Good day, Dr. Debabrata Barik. 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.

Thank you for the opportunity. I am doctor Devruta Bari. I am working as a professor in department of mechanical engineering at Kapokam Academy Higher Education, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.

The last nine years I'm working here is I worked initially as a professor, then I associate professor, then I promoted to professor.

And my field of expertise is renewable engineering, renewable NRC extraction.

Biohydrogen extraction from waste materials as well as green hydrogen and fuel cell.

I graduated from NIT Rourkela in 2026.

And my masters I completed from six Anusandan University, Bhubaneswar.

Agent faculty I joined here then, uh, I continue both research as well as teaching. I take both the roles and responsibilities. Uh, I usually guide me students and PhD students. Uh, as of now, 9 doctorate students graduated under my guidance and six students now they are continuing their PhD.

Under my guidance and, uh, almost all my research.

Are multidisciplinary uh, focusing to uh bridge the gap between the industry and academic.

As well as I'm focusing for the funding also.

This is about my.

Academic and research details.

Thank you.

Thank you for sharing, Professor. Let's dive deeper into the specifics of your expertise. Could you walk me through how your research in biohydrogen extraction addresses current technological or environmental challenges in renewable energy systems?

Yeah, I will.

I worked, uh, before producing, uh, going for bio hydrogen. I initially targeted what are the sources which can be used for producing bio hydrogen?

Usually green hydrogen and other hydrogen production methodology are well established technology in which energy is required for producing hydrogen gas. However, when I target core biohydrogen in that biologically I am degrading the waste materials and we are producing hydrogen gas.

In details I am going to tell about it in biological process. I designed and developed a two stage reactor in which the stage 1 is basically for producing hydrogen gas and the stage 2 will produce.

Guests like methane and bio gas. What it mean when we target the waste because plenty of waste are available municipality waste and waste generated from the canteens of the academic institutions, hotels. These are the waste, food waste and other organic waste which are not disposed properly as well as it it is very challenging to dispose it because it is a mix of waste.

So in my research, first I target to segregate this waste after segregation, the biological organic fraction available in the West that was taken for the digestion in the reactor and I followed a dark fermentation reaction using a certain type of microorganism cluster clusterium Thermosalem I use.

I studied the Clostridium behavior and I identified when it is implemented to digest the food waste as well as municipality waste, it give around 40 to 45% of hydrogen. However, that is not sufficient for running economically a unit. So in order to run get economically benefit and high-quality hydrogen, I worked on.

Modification of the microbes.

So for that purpose genetic modification I tried by different methods for the micro and finally successfully I'm I'm able to get it and at present the microbes which I'm using that stain is able to produce 67% hydrogen and all the waste which is.

Fed into the reactor that is completely being digested when it come out of the reactor and it gives organic fertilizer.

And fertilizer value toxicity component in the effluent, uh, all, everything also that I analyzed and it, it, it is come in a category of organic fertilizer having all the, uh, properties. So it is widely, it can be widely acceptable, uh, hydrogen gas produced, it is 67%. And this can be further purified by using different purification methodology like we can go for cryogenic.

So you can get up here 1999% pure hydrogen that purification work still I have to do, I am on the way on that.

So thank you.

Thank you for outlining your research, Professor. It's remarkable how your work targets waste management and clean energy production while also aiming for economic viability. Could you elaborate on the interdisciplinary collaboration—whether technical or industrial—that has supported your advancements in biohydrogen research? How have you bridged the gap between academic innovation and industry application?

Yeah, first thing is interdisciplinary. Interdisciplinary it means as a mechanical engineer in the mechanical department perspective, the mechanical engineer ideas implemented to design and fabricate A reactor. So that is.

Mechanical perspective, however, the microbes which we are going to introduce in the reactor for degrading the food waste, during their enzymic reaction, they will release certain chemicals which will be converted into hydrogen. So this comes under the microbiology as well as biotechnology perspective. Another perspective, the utilization of food waste that also comes from the food processing industries which are now broadly growing in the world and. As well as the municipality waste also it can be considered.

So in an overall we can say this mechanism not only focus on interdisciplinary but also it helps many industries. Now many food processing industries even we can save for sugar can sugar processing industries where we are getting starch wastes.

For consideration.

Then.

Other industries like chemical industry, the chemicals which are coming out from the industry, that can be, but initially it can be characterized and based on the characterization, certain modifications can be implemented and the suitability can be identified and that can also be used as a fluid in the reactor.

So this is the way we we can approach or we can proceed for industries to implement this idea for processing the waste which is coming out as a byproduct from them and they face very big challenge for disposal of food as well as the environmental pollution concern and low carbon technology concern.

The issues can be rectified.

Thank you.

