Good day, Dr. Sulabh Sachan. 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?

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

OK, my name is Sulabh.

I did my bachelors from KNIT Sultanpur in Electrical engineering. I completed my masters from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in Power system and PhD from MN and IT Allahabad on the topic Electric vehicle Integration Management in distribution network.

Apart from that, I have total six years teaching experience and two and half years research experience as postdoctoral researcher.

Currently I am working edge postdoctoral researcher at University of Southeastern Norway in.

Power system background.

So total I have 8 years of experience. I have total 21 publications in sci index journals I have also.

Call supervised 2 PhD scholars and.

My research area is related to electric vehicle.

Charging, discharging and its integration issues.

With distribution network.

Thank you for sharing your impressive academic and research journey, Professor Sulabh.

Dr. Sachan, let us assess the following required skills for the position of Professor. Starting with your expertise in Power Electronics, Power Systems, or Control Systems: Can you share insights into the most complex problem you've addressed in these areas and how you resolved it?

Yes. So basically I belong to a power system area and particularly on that electric vehicle, if there is no scheduled charging, so there will be a peak load demand.

With the charging of electric vehicles on distribution network, so we have to.

Formulate a smart charging strategy so that our total demand it it it comes as a.

Flat curve in the base load demand.

So this is the challenging problem nowadays and as we know most of the countries are moving towards carbon CO2 free.

Transportation. So this is a challenging problem and I have successfully.

Solved this problem.

With my research work that is published in a good Impact Factor Q1 Sci Journal.

Thank you, Professor. Could you elaborate on the mathematical or computational framework you utilized in your research to address the charging strategy? Were there any specific algorithms or methodologies critical to achieving the flat load demand?

OK.

So basically.

In in my proposed charging strategy.

Fast, fast electric.

Take your time, Professor. Please continue when ready.

OK.

So in my case, I have developed a smart charging strategy. Based on that electric vehicle owner first sends its charging request to the distribution system operator and like how much charging is required for his electric vehicle thereafter.

DSO.

That is distribution system operator. It communicates with the grid operator and grid operator performs load flow calculation.

And it backed the information to the distribution system operator by like you have requested this much amount of power for the charging.

And now I have this much amount of power available for the charging. So based on the information received from the grid operator, distribution system operator informs to the electric vehicle owner like you have this much amount of the charging.

Power and particular nearby charging station.

So with this strategy, electric vehicle owner gets the exact information about the required charging power, charging location so it can avoid the long waiting time at the charging station as well as we don't get any peak load demand on the distribution.

Grid load.

Got it, Professor. It’s clear you’ve developed a comprehensive strategy that integrates communication between the EV owner, the distribution system operator, and the grid operator. For my final question on this, how did you validate the effectiveness of your strategy? Did you use simulations, real-world implementations, or a combination of both?

Yes, I have used the combination. I have developed the strategy and tested it on MATLAB. After that I have also tested in a non real time digital simulator and also I have developed a prototype regarding.

The whole concept.

Understood, Professor. Your multi-layered approach—using MATLAB, a real-time digital simulator, and prototyping—demonstrates thorough validation. Thank you. Let's move to the next skill: your ability to teach theory and laboratory courses. Can you describe your approach to teaching a complex theoretical concept to undergraduate students who might find the topic challenging?

Yes. So for the top.

Very challenging for the undergraduate student, so to them.

Apart from the lecture in the class, I also.

Provide them.

Tutorials based on that complex topic.

Apart from that I will provide them.

Practical knowledge.

I will provide them a practical knowledge so that they can be familiar with the complex topic and they get the hands-on practice with those complexities and they get relaxed.

Understood, Professor. It’s reassuring that you complement theoretical lectures with tutorials and practical sessions, ensuring students both understand and apply these challenging concepts. For a follow-up, how do you measure whether your students have truly grasped the material—particularly when it comes to these complex topics?

OK, so by.

Please go on.

So by taking some classroom test.

It will be clear how many students are OK with this topic or how many students are not OK with this topic.

