Contents

From the Desk of the Coordinator

Editor’s Panel

Through the Ages

episteme 2011

Oil Reserves and the UAE

Indo-German Winter Academy

Intern Corner

A Route at Odds

Alumni Chit-Chat

A Closer Look

Across the Table

Seniors ki Zubani

The Boulevard Ahead

People’s say-The Survey

Placement Report

IIChE-SC Activities & Team Members

Gallery
 From the Desk of the Coordinator
Dear Friends,

It gives me immense pleasure in announcing the fourth edition of our newsletter ‘Episteme’. Though we are a bit
late in bringing up this issue, I hope all of you will enjoy reading this newsletter and cherish the efforts of our stu-
episteme 2011

dents. A few of the certain features like Alumni Chit-Chat with our passed out students, articles from allied disci-
plines, surveys and experiences of our final year students in their own words has been a very welcome move. I am
once again happy to let you know that this newsletter is completely designed, edited, contributed and maintained
by our students. We are in the process of publishing the hard copy version of this newsletter. At last I must praise
the efforts of Prasanjeet and Ashwin for bringing out this issue. Any suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Dr. Kaustubha Mohanty

Associate Professor
Department of Chemical Engg.
 Editor’s Panel
Respected faculty members and dear friends,

The editorial team is back and this time proudly presents before you the fourth issue of our e-newsletter, IIChE-Student Chapter, IIT Guwahati. Episteme etymologi-
cally knowledge or science is an endeavour to connect all the students, research scholars and our faculty in continuation with our efforts to work on the motto ‘ By
the people, for the people’. It will also be a medium to gain valuable insights from the experiences of our alumni pursuing careers in diverse fields as well as from
prominent people in the industry and academia. Our vision and mission for Episteme is to gradually build up as a valuable source for knowledge and information
episteme 2011

and become a respected effort for all who are connected to the Department of Chemical Engineering.

This issue, we have tried our best to create a few sheets of impalpable gestures amalgamated with news, views, reviews, interviews and a lot more. I would like to
acknowledge my heartily thanks to all those who devoted their precious time and made their sincerest efforts to once again realize this dream our seniors had
given birth to. Special thanks to Vishak (Joint Sec. IIChE-SC), Ashwin (Co-Editor) and Vikas Kumar (Designer) for their incessant support. Finally I would like to thank
Dr. Kaustubha Mohanty (our co-ordinator) for his continuous guidance and encouragement.

We all know and understand how good initiatives evanesce if they do not get continuous support and encouragement. Episteme is still in its infancy and therefore I
urge to your kind and benevolent self to let us know how we are doing, if there’s something you liked or disliked and how do you wish Episteme to turn out to be in
the future issues.

I hope you enjoy this issue....

Prasanjeet Poddar Ashwin T. Kumara

Editor Co-editor
IIChE-Student Chapter Newsletter

Obituary
Piyush Mittal, an alumnus from our department (Batch of 2010) reportedly left us on 24th January 2011 for the heavenly abode. He
had been a BTP student under Dr. Kaustabha Mohanty and had been recruited by GAIL (India) Limited where he had been working for
quite some time. Let us remember him always as a charming person whom God wanted more than us and may his departed soul rest
in peace forever.
 ...Through the Ages
Ashwin T. Kumara, B.tech 2nd Year

Chemical Engineering has pilfered its way down into our daily lives and has become One person’s waste can become another person’s treasure. Recycling post-consumer
an integral part of it. Since its development as a core branch of engineering, chemical paper, metal, and plastic reduces the environmental impact of acquiring more raw ma-
engineers have been developing techniques to meet with the intricate challenges of terials. In manufacturing, reusing industrial waste also offsets raw-material and energy
the industry and the environment for a sustainable life. They have always been at the requirements. Chemical engineers help make recycling possible by designing effective
forefront of environmental protection. With a unique perspective that straddles both collection-infrastruture, appropriate reprocessing techniques to convert the waste into
episteme 2011