Thank you, Professor. It's impressive how you integrate mechanical design, microbiology, biotechnology, and industrial applications to address waste management and pollution while advancing renewable energy technologies. Could you provide an example of a specific challenge you encountered while developing this reactor system and how you resolved it?

Yeah, specific challenge, initially what I, I identified when we introduced the microbe into the reactor, initial 21 to 25 days of observation, we did not find any growth of the gas generation as well as we identified there was a unusual rise in the pH level. So those things. Was very critical in the initial stage. How to control it?

Because it is a continuous reactor and what is happening in the reactor that we are unable to identify. So temples we have taken and repeated tests we carried out, then we are able to identify the microbes of which are inside the reactor. They are very susceptible for a certain range of temperature and. Certain range of pH like temperature 4243°C they are efficiently.

Active enough and they are producing gas as well as the pH 6.5 to 7.2 in the trains. They are behaving well and their population also growing faster as well as they are degrading the waste in very short span of time. So it was very challenging that initial phase and we have resolved this and we made.

Now we are pre treating the waste before detecting into the reactor because when we collect a waste from a dump pair it is a mixture of many type of microbes so, so other microbes if it is going into our reactor it will disturb the hydrogen biohydrogen production. So we are pre treating it after pretreatment certain tests we are carrying out then accordingly we are maintaining the pH and we supply it into the reactor. So.

Some solutions how it can be controlled?

So this challenge are now it is resolved and and in future what I'm planning to go for.

As well as this can be converted into energy by using fuel cell after perfection of hydration. So these work are my long-term objectives which I am going to fulfill if I'll get opportunity.

This hydrogen storage using material.

Thank you.

Thank you, Professor. It’s insightful to hear about the challenges and how you systematically resolved them through waste pretreatment, environmental stabilization, and microbial optimization. Your focus on future advancements like hydrogen storage and fuel cell integration shows great potential for impactful contributions in the renewable energy domain. Now, shifting slightly—how do you incorporate these advanced concepts into your teaching practices to ensure students grasp both the theoretical and practical aspects effectively?

Yeah, I implemented in teaching. In teaching perspective, I teach students renewable energy technology, then environmental pollution in the and waste management technology. In those perspective, I usually bring this challenge which I face in my lab during experiment and I deliver to my students.

So students very eagerly and interestingly they listen, they are young but they are ideas also it comes very innovative. So we can we should not ignore the students thought and ideas. So usually I discuss with my UG and PG students as well as PhD students. So those idea is sometimes the students that have interest and they come and carry the experiment, they come to the lab, they spend time. As well as. The integration of those things in curriculum that depend on.

On the board of studies who are finalizing the syllabus, I also recommended for my university to implement this technology via hydrogen production technology and the challenges in which, uh, we are facing those things that students will learn, it will help them for learning as well as when they will graduate. If they work in those industries, they can implement those ideas. Uh, for the benefit of the industry as well as, uh, environmental pollution concern.

So based on the university rules and regulation and syllabus making authorities, it is also recommended and they agreed to include it.

It can also be implemented.

Thank you.

You're welcome, Professor. Let us continue by confirming some additional qualifications and competency areas for this role. How do you evaluate the performance of your students, especially in practical and laboratory courses? Could you elaborate on your approach?

In a laboratory course, we we evaluate the student performance by laboratory examination as well as some of the vibe questions and regarding the doctoral students. Usually we go for this research and we convert this research findings into journal articles. We usually publish in a Sci Journal of high impact factor.

And it it it will be pre reviewed by expert reviewers. Based on the recommendation we do corrections and revisions and academic perspective. The evaluation it is usually.

Centralized evaluation system. It is controlled by University Controller of Examination. However, for postgraduate students it it usually evaluated by myself as well as the papers by the reviewer experts.

So we usually produce.

Publications in, in that way as well as we document and we report to our university, uh, regarding the progress of our research and biohydrogen. So, uh, based on the progress of this university have granted some funds, uh, institutional funds for the further research and for pilot scale upgradation of the technology. So it is on the way, it is in process.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Professor. It's clear that your structured approach balances rigorous evaluation and research output, contributing to academic and student success. Let me shift focus slightly. Could you share how you approach guiding interdisciplinary student research projects, particularly those aimed at bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industrial application?

Yeah, well, I have some of the students though they are studying in a part time program, part time research program. So they are basically from industry background. Uh, some are, some are from uh, manufacturing industry, some are from umm, food processing industries. So when I discussed with them, I usually visit their industry and there I identify which type of work they are doing and what are the difficulties.

Facing when they are dispersing the waste or irrigating energy management or pollution control, I usually visit there. I discuss with my students also. So those issues we took as a challenge not only this biohydrogen production but also in other domains also my students, they are working one student working on cooling of solar panels, he is working in a solar panel manufacturing industry when they are delivering the panels to.

