Yes.

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia

Yes. Yes. Good evening, Sir. We can begin. Hello. Can you able to hear me?

Yes, I can hear you. Just a quick intro — your name and what you've been working on in academia?

Yeah. My name is Doctor V Lakya. Currently serving as assistant professor in Kingston Engineering College. I have been worked. I have completed my PhD in vit. And during my PhD. I have published nearly 12 papers. In reputed journals.

Yeah. My name is Doctor V Lakya. Currently serving as assistant professor in Kingston Engineering College. I have been worked. I have completed my PhD in vit. And during my PhD. I have published nearly 12 papers. In reputed journals. Uh, uh, while I'm doing my PhD, I have also guided around 4 BTEC students. And two MSC students. During their project. And we also published papers with them.

Yeah. My name is Doctor V Lakya. Currently serving as assistant professor in Kingston Engineering College. I have been worked. I have completed my PhD in vit. And during my PhD. I have published nearly 12 papers. In reputed journals. Uh, uh, while I'm doing my PhD, I have also guided around 4 BTEC students. And two MSC students. During their project. And we also published papers with them. While I'm doing pre HD. I've also received the prestigious CSAR fellowship. Senior research fellowship. Uh, hmm CSIR. The shows my research. This and I have also I have received the fellowship from the. Um, CSR. Based on. My research topic. My research topic is basically on synthesis of metal oxides and phosphates for. Cool coating applications here. Cool coating means. For green buildings, uh. Uh, so my pigments, my pains. So the pigments, which is, uh, the pains which is made out of my pigments. And make the. Buildings cooler, so this falls under the category of SDG. Three. That is, uh. While we. We are ready. Using the cost of. Uh, this saves the energy. Actually.

Dr. V Lakya, you mentioned publishing in reputed journals and currently teaching at Kingston Engineering College. I'd like to hear—what aspect of chemistry do you most enjoy teaching to students, and why?

Alright, you mentioned guiding BTech and MSc students on their projects and co-authoring papers with them. Can you give a concrete example of a project you supervised that was especially memorable or impactful for you as an educator?

Okay, so you worked on synthesizing metal oxides and phosphates for cool coating applications, and even tied that to the SDG goals and energy savings. When you explain this topic—let's say, the science of how these cool coatings work—to undergraduates who've never seen it before, what's your go-to analogy or teaching strategy to make it click?

So basically I just. A Teach the students. In a real life applications for for example if I want to teach them. About. Nanomaterials characterization How these nanomaterials are really. Helpful in synthesizing. In the real life applications. I do. Show my research which is based on nano materials. And I also show them the characterization techniques which will tell them that. These characteristics while this nanomaterials has the specific role that is. Shape controlled synthesis can lead to different different applications. So I can teach them. By showing my characterization, especially scanning electron microscopy images. So with those images I can relate them that these nano materials. A small change in. This methodology can lead to a big uh. Change in the application. And my research students that is for B.Tech and MSC students, they used to. They used to participate in the research in the laboratory along with with me. So I. I can tell them. Uh, I can teach them. How these nanomaterials can be? Synthesized. Using various techniques so while for the same material. If we are using various techniques. I mean the shape and size will be varied so that it can be used for different applications.

You mentioned your PhD thesis focused on "Near Infrared Reflective Pigments Based on Metal Phosphates and Oxides" for energy-saving applications. How did working on this research influence the way you structure lessons or laboratory sessions for your undergraduate students?

We basically. In in my. While I'm teaching my Btech students under. Actually the. For the bleeds. Since there is a separate unit called a nanotechnology and nanomaterials. They are learning about that subject. So this near infrared reflective pigments. We can prepare using this nanotechnology only so. That unit to. Uh, I mean nanotechnology that uh, unit is completely based on synthesis. Of nano materials in by various methods and the shape controlled synthesis. How these shape controlled synthesis? Manipulate the applications. So my research thesis is basically on MEAR. In reflective. Those pigments are. Completely different from that of uh. Traditional pigments in the way that. These traditional pigments are having a. Huge marvel morphology. That is they are in microstructure. Whereas my materials. When these microstructures or uh, synthesized in the nano scale? And they can show huge variation in their reflective. That is in the NIR near infrared region.

