Good day, Soundharrajan Vaiyapuri. 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.

Yeah, thank you very much. Actually, as you know, like I'm Doctor Raj.

My bachelors in chemical and electrochemical engineering and I have advanced training on material science engineering through my PhD degree in Chandam National University in South Korea. Uh, I have uh.

Uh, international postdoctoral experience with the strong uh, publication output. Moreover, I have previous industrial exposure. Also, I worked as a, uh, production engineer in uh, India, uh, in micro pack private and limited, which is a printed circuit board manufacturing unit. I served as a production in charge for the gold plating process, which is uh, linked with the electrochemistry of the basic concepts, which I get from the bachelors.

Uh, moreover, I have uh, strong publications, uh uh, in battery concepts, uh, after I move to PSD degree in South Korea, uh, like I, my major works focuses on the development of electron materials for the next generation batteries, including sodium and batteries, zinc and batteries and recently introduced manganese, iron and manganese iodine based batteries. My recent research activities shifted from the materials. Fabrication to electrolyte engineering.

Where, uh, in the present, uh, organization that is university where I said there's a postdoctoral researcher, I focus on develop on the focus on development of uh, new types of ultra light, which serves as a, a capacity donor where I don't need any active transition metal in the cathode side, where we need a simple carbon based material, where electrolyte itself serve as a capacity donor, which undergoes a conversion reaction during the charge and discharge process, which can be applied not only to zinc iodine.

Zinc based batteries, it can be used for manganese based batteries, manganese or other aluminum based batteries and so on. So now I'm trying to explore a different aspects of the batteries and I have documented closely 40 plus research articles and I go documented 2 patents from my PSD works. That's how I'm going on.

Thank you for sharing your background, Professor. I see you've built a strong track record in both academia and industry, with significant contributions to next-generation battery research and electrochemical engineering. Let me start by acknowledging the depth of your expertise in materials science and your focus on cutting-edge electrolyte engineering. I’d like to delve into your teaching approach next. As a prospective professor, how would you structure a course on renewable energy storage systems for graduate-level students to ensure clarity and engagement?

As we all know, like renewable energy has been the heart of our invention right from our home to our industrial applications. Like we the previously we used to have the coal based technologies and I will try to explain the students what is the harm harmful effects of the.

The non renewable energy systems and why renewable energy systems are important.

And I will try to link with a practical example and practical demonstration, uh, like, for example, uh, the use of, uh, uh, solar cell like, which doesn't uh, use any, uh, like heating or any other like hot techniques. For example, going cold burning will release N number of like byproducts and number of like carbon dioxide and other byproducts and its impacts. I will try to explain using. Some practical demonstration on how it impact.

And I will try to highlight why renewable energy is important for solar cell or wind energy or tidal energy and so on. So I will try to make the students to have a hands on experience on and they will I will try to introduce the solar cell and I will try to demonstrate like how it charges. For example, we can buy a single simple solar cell and we can demonstrate the students like how it helps in charging and recharging of any electrical devices. And we can and I will try to explain that we are using.

Day-to-day activities. So that's how I will try to focus, uh, explain the students like, uh, not only, uh, just only the physical concepts, I will try to explain with the live demonstration so that they can understand easily.

It sounds like your approach focuses on creating clear connections between theoretical concepts and real-world applications, which is key for effective teaching. Incorporating live demonstrations and hands-on activities can indeed enhance understanding and engagement. How would you assess students' learning outcomes in such a course to ensure they're gaining both theoretical knowledge and practical skills?

I like for the student like assessment I I don't really really rely only on the exam outputs like the marks are different like every students will have the different speed of learning. So I will try to make sure they will get good understanding and I will try to make many quizzes some.

Quiz events or some maybe some.

Uh, like, uh, like other interactive sections, like I will try to make sure they will, uh, actively participate during the lectures. And I will try to make sure, uh, the students centric, uh, teaching, uh, and also I will give.

A short projects or mini projects? Or maybe I can help them to? Involve or introduce some cross collaboration from different universities.

And so on, uh, I can bring some expertise to, uh, make sure they can get some, uh, international, uh, collaboration, like through like kind of international teaching exposure, like inventor lecture and so on. That's how I want to teach the students.

Your focus on student-centered learning, active participation, and incorporating diverse methods for assessment and collaboration is commendable. Introducing international exposure and cross-collaborative opportunities can certainly broaden their perspectives and provide valuable real-world insights. Let’s shift slightly—how would you guide and mentor graduate students in their research projects, especially those focused on renewable energy systems and advanced battery technologies?

Yeah, it's actually a good one. Like for example I will try to explain the simple things, simple concept because for example I will start with an example.

