Good day, K. Priya. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Yes, please.

Could you please, if you don't mind, could you please repeat the question again?

Kindly share your professional journey in academia.

Of course. Could you please share your professional journey in academia?

Yes, please.

Feel free to begin when you're ready. We're listening.

I have completed, uh, my name is Priya. I have completed my BE Electronics and Communication Engineering in.

UH VEG, another College of UH Engineering for women, which is uh anonymously affiliated college. UH. After that, I have completed my Mtech Nanotechnology in Vit University Vellore in the year of 2012. UMM after my PhD also in Vit University Vellore in the year of 2090.

Uh, after my PhD, Umm.

Take your time, Professor. Please continue.

By sensitized solar cell optimization. The second work is.

Thank you for sharing that, Professor.

Good day, Professor Priya. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I have reviewed your credentials and am looking forward to this discussion. Let's begin with your academic expertise in renewable energy engineering. Could you explain how you would approach characterizing and evaluating renewable energy resources in a given geographic location?

OK, so the renewable energy which I have worked is.

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell and partly currently I started working exploring in in the area of solar photovoltaic also.

So for example if you want to say PMFC PL. cell, PL. cell is a basically a electrochemical device which works on.

Chemical based on the chemical reaction in it. So it is.

Well as far as other renewable energies, for example solar and as well as wind, they are seasonal. They could work in under certain conditions. When we consider the fuel cell, it as long as the fuel input is given the output, it will deliver the electricity along with that.

It will, it can, it can give heat and water assets by product.

Uh, so when we consider the fuel cell, it could work in all type of environment starting from the lower temperature to the higher temperature. So this could be the best possible solution in all type of environment.

Where even it is in a dry condition, dry climatic areas or a cold to winter condition, we could use the fuel cell as a possible renewable research.

Yes.

Interesting. So you're emphasizing the versatility of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) compared to other renewable energy sources like solar and wind, particularly in their ability to operate across a wide range of environmental conditions. As a follow-up, could you elaborate on the specific challenges involved in optimizing the performance or efficiency of PEM fuel cells, particularly in diverse climatic scenarios? How might you tackle those challenges?

Yes. So when we consider the fuel cell, there are two different challenges we are experience experiencing. 1 is the hydrogen storage the input for the PM fuel cell, fuel, fuel is.

Hydrogen, the oxygen is.

Oxygen. So when we send the working principle of fuel service, when we send when we send the hydrogen fuel to the anode with the help of the catalyst, it the hydrogen disassociates as a protons and electrons where the electron travels through the external circuit and reaches.

Reaches through the load and again it comes back through the anode at the anode side.

In between anode and cathode we have the proton exchange membrane. It will allow only. It will allow only protons where it.

Where it limits the electron transfer activity, so all the at the cathode side the transferred protons.

And the electrons from the external circuit and the oxygen gas passed through the anode. Everything combines and forms the water.

Thank

During this process, during this process, uh, what is the challenge we get? It is one is the thermal management. Another one is the hydrogen storage. Since hydrogen is highly reactive, it is difficult to store as a input fuel. Another one is the thermal management since we are using the membrane.

Uh.

When it could use the certain temperature limit as I said before if a temperature is not controlled.

Uh, it will dry up the memory. So the proton conductivity, uh, will not be there. So if a proton conductivity will not be there, it will affect the efficiency of the system. If more, more water content also present, then it will, then it will flooding will happen in the system. So the concentration will be more in the membrane. So both the cases.

In order to improve the fuel cell performance.

Has to be. Rectified.

Understood. You're identifying two critical challenges in fuel cells: thermal management and hydrogen storage. On the thermal front, an imbalance could either dry out the proton exchange membrane (reducing conductivity) or lead to flooding (compromising efficiency). On the storage side, hydrogen's reactivity complicates safe handling and containment. A final question in this area: Given these challenges, what specific advancements in materials or systems design do you think could mitigate these issues effectively?

Yes, uh, in order to mitigate these UH2UH drawbacks. So first one, when we go for the hydrogen storage, the researchers started working on.