We basically. In in my. While I'm teaching my Btech students under. Actually the. For the bleeds. Since there is a separate unit called a nanotechnology and nanomaterials. They are learning about that subject. So this near infrared reflective pigments. We can prepare using this nanotechnology only so. That unit to. Uh, I mean nanotechnology that uh, unit is completely based on synthesis. Of nano materials in by various methods and the shape controlled synthesis. How these shape controlled synthesis? Manipulate the applications. So my research thesis is basically on MEAR. In reflective. Those pigments are. Completely different from that of uh. Traditional pigments in the way that. These traditional pigments are having a. Huge marvel morphology. That is they are in microstructure. Whereas my materials. When these microstructures or uh, synthesized in the nano scale? And they can show huge variation in their reflective. That is in the NIR near infrared region. Uh, that is between 700 to 2500 nanometer region.

We basically. In in my. While I'm teaching my Btech students under. Actually the. For the bleeds. Since there is a separate unit called a nanotechnology and nanomaterials. They are learning about that subject. So this near infrared reflective pigments. We can prepare using this nanotechnology only so. That unit to. Uh, I mean nanotechnology that uh, unit is completely based on synthesis. Of nano materials in by various methods and the shape controlled synthesis. How these shape controlled synthesis? Manipulate the applications. So my research thesis is basically on MEAR. In reflective. Those pigments are. Completely different from that of uh. Traditional pigments in the way that. These traditional pigments are having a. Huge marvel morphology. That is they are in microstructure. Whereas my materials. When these microstructures or uh, synthesized in the nano scale? And they can show huge variation in their reflective. That is in the NIR near infrared region. Uh, that is between 700 to 2500 nanometer region. So. And show them that. By varying the methodology, we can synthesize A nanomaterial which could be used for. This near infrared reflective application.

So you’re making the connection between the nanotechnology unit and your own research, showing students how reducing pigment size from micro to nano can affect infrared reflectance. When you teach this, how do you make sure students who struggle with the physics or spectroscopy don’t get left behind in lab or lecture?

Okay, so when you teach that nanotechnology unit, you’re directly connecting your research on pigment morphology and NIR reflectance to the curriculum, and showing how nano-sized materials behave differently from traditional ones. When you introduce these advanced research concepts to undergraduates, what strategies do you use to make sure students without a strong background in physical chemistry or materials science can still follow and engage with the material?

Okay, so by linking your research on NIR-reflective pigments to the nanotechnology unit, you're able to show students how a change at the nanoscale impacts real-world outcomes like energy efficiency. When you introduce these advanced concepts, how do you adapt your explanation for students who struggle with the underlying chemistry or physics?

Umm, basically so to. To analyze these concepts, they must know. Uh, the basic electronic structure. And the the. Basic electronic structure structural behavior. So that can be. I explained with them. I explained to them.

Umm, basically so to. To analyze these concepts, they must know. Uh, the basic electronic structure. And the the. Basic electronic structure structural behavior. So that can be. I explained with them. I explained to them. When we had a. Changing the band gap. Of a material it can. That is when there is a change in the lattice parameter and the bandgap. Electronic structure. Sure, so they can bring the change in the material.

Umm, basically so to. To analyze these concepts, they must know. Uh, the basic electronic structure. And the the. Basic electronic structure structural behavior. So that can be. I explained with them. I explained to them. When we had a. Changing the band gap. Of a material it can. That is when there is a change in the lattice parameter and the bandgap. Electronic structure. Sure, so they can bring the change in the material. Materials Property. So this. Property can change. So, umm. The students we have to tell. How this electronic confinements? Can the property of a material? So once they understand this concept. And definitely they can understand. The application.

Alright, so you focus on grounding advanced topics in the basics like electronic structure, and you explain those fundamentals directly. That makes sense. Dr. Lakya, before we move on, is there a particular publication of yours—maybe one of those twelve papers—that you feel best demonstrates your ability to connect research with teaching? Just name the paper and tell me briefly how you used it in a classroom or mentoring setting.

Alright, so you break down the concept of band gap and lattice changes to help students connect crystal structure with material properties. Is there a part of your research—maybe a specific experiment or paper—that you found especially challenging to explain to students, and how did you handle that?

Right, so you're grounding the advanced concepts in fundamentals like band gap and lattice parameters, and you walk students through how changes at the microscopic level impact material properties. Thinking back to your project on cool coatings—can you give me a specific example of a lab activity or demonstration you designed that really helped students grasp the real-world impact of your research?

No. Can you repeat the question? In a more modified way.

Sure, Dr. Lakya. Earlier you mentioned your pigments could make buildings cooler and save energy. Can you walk me through a hands-on lab or demo you’ve used—or would design—that helps students see for themselves how these materials change temperature or energy use in a real-world setting?

PM focused on the materials which. Already the school pigments. Available in white colours in the market. So I can relate them.