The students are very well known that batteries tend to heat. I will try to.

Start with that example for the students like.

How a single lithium reaction can convert it into like life threatening battery explosion issue uh like I will try to explain the, the fundamentals behind it since they are very familiar with the heating related challenges because they might have heard about it and they might have learned a lot of articles about EV vehicles Catching Fire and so on and I will. Make sure they I will give a direct.

Lab based demonstration.

And I will make sure the the students learn from the basics of the battery fabrication from Elro Elroad preparation like electrolyte filling and and battery fabrication under consecutive analysis. In that way they can easily understand what exactly going inside the battery.

And how it can induce and how it at A1 single failure can induce a battery failure. And and I will explain the importance of batteries in storing the energy that was harvested from the renewable energy system. For renewable energy system, we obviously don't need a high energy systems like non Aquas batteries like lithium-ion batteries or sodium and batteries. So here we can introduce the new. For example, I can give us practical example with my new innovations like.

That's zinc iodine battery or manganese iodine battery or zinc and batteries how? And I I can highlight the importance of that battery under advantage over the the fire fire like fire harmful lithium and batteries because these batteries are fire free and they are eco friendly. So and I will highlight the importance like renewable energies very good because it doesn't involve any other complex procedures. And the same way the is also follows the same pattern as that of the renewal energy. So I will try.

Link both energy harvesting and energy storage to the students in a better and clear way. So I will try to give a practical demonstration of both the concepts.

You have a very lab-oriented and experiential approach, which is excellent for ensuring that students not only grasp theoretical fundamentals but also develop hands-on expertise. By focusing on real-world challenges like battery safety and the practical application of energy storage systems, you are fostering critical thinking and innovation. Linking renewable energy generation with storage solutions is essential for training future engineers and researchers in this field. Now, I’d like to focus on another important aspect—how do you balance your research objectives with teaching commitments, especially as a faculty member responsible for mentoring students and contributing to the academic community?

Yeah, it's very important, uh, like we need to stay in focus, uh, like we need to be aware of, uh, of the day-to-day research activities and, uh, research updates, which currently the fellow researchers around the global globe doing. Like I, I always make a, a planned schedule for my teaching as well As for the, uh, uh, research area, uh, like I used to have a scheduled time manner for teaching and.

At least that's teams like.

I, I, I tried to make a summary and propose timeline so that I, I, I don't miss either of this like like like like my learning on the new research topics will give a new insights and I I can get some more inputs and how I I can integrate my research experience. And I will try to link with the teaching module like. I'll try to give some like in the new learning from the research, not only.

Stay it should not not only stay with me. So I will try to bring those, uh, advertisement to the classroom. And then I will try to explain the, the new innovations in in addition to the basic concepts, uh, like irrespective of the classes which we are taking on. And I will try to merge the new updates on renewable energy as well as the battery concepts during the lecture of the renewable energy based lectures. So it, it, it should be engaging for.

The students so that they can, uh, they can make sure, uh, they will learn not only the basic answer, but they will also, uh, get outside new, uh, energy advances and so on.

Your approach to integrating cutting-edge research into teaching demonstrates a clear commitment to keeping students updated with the latest advancements and ensuring the classroom experience remains dynamic and engaging. Maintaining a structured schedule to balance both teaching and research commitments is indeed crucial for excelling in both areas. Thank you for your thoughtful responses so far. Let's now review your technical expertise to verify your depth in the key competencies expected for this role. We will examine specific skills in a focused manner moving forward. Could you elaborate on your understanding of energy engineering, particularly in contexts where sustainable energy solutions are designed for large-scale applications?

That's like, that's a good one, like energy engineering, like it, it's not a simple like I, I mean, it's not a single area of research. It is an interdisciplinary research area. Like for example, the energy which was generated from the, the renewable energy systems that should be stored in specific energy storage devices, like there has been different types of energy storage devices has been used to store the energy that was harvested from the renewable energy.

Uh like uh, like like, you know, right, like uh, the world's uh, the gold standard lithium and batteries has been top mark uh in for the electric vehicle based application. However, the the availability and cost and the some risk make sure makes makes that the lithium-man batteries cannot be used for renewable energy storage applications where for reliable energy storage applications, the size doesn't matter. Like lithium batteries can be used in a places where we need.

Uh higher energy under a smaller size of the batteries. On the other hand, in the renewable energy area, like under uh storage hubs, uh, we can use the uh, the century old.

