Prof. Sabu Thomas is the Chairman of the Trivandrum Engineering Science & Technology Research Park (TrEST Research Park) in Thiruvananthapuram, India. Additionally, he is a Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering and the Director of the School of Energy Materials at Mahatma Gandhi University, India. He is the founder director of the International and Inter-university Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at Mahatma Gandhi University and the former Vice-Chancellor of the same institution.
Prof. Thomas is internationally recognized for his contributions to polymer science and engineering, with his research interests encompassing polymer nanocomposites, elastomers, polymer blends, interpenetrating polymer networks, polymer membranes, green composites, nanocomposites, nanomedicine, and green nanotechnology. His groundbreaking inventions in polymer nanocomposites, polymer blends, green bionanotechnology, and nano-biomedical sciences have significantly advanced the development of new materials for the automotive, space, housing, and biomedical fields. Dr. Thomas has been conferred with Honoris Causa (DSc) by the University of South Brittany, France.
Dr. Didier Rouxel is a full Professor at the University of Lorraine, France, and researcher in the Institut Jean Lamour of Nancy, France. He received the Engineer degree from the École Supérieure des Sciences et Techniques de l’Ingénieur de Nancy, in 1989, and the Ph.D. degree in material sciences and engineering from the University of Nancy I in 1993. He was the Leader of the “Micro and NanoSystems” Group of the Institut Jean Lamour, Nancy, France (2013-2018). He was also the Leader of the C’NANO French Grand Est network for the theme “Nanosciences and Materials for Health” (2009-2015), Expert of the European Interreg project NANO4M – Nano For Market, Theme “Nano & Microsensors and Implants (HEALTH)” (2009-2010), Expert from the French national agency ANSES, “Nanomaterials and Health” Working Group (2012-2015). Prof. Rouxel has been involved in the spectroscopic analysis of inorganics and is vastly experienced in the analysis of polymer nanocomposite systems by almost all spectroscopic techniques. His major areas of interest include elastic properties of polymeric materials studied by Brillouin spectroscopy, development of polymer nanocomposite materials, development of micro-devices based on electro-active polymers, piezoelectric nanocrystals, microsensor development for surgery, etc. Since 2011, he has co-directed numerous Franco-Indian collaborative projects. He is Doctor Honoris Causa from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India (2022).
Dr. Deepalekshmi Ponnamma is a Lecturer in Materials Science and Technology, at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University. She is a PhD graduate from the Deakin University, Australia, and finished the post-doctoral studies from Qatar University. She has a research experience of more than 10 years with special focus on polymer nanocomposites and various nanomaterials. Dr. Ponnamma has more than 100 research articles published in international peer reviewed journals. She has contributed around 20 book chapters and edited 9 books, all focusing on the various fabrication methods and applications of nanomaterials and polymer nanocomposites. For the past three years, Dr. Ponnamma has been working on synthesizing the different nanoarchitectures, polymer nanocomposites and block copolymer membranes for efficient technological applications such as energy storage, environmental applications including photocatalysis and water purification.