PM focused on the materials which. Already the school pigments. Available in white colours in the market. So I can relate them. So these white color materials. And fade away very easily and. Quickly. So that is the challenge where? That is the. Taken my research that my. My research is focused on colored. That that is aesthetic colors like yellow, green and blue pigments.

Okay, so you relate your pigments to commercial white pigments students already know about. If a student asked why your NIR-reflective pigments matter when standard white paints are already available, how would you explain the difference in terms of both chemistry and building energy use?

PM focused on the materials which. Already the school pigments. Available in white colours in the market. So I can relate them. So these white color materials. And fade away very easily and. Quickly. So that is the challenge where? That is the. Taken my research that my. My research is focused on colored. That that is aesthetic colors like yellow, green and blue pigments. Energy so. I can relate them. I can tell them that. These white pigments like titanium dioxide based white pigments are. Well, already cool they are. Could be. Which are available in the market? Basically so I can relate them that. This white pigments are already. So to. Uh, just to come down the. Disadvantages of these white pigments we are. Going through. We are just researching on. Pigment, Pigment. Inter Color pigment.

That makes sense—bridging aesthetics with functional performance is a real-world problem, not just a lab exercise. Now, given your focus on NIR-reflective pigments and cool coatings, where do you see the most fundable research directions in this field over the next few years? Which types of grants or funding agencies would you target to support this work at an institution like VIT University?

Alright, so you’re addressing the limitations of white pigments like titanium dioxide by working on colored NIR-reflective pigments—so you’re bridging aesthetics and performance, which is a real-world problem for green buildings. Thinking about this research, where do you see the most promising or fundable directions over the next few years, and which grants would you realistically go after to support that work?

Yeah, that's a good, good question. Actually, my research is focused completely on. After marketing.

Yeah, that's a good, good question. Actually, my research is focused completely on. After marketing. That is lab into market strategy as. This uh, my pigments, uh. Capacity. Making the building cooler. So it can be easily adapted, it can be easily taken to the market.

So you were saying your research is focused on after-market applications. Can you give me a concrete example of a grant agency or industry partner you’d target, and what makes your work attractive to them right now?

Yeah, that's a good, good question. Actually, my research is focused completely on. After marketing. That is lab into market strategy as. This uh, my pigments, uh. Capacity. Making the building cooler. So it can be easily adapted, it can be easily taken to the market. And our government is basically. Working on. The resources, which focuses on sustainable. I would definitely. The funding? I just hope. So I can pro. Which in DSTR CS. Such funding. Funding proceed. So that. I can tell them that, uh, see in my research. I could not able to during my research. I could not able to scale up to the market. So in my proposal, while I'm doing while I'm giving a proposal to any funding agencies. Able incorporate. Gaps in my research like. How to scale up what?

So you see strong market potential for your pigments because they're practical for energy savings and could be commercialized. Can you name a specific agency or industry partner you’d approach for funding, and what about your work do you think makes it attractive to them?

Yeah, that's a good, good question. Actually, my research is focused completely on. After marketing. That is lab into market strategy as. This uh, my pigments, uh. Capacity. Making the building cooler. So it can be easily adapted, it can be easily taken to the market. And our government is basically. Working on. The resources, which focuses on sustainable. I would definitely. The funding? I just hope. So I can pro. Which in DSTR CS. Such funding. Funding proceed. So that. I can tell them that, uh, see in my research. I could not able to during my research. I could not able to scale up to the market. So in my proposal, while I'm doing while I'm giving a proposal to any funding agencies. Able incorporate. Gaps in my research like. How to scale up what? Just that we have to do. When we are making a. Pigment into a paint. So. Those things I'll be taking into consideration and. And play. This these funding. Since it is a. Underlying in the sustainable habitat.

Yeah, that's a good, good question. Actually, my research is focused completely on. After marketing. That is lab into market strategy as. This uh, my pigments, uh. Capacity. Making the building cooler. So it can be easily adapted, it can be easily taken to the market. And our government is basically. Working on. The resources, which focuses on sustainable. I would definitely. The funding? I just hope. So I can pro. Which in DSTR CS. Such funding. Funding proceed. So that. I can tell them that, uh, see in my research. I could not able to during my research. I could not able to scale up to the market. So in my proposal, while I'm doing while I'm giving a proposal to any funding agencies. Able incorporate. Gaps in my research like. How to scale up what? Just that we have to do. When we are making a. Pigment into a paint. So. Those things I'll be taking into consideration and. And play. This these funding. Since it is a. Underlying in the sustainable habitat. Portfolio so I can easily get grab. The funding?

