Department of Chemical Engineering
Overview
The Department was established in 1974 (first private college to do so) and offered Undergraduate Chemical Engineering program. With passage of time, the department has transformed itself into one of high repute offering post graduate and doctoral programs under affiliation of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) under the Department of Chemical Engineering Research Centre.
Over the years, the Department has been working towards achieving its Vision and Mission in tune with the Institute’s Vision and Mission. It also has a well laid-out quality policy being adopted in all its activities and is putting forth its best efforts to meet the aspirations of all the stakeholders. The B.E. Chemical Engineering program being offered by the Department is accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) four times.
Out of the nine faculty, seven faculty have completed their Ph.D., from institutions of high repute (NUS Singapore, NITK, JNTU, VTU, etc) and one is pursuing his PhD in IIT Madras. The Department faculty are actively pursuing research in thrust areas including environmental remediation, advanced materials, drug delivery, cell engineering, biomedical engineering, reactor modelling/design, nanomaterials, alternative energy, Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning-enabled process engineering and novel separations.
Program Details
Under Graduate Programme:
- B.E., Chemical Engineering
- Intake: 60
- Duration: 4 years
Research Programme:
- M.Sc. in Engineering by Research
- Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
The curriculum of UG and PG courses have been developed by faculty in consultation with eminent academicians, industry experts, and research organizations in order to meet the aspirations and demands of the various stakeholders, viz., students, parents, industry, alumni, and society at large.
B.E. Chemical Engineering Program:
The B.E. Chemical Engineering program, which is widely popular among the student community, has been designed with specific inputs from all the stakeholders. The program effectively prepares the students to meet the challenges in the field.
The program enables the graduates of the Chemical Engineering program to be able to:
- Acquire knowledge and competence in mathematics, sciences, and chemical engineering in the fields of (a) transport phenomena, (b) reaction kinetics, (c) process control, (d) process modelling and computational techniques, (e) novel separation techniques, (f) transfer operations, (g) biochemical engineering, (h) process integration/intensification, (i) AI and ML, (j) sustainability, and other allied areas.
- Develop into proficient chemical engineers with lifelong learning ability, and overcome the impacts of technological obsolescence.
- Apply chemical engineering concepts to solve real-world problems.
- Inculcate ethical and spiritual values, spirit of team work, and leadership qualities in students so as to provide engineering solutions for social and economic problems.
Vision & Mission
Vision
“To be an internationally renowned department for Chemical Engineering education and research, meeting the aspirations of society.”
Mission
- To impart quality education in Chemical Engineering at all levels.
- To foster cutting edge research and development in Chemical Engineering
- To produce responsible and ethical engineers to serve society
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Student Life & Activities
| Event Title. | Event Details | Awards | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Scholarship | Education Program Scholarship for 2024-25, to pursue Engineering | Intuit Indian Girl Child Education Program Scholarship 2025 | Preethi P Patil Meghana N S Amrutha K S |
| INSIGNIA, Chemical Engineering Students' Conference | Mechanical Engineering | First prize in oral presentation | Keerthana D S Harini T C Srujana P |
| 2 days offline workshop on Semiconductor | Conducted by Ethical Edufabrica Pvt. Ltd., in association with PRAVEGA, at IISC Bangalore on April 5th & 6th, 2025 | Completion | Deeksha Naik |
