Principal Investigator

Dr. Vinoth Kumar Raja

Assistant Professor & Head
Associate Dean (Research & Consultancy)
Department of Chemical Engineering
National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh

Academic Background & Early Research

Dr. Vinoth Kumar Raja received his Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati in 2013. His master’s thesis focused on the fabrication and characterization of analcime-c zeolite composite membranes for the removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions. He later obtained his Doctoral degree from the same institution in 2016, where his research centered on developing novel low-cost ceramic and zeolite-ceramic composite tubular membranes for liquid phase separation applications.

Addressing the high costs associated with conventional ceramic membranes, Dr. Raja developed inexpensive membrane solutions in both circular and tubular configurations using kaolin-based inorganic materials. These innovations have been successfully applied across a wide range of environmental applications.

Postdoctoral Research Experience

Following his Ph.D., Dr. Raja worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Porto, Portugal, under the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Fellowship funded by the European Union (October 2016 – November 2017). His research focused on municipal wastewater treatment through the integration of advanced oxidation processes with membrane technologies. This work enabled effective degradation of dissolved organics, removal of micropollutants, reduction of membrane fouling, and significant improvement in effluent quality.

He later served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (France) from April 2018 to July 2018. During this period, he worked on membrane fractionation of biomolecules derived from microalgae, contributing to applications in the food, health, and energy sectors.

Academic Career & Research Leadership

Since August 2018, Dr. Raja has been serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh. In 2019, he established the Membrane Research Laboratory, which he currently leads.

His research primarily focuses on membrane separation processes for chemical, biological, and environmental applications. He has published more than 110 scholarly works, including 14 book chapters, over 60 papers in international peer-reviewed SCI/SCOPUS-indexed journals, and more than 45 conference communications. His research impact is reflected in an h-index of 27, an i10-index of 42, and over 2800 citations.

Research Projects & Student Mentorship

Dr. Raja has successfully completed a DST-SERB sponsored project focused on the indigenous development of low-cost tubular ceramic membranes for citrus juice clarification. He is currently leading a Ministry of Mines funded project on the recovery of rare earth elements from mining effluents using TiO₂-coated multichannel bentonite ceramic membranes developed indigenously.

He has guided two Ph.D. scholars who are now pursuing postdoctoral research at reputed international institutions and is currently supervising seven Ph.D. students. Additionally, he has mentored numerous Master’s and undergraduate research projects.

Teaching & Academic Contributions

Alongside his research, Dr. Raja is actively engaged in teaching and academic administration. He has delivered a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including mass transfer, water and wastewater treatment, advanced separation processes, and material characterization, along with their associated laboratory components.

He currently serves as the Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering and has held several key academic positions such as Chairperson of the Board of Studies (UG & PG), Institute Coordinator for the GIAN Programme, and Convener for M.Tech curriculum development. He has also chaired multiple faculty selection committees, contributing significantly to institutional growth and academic excellence.

Awards & Recognition

Dr. Raja has received more than 10 prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to research and innovation. These include the Jal Shakti Hackathon 2025 Award for his work in addressing water-related challenges, the Prof. Shyamal Kanti Sanyal Memorial Award for Best PhD Thesis in membrane research with significant commercial potential (IIChE, 2018), the Best Innovative Project Award (2017), and the Bharat Ratna Kamaraj Memorial Young Scientist Award for his contributions to energy and environmental research.

His work continues to make a significant impact in the field of membrane science and engineering, particularly in advancing sustainable solutions for environmental, chemical, biological, and energy applications.