Dr.Ramalatha Marimuthu of iExplore Foundation

Biography:

Dr. Ramalatha Marimuthu, Director of the iExplore Foundation for Sustainable Development, is a dedicated researcher specializing in Assistive Technology and Education. She has led numerous research projects and published papers focusing on technology solutions for marginalized groups. Her expertise in Universal Access to Technology, technology acceptance, and adoption has resulted in collaborative publications with global experts. She has also delivered invited talks at prestigious institutions, including leading universities worldwide and Google, Mountain View. As an educator, she has pioneered curriculum development by introducing industry-collaborative labs in animation and gaming. Through international partnerships with universities in the US and Japan, she has established assistive technology teams working on solutions for individuals with special needs. Her research on education methodologies has contributed to papers on project-based learning and its impact on career growth. As the Founder Director of the iExplore Foundation for Sustainable Development, she envisions a world where technology and education empower youth to build a sustainable future. The foundation aims to impact one million young individuals by promoting responsible technology as a pathway to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Central to this mission is engaging youth in technology development through project-based learning, mentorship, and cross-border collaborations, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.

Email:

Address:Coimbatore, , Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, 641001

Dr. Sree Sharmila of Anna University

Biography:

Dr. T. Sree Sharmila is a prominent Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), Anna University in Chennai. She is an established academician and researcher specializing in the following core areas: Research Focus: Image Processing, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Virtual/Augmented Reality. Academic Leadership: She has also served as a Deputy Director at the Centre for Academic Courses at Anna University. Professional Affiliations: She is actively involved with professional bodies such as the IEEE. Her academic journey includes previously serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Technology at SSN College of Engineering, Chennai, before transitioning to Anna University.

Email:

Address:Anna University, , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 600025

Dr. Tune Usha of NCCR

Biography:

Dr. Tune Usha is a Scientist - G and Group Head at the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, based in Chennai. She specializes in coastal hazard modeling, geospatial techniques, and climate change adaptation. Her extensive career and professional profile include the following key details: 

Current Designation: Scientist - G and Group Head (Coastal Hazards, Marine Spatial Planning, and Training/Capacity Building) at NCCR. 

Experience: Over 27 years in geoinformatics, satellite data analytics, climate change vulnerability, and coastal hazard modelling. 

Ocean Society of India: She serves as the Chairperson of the Ocean Society of India (OSI) Chennai Chapter. 

Hazard & Warning Systems: Led the design and deployment of Web-GIS-based Coastal Flood Warning Systems and Multi-Hazard Decision Support Systems for coastal management and disaster risk reduction.

Thoondil Initiative: Spearheaded the Thoondil fisherman safety initiative in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which provides hazard alerts to fishermen in regional languages.

Deep Ocean Mission: Heads the Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services (OCCAS) vertical at NCCR, focusing on coastal erosion due to sea-level rise.

MBA: General Management (2011), Anna University.

Doctorate: Extensive background and expertise spanning over two decades in geoinformatics and disaster risk reduction.

Email:

Address:NCCR, , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 600100

Smt. Nidhi Varshney of NIOT

Biography:

Nidhi Varshney currently works at National Institute of Ocean Technology. Nidhi does research in Control Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering. Their current project is 'Deep Sea Technology'.

Email:

Address:NIOT, , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 600100

Dr. Kavitha Perumalsamy of Assystem

Biography:

Dr. P. Kavitha Perumalsamy is a coastal and ocean engineering professional with over two decades of experience spanning academia, research, and industry. She holds a PhD in Ocean Engineering from IIT Madras, where her doctoral research focused on the structural behaviour of pipe sheet pile wall systems, a Master's in Structural Engineering from Anna University, and a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering — all backed by a strong academic record that earned her a university third rank at the undergraduate level.

She spent over seven years as a Senior Project Officer at the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, where she led and contributed to a wide range of high-impact infrastructure projects — including the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Seaport, harbour structures in the Maldives, shore protection works in Rwanda, and numerical modelling for the Kochi Water Metro. Since June 2025, she has transitioned to industry as Manager – Ports at Assystem India Limited, a global engineering and digital transformation company.

Her research publications span berthing structures, soil-structure interaction, breakwater stability, offshore wind turbines, and mooring systems — with work presented at leading international forums including OMAE, OCEANS, and PIANC-COPEDEC. Dr. Kavitha's career is a compelling example of a woman who has navigated the deeply technical world of port and coastal engineering w

Email:

Address:Assystem, , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 600116

Dr. Greeshma Thirivikraman of IIT Madras

Biography:

Dr. Greeshma Thrivikraman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at IIT Madras, holding a PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Her research spans engineered tissue and organ equivalents, stem cell-based regenerative medicine, microenvironment manipulation for morphogenesis and disease modelling, and bioelectronic medicine. Her work focuses on designing smart biomaterials that can "guide" stem cells to regenerate damaged tissues and organs — with wide applications in healthcare and medicine. Her published work includes studies on biologically-engineered models of calcified arteries, 3D-printed scaffolds for tissue engineering, and prevascularized hydrogels that promote bone regeneration. She has also researched how fibroblasts respond to physical cues in fibrin networks — important for understanding wound healing and tissue repair.

Email:

Address:IIT Madras, , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 600036

Prof. R. Sarathi of IIT Madras

Biography:

Dr. R. Sarathi is a Professor of High voltage engineering with IIT Madras. He has rich and varied experience of over 20 years in research, teaching and consulting. He has been instrumental in conceptualizing and developing the state-of-the-art High Voltage Laboratory at IIT Madras.

He visited Akita University, Japan as a JSPS Fellow; visited Technical University, Munich as DAAD Fellow and served as visiting researcher in leading universities such as Nagaoka University, Japan, Kyushu University, Japan, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, and Waseda University, Japan.

He is currently associated with UKIERI project, an international collaboration initiative on Innovation in high voltage insulation for electrical energy networks.

He is Member, Indian Standards on High voltage testing techniques, CBIP distribution system, International Reference Group for SweGRIDS, Sweden and a collaborative member of green Asia project of Kyushu university funded by Japanese government.

He is senior IEEE member and IEEE Madras Section PES Chair.

Email:

Address:IIT Madras, , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 600036