Reformers, hydrogen reformers on the storage side. So my work is mostly, uh, uh, focused on the catalyst. So like in.

Uh, where? How you can umm.

Disassociate your hydrogen and hydrogen oxygen in the catalyst layer. So when we consider.

Formulating the good thermal techniques, we could able to avoid these drawbacks as well as in the thermal management. So the nano plate plays the major role in the thermal management system. So whatever the heat as I said before the heat generated has to be dissipated. So, so we we will be using the coolant material in order to cool down the system.

When when we by choosing the good catalyst as well as.

So now nano nano fluids are the promising technology where we can use the nano sized particles in the coolant.

Area coolant in order to dissipate the more heat. So this could be the one of the best possible solution.

Uh, in, in case of, uh, mitigate, uh, in case of, uh, mitigating these, uh, thermal management issues.

You've outlined two key solutions to address these challenges. On the hydrogen storage side, the use of hydrogen reformers appears to be a promising direction. Meanwhile, on the thermal management side, utilizing nanofluids—by incorporating nano-sized particles into coolant systems—seems to hold great potential for dissipating heat more effectively. Let's now discuss your teaching approach. How do you ensure that complex topics like these are effectively communicated and understood by students, particularly those who might be new to the field?

Yes, uh, basically first I will understand, uh, the concept, what I have to teach. Then I work on the topic how I could convey to the students, umm, mostly, uh, with the real time applications. If we are able to uh, uh, deliver a lecture, so it will definitely will reach them. So I will be mostly honest students centric oriented teaching.

Where I can give the more examples and real time applications and try to understand the core of the topic. Then I will deliver the rest to the students.

So where I can?

Understood. You focus on tailoring your teaching to ensure students grasp the fundamentals by integrating real-world applications and examples, making the content relatable and accessible. As a follow-up, how would you handle a situation where a particular group of students consistently struggles to grasp these complex concepts, even with your tailored approach?

So, uh, those kind of students, if they don't understand, I try to, uh, ask them where they are, uh, not understanding or where they are, uh, struggling to understand these concepts and they'll give them special attention, give them more example, relevant example, how, the way, which they can understand. So, so that, uh, everyone in the class, uh, could, could understand the topic which I intend to teach.

That approach makes sense—identifying their specific challenges and adapting your examples to their context can be very effective in ensuring broader understanding. Switching topics slightly, could you provide an example where you've successfully guided a student research project? What methods did you use to mentor and guide them through the process?

OK, so I could start with an example. Recently in my current college I I supposed to guide.

5 batches of students for the community service project as well as two batches of students with.

For the final year Btech projects, so each batch will contain the.

Students minimum of four maximum of 6 so in the first stage of project where the community service project involved in this project basically we have to address the issue what is the major community is facing so for that initially we went for the step by step process so since it is involved in the community service so we.

Divided the group into different team and then each team take up a different role.

In the first stage, what we have done, first we have to identify what the community each, uh, what is what community needs. So in that I have, we have visited the field, each field and then.

No, for example, if the farmer, if we are going for the farming field, we will be going to the real actual field and we'll we'll try to ask the people what is the actual problem they are facing and how we can give them solution as engineer. So like that first we formulated the issue, then we work on the issue we found we. We collected some background details based on that.

From the background details, we try to, uh, find out the gap, uh, we try to address the gap, what they is their needs and how we can give the solution to them. So then the next stage, we try to work on it during the work progress. They, they, what is their real needs of their problem. And then?

Problem and the desire required solution. So likewise I'll I tried the students for the community project where we consider for the my.

Finally, they'll bring up a project which states the.

Research cap on what possible solution we can give it up. So based on that the students works then step by step reviews happening. So one once they with with my guidance, they will try to figure out what are the challenges they faced and then we'll rectify 1 by 1. Finally they will come up with we came up with a very good project in all aspect area as well as a community project as well as in a bit of primary project. This is how the way which I.

Academic Btech, uh, project, uh, initially we have, we selected an area in that area, we'll, uh, uh, we'll try to search the literature survey. So from the literature survey, uh, we'll be finding out the research gap. What is the.

