— RMIT College of Science, Engineering and Health in India
India has a 4D advantage: ■ Democracy ■ Demography ■ Diversity ■ Dynamic Growth — Our Mission
From the Office of the Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, India College of Science, Engineering & Health
Our mission at the Office of the Associate Pro We aim to arm the students with the necessary skills Vice-Chancellor India for the College of Science, required for immediate employment after graduation, Engineering and Health (SEH) is to enrich the anywhere around the globe, by instilling innovation, experiences of RMIT University students through entrepreneurial thinking, practical problem-solving, our global outreach programs across India, and to and a global perspective. We continue to strive encourage bilateral networking and collaboration toward research that is internationally significant, with international research institutes and industries. relevant, and can be adapted to real world applications by delivering innovative solutions Science thrives on innovation through collaboration, to common global challenges. which makes international engagement an intrinsic tool for success. To secure Australia’s international competitiveness in research and development, we must encourage a global attitude to higher education. — Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor India
College of Science, Engineering & Health
Dear Colleagues, We’ve had an exciting year with RMIT University winning the Excellence in Innovation Award in Partnerships and International Engagement. The award, presented by Study Melbourne, was for demonstrating outstanding achievement in collaborative international partnerships through the joint PhD model with our Indian partners. RMIT University’s presence in India continues to strengthen with the commencement of students in our newest joint PhD program with India’s prestigious Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research. The very first cohort of the joint AcSIR-RMIT program enrolled 17 PhD students in August into the Schools of Science and Engineering. With our RMIT-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (‘CSIR- IICT’) Joint Research program entering its seventh year, it is looking to be the most rewarding yet. The fourth cohort of 14 PhD candidates, enrolled back in November 2016, will be transferring to Melbourne in February 2019. The success of the RMIT-CSIR-IICT Joint PhD program has encouraged RMIT University to expand the program into the future, with the fifth cohort planned for 2019. As India’s research output continues to surge, RMIT University is prioritising its international collaboration and engagement programs with India which will bring rewards to participating institutes and both nations.
Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava Associate Pro Vice–Chancellor India, College of Science, Engineering and Health Director, Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry RMIT University — Executive Director of CSIR-IICT
I express my profound happiness on the success of the Joint research and academic collaboration between CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, India and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Australia for generating Ph.D students of high calibre yielding in research publications of high impact. The success has further encouraged the establishment of an innovation hub for industrial research to orient their R&D efforts in translation. My appreciation to the supervisors and students for bringing laurels such as National Awards by HDR Publication Incentive Funding and Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Awards from Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI). I congratulate the faculty of this joint programme for showcasing their significant achievements recently at Chemeca-International Conference held in the Melbourne Convention Center and I am sure they will further it at the meeting being held at CSIR-IICT. I wish the students and supervisors of this joint programme many more laurels and make the respective countries proud with their excellent contributions to science.
Dr. S. Chandrasekhar Director, CSIR-IICT — Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Development & Vice-President
RMIT is a university of Australia with strong international affiliations. Our global activity includes a focus on India as a priority to cultivate partnerships and collaboration that bring value to the region and share talent and skill. RMIT has developed a unique model to align with Indian National Laboratories through the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research of India (AcSIR). The award winning AcSIR and IICT PhD programs are highly innovative and inclusive, offering students a unique, global training experience, with access to state of the art facilities and supervisors from India and Australia. Our relationships in India are helping students develop real world skills that prepare them for the global job market. So far the program has been highly successful, with 100% of our students employed and several securing prominent roles in industry and academia around the globe. In addition, several notable awards have been received for their research, Together we are enabling the next generation of researchers to bring their passion and talent to help us build a better world. That’s something to be proud of.
