Dr. Jithin John Varghese
Associate Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
EDUCATION
2012 - 2016
Nanyang Technological University Singapore
PhD (Chemical Engineering)
2004 - 2008
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, India
B.Tech (Chemical Engineering)
WORK EXPERIENCE
January 2024 - present
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Associate Professor
October 2018 - January 2024
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Assistant Professor
January 2017 - October 2018
Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES)
Research Fellow (Post-doc)
July 2008 - June 2012
Indian Oil Corporation Limited Panipat Naphtha Cracker
Senior/Production Engineering
The Team
Post-doctoral Fellows
Dr. Tamilmani Selvaraj (December 2024 - )
WISE-PDF
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Research: Mechanistic investigation of formic acid decomposition over supported alloy catalysts for hydrogen production
Dr. N. Nagarjun (December 2023 - )
(Co-advised with Dr. P. Selvam)
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Research: CO2 cycloaddition reaction using MOFs
Mr. Ajin R (July 2019 - )
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PhD topic: Selective C-O bond cleavage in biomass derived polyols
Mr. Ashok Yacham (July 2021 - )
(Co-advised with Dr. Tarak Patra)
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PhD topic: Selective CO2 capture using metal organic framework (MOF) based sorbents
PhD Students
Mr. Sathya Sai Rengam (July 2019 - )
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PhD topic: Liquid phase catalytic mild oxidation of methane to methanol on zeolite based catalysts
Ms. Parvathy S Chandran (Jul 2022 - ) Prime Minister's Research Fellow
PhD topic: Understanding and developing metal carbide and metal/metal oxide catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes
Ms. Athira K K (Aug 2020 - )
Prime Minister's Research Fellow
(Co-advised with Dr. P Selvam)
PhD topic: CO2 cycloaddition with epoxides on metal organic (MOF) framework based catalysts
Ms. Aaradhana Vishnu Thombre (July 2024 - )
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PhD topic: Valorization of Polyols in terminal diols
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MS Students
Mr. Ashwajeet Subhash Gajbhiye (September 2020 - )
(Co-advised with Dr. Niket S. Kaisare)
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MS topic: Light alkane oxidative dehydrogenation using carbon dioxide on molybdenum carbide catalysts
Mr. Soham Roy (January 2021 - )
(Co-advised with Dr. Preeti Aghalayam)
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MS topic: Catalytic conversion of CO2 to methane
Project Associate
Ms. Ansiya ( October 2024 - )
(With Dr. Niket S. Kaisare )
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​Topic: Integrated experimental and multiscale modelling to develop multifunctional and tandem catalyst for direct conversion of CO2
M.Tech Students
Mr. Harisankar A R (August 2023 - )
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M.Tech Project topic: Mechanistic study of hydrogen production from formic acid via dehydrogenation using Pd/CeO2 catalyst
Mr. Balaji Sriram Thota (August 2023 - )
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M.Tech Project topic: Computational investigation of CO2 hydrogenation to lighter olefins on In2O3 SAPO-34 catalyst using DFT
Mr. Vaibhav Vasant Patil (August 2023 - )
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M.Tech Project topic: Mechanistic investigation of Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx using NH3 over VO2/CeO2 catalyst using Density Functional Theory
Mr. Jamsheer K T (August 2023 - )
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M.Tech Project topic: DFT investigation of oxidative dehydrogenation of propane on Ni-doped CeO2 with CO2 as oxidant
B.Tech Student
Mr. Jatin Pratap Singh (August 2023 - )
B.Tech Exchange student from NIT Agartala
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B.Tech Project topic: Optimizing global minima WxOyHz structures on Pt225 nanoparticle using machine learning interatomic potential
Previous Students
Dr. C. D. Balaji
PhD Student, January 2019 - December 2024
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PhD topic: Towards rational catalyst design and reaction engineering for methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide
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After IITM: Post-doctoral fellow, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Ms. Gopika N Nair
Project Associate, September 2023 - April 2024
(Co-advised with Dr. Niket S. Kaisare)
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CO2 reduction to methanol and hydrocarbons on complex catalysts
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After IITM: PhD Student, Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, Rostock, Germany
Ms. Prerna
Project Associate, September 2023 - March 2024
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Inverse metal oxide on metal catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation of polyols
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After IITM: Joint PhD student, University of Bayreuth, Bavaria, Germany and University of Melbourne, Australia
Ms. Gouri Nayanar
Project Associate, September 2022 - January 2024
(Co-advised with Dr. Niket S. Kaisare)
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CO2 assisted light alkane oxidative dehydrogenation using on metal oxide and carbide catalysts
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Joined as PhD student at IITM
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Dr. Anoop P. Pushkar
IPDF: August 2023 - January 2024;
PhD student: July 2018 - July 2023
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PhD Topic: CO2 assisted alkane dehydrogenation on ceria supported Ni catalyst
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After IITM: Graduate Engineering Trainee, Ola Electric
Mr. Sahil S. Halarnkar
BTP, June 2022 - May 2023
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After IITM: PhD Student, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
Mr. Shashank Swaminathan
BTP, June 2022 - May 2023
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After IITM:
Mr. Sundar Raam S
BTP, June 2022 - May 2023
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After IITM:
Ms. Anju Patel
Project Associate, July 2021 - July 2022
(With Dr. P Selvam and Dr. Niket S. Kaisare
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After IITM: PhD student, IIT Bombay
Mr. Jugal N. Anil
BTP, July 2021 - May 2022
After IITM: Hindustan Unilever Limited
Mr. Jose Peter
M.Tech Project, July 2021- June 2022 (Co-advised with Dr. Niket S. Kaisare)
After IITM: Navin Fluorine International Limited
Mr. Sai Teja Nekkanti
Project Officer, May 2021 - Dec 2021
(With Dr. Preeti Aghalayam)
After IITM: PhD student, Clemson University, South Carolina, USA
Ms. Sahithi Yamala
Dual degree project, July 2020 - June 2021
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After IITM: Mondelez International, India
Mr. Akshay R. Nath
M.Tech Project, July 2020 - June 2021
(Co-advised with Dr. Preeti Aghalayam)
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After IITM: Mercedes - Benz Research and Development India​
Dr. Venkata Ramesh Babu Gurram
IPDF, December 2019-April 2021
(Co-advised with Dr. P. Selvam)
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After IITM: Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) R&D Center, Faridabad
Dr. Prabodh Ranjan
IPDF, May 2019- Aug 2020
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After IITM: Post-doctoral fellow, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
PhD Students