So we have to.

Arrange some tutorials for week students as well as those students who want to get clarity on the complex topic.

Understood, Professor. Your approach of using assessments to identify gaps and providing tailored tutorials for students who need additional support demonstrates a thoughtful teaching strategy. Let’s proceed to the next point: your experience in student evaluation and exam duties. Could you describe a specific instance where you designed or supervised an assessment that effectively tested students’ understanding of the subject?

Yes, so.

Based on my previous.

Teaching experience.

Whenever I get the chance to design a question paper, so always I put some mandatory question based on scenario based problems. So based on that.

Students.

Get the exact.

Situation or they can rely how they can solve the problem.

Thank you, Professor. Including scenario-based problems is indeed a practical way to test students' problem-solving skills and their ability to apply theory in real-world situations. For a follow-up, how do you ensure the fairness and impartiality of the evaluation process, particularly when assessing these scenario-based answers?

So by providing so when?

Please continue.

So basically when we get.

The chance to evaluate the manuscript or the answer seat so at that time.

I make the solution for the particular scenario based questions and based on that.

Up to which steps the student makes.

Answers correctly. So basically that is step marking process.

So in this way students get some points.

Up to which he.

Mix.

No mistake.

Understood, Professor. Your use of a step-marking process ensures that students are graded fairly and rewarded for partial correctness, which is a balanced and thorough approach to evaluation. Now, let’s discuss your ability to guide student projects and research. Could you describe a successful student project or research initiative that you supervised? What was your role in guiding the student to completion?

When I have six years of teaching experience and in that I have guided so many bachelors student on their final project.

So in those project basically one of one of them.

I design A prototype charging station and that was validated over.

Three phase charging, three phase supply, single phase supply and renewable based supply and we have reduced the.

Timing.

To charge a fix type of two two Wheeler or three Wheeler and we successfully implemented some novel results and that's why that project was.

Selected among the best project in the Institute.

Thank you, Professor. Guiding the design and validation of such an innovative charging station project speaks highly of your mentorship and technical acumen. For a follow-up, what specific strategies did you use to keep the students motivated and on track throughout the project?

So.

Basically I tried the student to.

Get.

Some eject knowledge. Eject knowledge by providing them some videos and tutorials related to the.

Current research topics and current projects that are useful for the society and nation building.

Thank you, Professor. Providing students with exposure to current research and contextually impactful projects is an excellent way to keep them motivated and engaged. Let’s move to the next skill: your communication and structured teaching approach. How do you ensure your lectures are consistently clear, concise, and engaging for students?

So normally I also have labeled during the lecture edge online and also I upload the recording of my lecture on.

Social media platform so students get motivated and.

And basically I am available for them whenever students required over particular topic or what is going on in the lecture.

Thank you, Professor. Making yourself accessible and incorporating both live and recorded sessions certainly demonstrates a structured and student-focused teaching approach. For a follow-up, how do you adapt your teaching style if you notice that students are struggling to grasp a particular concept during your lectures?

So.

Normally I take the feedback from the students.

Are they OK with my teaching?

And if they are not so I conduct remedial classes for them.

And particularly I focused.

Please continue.

On particularly, I focused on each students who feels problem or difficulty to understand the particular topic or lecture.

Understood, Professor. Your approach of gathering feedback, conducting remedial classes, and offering individualized attention demonstrates a commitment to effective teaching. Let us now assess your qualification of having a Ph.D. in a relevant specialization. Could you share the primary focus of your Ph.D. research and its significance?

So my PhD topic is Electric Vehicle Integration Management and Distribution network. So particularly I have solved one problem regarding the charging infrastructure planning so.

If you have a distribution network So what will be the best optimal location where the charging station can be installed? So this problem I have solved using the load flow analysis and by performing sensitivity analysis and I remarked that the node where charging station can be installed. It should be like that if there should be.

Change in the load, change in the load demand so.

Our grid remains stable.