Rachel Holthouse Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Development & Vice-President RMIT University — Our Next Step: The Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR)
The Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research Unlike typical educational organizations, AcSIR acts (AcSIR) is an autonomous governing body that was as a centralized administration hub and does not established for the purpose of granting doctoral and have a student campus. post-doctoral degrees throughout India’s top research Instead, AcSIR functions through the Council of Institutes and Centres. Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) which is the AcSIR was deemed as an ‘Institution of National largest Research and Development (R&I) organization Importance’ by the Indian Parliament in 2011, and in India, and runs 44 of some of the country’s top was granted the authority and autonomy to award research Institutes and Laboratories across India. postgraduate degrees by the University Grants It is through CSIR’s 44 research Centres and Institutes Commission (UGC) which governs all Tertiary where the students are hosted and complete their Education in India. doctoral training during their PhD programs
IIIM Jammu IHBT Palampur
IMTECH CSIO IIP Chandigarh Dehradum CBRI Roorkee HRDC, TKDL CEERI Ghazlabad Pilani CSIR HQ, IGIB, NPL, CRRI NISCAIR, NISTADS Delhi NEIST CDRI, CIMAP Jorhat IITR, NBRI Lucknow CIMFR Dhanbad CMERI Durgapur AMPRI CSMCRI Bhopal NML Bhavnagar Jamshedpur NEERI CGCRI, IICB Nagpur Kolkata IMMT bhubaneswar NCL, URDIP Pume Biological Sciences NGRI Chemical Sciences CCMB, IICT Hyderabad Engineering Sciences NIO Goa Information Sciences NAL, CMMACS Physical Sciences Bengaluru CLRI, SERC Chennai
CFTRI Mysore CECRI Karalkudi
NIIST Thiruvananthapuram — AcSIR-RMIT Joint PhD Program
RMIT University and the Academy of Scientific and Indian Institute of Petroleum Innovative Research signed on to a joint badged PhD Pakistan agreement during a formal ceremony in Melbourne on National Physical Nepal the 27th July 2017. Laboratory y Bhutan
Under the joint PhD program the students will be Indian Institute enrolled at both institutions, spending the majority of of Toxicological Research their program at the AcSIR host institute and coming Bangladesh onshore to RMIT for up to 12 months at the latter India stages of their program.
The first cohort of 17 candidates enrolled under the Indian Institute new joint program in August 2018, but their journey of Chemical Technolgy has only begun. We now look to the future on how National Chemical Laboratory to capture the next brilliant minds from India through National Geophysical research and innovation partnerships with this rapidly Research Institute modernizing country. Structural Engineering At the successful completion of their degrees, the Research Centre students will be awarded PhDs from both AcSIR and RMIT University. Central Electrochemical This is a disruptively innovative program, with new Research Institute challenges that come with uncharted progress. The Sri Lanka program will illuminate RMIT in the Indian education system, and holds the potential for enormous change.
Developing a 21st Century Scientist
21st Century Global Graduate Program
Indian/Australian Industries International Collaborators
— RMIT-CSIR-IICT Joint Research Program
RMIT supervisor visit to Hyderabad, India in 2017, with RMIT-CSIR-IICT IICT Director, Dr S. Chandrasekhar, with the third cohort of IICT students at Cohort 4 students RMIT University, 2017
The Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) coordinating centre for extending RMIT and CSIR-IICT is a nationally recognized research centre located international engagement, and strategically growing in Hyderabad, India, and is part of a network of the our collaborative research and education activities state-of-the-art research laboratories throughout in India. India connected under the umbrella of the Council The program has been highly acclaimed across of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). the education sector, having been written up in the The RMIT-CSIR-IICT Joint Research Centre and Australian Academy Newsletter. Its success has PhD Scholarship program were co-founded by also led to it becoming a model for other research Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava and the partnerships around the world. The robust model then Director of CSIR-IICT Dr. J. S. Yadav in 2011. of the RMIT-CSIR-IICT Centre builds on a diverse The Centre and program were designed to foster student population, reaching out to those who are international research collaborations between India disadvantaged, creating future pathways through the and Australia by expanding Global Research and programs and providing international opportunities Industry Alliances through training young Indian for RMIT students to become future ambassadors students on a global platform. This acts as a and entrepreneurs world-wide. — RMIT-CSIR-IICT Joint Research Program Outcomes
The RMIT-CSIR-IICT Joint Research Program offers Since 2011 the program has seen the successful a 3.5 year PhD scholarship, whereby prospective enrolment of 33 RMIT-CSIR-IICT PhD candidates, Indian PhD candidates study for the first 2.5 years with 19 graduates and 14 current students. at IICT, India before transferring to RMIT University, Melbourne for the final 12 months of their program. At the successful completion of the program the candidate will receive an RMIT University PhD degree.