Uh, let us see battery systems they're uh they're risk free, even though the LED is quite toxic uh they're risk free. So that's why our research recent activities are uh developing like more focused on the electric lead free energy storage division that the once one such system is ink based systems where they exhibits energy output in fact, two or three times higher than that of the lithium, sorry ledesi batteries. And they also use water based electrolyte so which doesn't catch fire.

And the storage is not a problem for the these kind of batteries. So I strongly believe integrating the multi disciplinary aspects of the energy engineering is very important. It doesn't it not only focus only on.

Uh, the renewable energy system. So it's a combination of all. So that's how I always, uh, integrate my research, uh, activities on the energy engineering.

Your perspective on energy engineering as an interdisciplinary field is insightful. Highlighting the trade-offs between different energy storage options—like lithium-ion for high energy density and compact applications versus reliable, safer, and cost-effective alternatives such as lead-acid or zinc-based batteries—is indeed critical for solving large-scale energy challenges. Your approach to incorporating water-based, fire-resistant electrochemical systems also aligns with the push for safer and eco-friendly energy solutions. Moving to another key skill, how do you ensure efficacy in teaching theory and laboratory courses, specifically in a way that addresses the varied learning paces and backgrounds of students?

Like.

Like the, the the, the laboratory concepts would be, uh, like given with a practical demonstration like.

Like we can try to link, uh, the laboratory concept to the.

Uh.

That the classroom teaching uh, like for example, I will try to uh explain the simple concepts to them uh, like the key concepts in fab battery like for example, since I'm a manager in battery, so I try to give an like demo with the battery thing like electrode preparation from electrode preparation to electrolyte engineering. Like they look simple, but there there are quite complicated techniques are.

So I will try to explain, uh, like, for example, in the preparation there has been different techniques are there? So, and I will try to explain, uh, like each technique has their own, uh, advantage. Uh, like for example, we can classify the synthesis technique into solid-state method or solid gel method or wet chemical. I, I can say like wet chemical method or solid-state method. Like I can highlight the importance of the wet chemical method. Like we can get a good morphology or good nano sized particle, but on the other.

For the practical application, solid-state method is more feasible. As you know, for a bulk synthesis of materials, we cannot rely on wet chemical method because each like which need more infrastructure and cost investment is very high. And the other kind solid-state structure, solid-state synthesis technique which doesn't need any big infrastructure and cost and they are cost-effective. So and also they can be. Industrial oriented application and it is highly related.

Linked with industrial oriented application so students will understand that the importance of why we why we need a specific method, why we need uh, like for example, uh, like I will explain uh what what exactly like in specific area we need nano materials, for example, electrolyte, like in solid-state electrolyte or in anode engineering, we need a nano sized products, for example, in lithium silicon batteries, the silicon will undergo volume change and it can induce high volume change so we.

Of any nano sized silicon as an add-on material. On the other hand the cathode side the same as lithium and battery, the cathode side which need to be have a micro sized particle in order to improve the volumetric pack density. So I will try to like in the single battery device itself. The cathode is it's also an L turn material. Anode is also an Elton material, but they need to have a different orientation and different.

So I will try to explain in that, in this way, and I will, uh, try to illustrate, uh, in the classroom. Like I will try to, uh, reproduce my, uh, research outcomes, uh, through lectures. And I will try to elicit simple, uh, schematic illustrations so that students can, and they already experience these things in lab. And if I can teach them those concepts in through my research outcome outcomes. So it will be really. Like helpful for them to understand overall uh laboratory and classroom teaching.

Concepts and different like properties.

You emphasize a thoughtfully structured approach that integrates laboratory experiences with classroom instruction. Breaking down complex topics, such as synthesis techniques and their trade-offs, into practical, real-world examples offers students an excellent opportunity to learn through both theory and practice. Your ability to use personal research outcomes and illustrative schematics in your lectures can certainly enhance comprehension and engagement for a diverse group of students. Let’s proceed further. How do you maintain a structured approach to evaluating students, particularly for laboratory-based courses, ensuring fairness and consistency while taking individual learning differences into account?

Like, yeah, you know, right, Every student will have their own way of understanding. Uh, there will be fast learner, there will be, uh, like slow learners will be, there will be there. So, and I will try to mentor them. Uh, like for the fast learners, I will try to give some.

Sorry to interrupt,

Yeah, it's OK. Uh, like, uh.

Interactive assignments and.

Like problem problem solving tasks let us like other students I will try to engage them with.

More core concepts I'll and like in laboratory oriented areas like we the first thing I want to teach them is the safety and the next thing would be the reproducibility. It is very important like the student safety like if they know their like importance of the safety, then they will.

