Visiting Faculty programme

Topic: Bio-inspired engineering & Biomimetics

Date: 3 rd March 2023 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm

Venue: Seminar Hall ME department

Profile: Dr. Kiran Raj M is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Mechanics, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Before joining IIT Madras, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute Curie, Paris, France. He graduated with PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 2019 and subsequently held postdoctoral appointments at the University of Waterloo, Canada and the National University of Singapore, Singapore. His broad research areas include microfluidics and soft matter physics aimed at healthcare application.

Topic abstract:

Nature has always been a source of inspiration for engineers. Microfluidics is one such field of engineering where the art and science of nature-inspired designs are incorporated into engineering. The fascinating physics behind water droplets on lotus leaf has inspired numerous cutting-edge innovations in this field. This sub-domain of fluid mechanics has emerged as an extensive and multidisciplinary area of research. The rise in technological advancements especially in the field of electronics and instrumentation has resulted in the development of microfluidics-based biomedical devices and techniques for diagnosis, vital monitoring, support systems, and therapeutic screening. Considering the developments in the field of microfluidics with potential applications in areas ranging from soft matter physics to global healthcare, Dr. Kiran Raj's research studies explored the experimental and theoretical aspects of fluid flow in deformable micro channels that mimic human vasculature. Some recent works on mimicking the lotus leaf surfaces to create water-repellent surfaces will also be discussed. This session will fascinate you if you are a mechanical, electrical, electronic, or computer engineer.