Events

In the pursuit of innovation and collaboration, MIT-WPU organised the One-Day International Industry-Academia Summit on Materials Science and Engineering on 27 February 2025. With a focus on fostering innovation and collaboration, the summit brought together global leaders, researchers, and industry experts to explore groundbreaking advancements in materials science and engineering.

Inaugural Session

The session began with a traditional lighting of the lamp, followed by a warm welcome address delivered by Prof. Dr. Bharat B. Kale, Director of CoE (Materials Science), MIT- WPU, setting an inspiring tone for the day’s proceedings. 

Inaugural session included keynote addresses from our esteemed guests

• Dr. Richard Lobo (Global Head of Innovation, Tata Chemicals, Mumbai) shared insights on innovation in materials science.
• Dr. Vilas Tathavadkar (Senior VP, Aditya Birla Group, Mumbai) discussed industry trends and challenges in materials engineering.

The session concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks by Prof. Dr. Murthy Chavali (Dean, R&D, MIT-WPU).

Technical Sessions

The event featured two dynamic technical sessions chaired by esteemed academicians and attended by participants from academia and industry.

Session 1 

Chaired by Prof. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and Prof. Dr. Murthy Chavali, session included talks by distinguished speakers such as :

 
• Dr. Richard Lobo (Global Head of Innovation, Tata Chemicals, Mumbai)  
• Dr. Vilas Tathavadkar (Senior VP, Aditya Birla Group, Mumbai)  
• Prof. Dr. Ajit Kulkarni (IIT Bombay, Powai)  
• Dr. Magnus Hummelgård (Mid Sweden University, Sweden)

The session concluded with a summary and vote of thanks by Dr. Vaibhav S. Kathavate (R&D, MIT-WPU).

Session 2

Chaired by Prof. Dr. Krishna Warhade and Prof. Dr. Ganesh Kakandikar, this session featured talks from experts including :

 
• Prof. Dr. K. Balasubramanian (DIAT, Pune)  
• Dr. Harishchandra Jadhav (Lupin Pharma, Pune)  
• Dr. Rajendra Sharma (SPEL Technologies, Pune)
• Dr. Manisha R. Phadatare (Mid Sweden University, Sweden)

The session concluded with a summary and vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Malhari B. Kulkarni (Programme Coordinator, Materials Sci. and Engg. Programme, MIT-WPU)

Valedictory Session

The day concluded with a comprehensive valedictory session, chaired by Prof. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and anchored by Prof. Dr. Ratnadip R. Joshi, which highlighted MIT-WPU’s contributions to research and innovation.

Session included overviews of activities and achievements of different departments presented by :

• Prof. Dr. Murthy Chavali, Dean of Central Research Facility & R&D, MIT-WPU
• Prof. Dr. Siddharth Chakrabarti, Dean of School of Engineering and Technology, MIT-WPU
• Prof. Dr. Anup Kale, Dean of School of Science and Environmental Studies, MIT-WPU
• Dr. Malhari B. Kulkarni, Programme Coordinator for Materials Science & Engineering

The valedictory session was concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Malhari B. Kulkarni (Programme Coordinator, Materials Sci. and Engg. Programme, MIT-WPU).

Conclusion

The summit was a resounding success, serving as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration between academia and industry leaders in materials science and engineering fields worldwide. It underscored MIT-WPU’s commitment to drive impactful solutions for global challenges through innovation and research excellence.

As we look forward to future events, MIT-WPU remains dedicated to empowering students, researchers, and industry professionals to shape the future of materials science through meaningful partnerships and transformative ideas!