Customer based on the field analysis, they're identifying the power drop during the summer or at a high temperature when that temperature rise during daytime when it goes beyond uh, 38°C, they are identifying drop in power as well as their identifying there is a dust deposit on the panel which collectively reducing the power output of the panel so. Uh, considering as electrical engineering domain the solar.

PV panels. I have also started research on cooling up the solar panels as well as coating on the panels. So that is called anti-dust coating on the panels. So the panel will will always it will be clean, it will not allow the dust to stick onto it. It will not make any watermark when the rain will fall. Similarly, fetch change materials also introduced to cool the panel's temperature of the panel will be controlled, so it will not go the beyond temperature in the performance can be improved. That is one part in another part uh, some of the research I'm doing on battery cooling technology nowadays, electric vehicle and battery technology is vastly growing. So now the main thing is the battery should be charged very quickly. So when we are charging very quickly. The battery gets.

Heat up at a high current due to high current giving to the battery. So once the battery continuously to heat up during charging and during discharging also when it when the first discharge is there it will get heat up. So the life of the battery usually it degrade. So I also focus on the cooling of the battery. How the battery can be cooled? The lithium ion battery is. So I introduced some mechanism using nano particle induced with air. It will be blown into the battery.

Cooling fluid with nanoparticle also it is introduced, there is also carried out. So basically I can say I worked on waste management, waste to energy by a hydrogen and green hydrogen technology, solar panels and its performance improvement, battery, thermal management system. So all these multidisciplinary, I'm working with all my students.

And it will be recirculated as well as uh.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Professor. It's evident that your dedication to interdisciplinary research not only addresses a range of pressing challenges but also empowers your students to contribute meaningfully to both academic and industrial advancements. Let us now examine your publication contributions. You mentioned producing and publishing research in high-impact journals. Could you highlight one of your most impactful publications, explaining its significance and how it contributes to the field of renewable energy engineering?

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

Well, I usually submit my articles to high-impact journal because the pre review process are accurate and the reviews usually they give very good suggestions for improvement and we took it very positively and we implement that is the first thing. Second thing is there is a importance of quality publication. So the citation of the paper will increase and it will add advantage to the university as well as the employee.

Uh, for after publication, so the high impact publications, which I, I usually publish in hydrogen, NRC, NRC, uh, fuel journal in Elsevier, so.

And the most of the all reported journal feature usually indexed in Sci or Sci E category. So those journals we target because those journals are being read by new researchers, scientists, other professors of other universities and they get this idea and they also continue research in the same domain or parallelly they may do some modification and they proceed. So in an overall we can say our publication when it come in a global.

The uh, portal, so everyone get benefits, uh, other researchers they read and they find keys to start their research as well as if they find queries, they also ask me, uh, when I am a corresponding author, they usually communicate me and clarify. So in an overall, we are in a good pace of publishing articles for the benefit of the institution as well as the employee and citations. Also we are getting good because our publications in good journals.

And the students also getting benefit because when the student join the PhD, they have some target on minimum eligibility of publication to fulfill to get a degree. So that also cumulatively everything is now doing good and happening well.

Thank you.

Thank you, Professor. It’s commendable how you prioritize quality and impact in your publications, contributing to both academic and global discourse in renewable energy engineering. Your approach not only enhances the institution's reputation but also positions your students for academic and professional success. Let us move forward to examine another aspect. Could you elaborate on your efforts and strategy in securing research funding, particularly in renewable energy, and how these funding opportunities have helped advance your projects or academic goals?

Yeah. Well now at present there are many funding calls are there from DST, DBT and renewable energy MNRE. So these are the Funding Agency. I, I have already submitted a project collaborated to European Union around 8,00,00,000 and FIST as well as DST one proposal also submitted it is under evaluation so. In addition to that, I am also having some of the.

Proposal ideas for the Funding Agency which will which will be basically on this development of the bio hydrogen production from food waste as well as municipality waste which will bring global energy crisis, it will bring down, it will give low carbon technology and benefit. So hopefully I may get a funding from the Funding Agency.

So I'm in the process of doing that, uh, already I applied as well as some ideas are there to apply so.

It is on the way on the process.

Thank you.

Thank you, Professor. It’s inspiring to see your active engagement with major funding bodies and your vision for scalable, impactful projects in renewable energy. The integration of biohydrogen production into global energy solutions demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to addressing pressing challenges. I believe we’ve covered a wide range of your expertise and contributions. Is there anything else you’d like to share before we conclude this interview?

No, thank you very much. Thank you for giving the opportunity.

Thank you, Have a nice day.

Thank you, Professor. It has been an insightful conversation, and I appreciate your time and detailed responses. Best of luck with your ongoing research and academic pursuits. Have a great day ahead!