Thank you for sharing this example. It's clear that you employ a structured and hands-on mentoring process, from problem identification to solution development, while guiding students through both technical and community-oriented projects. By involving them in real-world scenarios and step-by-step reviews, you ensure not only learning but also practical impact. Let’s now discuss your research contributions. Could you highlight one of your significant research projects, perhaps your Ph.D. work, and walk me through its objectives, methodology, and key outcomes?

OK, so let me start with my PhD project. My PhD title is design performance enhancement of PMFC fuel cell using optimization techniques. So as in the first stage I have identified as we said, what are the problems I the first stage I gone through the interstellar survey of literature.

I have identified the issue. So one is the major cost I worked on and I interested on the thermal management system. So where what are the thermal management system is possible and the what are the possibilities?

To mitigate those, uh, those Then we populated, uh, the objective to minimize the, uh, uh, to minimize the.

Uh, to enhance the performance of the uh fuel cells in uh, in, in a well.

I I'm thinking a little bit confused, so I uh.

Thermal.

In my PhD thesis, I have developed a nano fluids in order to in order to mitigate the thermal thermal problems in the fuel cells so.

Develop First one is the optimization. So first I have to model the system, second one is I have to optimize the system. Third one is I have to improve the system, improve the system performance of the system in the first. In the first case what I have done.

As I said, I have gone for the several literature review to understand the PMFC, how does it functions and what are all the problems happening In that problem happened, I identify the thermal. Thermal management is the one of the effective challenges in the PMFC system. In the in that thermal management they used to went for the cooling technique. So in that cooling technique based on the operating temperature, there are several coolings available. So in this I have used for the nanofluids liquid cooling techniques.

So where I can use the solid particles there they have a very high thermal conductivity behavior rather than liquids. So we make, we usually they use the ethylene glycol as the nano fluid. So in that ethylene glycol we mix the nanoparticle, copper nanoparticle of a different size, so using the different concentration of copper nanoparticle.

Uh, copper nanoparticle concentration. I tried to test what, how the behavior, how the performance of the PMFC changes. So, uh.

Finally I identify.

I do that the performance, the performance of PMFC at a limited temperature when it is operated at the within the 60 to 70 temperature. The conductive thermal conductivity is it has a my prepared copper nanoparticle nano fluids has a very good thermal conduct. You exhibited a very good thermal conductivity. So prior to that I have to design a system.

For that I have to model the system. So for the better understanding analysis I have to. I have modeled the system using the optimization techniques. So there are optimization techniques is used for arriving the best possible solution with a variety of possible solutions. So with that I narrow down the theme of the design. So with the design I try to. Incorporate my thermal management system for non fluid, non fluid thermal management system.

So finally I could able to arrive an entire system of the.

Good performance PMFC.

Your

After that.

The next, the next, if you would ask me for my post doc research. So where I have done A2 work there, the first one is the dye sensitized solar cell parameter estimation. So the DSS size then sensitized solar cell which is already which is prepared by my mentor and my course scholar Evelina. So they have faced issue that they use the dye for.

Uh, different, uh, solar cells in that solar cells, uh, they couldn't identify So what, which concentration they will be able to get a better performance, so.

So I applied an optimization techniques for the different concentration. So I try to bring up a possible solution and for their problem. The second work is soiling of solar, solar photovoltaic. So soiling is nothing but accumulation of dust on the solar panels. So that is a major drawbacks when we when we consider in the solar photovoltaic.

So mostly by, uh, soil, uh, the soiling affects the performance of the performance of this solar PV cells. So we.

However, we, I try to, uh, I, I try to, uh, I first identify the sites where they can find out a more, umm, tested areas. So we, uh, we kept a model glass sampling model to in order to understand the soil and how it.

Happens in the solar photovoltaic and we finally try to analyze the what are the issues happening in the module. When we come up, we brought a solution by preparing the hydrophilic and hydrophobic coating on the solar peak.

So with that, uh, this is the minor recent, recent, recent, recent research work which I was working on.

Yes.