| 2 days offline workshop on CRISPR and gene editing | Conducted by Ethical Edufabrica Pvt. Ltd., in association with PRAVEGA, at IISC Bangalore on April 5th & 6th, 2025 | Completion | Bindu G, Bindu R S, Darshan D, Faiz A Sharif, Hithyshi B D, Nidhi G Raichur, Padmanabha S N, Raghu T R, Ramya B Sujal C Hukkeri, Tarun Kumar M, Vinay B R, Vishnu Iyer, K Appurva |
| 2 days offline workshop on Forensic Science | Conducted by Ethical Edufabrica Pvt. Ltd., in association with PRAVEGA, at IISC Bangalore on April 5th & 6th, 2025 | Completion | Tushar D Kallanagoudar Nikshepa L Narayan |
| 2 days offline workshop on Drug Discovery and Molecular Docking | Conducted by Ethical Edufabrica Pvt. Ltd., in association with PRAVEGA, at IISC Bangalore on April 5th & 6th, 2025 | Completion | Aditi A Gaonkar Thejaswini PK, Varsha G Ph.D. - Scholar |
| KSCST Student Project Grant | Karnataka State Council for Science & Technology (KSCST) 48th series Student Project Proposal | Student Grant of Rs. 5500.00 | Sanjana Dr. Poornima G Hiremath Dr. G Nagaraju |
| Inhouse FDP on Innovative Process Technologies for Sustainable Development | 4 days Inhouse FDP organised by the Department of Chemical Engineering, SIT, Tumakuru, from 3-6 March, 2025 | Participation | Tejaswini P K, Shashwath Lakkur, Varsha G, S Kalpashree, Nidhi Raichur, Rajesh P M, Skanda Bhargav, Varshitha, Srujana P, Impana H M, Anjan H, H S Ashritha |
| 1st International Conference on Climate Resilience & Environmentally Sustainable Technologies (NITK-CREST 2025) | Organized by NIT - Surathkal, Mangalore, Karnataka from 27th Feb to 1st March, 2025 | Best Oral Presentation in the UG Category, Certificate of Oral Presentation | Vishnu Iyer,Nidhi D Raichur |
| 14th International Conference on Sustainable Waste Management - Circular Economy and IPLA Global Forum 2024 | Organized by the International Society for Waste Management Air and Water, organised by GITAM School of Business, Vishakapatnam, Nov. - Dec. 24 | IconSWM-CE Excellence Award 2024 for Best Paper Presentation | Srihari M S |
Events Organized
| Name of the Event | Date | Details of the Event |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Visit | 03-06-2025 | TCS, Bengaluru |
| Parents-Teachers Meeting | 29-05-2025 | VIII Sem (2021 batch) |
| MOOC Awareness Program for VI and IV Sem students | 28-05-2025 | VTU-organized Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) awareness program from 09.00-10.00 am and 10.30-11.30 am |
| Parents-Teachers Meeting | 24-05-2025 | II, VI and IV Sem students |
| Industrial Visit | 23-05-2025 | TCS, Bengaluru |
| Invited Lecture | 20-05-2025 | Smart FACTORIES: changing scenarios of Process Industries by Dr. Raghuraj Rao |
| Guest Lecture (Organised by T&P Dept. for IV & VI Sem students) | 12-05-2025 | Chemical Sustainability & Regulations by Mr. Chandrashekar Prasad, TCS, Bengaluru |
| Invited Lecture | 05-05-2025 | Quality Management in the Oil and Gas Industry by Mr. Radhakrishnan Penathur |
| Faculty Development Program | 03-03-2025 to 06-03-2025 | Recent Innovative Technologies for Sustainable Development |
| Guest Lecture | 08-01-2025 | Advanced Process Control and Optimisation by Mr. Kiran Raviprakash |
| Online Guest Lecture | 07-01-2025 | Multiphase Flow and Reactions in Micro-reactors by Dr. Anil Vir, IIT Tirupathi |
| Industrial Visit | 21-12-2024 | Mallasandra Dairy |
| Guest Lecture | 02-12-2024 | Microfluidics in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology by Dr. Suhanya Duraiswamy |
| Industrial Visit | 18-11-2024 | MRPL, Mangalore |
| Guest Lecture | 13-11-2024 | Advanced Process Control, AI and Automation: New frontiers for Chemical Engineers by Mr. Prithvi Sai Nath Garikiparthi |
| Guest Lecture | 05-10-2024 | Career Guidance on Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology by Mr. Padmanabha N C |
| Induction program (SIP 2024) | 30-09-2024 to 10-10-2024 | Students Induction program for the students admitted during 2024 |
| Welcome day-2024 | 30-09-2024 | Welcome function by the Institute for the students of 2024 batch |
| Bridge Course-2024 | 23-09-2024 to 01-10-2024 | For all III semester B.E., Chemical Engineering Students |
Infrastructure & Facilities
The department is equipped with cutting-edge computing infrastructure:
Innovation Labs – Dedicated spaces for research and development in chemical process simulation and nanomaterials.
