Fundamentals & Applications of Micro and Macro Scale Transport Processes

Prof. Pushpavanam has had a distinguished career spanning nearly four decades as a teacher, researcher, and mentor. His work has significantly advanced understanding in: multiscale modelling of transport processes, stability and nonlinear dynamics in fluid systems, microfluidics and interfacial phenomena, and multiphase flow analysis. His research has found impactful applications in, optimization of multiphase reactors, design of sustainable energy systems and development of advanced medical diagnostics through lab-on-chip technologies. Through rigorous theoretical analysis combined with engineering insight, he has influenced generations of students and researchers in academia and industry. Over the years, he has published more than 170 papers in leading international journals and holds multiple patents, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing both fundamental science and engineering practice. Over the course of his distinguished academic career, he has mentored nearly 40 Ph.D. students, many of whom now hold important positions in academia and industry across the world. His former students serve as faculty at leading institutions including IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Tirupati, Banaras Hindu University, BITS Goa, and NIT Surathkal, while others hold key research and leadership roles in global companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell, and Pfizer.

Prof. Pushpavanam is also widely admired as a passionate and dedicated teacher. His textbooks, Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering and Introduction to Chemical Engineering, are widely adopted by universities around the world. The former provides a unified mathematical framework for graduate students, while the latter was written to inspire young students to pursue the discipline of chemical engineering. His online lecture series on Multiphase Flows, Mathematical Methods, and Transport Phenomena have reached and benefited thousands of students globally. Beyond his academic contributions, Prof. Pushpavanam has played an important role in strengthening the international presence of IIT Madras. He initiated the hosting of alumni and departmental receptions at the AIChE Annual Meetings in the United States, an initiative that has significantly strengthened global engagement and helped attract outstanding faculty and collaborators to the department.