ChEA Symposium on Nanotechnology

Chemical Engineering Association (ChEA), Department of Chemical Engineering in association with Yashnanotech, Div. of Yash Management organized an annual Symposium on “Role of Chemical Engineering in Nanotechnology” on March 19, 2005. The symposium consisted of a series of talks from well known people from industry as well as academia.

The Symposium started with a welcome note by the Convener, Prof. Madhu Vinjamur, Department of Chemical Engineering. Prof. A. K. Suresh, Deptt. of Chemical Engg., Prof. K. C. Khillar, Dean R&D, Prof. J. Bellare, School of Biosciences and Bioengineering and Mr. Anurag Gupta, CEO, Yash Management also addressed the Symposium.

Dr. P. N. Pandit, Yashnanotech, delivered the keynote address. He spoke about the importance and advances in nanotechnology. This was followed by six technical talks throughout the day. The first one was by Dr. Arup Chatterjee from Mahindra and Mahindra on “Synthesis of Carbon Nano-Materials and their Industrial & Biological Applications” which was followed by a talk by Dr. S. Venugopal from IISc, Bangalore on “Metal Nanocrystals and their self assembly into electronic Nanostructures”. Mr. P. Pradip from TATA R&D spoke on “Synthesis and Processing of Nanoparticles – Challenges and Opportunities in the emerging Nanotechnology Paradigm” whereas Mr. V. M. Naik from Unilever Research, India spoke on “Functional Nanostructures in the world of Fast Moving Consumer Goods” which stressed more the philosophy of nanotechnology rather than the technical aspects of it. Prof. Rajdip Bandyopadhyaya of IIT Kanpur gave a technical talk on “Self Assembly in Colloidal Systems” while the symposium ended on a light note with a talk by Prof. A. Q. Contractor of IIT Bombay on “Nanotechnology – From Feyman to Drexler to Smalley” which was about the history of nanotechnology.

The Symposium, which aimed at making the students and other people more aware of the current situation of nanotechnology and chemical engineering in the world, saw good amount of participation from inside as well as outside IIT Bombay.