High-Tech Analytical Labs – Equipped with advanced spectroscopy, chromatography, and material characterization tools.
Process Simulation Labs – Provides access to specialized software for chemical process modeling and simulation.
Environmental & Sustainability Labs – Hands-on research in water treatment, waste management, and renewable energy.
Pilot Plant Facilities – Offers real-world exposure to industrial-scale chemical processing.
Remote Access & Virtual Labs – Enables students to conduct experiments and research remotely, ensuring flexibility in learning.
Faculty
The department comprises highly qualified faculty members specializing in chemical process design, nanotechnology, environmental engineering, and biochemical technology. Faculty members actively engage in research and industry collaborations.
No. of Ph.Ds: 7
No. of Masters: 2 (1 pursuing Ph.D)
Total no. of Professors (teachers): 9
Specializations: Environmental remediation, Waste to Wealth, Advanced Materials, Drug Delivery, Cell Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Reactor modelling/design, Nanomaterials, Biofuels, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-enabled Process Engineering, Membrane Separations
Academic Programs & Syllabus
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Undergraduate Program:
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B.E. in Chemical Engineering – A comprehensive 4-year program focusing on process engineering, reaction kinetics, thermodynamics, biochemical technology, and environmental engineering.
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Postgraduate Program:
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M.Tech in Chemical Engineering – A specialized program emphasizing advanced reaction engineering, sustainable energy, process modeling, and materials technology.
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Ph.D. Program:
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Research opportunities in process optimization, green chemistry, nanotechnology, and industrial pollution control.
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Syllabus
Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) - UG
Graduates will:
- A sound knowledge of chemical engineering to pursue a successful professional career
- A spirit of inquiry and urge to pursue research in chemical engineering and thrust areas.
- High ethical values and be socially responsible in discharging their duties.
- Knowledge of the latest developments in their field of activity and commit themselves to life-long learning
Program Outcomes (POs) - UG
Graduates will be able to:
- Engineering Knowledge: Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural science, computing, engineering fundamentals and an engineering specialization as specified in WK1 to WK4 respectively to develop to the solution of complex engineering problems.
- Problem Analysis: Identify, formulate, review research literature and analyze complex engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions with consideration for sustainable development. (WK1 to WK4)
- Design/Development of Solutions: Design creative solutions for complex engineering problems and design/develop systems/components/processes to meet identified needs with consideration for the public health and safety, whole-life cost, net zero carbon, culture, society and environment as required. (WK5)
- Conduct Investigations of Complex Problems: Conduct investigations of complex engineering problems using research-based knowledge including design of experiments, modelling, analysis & interpretation of data to provide valid conclusions. (WK8).
- Engineering Tool Usage: Create, select and apply appropriate techniques, resources and modern engineering & IT tools, including prediction and modelling recognizing their limitations to solve complex engineering problems. (WK2 and WK6)
- The Engineer and The World: Analyze and evaluate societal and environmental aspects while solving complex engineering problems for its impact on sustainability with reference to economy, health, safety, legal framework, culture and environment. (WK1, WK5, and WK7).
- Ethics: Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics, human values, diversity and inclusion; adhere to national & international laws. (WK9)
- Individual and Collaborative Team work: Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader in diverse/multi-disciplinary teams.
- Communication: Communicate effectively and inclusively within the engineering community and society at large, such as being able to comprehend and write effective reports and design documentation, make effective presentations considering cultural, language, and learning differences
- Project Management and Finance: Apply knowledge and understanding of engineering management principles and economic decision-making and apply these to one’s own work, as a member and leader in a team, and to manage projects and in multidisciplinary environments.