So you’re focused on the lab-to-market aspect and see government support for sustainable materials as a strong fit, especially if you address the scale-up gap in your proposals. Have you had any experience actually building collaborations—either with industry or across departments—to get these kinds of projects funded or off the ground, or would that be new territory for you at VIT?

You brought up that your pigments have after-market value and a clear sustainability angle, which aligns with a lot of current funding priorities. You said you’d incorporate the scale-up challenge in your proposals—can you give me an example of how you’d structure an interdisciplinary project at VIT, maybe involving both chemistry and engineering, to actually bridge that lab-to-market gap?

So you see your pigments as ready to move from lab to market, especially if you address scaling up from research to production, and you’d target agencies like DST or CSIR for funding. In your experience, have you guided any interdisciplinary or externally funded projects before, and if so, how did you handle project management and collaboration across departments or with industry partners?

No, so far I did not manage any funded projects whereas. I just since. I have a experience in working in the CSCR Senior Research Fellowship while I'm writing a proposal for for the fellowship. I I came to know what are all the procedures that we have to do? Uh, we have to. And so that I can. I can I can ask. Some expertise. Uh to help me in my project. In my. In my proper.

Alright, so you haven’t managed a funded project yet, but you’ve written proposals and understand the need for collaboration and seeking expertise. If you were to start an interdisciplinary project at VIT—say, combining your pigment research with civil engineering or architecture—how would you structure the student involvement so they’re not just passive assistants, but actually shaping the direction of the work?

Actually. In the students when I'm expect. Explaining to my students. Umm, since I have experience. On guiding the. Chemical engineering students who are completely. Listed on these type of researchers, so I would tell them how what is the? Life application.

Actually. In the students when I'm expect. Explaining to my students. Umm, since I have experience. On guiding the. Chemical engineering students who are completely. Listed on these type of researchers, so I would tell them how what is the? Life application. This is not simply synthesizing a material. Characterization. So that later they it can be produced as a paper.

Okay, so you’ve worked with chemical engineering students and you focus on making sure they see the real-life application. But what would you actually do if you noticed some students just weren’t engaging with the interdisciplinary project—how would you get them more involved?

Actually. In the students when I'm expect. Explaining to my students. Umm, since I have experience. On guiding the. Chemical engineering students who are completely. Listed on these type of researchers, so I would tell them how what is the? Life application. This is not simply synthesizing a material. Characterization. So that later they it can be produced as a paper. Whereas I can, I can. Also tell them possible ways. Umm. While these researchers can be taken into markets and. These. Still, during the explanation itself, I can told, I can tell. I can explain them. What are all the schemes available in the government like MSME they can scale up their ideas into. Ideas into? Checks or is. Into finally. To the product. So I can told I can explain them. How these materials and. Real life applications rather than. Researchers. I can take civil engineering students while they. Uh, during they are doing this research this since this is. Uh, based on. Green building. I can easily adopt. Strategy to make a green buildings. So that they can easily set. They can easily sell. In the. Interviews.

Okay, so you focus on showing students that it's not just about making and characterizing materials, but about their real-life impact and application. But what do you actually do if you notice some students just aren’t engaging or seem lost during these interdisciplinary projects?

I could I have faced these kind of problems? Uh, one of my student. He just he used to come to LA. And then do synthesis part. And then? He'll just leave as it is so. Hey, man, I, I just. Call him individually and told him. That how important these projects. In their future, for their future. Participation. And. I used to. Uh, explain what are all the? Possibilities. And what problem? Base it will. For the future so that. They can, uh. Can grasp the attention attention of the. Thank you.

You mentioned earlier that you’ve guided students and worked on research with a practical focus, but let’s talk about the broader responsibilities. Say you join our department and notice that outcome assessment data for accreditation is inconsistent across courses. How would you go about resolving that, given the administrative standards we have to meet?

Can you just? Come again with the question.

Alright, let's explore a scenario that comes up more often than we'd like. Imagine a student files a formal complaint alleging your grading is biased. At the same time, your department head is urging you to raise pass rates, hinting that too many failures reflect poorly on the department. How would you handle the situation to balance fairness to the student, your professional integrity, and the pressure from leadership?

I would counsel the students. Till the stores to. Just perform even more better so that. They can. They can easily cope up in the subject. Umm, that. All I can do.

Alright, let's shift gears a bit. Given your background with NIR-reflective pigments and energy materials, do you have any industry connections or collaborations that could help VIT students—maybe with internships, joint research, or exposure to real-world challenges?

Yeah, I. Have actually. Have a collaborator when? I know, yeah.

