Head of the Department
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Prof. Subrata Kumar Majumder |
| Message from the Head | |
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I am pleased to introduce the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Guwahati, established in 2002, which today stands as a vibrant hub of academic rigor, research excellence, and industry relevance. We offer B.Tech., M.Tech. (with specializations in Petroleum Science & Technology, Materials Science & Technology, and Computer-Aided Process Engineering), and Ph.D. programs, powered by expert faculty working in catalysis and reaction engineering, adsorption, photocatalysis, biomass valorization, multiphase fluid dynamics and micro fluidics, polymer processing, molecular simulations, and advanced separation technologies, supported by top-tier research infrastructure including PARAM Kamrupa 838 TF and PARAM Ishan 250 TF supercomputers, as well as shared interdepartmental facilities such as XPS, HPCC, and PIV setups that foster strong interdisciplinary synergy. The Department has established strong industrial ties with key Indian energy and research organisations including ONGC, Oil India Limited (OIL), Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), BPCL, HPCL, NTPC, and DRDO. Major R&D collaborations include an AI/ML based decision support system for real time drilling optimization for ONGC and a remote-ignition pilot burner detection system developed for OIL’s Duliajan facility. In partnership with NRL, IIT Guwahati has set up the NRL–Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Materials, funded with an initial ₹4 crore grant, to convert bamboo and refinery bio-wastes into high grade activated carbon and biodegradable plastics for industrial use. On the international front, the department collaborates with leading universities worldwide. Its MoU with the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) establishes an Indo Danish Centre of Excellence for translational research and facilitates joint Master’s and PhD programs with co-supervision, student and faculty mobility, and research in sustainable technologies, energy efficiency, and climate solutions. The department also maintains active academic partnerships with institutions such as the University of Western Australia, Gifu University (Japan), and multiple Russian universities (USPTU, TSU, ITMO, MSU, RSU), enabling faculty exchanges, joint publications, and collaborative research in areas including process modeling, separation science, materials engineering, and renewable energy. Additional collaborations span University of Strathclyde (UK), Hanyang University (South Korea), University of Saskatchewan (Canada), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), National Sun Yat sen University (Taiwan), Khalifa University (UAE), Caltech and UC Irvine & Maryland (USA), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), and Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal). Our students have been recognized with prestigious Marie Curie and LBNL/Sandia fellowships, and have won “best oral presentation” and thesis awards at esteemed conferences across the world. Academically, our Chemical Engineering program is ranked in the 201–250 band globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, while the ShanghaiRanking (ARWU) 2025 places us in the 301–400 global band, affirming our growing international presence. Student life here is deeply enriching—departmental scholars actively contribute to Techniche, the flagship techno management fest with ~50,000 participants, along with larger cultural and entrepreneurial fests like Alcheringa, Udgam, Spirit, and Research Conclave, all powered by strong student governance and collaborative interdisciplinary effort. Our ecosystem is further strengthened by the Centre for Career Development, the institute Research Park, and incubation centers, which together enable robust industry linkage, student entrepreneurship, and placement readiness. We encourage industry leaders and esteemed employers to visit our campus, explore our state-of-the-art facilities, engage with our talented faculty and students, and collaborate on meaningful technology-driven projects that can help propel nation-building and sustainable development forward. Warm regards, Prof. Subrata Kumar Majumder |
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