- Life-Long Learning: Recognize the need for, and have the reparation and ability for i) independent and life-long learning ii) adaptability to new and emerging technologies and iii) critical thinking in the broadest context of technological change. (WK8).
Industry Collaboration & Placement
The department has strong industry partnerships, providing students with internships, projects, and placements. Graduates are placed in leading companies, including:
Reliance Industries
Indian Oil Corporation
Tata Chemicals
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
BASF
Infosys
Industry research work
Project Title: Revolutionizing Education: Al Innovations in Engineering and Technology
Principal Investigator: Dr. Poornima G Hiremath
Start Date: 09-05-2025
Funding Agencies: VGST, Bengaluru
Funding Amount: 3.00 lakhs
Status: Ongoing
Project Title: Investigation of ferroptosis as the mechanism of hypothermia induced cell death and barrier dysfunction in cold stored ex vivo corneal endothelium
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 19-02-2024
Funding Agencies: SigmaXi and National Academy of Sciences, USA
Funding Amount: 2.14 lakhs
Status: Ongoing
Project Title: Network centre for research on glioblastoma stem cell-targeted T-cell immunotherapy using non-genetically engineered mesenchymal str cells
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 18-09-2023
Funding Agencies:DBT (Govt. of India), New Delhi
Funding Amount: 335 lakhs
Status:Ongoing
Project Title: Development of a Prototype Adsorption Unit for Treatment of Fluoride-Contaminated Water
Principal Investigator:Dr. Poornima G Hiremath
Start Date:26-08-2021
Funding Agencies: VGST, Bengaluru
Funding Amount: Rs.3.00 Lakhs
Status:Completed
Project Title: Desalination of reverse osmosis reject water using microalgae in Photobioreactor and production of fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) and Biochar from harvested algal biomass
Principal Investigator: Dr. Prakash Binnal
Start Date: 29-11-2022
Funding Agencies:SERB-TARE, New Delhi
Funding Amount: 18.30 lakhs
Status:Ongoing
Project Title: Rescuing the hypothermia-and cytokine-induced damage to donor corneal endothelial function by pretreatment with microtubule stabilizers
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 27-11-2020
Funding Agencies: Association for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology (ARVO), USA
Funding Amount: USD 10,000
Status: Completed
Project Title: Seed grant to establish Bio-INvENT Center of Excellence
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 31-07-2023
Funding Agencies:SSES, Tumakuru
Funding Amount:35.4 lakhs
Status:Ongoing
Project Title: CLeONS: High efficiency contact lens-coated oxygen nanosensors for eye clinics
Principal Investigator:Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 20-09-2019
Funding Agencies: DST-Lockheed Martin-Tata Trusts
Funding Amount:10.00 lakhs
Status:Completed
Project Title: Nano particle based Prophylactic Drug Delivery to the Corneal Endothelium
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 04-09-2018
Funding Agencies: SERB-EMR, New Delhi
Funding Amount:35.04 LakhsStatus:Completed
Project Title: Understanding the biophysical properties of cell membrane-derived nanocarrier for the rational design of targeted drug delivery systems
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 01-05-2016
Funding Agencies: Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research
Funding Amount: 1.69 Lakhs
Status: Completed
Project Title: Mesenchymal stem cell-derived Nanovesicles loaded with 177 Lu for targeted cancer therapy
Principal Investigator:Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date:31-05-2018
Funding Agencies:BRNS-RTAC (Dept of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India), MumbaiFunding
Amount:28.80 Lakhs
Status:Completed
Project Title: Understanding the biophysical properties of cell membrane-derived nanocarrier for the rational design of targeted drug delivery systems
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 01-05-2016
Funding Agencies: Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research