Thank you, Professor. It’s evident that your Ph.D. research on optimizing charging infrastructure planning holds both theoretical and practical significance, contributing to grid stability amidst increasing electric vehicle integration. Next, let’s discuss your research publications. Could you highlight one of your key publications and how it has contributed to the field or advanced understanding in your area of expertise?

Well, I have total 21 publications.

Out of them, five publications are published in Q1 Category Journal.

Out of five there is A1 publication over which I have tested different type of charging stations available in the market for electric vehicle and then I proposed a smart charging from my side.

And that.

Paper got published in a journal having impact factor.

12.

Please

Thank you, Professor. Publishing a paper in a high-impact journal with an impact factor of 12 speaks volumes about the quality and significance of your research contributions. To follow up, how has this publication influenced subsequent research or practical applications in the field?

Yes.

So basically in this problem.

I have proposed I have proposed a smart charging strategy.

Under which?

Please continue.

OK, I I have proposed a smart charging strategy under this publication.

And that was quite novel and innovative.

Thank you, Professor. Your emphasis on innovative approaches through your published work demonstrates your significant impact on advancing the field. Let’s now discuss your experience in industry projects or consultancy. Can you share an example of an industry project or consultancy role you have undertaken and your contributions to it?

Sorry to interrupt, we're down to the last 5 minutes.

Well, in my post doctorate I am dealing in a project that was given by the generation, transmission and distribution companies of the country Norway to my university on which generating companies they are looking.

To generate the revenue from reactive power. So basically I am dealing the problem of reactive power management.

Thank you, Professor. Working on a critical project involving reactive power management for major companies in Norway highlights your capacity for impactful consultancy and collaboration. As a follow-up, what specific methodologies or tools have you utilized in this consultancy work to manage the reactive power effectively?

So basically in this work I have.

First calculate the total.

Reactive power.

Please

Required for.

Stable condition.

Understood. Identifying the reactive power requirements for stability is a vital first step in such projects. What computational tools or models did you employ to determine this?

I have used Matlab and.

Applied optimization technique to.

Manage the reactive power.

Got it, Professor. Using MATLAB and optimization techniques to manage reactive power showcases your technical expertise in addressing such complex industry challenges. This concludes the skill verification. Thank you for your detailed responses.

Professor, let us begin with your teaching experiences. Could you share which specific course or subject you find most fulfilling to teach, and why?

Till now I have the experience of teaching power system subject for bachelors student. Apart from that power system planning for master's student. Also I have the experience to teach non conventional energy resources and electric vehicle.

Subjects as optional for undergrads as well as postgraduates.

Understood, Professor. Among the courses you've taught, what strategies have you found most effective in engaging students, particularly those in advanced-level subjects such as power system planning?

Be regular in the class. This is the first thumb rule apart from that.

Give to give assignment.

Tutorials.

And video lectures.

Dr. Sachan, I see that one of your research projects titled *"Stochastic Charging of Electric Vehicles in Distribution Grid"* involved the use of tools like MATLAB and Python. Could you explain how the outcomes of this research contribute to advancements in electrical engineering, specifically in grid management?

So in this particularly project I have developed a smart charging strategy and.

Make it sure it is different from the other available charging strategies for the electric vehicle. So in that case I have used a tool power system toolbox and I have used this toolbox to simulate the charging condition.

Create balance as well as load flow equations.

Understood. You developed a unique smart charging strategy for electric vehicles, leveraging the Power System Toolbox to simulate charging conditions, and you focused on balancing load as well as addressing load flow equations. How did you ensure that your smart charging strategy was both scalable and practical for real-world grid management? Could you detail some specific metrics or outcomes you used to evaluate its effectiveness?

Our scheduled time for the interview is now up. Before we conclude, do you have any questions related to the role or the company?

No, thank you very much.

Thank you, Dr. Sachan, for your time and detailed insights. It was a pleasure speaking with you. Best of luck in your endeavors!

May I leave?

Yes, you may. Thank you again, Dr. Sachan. Have a great day!

Yeah, thank you. You are you too.