To serve as a they, when they come out from our institute, they'll, they will be served as a good human and they will consider the, the importance of the safety and the reproducibility when, when it can be converted into practical application for the society. So that mentality I would like to bring with the students and I will, as I mentioned before, the reproducibility is very important.

The The research should not lie only within us, so it should be explored and it should be communicated to the world.

And, uh, when any, uh, new upcoming researcher want to reproduce and they want to, uh, introduce the, the new technique which was, which was introduced by them, by us to the, uh, to our, to their society. Uh, so reproducibility is very important. So in this way, I would like to make sure students get an exposure to these kind of areas.

I make thi things very clear. I will highlight my basic concepts through simple demonstration and so on. And I always try to focus on the. I will try to focus on. As I mentioned before, reproducibility is very important, so I will try to make sure my results are reproducible. That's why I got my global recognition. So in fact my. Research output outcome has reached global attention and in fact I my citation is above 3500 and so on.

Your emphasis on safety and reproducibility underscores a strong commitment to preparing students for both ethical and practical aspects of their field. Encouraging a mindset that prioritizes these values ensures that students are not only technically skilled but also responsible contributors to their industries and scientific communities. Tailoring tasks to suit different learning speeds is also a thoughtful way to support all students equitably. Now shifting to research dissemination, you mentioned authoring 40+ publications and filing patents. What strategies or frameworks do you use to ensure your research findings reach impactful journals and are effectively communicated to the broader scientific community?

This this was possible because of my like open research activity.

Uh, like I have, as I mentioned in our in my earlier introduction, I used to involve in uh industrial projects like uh energy, 11 sodium and battery startup uh from South Korea. Uh. I have explained the battery, battery counts of Sudham and I and make sure they uh, they are able to reproduce my material and my technologies.

It seems your attention to transparency, reproducibility, and clear communication has been key to amplifying the impact of your research. Having global recognition and substantial citations is a testament to the value of your contributions. Sharing your research actively and ensuring its applicability indeed plays a crucial role in advancing both academic and industrial relevance. Given your rich background in both industry and academia, how have you engaged with industry collaborations or consultancy projects, particularly in the domain of renewable energy or energy storage systems?

Uh, like, as I mentioned before, like my, like I, I, I'm very curious about new research activities in batteries and I always explore new areas of research. As as you can clearly see right from the gold standard lithium and batteries, I started working on next generation batteries, including the recently introduced manganese ion batteries. In fact, I have introduced the manganese iodine battery based on my expertise in manganese and battery. And recently I'm working on ultra light.

It's clear that you've actively contributed to bridging the gap between academic research and industrial applications, particularly through your involvement with sodium-ion battery projects. Translating your research into reproducible, industry-ready technologies highlights your capacity for practical innovation in energy storage systems. I believe we've covered most of the aspects required for this assessment. Thank you for your detailed responses and insights so far. Now, before concluding, is there any specific aspect of your candidature or expertise that you would like to emphasize further?

You based manganese iodine and zinc iodine batteries where we don't need any cathode material. So this kind of activities clearly shows that my dedication towards new innovation, like I prefer this innovation because I really don't want to focus only on like simply publishing new papers and so on. I want to make sure these kind of technology can be translated and it can be helpful to the society. Because as I mentioned in the earlier conversation, they are they are use.

Aquas electrolyte and they are fire free and they are highly safe and they are very like they can.

Like reduce the dependency of our like the toxic chemicals like cobalt or nickel which were used in lithium and batteries under under it. It can improve the reproducibility and recyclability in such way it can contribute to the circular economy and it can reduce the carbon footprint. So that's one that's what I want to emphasize my research activities and my research skills.

Skill sets on the battery area application, where it can be clearly linked to the renewable energy systems. In fact uh recently we started working on uh integrating uh nano energy generator with the energy storage device all in one uh devices where uh the physical motions can be converted into energy and it can be stored into battish device and it can be used during like it can be used in the mobile watches wrist watches and.

Other small electronic devices and sensor applications and so on. So that's how I contribute.

Yeah, I can finish like I, I, I have explained more clear about my intuition here, so I hope it'll be a good.

Thank you for elaborating, Professor. Your focus on pushing innovative boundaries—transitioning from traditional battery systems to next-generation technologies and all-in-one devices—demonstrates not only technical mastery but also a clear vision for impactful, sustainable contributions to society. Linking your work to circular economy principles and reducing dependence on toxic materials reflects an admirable dedication to environmentally responsible innovation in energy systems. Your responses clearly showcase a blend of deep theoretical knowledge, practical innovation, and strong pedagogical intent. If there is nothing further you'd like to add, we are prepared to conclude this discussion. Would you like to confirm if we can finish here?

Thing to go forward.