Funding Amount: 1.69 Lakhs
Status: Completed
Project Title: Mesenchymal stem cell-derived Nanovesicles loaded with 177 Lu for targeted cancer therapy
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir H Ranganath
Start Date: 31-05-2018
Funding Agencies: BRNS-RTAC (Dept of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India), Mumbai
Funding Amount: 28.80 Lakhs
Status: Completed
Project Title: Water and Wastewater Management Centre for MSM Enterprises
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Thomas Theodore and Dr. Poornima G Hiremath
Start Date: 03-02-2017
Funding Agencies: KCTU, Bengaluru
Funding Amount: 50.0 Lakhs
Status: Completed
Project Title: Feasibility of biodiesel production using algal oils
Principal Investigator: Dr. P Nirguna Babu and Prof. Prakash Binnal
Start Date: 07-12-2010
Funding Agencies: VTU, Belagavi
Funding Amount: 7.98 Lakhs
Status: Completed
Industry projects
Project Title:Process chemistry development for APIs
Principal Investigator:Dr. Sudhir Ranganath
Start Date: 01-01-2019
Funding Industry: Tvastra InnoTech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Tumkur
Status: Completed
Project Title: Process development for the extraction of metals from spent LIBs
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir Ranganath
Start Date: 2021
Funding Industry: Tvastra InnoTech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Tumkur
Status: Completed
Project Title: Process development and reactor design for textile wastewater treatment
Principal Investigator:Dr. Harish Phattepur, Dr. Suman Pawar, Dr. Sudhir Ranganath
Start Date: 05-05-2025
Funding Industry:ITL Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
Status:Ongoing
Project Title: Process development for Ag nanoparticle production
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir Ranganath, Dr. Harish Phattepur
Start Date: 07-06-2025
Funding Industry: Cutis Medicare Apparels, Bangalore
Status:Ongoing
Project Title: Process development for electric vehicle battery recycling
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sudhir Ranganath
Start Date: 01-06-2025
Funding Industry: Tata Consultancy Services, Bangalore
Status: Ongoing
Project Title: Manufacture of brick and tiles from fire extinguisher industry waste
Principal Investigator: Dr. Suman Pawar
Start Date: 2021
Funding Industry:
Usha Armor Pvt Ltd., Bangalore
Status: Ongoing
Project Title: Cultivation of mushroom using fire extinguisher industry waste
Principal Investigator: Dr. Suman Pawar
Start Date: 2021
Funding Industry: Usha Armor Pvt Ltd., Bangalore
Status: Ongoing
Placements
Highest CTC – JSW – 9.5 LPA
Median Salary – 6.12 LPA
Achievements & Recognition
- Member of Sigma Xi Scientific Honor Society, USA (2023)
- INSA Visiting Scientist Fellowship (Host: IIT Bombay) (May 2022)
- Roche Collaborative Research Fellowship from ARVO, USA (Nov 2020)
- Young Investigator at the Young Investigators’ Meeting organized by India Bioscience Group (2020)
- Finalist at the National Bio Entrepreneurship Competition organized by C-CAMP (Dec 2019)
- Award for Research Publication, Vision Group for Science & Technology, Govt of Karnataka (2019)
- Winner of DST-Lockheed Martin-Tata Trusts India Innovation Growth Programme University Challenge (July 2019)
- Best Poster Award at the COMSOL Conference, Bangalore (2018)
- Innovation Certificate by Partners Healthcare, Harvard Medical School, USA (2017)
- Session Chair at the International Conference on Biomedical Engineering, Singapore (Dec 2016)
- DBT Travel Grant to ICBME Singapore (Dec 2016)
- Awarded Institute Seed Funding of Rs.48 Lakhs for Research, SIT (2016)
Alumni Success
Our alumni work in leading industries, research labs, and government organizations, contributing to the development of sustainable chemical processes and industrial advancements worldwide.
Admissions
Admissions for B.E. in Chemical Engineering are available through CET, COMED-K, and JEE Mains. Postgraduate admissions are based on academic qualifications and research interests. For more details, visit the Admissions Page.