2019 2016 2013 2012 2011 2011 2019 2016 2013 2012 IICT-RMIT 2011Cohort 1: Cohort 2: Cohort 3: Cohort 4: Cohort 4 2011Joint 7 PhDs 4 new 8 new Agreement candidates to Research Enrolled enrolments enrolments extended to transfer to CentreIICT-RMIT Cohort 1: intoCohort the 2: intoCohort the 3: 2020.Cohort 4: MelbourneCohort 4 EstablishedJoint 7 PhDs program4 new program8 new 14Agreement more candidates to Research Enrolled Totalenrolments of 11 Totalenrolments of 19 candidatesextended to transfer to Centre into the into the enrolled.2020. Melbourne Established program program Total14 more of 33 Total of 11 Total of 19 candidates enrolled. Total of 33
RMIT-CSIR-IICT PhD Student Outcomes
Av 5+ Publications per studentAv 5+ Conference 19 Publications 16 Articles Completions per Awards 24 student Conference 19 16 Articles Book Chapters 4 Completions102 Awards14 24 Patents 1 Journal O shore Candidates FeatureBook Chapters Article 14 Articles 14 Journal 102 33 Patents 1 O shore Articles Journal Enrolments Candidates 102 Feature Article 1 Articles to Date Journal 33 Articles Enrolments 102 to Date — News and Events
Winner of Victorian Education Awards 2018 RMIT University was awarded the Excellence in Innovation Award in Partnerships and International Engagement for demonstrating outstanding achievement in collaborative international partnerships through its joint PhD model with Indian partners. The Victorian International Education Awards were presented by Study Melbourne, and are an initiative of the Victorian Government to support the international education sector. RMIT went on to win the award, beating the two other finalists (Deakin University and Monash University).
RMIT Celebrates Diwali With a focus on student inclusion and engagement, Dist. Prof. Suresh Bhargava hosted the annual College of Science, Engineering and Health’s Diwali function to celebrate the Indian Festival of Light. The event was attended by Indian staff and students from across the College, and we were also lucky enough to have RMIT’s Chancellor, Dr Ziggy Switkowski AO, in attendance. We had Indian food, music, henna tattooing and saree dressing, and the event was a huge success. Shravanti & Rasika
— International Skill Training
As part of the India Joint Research Programs, the students get access to facilities at their Indian host institute and at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, to conduct their research at world-class facilities. Graduates are skill trained to use a range of laboratory facilities, greatly increasing their understanding of the techniques as well as their employability.
Rasika Radhakrishnan (Cohort 3) Shravanti Joshi (Cohort 3) DLS instrument at RMIT University, Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility Jeol 2100F TEM/STEM at RMIT University, Microscopy and Microanalysis (RMMF) Facility (RMMF) — Learning Through Innovation
Ready for Life and Work
One of the most important parts of the joint Indian The joint research programs are in alignment with research programs are the hands-on skill training the RMIT strategy for students to be ready for life which the candidates receive. and work following their PhD completion.
