 2 book chapters, underlining his scholarly productivity and domain authority. His research is widely cited in areas related to green chemistry, renewable energy, and environmental remediation, reflecting its global significance.

🧪 Technical Skills and Innovations

His core technical competencies include:

  • Nanomaterial synthesis (e.g., doped semiconductors, metal-based nanostructures)

  • Photocatalytic degradation systems for pollutant removal

  • HER/OER performance optimization through material design

  • Surface/interface engineering, heterojunction fabrication, and bandgap tuning
    These skills allow him to engineer materials that are both high-performing and scalable for real-world energy and environmental applications.

🎓 Teaching and Mentorship

As an International Research Professor, Dr. Arunpandian actively contributes to academic mentoring and international research training, guiding graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials. His cross-cultural mentorship fosters innovation and scientific communication at a global scale.

🌱 Legacy and Future Directions

Dr. Arunpandian’s research contributes directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in clean energy and environmental sustainability. His future endeavors will likely focus on integrating AI-based catalyst design, scalable synthesis methods, and industry partnerships for real-world deployment. His vision is to accelerate the transition to clean hydrogen economies and pollutant-free ecosystems, leaving a lasting scientific and societal impact.

📖Notable Publications

A rational design of novel Z-scheme N-rich g-C₃N₅ supported Ag₂WO₄/BiVO₄ ternary heterojunction for remarkably enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of acebutolol antibiotic: Performance, mechanism insight and fragments pathway analysis
Authors: Muthuraj Arunpandian, Tae Hwan Oh, Karuppaiah Selvakumar
Journal: Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Year: 2025

Exceptional Visible-Light-Driven Photodegradation Performance Over N-Rich g-C₃N₅ Decorated Flower-like SrMoO₄ Nanohybrids: Analysis of Mechanism, Efficacy and Degradation Pathway
Authors: Muralidharan S., Arunpandian M., Nagarajan E. R., Oh Tae Hwan, Selvakumar K.
Journal: Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials
Year: 2025

Fabrication of dopamine/TiO₂ nanocomposite hydrogel using fenugreek gum for efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants under visible light irradiation
Authors: Nagaraja Kasula, Arunpandian Muthuraj, Oh Tae Hwan
Journal: Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Year: 2025

Green synthesis of Zinc Sulfide doped Ag-Zn₃(PO₄)₂ nanocomposite using bael gum: Enhanced visible-light driven photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin and trypan blue with potential antimicrobial and assessment
Authors: Nagaraja Kasula, Boya Mallika, Arunpandian Muthuraj, Oh Tae Hwan
Journal: Inorganic Chemistry Communications
Year: 2025

Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Carbon Spheres-Decorated Co₂SnO₄/WS₂ Heterostructures with Improved Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dye
Authors: Muthuraj Arunpandian, Tae Hwan Oh
Journal: Molecules
Year: 2025

A facile green synthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles using gum karaya polymer as a bioreductant for efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and antibacterial activity
Authors: Nagaraja Kasula, Muthuraj Arunpandian, Oh Tae Hwan
Journal: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
Year: 2024