Obtained a MEng in applied physics with specialization in nuclear and atomic physics from University of Brussels in Belgium in 1995 and followed by a year course in Ergology, at Ergology business school in Brussels, Belgium. PhD in Multiscale Computational Materials Science applied to light alloys, obtained in 2000 from University of Greenwich in London, UK. Conducted a Post doc from 2000 to 2002, at Imperial College materials department in London UK, combining Image-based characterization techniques with Multi-physics materials simulation for property predictions, applied to Aluminum alloys. Research Scientist at “Institute for Condensed Matter Chemistry of Bordeaux” (ICMCB-CNRS), from 2002 to 2014, responsible for 3D image based characterization techniques. Manager of the “Henry Moseley X-Ray Imaging Facility” (HMXIF) in Manchester, UK, from 2014 to 2016, heading research in 4D-Image based techniques combined with Computational Physics in Materials Science. Senior Materials Scientist, since 2016, in Materials & Structural Analysis division (Formerly FEI) within “ThermoFisher Scientific”, Bordeaux, France, working on multi-modal and multiscale correlative workflows in Materials science.
Dr.Baldev Raj has rendered yeoman service to the Department of Atomic Energy over a fortytwo year period until 2011. As Distinguished Scientist and Director, Indira Gandhi Centre of Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, he galvanized a whole community of staff, scientists and engineers for advancing several challenging technologies, especially those related to the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) and the prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR).
He has nurtured and grown excellent schools in nuclear materials and mechanics, non-destructive evaluation, corrosion, welding, separation sciences & technology and robotics & automation. These schools have delivered science based technological solutions to strategic sectors, industries and have created strong groups in leading educational institutions. His unique accomplishment has been breaking barriers between academia-research and research-industry in order to realize tangible and significant outcomes in high technology domains.
Dr.Baldev Raj has played a pioneering role in mastering the technology of complex post-irradiation examination (PIE) to achieve a burn up of 165 GWd/tonne of Pu-rich carbide. Dr.Raj has pioneered application of NDE for basic research using acoustic and electromagnetic techniques in a variety of materials and components. He is also responsible for realising societal applications of NDE in areas related to cultural heritage and medical diagnosis. His widely acclaimed contributions relate to understanding deformation using acoustic and magnetic Barkhausen methods, studies on stability and functional characterization of ferrofluids, corrosion mechanisms and specific sensors for high sensitivity and relevant measurements in a wide spectrum of technologies. His contributions to sodium science, materials development for fast spectrum and fusion reactors, structural mechanics and integrity of high performance components, safety of sodium cooled fast reactors, reprocessing of unique Pu-rich carbide fuel, etc have earned for India a leadership position in these fields in the world. He has used knowledge thus gained to address technology-intensive problems in aerospace and defence.
He was elected President of International Committee on NDT in 1992. He is also Past President of The Indian Institution of Metals, Indian Institution of Welding and Indian Society of NDT. He is currently President, International Institute of Welding, President, Indian National Academy of Engineering and President-Research PSG Institutions, Coimbatore.
Dr. Baldev Raj is a Fellow of Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, India and Indian National Academy of Engineering, The Third World Academy of Sciences, German Academy of Sciences, International Nuclear Energy Academy and Academia NDT, International. He is Hon.Fellow, International Medical Sciences Academy.
Author of more than 800 publications in refereed journals & books, 60 books, including special journal volumes, contributions to encyclopedia and handbooks, as well as owner of 21 patents, he has been recognized by way of awards, honours, plenary and keynote talks, editorial positions and assignments in esteemed national and international fora in more than 30 countries. He is editor-in-chief of three series of books. He has been conferred Distinguished Alumnus Award of Indian Institute of Science, Distinguished Materials Scientist Award of Materials Research Society of India, National Metallurgist Award of Ministry of Steel, Government of India and Presidential honour Padma Shri.
Above all he has interacted with thousands of scientists and mentored hundreds of children, students, scientists and technologists and has inspired them to carry out scientific and technical activities with a high degree of professionalism and, at the same time, following exemplary ethical practices.
After a PhD in pharmaceutical research he joined Esso Chemical UK developing new fuel additives including the early developments of bio-fuels. Ken has held science and managerial roles in the USA and EU including European Technology Manager in ExxonMobil. He also has WW experience in stating new technologies and businesses. In 2006 Ken returned to the UK as Chief Scientist at Infineum and started WW Strategic Research. In 2014 he started his own company (Lewtas Science & Technologies) and holds visiting professorships at the universities of Warwick and Edinburgh and also at the Diamond Light Source.
Jens Wenzel Andreasen (Technical University of Denmark) has designed and developed complex experiments for in situ structural studies in the fields of polymer solar cells and functional organic materials, catalysis and hydrogen storage using synchrotron radiation, since 2001. His research interests has recently been broadened to include 3D imaging of energy materials, particularly very demanding soft matter functional materials that constitute a specific challenge due to low contrasts for imaging. He has also developed techniques for fast mapping of nano-structure, crystallinity and texture in roll-to- roll coated thin-films even for in situ studies of structure formation in polymer solar cells during coating.
Professor B.V.R. Chowdari is currently working as the Executive Director of the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore - India Research Initiatives and also the Global Enterprise for Micromechanics and Molecular Medicine (GEM4). His current administrative responsibilities include fostering scientific relations between NUS and premier Indian Universities/Institutes in addition to administering the Secretariat of GEM4. He is also the Professor of Physics at NUS and Guest Professor at Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China. Earlier, after having obtained a PhD degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India, he served in various capacities at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, and the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Professor Chowdari's research interests lie in condensed matter physics and materials chemistry. His current research focus is on the development of materials for applications in lithium ion batteries. He has published more than 175 research papers in various peer-reviewed international journals and trained 18 students for their PhD degrees. He is currently serving on the editorial board of a number of International scientific journals. He is also a member of the International Scientific Committee or Chairman of the Organizing Committee for more than 25 International Conferences.
He is currently serving as the President of the Asian Society for Solid State Ionics, Materials Research Society of Singapore, and President-elect of the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS). As the President of these professional societies, he has been associated with the organization of the last 11 Asian Conferences on Solid State Ionics and 5 International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies (ICMAT). He has also edited 14 books.
In recognition of the success of the ICMAT series and the impact it has created worldwide in bringing together people from a large number of countries, Professor Chowdari has been conferred the title Officier de l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the Government of France. He has also been awarded the Long Service Medal by the President of the Republic of Singapore.
Prof. Paloma Fernández Sánchez is member of the Department of Materials Physics at the Faculty of Physics in University Complutense of Madrid since 1986, when she incorporated as Assistant and worked for her PhD. She obtained a permanent position in 1992 and the Professorship in 2007.
Presently, the research of her group (Grupo de Física de Nanomateriales Electrónicos, FINE) is focused on the study of nanocrystalline semiconductors and their optical and electronic properties. She also has a research line focused on Materials Science Education, with special attention to Collaborative Work Strategies, Project and Game based Learning.
She is member of several scientific societies and at present President of the Spanish Materials Society (SOCIEMAT) and Vice-president of the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS).