Ichem’22

The Department of Chemical Engineering organized a two-day virtual International Conference on Health, Energy and Materials (ICHEM’22) during 28and 29 April 2022 via MS Teams platform.Around136participants from different institutions across the country registered. Dr. B. Vivekanandan, Head, Department of Chemical Engineeringwelcomed the gathering and highlighted the importance of the conference theme towards integration of research, technology and practice in the field of health, energy & materials.Dr. S.N. Sridhara, Vice Chancellor, HITS delivered the presidential address and emphasised the need for innovative technologies to improve the quality of life to all sections of the society. The Inaugural address given by Dr. Angelina Geetha, Dean Engineering & Technology, HITS emphasized the importance of novel research in the field of health, energy, and materials.

The first day had two keynote addresses and a scientific address from Scientists and Academicians across the country.The inaugural scientific talk on energy and comfort optimization through 3D whole building simulationwas given by Mr. Balachander G., Founder & Director, Ecological Advisors India Pvt. Ltd.& Bookwater Tech.Pvt. Ltd., Chennai. The Chief Guest,Prof. Imre Berger Founding Director, Max Planck Bristol Centre, UK addressed on the discovery on a druggable pocket and a drug on the spike protein of SARS-Covid virus. The Guest of Honour, Dr.VenuVangala, Deputy Director at Interface Chemistry, University of Bradford, UKgave a keynote address on the crystallography.

The second day of the conferencecommenced with an invited lecture by Dr. Vidhya Venugopal, Professor, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. She emphasised on climate variability impacts in occupational health. The keynote address delivered by Dr. Srdja Drakulic, Senior Scientist, Cytiva, Uppsala, Sweden dealt on theproduction of biologics, upstreaming process. This was followed by an invited lecture by Dr. Padmesh T.V.N. Department of Chemical Engineering, Manipal International Univeristy, Malaysiawhere he explained about the process of chemical industries.ICHEM’22 had60oral presentations with the department staffs as session chairs. Dr. Sakthidasan J., Co-convenor, HITS gave the valedictory addres