Thank you, Professor Priya, for sharing your comprehensive research journey. Your PhD work on developing nanofluids for thermal management in PEM fuel cells is impressive, particularly the use of copper nanoparticles in ethylene glycol for enhanced thermal conductivity. It evidently exhibits a strong grasp of both theoretical and experimental methodologies. Additionally, your postdoctoral contributions, particularly the application of optimization techniques for dye-sensitized solar cells and your research on mitigating soiling effects on solar photovoltaic panels with hydrophilic and hydrophobic coatings, demonstrate a practical approach to addressing real-world challenges in renewable energy. Let's now move on to discussing your publishing record. Could you share the key findings or the broader impact of your research as reflected in your peer-reviewed publications? How has your work contributed to the field of renewable energy?

All my work, all my research work, publications towards the renewable resources, especially in proton exchange membrane fuel cell and direct methanol fuel cell.

And one more work which I have worked on electronic electromagnetic remediation.

Of chromium contamination.

Under this all my research work whatever the work I have done it I have published as a articles.

Did I answer your question?

Yes, you've addressed the question. Your research contributions evidently span multiple areas within renewable energy and environmental remediation, and your efforts to publish your findings highlight your commitment to advancing these fields. Thank you for that summary. As a follow-up, how do you ensure the relevance and quality of your publications, particularly in aligning them with the current needs and evolving challenges of the renewable energy industry?

Yes, of course. Nowadays we are moving from the fossil fuel to the renewable energy. The.

Due to the climatic changes releasing of other toxic cases because all the process, all the compression process leads to the pollution and it releases the hazardous chemicals to the environment which causes the which causes the more effect on the environment. So all the worldwide there is a shift from the fossil fuel usage to the renewable energy. So my work is basically on the fuel cell apart from all the.

From all the resource, renewable resources, fuel cell plays the major role because the byproduct.

As long as when, whenever the fuel say you are sending the fuel and you are getting the output, whatever the output you in the form of electricity in the form of.

It perfectly will match.

That alignment makes sense—your research focus on fuel cells not only addresses the critical global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy but also prioritizes sustainability with zero-emission technologies. Your contributions indeed seem poised to support both academic advancements and industry adoption in this critical field. Moving toward a broader perspective, can you share your thoughts on the potential interdisciplinary collaborations you foresee in academic or industrial contexts to further drive innovation in renewable energy?

MMM, yes, of course.

Uh, when we come.

Deepak Ham asks in considering Tiphak. We can see that there are.

Whatever the IT is a it is bridging the collaboration between the industry and the academic. So I guess whatever the whatever the researchers does, the industry bringing it as a product so it could be implemented easily. When we collaborate with the we join hand with the industry.

So I could when I join Tifa core, possibly I can contribute more on it.

I see, Professor Priya. You've outlined the critical role of collaboration between academia and industry, particularly in translating research findings into practical, implementable solutions. This is vital for accelerating innovation in renewable energy. With that said, we've covered several aspects of your research, teaching, and expertise. Is there anything you’d like to add about your work or approach that we haven’t already discussed?

Yes, I would like to add up one more detailed to my resume. So recently I have submitted one proposal on the NRF 2D Hub innovation and fabrication of 2D materials. So in that I I worked as a contributor as a lead project investigator. Where I can have to collaborate with other partnering institutions. In that I tried to collaborate with 7.

Almost as 6 + 1, yes 7 collaborating institutions. So my current making my current institutions where I'm working as is Sri Venkateshwara College of Engineering. Engineering and technology as a hub institution. So we submitted that proposal. That proposal is gone for the second level of evaluation. So I would like to add up this.

Information to my.

Resume.

Yes, I can conclude the interview. Thanks for your interview, it was so much encouraging.

Thank you for sharing this additional information, Professor Priya. It’s commendable that you’ve taken the lead as a principal investigator in a collaborative proposal involving multiple institutions, focusing on innovation and fabrication of 2D materials. This demonstrates your ability to spearhead interdisciplinary research and manage complex collaborative efforts. I believe we’ve now explored your background comprehensively. Are you ready to conclude the interview, or is there anything else you’d like to address or discuss further?