Educational Background:
• 2009: PhD Chemical Engineering (Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India). • 2005: M.E. Chemical Engineering (Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India). • 2003: B. Tech Chemical Engineering (University of Madras, Tamil Nadu, India). • 2000: Dip. Chemical Technology (Motilal Nehru Polytechnic College, Pondicherry, India).
Academic experience:
• Nov 2014 – till date: Research & Innovation-Processing Plant Engineer (Scientist-D), Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing, Punjab, India. • March 2014 – Oct 2014: Scientist – C, Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing, Punjab, India. • March 2013 – Feb 2014: Assistant Scientist, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA. • Dec 2009 – Feb 2013: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Awards/Fellowships :
• 2007-2009: Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. • 2005-2007: Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. • 2003-2005: GATE Scholarship from Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.
Research interests :
• Biomass transformation to value-added compounds: Carbohydrates to platform molecules, lignin to hydrocarbon fuel precursors, kinetics and modeling, process design and development.
Selected research publications :
1. BioEnergy Research (DOI:10.1007/s12155- 015 -9605- 2), 2015. 2. Sustainable Chemical Processes 2; 12- 25, 2014. 3. Biotechnology for Biofuels 5; 59- 72, 2012. 4. ChemSusChem 5; 676- 686,2012. BioEnergy Research 1;239- 247,2008. 5. BioEnergy Research 1;239- 247,2008.
Books/Book chapters:
1. S. Elumalai and X. J. Pan (2011). “Chemistry and Reactions of Forest Biomass in Biorefining” in “Sustainable Production of Bioenergy and Bioproducts from Forest Biomass”, American Chemical Society Publications, Washington DC, Pp 109-144. 2. S. Elumalai, B. Agarwal, T.M. Runge and R.S. Sangwan (2017) Advances in transformation of lignocellulosic biomass to carbohydrate-derived fuel precursors. In Biorefining of biomass to biofuels: Opportunities and perception. Springer. Pp 87-111. 3. B. Agarwal, V. Ahluwalia, A. Pandey, R.S. Sangwan and S. Elumalai. Sustainable production of chemicals and energy fuel precursors from lignocellulosic fractions. Springer. Pp 7-33.
Patents:
1. Process method for production of levulinic acid from agri-residue waste in single-pot reactor setup (Indian Patent Appl. No. 201711010199). Inventors: S Elumalai, RS Sangwan, Sandeep Kumar, V Ahluwalia and P Kundu. 2. Process for enriched xylooligosaccharides production from secondary agriresidues through alkaline treatment (Indian Patent Appl. No. 201711007495). Inventors: S Elumalai, RS Sangwan, P Kundu, S Kumar, V Ahluwalia and SK Yadav.