Yeah, I. Have actually. Have a collaborator when? I know, yeah. A company which is performing this kind of research, that is. Near to our near to our place native there is a company called. Tramarin Pigments. Which is focusing on. On preparation of ultramarine blue and other pigments. And have a warranty department as well. And. We have already collaboration that is bit is having already collaboration with. This ultramarite pigments during my research times.

Since you mentioned collaborating with an industry partner, I'm curious—have you ever been involved in any consultancy projects or industry-sponsored research, or are there areas where you see your expertise fitting into real-world commercial problems?

Yeah, I. Have actually. Have a collaborator when? I know, yeah. A company which is performing this kind of research, that is. Near to our near to our place native there is a company called. Tramarin Pigments. Which is focusing on. On preparation of ultramarine blue and other pigments. And have a warranty department as well. And. We have already collaboration that is bit is having already collaboration with. This ultramarite pigments during my research times. My babies used to. I mean. One of my faculty. As a collaboration with that SO. But I use. To come. I used to. Interaction with those. Students and now my June. But also working in the R&D department in the Ultramarine. So definitely I can. The students for their internship. Because. Their R&D is focusing on preparation of these kinds of NAR reflective pigments nowadays and they used to. How many set?

Yeah, I. Have actually. Have a collaborator when? I know, yeah. A company which is performing this kind of research, that is. Near to our near to our place native there is a company called. Tramarin Pigments. Which is focusing on. On preparation of ultramarine blue and other pigments. And have a warranty department as well. And. We have already collaboration that is bit is having already collaboration with. This ultramarite pigments during my research times. My babies used to. I mean. One of my faculty. As a collaboration with that SO. But I use. To come. I used to. Interaction with those. Students and now my June. But also working in the R&D department in the Ultramarine. So definitely I can. The students for their internship. Because. Their R&D is focusing on preparation of these kinds of NAR reflective pigments nowadays and they used to. How many set? Have a with my research.

Yeah, I. Have actually. Have a collaborator when? I know, yeah. A company which is performing this kind of research, that is. Near to our near to our place native there is a company called. Tramarin Pigments. Which is focusing on. On preparation of ultramarine blue and other pigments. And have a warranty department as well. And. We have already collaboration that is bit is having already collaboration with. This ultramarite pigments during my research times. My babies used to. I mean. One of my faculty. As a collaboration with that SO. But I use. To come. I used to. Interaction with those. Students and now my June. But also working in the R&D department in the Ultramarine. So definitely I can. The students for their internship. Because. Their R&D is focusing on preparation of these kinds of NAR reflective pigments nowadays and they used to. How many set? Have a with my research. Experience I used to. Extend so definitely I.

Yeah, I. Have actually. Have a collaborator when? I know, yeah. A company which is performing this kind of research, that is. Near to our near to our place native there is a company called. Tramarin Pigments. Which is focusing on. On preparation of ultramarine blue and other pigments. And have a warranty department as well. And. We have already collaboration that is bit is having already collaboration with. This ultramarite pigments during my research times. My babies used to. I mean. One of my faculty. As a collaboration with that SO. But I use. To come. I used to. Interaction with those. Students and now my June. But also working in the R&D department in the Ultramarine. So definitely I can. The students for their internship. Because. Their R&D is focusing on preparation of these kinds of NAR reflective pigments nowadays and they used to. How many set? Have a with my research. Experience I used to. Extend so definitely I. A good rapport with those. Umm management so I can arrange them? Internship opportunities. Visit in. Industry Visit. To that company. And we can also. Umm. So uh. By collaborating with them, we can also come. We'll get to know some other companies as well, so I can do that.

Yeah, I. Have actually. Have a collaborator when? I know, yeah. A company which is performing this kind of research, that is. Near to our near to our place native there is a company called. Tramarin Pigments. Which is focusing on. On preparation of ultramarine blue and other pigments. And have a warranty department as well. And. We have already collaboration that is bit is having already collaboration with. This ultramarite pigments during my research times. My babies used to. I mean. One of my faculty. As a collaboration with that SO. But I use. To come. I used to. Interaction with those. Students and now my June. But also working in the R&D department in the Ultramarine. So definitely I can. The students for their internship. Because. Their R&D is focusing on preparation of these kinds of NAR reflective pigments nowadays and they used to. How many set? Have a with my research. Experience I used to. Extend so definitely I. A good rapport with those. Umm management so I can arrange them? Internship opportunities. Visit in. Industry Visit. To that company.

So you’ve already got a connection with Tramarin Pigments and some history collaborating with them, which could be valuable for student exposure. Since you’ve worked on research projects and guided students, what’s your approach to evaluating student performance in both theory and lab courses—do you use traditional exams, practicals, continuous assessment, or something else?

So you’ve got a working relationship with Ultramarine Pigments, and you’ve even had students land in their R&D department. Thinking about your teaching style—when you’re preparing a new theory or lab course, how do you ensure your lectures stay structured and clear, especially for students who might not have a strong chemistry background?

So you’ve got a connection with Ultramarine Pigments and you’ve even helped students land spots in their R&D department, which is great for bridging research and industry. Thinking about your own publication record, can you give me an example of a research paper you published that you’re most proud of, and walk me through why it stands out—maybe in terms of methodological rigor, impact, or novelty?

So you’ve got a real connection with Ultramarine Pigments and you’ve helped students get into their R&D. Since you’ve worked in research and with industry, have you published your work in any peer-reviewed journals, and if so, could you walk me through what you think made one of your papers stand out for publication?

You’ve got a solid industry connection with Ultramarine Pigments and you’ve clearly thought about student engagement. Let’s talk about your publications—can you share one of your research papers published in a reputed journal, and walk me through what made it impactful or unique in your field?

Hello Sir, are you there?

Alright.

I will give. Umm, the trip I'll give them. Clear cut. Blueprint of. Send details. So in the R&D department in that particular company. Warranty department. They have. They have provision. Making a pigment into paint. So usually before we go into. Internship the student has to prepare the material. And characterized. Characterized in such a way that the. Material does. Having secondary phase. And they also. Also ensure. That the material synthesized. Student. Student. Uh. Size in the nano range. With the stipulated, I mean with us. It's quite a shape with a uniform shape and more. Gee, so it is. Half the way we have to do in the college and. The remaining part we have to we can do in. R&D department. So once this synthesis. Part is done and we have a clear guide idea about our. A material, then we can. We, we, we'll be having a set of. Uh, pigment. So we. Each other coming. Better results and better reflectance we can give. We can give that material. And we can tell the student to go and. The paint. Formulate it into a paint pattern.

I will give. Umm, the trip I'll give them. Clear cut. Blueprint of. Send details. So in the R&D department in that particular company. Warranty department. They have. They have provision. Making a pigment into paint. So usually before we go into. Internship the student has to prepare the material. And characterized. Characterized in such a way that the. Material does. Having secondary phase. And they also. Also ensure. That the material synthesized. Student. Student. Uh. Size in the nano range. With the stipulated, I mean with us. It's quite a shape with a uniform shape and more. Gee, so it is. Half the way we have to do in the college and. The remaining part we have to we can do in. R&D department. So once this synthesis. Part is done and we have a clear guide idea about our. A material, then we can. We, we, we'll be having a set of. Uh, pigment. So we. Each other coming. Better results and better reflectance we can give. We can give that material. And we can tell the student to go and. The paint. Formulate it into a paint pattern. So in that during that phase. What are all the steps? That they have to follow. Those things. Uh, in the Army department they will guide. And later on. Umm, that. We can identify whether that particular material. Are the pig nano material? Can be utilized can. Formulated. Paint or not and we have to check what is. Property tinting strength the. And. We can be quoted. What all those things are we have to check. Department and. They also have a provision. Of checking its temperature resistance. So once. Resistance is. So very good. These pigments can also be used in the ceramic. For making it as ceramic tile.

I will give. Umm, the trip I'll give them. Clear cut. Blueprint of. Send details. So in the R&D department in that particular company. Warranty department. They have. They have provision. Making a pigment into paint. So usually before we go into. Internship the student has to prepare the material. And characterized. Characterized in such a way that the. Material does. Having secondary phase. And they also. Also ensure. That the material synthesized. Student. Student. Uh. Size in the nano range. With the stipulated, I mean with us. It's quite a shape with a uniform shape and more. Gee, so it is. Half the way we have to do in the college and. The remaining part we have to we can do in. R&D department. So once this synthesis. Part is done and we have a clear guide idea about our. A material, then we can. We, we, we'll be having a set of. Uh, pigment. So we. Each other coming. Better results and better reflectance we can give. We can give that material. And we can tell the student to go and. The paint. Formulate it into a paint pattern. So in that during that phase. What are all the steps? That they have to follow. Those things. Uh, in the Army department they will guide. And later on. Umm, that. We can identify whether that particular material. Are the pig nano material? Can be utilized can. Formulated. Paint or not and we have to check what is. Property tinting strength the. And. We can be quoted. What all those things are we have to check. Department and. They also have a provision. Of checking its temperature resistance. So once. Resistance is. So very good. These pigments can also be used in the ceramic. For making it as ceramic tile. So we have to give them, uh. We have to give give the student a clear cut idea. How to? Start like from the literature survey. And till how it can be? Made it as a. Get ready, Protector.

