Education

• Ph.D. (University of Southampton, UK)
• M.Tech. (Industrial Tribology from IIT Madras)
• B.E. (College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University)

Biography

Dr. P.Ramkumar joined as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in IIT Madras in 2012. Prior to coming to IIT Madras, he was an Associate Professor at SSN College of Engineering, Chennai. Dr. Ramkumar received his B.E in Mechanical Engineering from College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University and his M.Tech (Industrial Tribology) from IIT Madras. Later, he pursued Ph.D. from University of Southampton, UK and did his post doctoral fellowship in University of Leicester, UK.

His research interests are in the field of tribology, including developing new materials and coatings for engine tribology, nano-lubrication, gearbox design, Electrostatic condition monitoring and developing new materials for brake application.

Academic Positions

• October 2019 – Till Date: Associate Professor, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, India.
• October 2012 – September 2019: Assistant Professor, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, India.
• June 2016 – July 2016: Academic Visitor, University of Southampton, U.K.
• June 2015 – July 2015: Academic Visitor, University of Southampton, U.K.
• June 2011 – October 2012: Associate Professor, SSN College of Engineering, Chennai, India.Nano-lubrication
• October 2010 – May 2011: Professor, Vel Tech University, Avadi, Chennai, India.
• September 2009 – September 2010: Post Doctoral Research Associate, University of Leicester, and Leicester, UK.
• August 2007 – August 2009: Research Assistant, Research Institute for Industry (RIFI), Southampton, UK.

Specialization and Expertise

• Tribology
• DLC coatings and ceramic materials.
• Nano-lubrication
• Composite materials for brakes
• Green tribology
• Wear modelling and electrostatic condition monitoring.

Awards & Honors

• November 2018: Won the "Best Poster presentation" Award for Analysis on Hydrogen Uptake into Steel from Lubricated Sliding Contact using In-situ Monitoring Technique, ICRIDME 2018, NIT Meghalaya, India.
• December 2005: Won the "Best Presentation" Award for IMechE’s ‘Mission of Tribology, U.K.
• November 2002: School of Engineering Sciences and EPSRC jointly sponsored Studentship Award for PhD, University of Southampton.
• May 1993, received "Best Outgoing" student from higher secondary school.
• May 1991- March 1993 received state government scholarship for outstanding performance.

Book Editor

• Jitendra Kumar Katiyar, P. Ramkumar, T. V. V. L. N. Rao, J. Paulo Davim. “Tribology in Materials and Applications.” (2020) Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-47451-5y
• Esther Titilayo Akinlabi, P. Ramkumar, M. Selvaraj. “Tribology in Materials and Applications.” (2021) Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore Doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-4488-0

Book Chapter

• P Ramkumar. “Tribological Effects of Diesel Engine Oil Contamination on Steel and Hybrid Sliding Contacts”. Chapter: 15 in “Tribology in Materials and Applications” (2020) Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Doi:110.1007/978-3-030-47451-5_15.
• V. Kashyap and P Ramkumar. “Comparing wettability and frictional performance of laser micro-machined discrete and continuous textures”. Lech. Notes Mechanical Engg., K.M Pandey et al. Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 978-981-15-7710-9, 495616_1_En (20).
• A. Parmar, P Ramkumar, K. Shankar, “Optimization of planetary gearbox using NSGA-II”. Lech. Notes Mechanical Engg., K.M Pandey et al. Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 978-981-15-7710-9, 495616_1_En (38).

Reviewers of Journals

• Surface Coatings and Technology
• Applied Surface Science
• Mechanism and Machine Theory
• Journal of the Brazilian society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering
• Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
• Journal of Royal Society of Chemistry
• Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part J: Journal of Engineering Tribology
• Sadhana: Academy Proceedings in Engineering Sciences
• Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals
• Tribology International
• Tribology Letters
• Tribology - Materials Surfaces & Interfaces

Member in Professional Body

• Life Member, TSI, Delhi, India.
• Member in IMechE, London, UK.
• Member in IoP, UK
• STLE, USA