Vijay Venkoba Rao Rasika Radhakrishnan Mass spectrometry facility at RMIT University MicroNano Research Facility at RMIT University
Vijay Venkoba Rao Rasika Radhakrishnan Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Facility at RMIT University Vibrational spectroscopy at RMIT University — Increased Employability – Former Student Profiles
Dr Shanthi Priya Samudrala (Cohort 2) Personal Experience:
Coming to RMIT University was a life-changing experience for me. The training and confidence I developed was beyond my dreams. I’m now a confident young woman scientist who can take a job anywhere in the world. I was able to undertake much of my work at the state-of-the-art analytical laboratories at the RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility (RMMF). Access to this equipment was highly beneficial and enabled me to improve my research skills through hands-on experience. My supervisors inspired me throughout my candidature. With their guidance and support, I successfully developed a world-class research project.
Employability: Soon after her graduation in December 2016, Dr Samudrala secured a position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, and was recently promoted to Assistant Lecturer. The role is equally divided between Teaching & Research. She co-lectures undergraduate and postgraduate students in areas of Advanced Reaction Engineering and Chemical Reaction Engineering. She also supervises three PhD students and one undergraduate student.
Dr Ram Kumar CB (Cohort 3) Since completing the IICT-RMIT program, Ram has taken up a position as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Chemistry of Condensed Matter, CNRS, University of Bordeaux, France, where he is focusing on hybrid switchable materials (polymer nanocomposites) for spintronic applications. Dr Ram Kumar graduated in 2017 under the guidance of Dr Samuel Ippolito (RMIT), Dr Ramanuj Narayana (IICT), and Dr Selvakannan Periasamy. — Increased Employability – Former Student Profiles
Dr Vijay Kumar Velisoju (Cohort 2) Personal Experience:
It was a really great opportunity to complete my PhD under the RMIT-IICT joined PhD program as it really helped me to solve research questions independently. I am fully satisfied with this program and I recommend the PhD program at RMIT University to aspirants who want to pursue their studies at RMIT University.
Employability: Dr. Velisoju graduated from RMIT University in December 2016, and soon after he began his career as a Research Associate in CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad, India. Recently he was awarded the prestigious Leibniz-DAAD Research Fellowship for one year in the LIKAT, University of Rostock, Germany where he is now working under the supervision of Prof. Angelika Bruckner.
Dr Srinivasareddy Telukutla (Cohort 1) Personal Experience:
During my PhD at RMIT-IICT research centre, I have received multidisciplinary and innovative training that allowed me to take my research to the next level and helped realize the impact my research could have on real-world applications. The exposure to the state of the art synthesis, analytical and cell culture laboratories was highly beneficial and enabled me to improve my skills through hands-on experience.
Employability: In 2015, Dr Telukutla began working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne. He works closely with Prof. Suresh Bhargava on the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of bioactive gold and platinum metal complexes as potential cancer therapeutics. — Increased Employability – Former Student Profiles
Dr Koppineni Praneeth (Cohort 1) Dr Koppineni Praneeth is now Head of Engineering Process at Water Health International, Hyderabad, India. He provides information throughout the various proposal, engineering and construction phases to the proposal and project teams with regard to all aspects of Process Engineering. He also performs process simulations and develops Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs) and material balances.
Dr Praveen Chintakunta (Cohort 1) Dr Chintakunta has moved to the United States and has taken up a postdoctoral position with the University of Kentucky in the Department of Entomology.
Dr Vijay Kumar Velisoju (Cohort 2) Personal Experience:
The RMIT-IICT PhD program helped me a lot with my research career and I have got the opportunity for an international research experience.
Employability: Dr Deshetti is currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne. He works on the synthesis of 1D and 2D materials for photocatalysis and biosensing applications. Key contacts Dr Emma Goethals Project Officer International Research Collaborations Office of Deputy PVC International | SEH College RMIT University t. +61 3 9925 2397 | Location 08.09.01 e. [email protected] e. [email protected]
Mrs Piyumi Wickramaarachchi Administrative Officer Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor International | SEH College RMIT University t. +61 3 9925 3141 e. [email protected]