I will give. Umm, the trip I'll give them. Clear cut. Blueprint of. Send details. So in the R&D department in that particular company. Warranty department. They have. They have provision. Making a pigment into paint. So usually before we go into. Internship the student has to prepare the material. And characterized. Characterized in such a way that the. Material does. Having secondary phase. And they also. Also ensure. That the material synthesized. Student. Student. Uh. Size in the nano range. With the stipulated, I mean with us. It's quite a shape with a uniform shape and more. Gee, so it is. Half the way we have to do in the college and. The remaining part we have to we can do in. R&D department. So once this synthesis. Part is done and we have a clear guide idea about our. A material, then we can. We, we, we'll be having a set of. Uh, pigment. So we. Each other coming. Better results and better reflectance we can give. We can give that material. And we can tell the student to go and. The paint. Formulate it into a paint pattern. So in that during that phase. What are all the steps? That they have to follow. Those things. Uh, in the Army department they will guide. And later on. Umm, that. We can identify whether that particular material. Are the pig nano material? Can be utilized can. Formulated. Paint or not and we have to check what is. Property tinting strength the. And. We can be quoted. What all those things are we have to check. Department and. They also have a provision. Of checking its temperature resistance. So once. Resistance is. So very good. These pigments can also be used in the ceramic. For making it as ceramic tile. So we have to give them, uh. We have to give give the student a clear cut idea. How to? Start like from the literature survey. And till how it can be? Made it as a. Get ready, Protector. So we have to tell them. We have to guide them each in. In each and every. Fees so that where? So, uh, we can rectify.

Alright, so you're structuring the internship so students do the synthesis and characterization at the college, then move to the R and D department to work on paint formulation and practical application. That’s pretty hands-on. Now, thinking about your research experience — have you published your work in any peer-reviewed journals, and if so, can you walk me through one paper you’re especially proud of?

So you’d have students do the synthesis and characterization at the college, then move to the company’s R&D to work on paint formulation, property testing, and even see if the pigments could be used for ceramics. That’s a pretty hands-on process. Switching gears, Professor, can you give me an example of how you structure your exams or student evaluations to ensure they measure both theoretical understanding and practical skills in your courses?

So you’d have students handle the synthesis and characterization at the college, then take their best materials into the company’s R and D to work on paint formulation, property testing, and maybe even see if the pigments could be used for ceramics or tiles. Given all that, have you published any of these collaborative projects or your own work in peer-reviewed journals? If so, can you walk me through how you chose where to submit and what the peer review feedback process was like?

Alright, so you’d have students handle the initial synthesis and nano-characterization in the college, then bring their best material to the company’s R&D to work hands-on with paint formulation, property testing, and maybe even look at applications like ceramic tiles. Let’s switch gears—can you tell me about one of your research publications in a reputed journal, and what specifically you contributed to that work?

One of my research that is CDM and high end doped com right? The test. Uh, in their reflective pigment. For cool coating applications. So in that material initially. The first material is zinc al. Garnet is nothing but zinc.

One of my research that is CDM and high end doped com right? The test. Uh, in their reflective pigment. For cool coating applications. So in that material initially. The first material is zinc al. Garnet is nothing but zinc. Oh, you used to lie. We have this. Zinc Aluminum. Need to have the specific property that. Either it shows. A huge applications like it. It can be. It is used in. Electronics as well as. Catalytic Photocatalyst. And the literature also shows that. Zinc culminate based blue pigment.

One of my research that is CDM and high end doped com right? The test. Uh, in their reflective pigment. For cool coating applications. So in that material initially. The first material is zinc al. Garnet is nothing but zinc. Oh, you used to lie. We have this. Zinc Aluminum. Need to have the specific property that. Either it shows. A huge applications like it. It can be. It is used in. Electronics as well as. Catalytic Photocatalyst. And the literature also shows that. Zinc culminate based blue pigment. Focus on yellow pigments. So so we just. Umm tried variial Tri various trials. Riker. We have synthesized around. 50 materials.

So you started to explain about your work on cadmium and high-end doped materials for NIR-reflective pigments and cool coatings, but you trailed off after describing the zinc aluminate garnet. What exactly was your contribution to that publication—were you leading the synthesis, the characterization, or the application testing?

One of my research that is CDM and high end doped com right? The test. Uh, in their reflective pigment. For cool coating applications. So in that material initially. The first material is zinc al. Garnet is nothing but zinc. Oh, you used to lie. We have this. Zinc Aluminum. Need to have the specific property that. Either it shows. A huge applications like it. It can be. It is used in. Electronics as well as. Catalytic Photocatalyst. And the literature also shows that. Zinc culminate based blue pigment. Focus on yellow pigments. So so we just. Umm tried variial Tri various trials. Riker. We have synthesized around. 50 materials. So that we could able to identify. We could able to. Identify which one is working out best. That is, we just. Try to. Hope this cerium and iron in the zinc and aluminum lattice and we have also tried. Co-doping also. So out of those. Those 50 materials we. Very few materials show very. Reflective property, that is, they have shown a very good reflectance in that particular region. So that reflect. Lee is responsible for. Full coating application. So we have taken that material and we have checked, we have tested its. Stability. By just. Getting it into. Calcination and later on we found out a material which is having a high thermal stability. So that. The material we have chosen. We have took and then we. Acidic and basic strength so. At Material. So we have concluded that. One particular particular material is having a very good. Hello pigment, very good yellow hue. ENIR Reflectance.

One of my research that is CDM and high end doped com right? The test. Uh, in their reflective pigment. For cool coating applications. So in that material initially. The first material is zinc al. Garnet is nothing but zinc. Oh, you used to lie. We have this. Zinc Aluminum. Need to have the specific property that. Either it shows. A huge applications like it. It can be. It is used in. Electronics as well as. Catalytic Photocatalyst. And the literature also shows that. Zinc culminate based blue pigment. Focus on yellow pigments. So so we just. Umm tried variial Tri various trials. Riker. We have synthesized around. 50 materials. So that we could able to identify. We could able to. Identify which one is working out best. That is, we just. Try to. Hope this cerium and iron in the zinc and aluminum lattice and we have also tried. Co-doping also. So out of those. Those 50 materials we. Very few materials show very. Reflective property, that is, they have shown a very good reflectance in that particular region. So that reflect. Lee is responsible for. Full coating application. So we have taken that material and we have checked, we have tested its. Stability. By just. Getting it into. Calcination and later on we found out a material which is having a high thermal stability. So that. The material we have chosen. We have took and then we. Acidic and basic strength so. At Material. So we have concluded that. One particular particular material is having a very good. Hello pigment, very good yellow hue. ENIR Reflectance. Thermal stability and. Harsh environments. Stability. So that. You have to so this is 1. Research I have planned to. Read this research into next level that is into. My fitting up into. To opt for this R&D. I have completed my PhD. Before itself I could not table to. Work on that. So my future work is plans plan. It will be. From this material.

Alright, you described work with zinc aluminate garnet for NIR-reflective pigments and touched on its use in electronics and catalysis. Let’s talk about industry projects—have you ever directly consulted for a company, or been involved in a consultancy where your research was applied to solve a real-world industrial problem? If so, what was your role and what was the outcome?

So you led a study on cadmium and doped zinc aluminate materials for NIR-reflective pigment coatings, handling everything from material synthesis to trials and applications. To wrap up, Dr., have you ever worked directly on consultancy projects with industry, or taken on roles outside of academia that involved applying your chemistry expertise?

So you synthesized and tested about 50 different materials, narrowed down your candidates by reflectance and stability, and settled on a pigment with good NIR properties and thermal resistance. That’s a solid research arc. Last thing—have you had any experience with consulting for industry or working on applied projects outside academia, where your chemistry expertise directly contributed to a business or product?

Okay, so you worked on cerium and iron-doped zinc aluminate pigments, ran dozens of synthesis trials, and really dug into reflectance and stability testing to push the material toward practical use. Now, Dr., for this role, having a PhD in a relevant specialization is a must. Can you briefly state your doctoral research area and your awarding institution?

My PhD. Started from VIT Vellore, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore.

My PhD. Started from VIT Vellore, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore. My research area. Focused on synthesis. Near rainfall at Reflective. Based on FERC coating applications. As well as energy Now what kind of? Role is assigned.

Right, so your doctoral work was at VIT Vellore and you've clearly got firsthand experience with research publication and applied materials. Dr., we're wrapping up—do you have any questions for me about the role or the team? You can ask up to two.

Now what kind of? Role is assigned. For this particular. Opening. Can you please tell me? Specialization they are looking for Specialization they are looking for. For this particular.

Sure, Dr. The Assistant Professor role here focuses on teaching undergraduate and graduate chemistry courses, supervising labs and student research, mentoring students, and contributing to both curriculum and departmental research activities. There's also an expectation to publish, support student projects, and participate in academic administration. Anything else you'd like to know about the role or the team?