science and engineering, they work in teams with other professionals. By designing so- suitable end products, and a market for the recycled products.
lutions to our vexing environmental challenges, chemical engineers are striving to save Because of their multifaceted expertise, chemical engineers have been at the forefront
the world we live in. of innovation in the generation of energy. They have devised methods for use of renewa-
ble as well as nonrenewable feedstocks. A vast array of chemical-engineering principles
Cars, trucks, and buses are essential for transportation and freight delivery around the is used to generate electricity and to produce different types of fuel for transportation,
world. However, the exhaust from the gasoline- and diesel-powered engines required industrial, and residential purposes.
to propel these vehicles has been a major cause of air pollution. Chemical engineers,
working with scientists and other engineers, have helped devise ways to cost effectively Crude oil, or petroleum, is of little use in its raw state. Its value to society lies in the
reduce the amount of pollution produced by petroleum-derived, fuel-burning engines. broad slate of products that can be created from it. Refineries use complex chemical
Key developments include improved engines with more efficient fuel- and air-manage- separation and conversion processes to
ment systems, catalytic devices that destroy pollutants found in exhaust tailpipes, and turn crude oil into gasoline, diesel and
advanced petroleum-refining techniques that produce cleaner-burning fuels. jet fuel, kerosene, lubricating oils, waxes,
and asphalt, many intermediate petro-
With explosive population and industry growth, the need for cost-effective water-puri- chemical products and numerous other
fication and wastewater-treatment technologies has become more urgent than ever. end products which we rely on today.
Chemical-engineering principles are used to remove harmful pollutants from both raw
source water and contaminated wastewater. Specifically, chemical engineers have de- Biomass is plant material—fast-growing
veloped cost-effective methods to trees and grasses, grains, corn, sugar
cane, wood scrap, even woody leaves
* Purify water from subsurface aquifers and surface sources, such as rivers and lakes, and stalks and garbage. It is a sun-de-
to produce potable drinking water; pendent renewable feedstock that can
* Produce purified water that meets the increasingly strict requirements for industrial be used to produce biofuel. This type of
use; and Chemical engineers have been involved in the fuel can be converted into gaseous and
development of nanoscale buckyball carbon mol-
* Treat contaminated industrial and municipal wastewater and sewage to make them ecules for potential use as drug-delivery vehicles.
liquid fuels for electric power generation
suitable either for discharge to public waterways or for reuse. and automobile propulsion. Biodiesel is
a functional alternative to conventional diesel - many diesel engines that can use this
In keeping with the spirit of nature conservation, chemical engineers have helped pro- renewable fuel with no change in performance are already available. Chemical engi-
vide new technologies to enable electric power plants and industrial facilities to sig- neers are involved with developing technologies to convert renewable biomaterials into
nificantly reduce such harmful airborne emissions as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, electricity and transportation fuels, just as they have been with nonrenewable fossil
mercury, and unburned hydrocarbons. fuels. Corn and sugar are now widely used to pro-
 duce ethanol, a gasoline substitute. And soybeans are being used to produce diesel grees of strength, and processing flex-
fuel. Besides, biodiesel is also inherently cleaner than fossil-fuel diesel. ibility. Working to achieve unique and
innovative combinations of these prop-
Consider the various combinations of properties you might find in different types of ma- erties, chemical engineers are able to
terials. This variation is what makes one material different from another. These proper- create a great variety of materials and
episteme 2011

ties may include electrical properties, thermal properties, magnetic properties, strength,
flexibility or rigidity, or resistance to damage. By manipulating and exploiting such prop-
erties, chemical engineers are able
to develop and fabricate an ever-
expanding array of desirable, imag-
inative, and revolutionary new end
products.
It is hard to go through an average
day without coming into contact
with at least some of the many dif-
ferent forms of plastic that currently
abound. But it was only about 100
By developing innovative methods of treating and years ago that the first true plas-
disposing of farm waste, chemical engineers help tic to be commercialized, Bakelite,
improve our water supply.
was invented. Since then, owing to
the adaptability of the physical properties of plastic, the development and the fabrica-
tion of plastic products have accelerated rapidly. Plastics are widely popular materials
because of the many desirable characteristics they possess, such as a broad resistance
to chemicals, functional thermal and electrical insulation, light weight with varying de-
products that affect, advance, and im-
prove our daily lives in countless ways.
Chemical engineers have been improv-
ing our well-being for more than a cen-
tury. From the development of smaller,
faster computer chips to innovations
in recycling, treating disease, cleaning
water, and generating energy, the pro-
cesses and products that chemical en-
gineers have helped create touch every
aspect of our lives. However, the de-
mands of nature and the industry are
increasing in complexity and number.
Therefore, there is a growing need for
chemical engineers - to find solutions Solar cells are made from silicon wafers using
that are convenient, eco-friendly and the same techniques developed by chemical
engineers for the semiconductor industry.
economical.
 Oil reserves and the UAE
In the 19th century, Arabs depended on barter and trade of gold and pearls for survival.
Before oil reserves were discovered in the late 1950s the UAE’s economy was depend-
ent on fishing and a declining pearling industry. In fact the United Arab Emirates was
formed shortly after the discovery of huge oil reserves in Abu Dhabi in 1958. With the
discovery of oil and gas at other locations in the sixties, the scenario changed. In a mat-
ter of a few decades, Abu Dhabi, supported by Dubai, turned the UAE into one of the
major players in the international oil export industry.
episteme 2011
Prasanjeet Poddar, B.Tech 3rd Year
other sectors. Dubai is the next largest oil producer in the UAE after Abu Dhabi; but its
output is decreasing.
In the mid-1990s, production was running at around 230,000 b/d, but the Crown Prince
of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, Sheikh Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said
in March 2000 that production had dropped to 170,000 b/d in the previous year. Press
reports indicate that Dubai’s reserves would be exhausted within 20 years.

Proven recoverable oil reserves in 2000 were put at 98.8 billion barrels. At the same Dubai’s gross domestic product as of 2005 was US$37 billion. Although Dubai’s econo-
time, proven recoverable reserves of natural gas in the UAE were estimated in 2000 at 6 my was built on the back of the oil industry, revenues from oil and natural gas currently
trillion cubic metres, or 4 per cent of the world total. This makes the UAE’s gas reserves account for less than 6% of the emirate’s revenues. The emirate’s share in UAE’s gas
the third largest in the Middle East (after Iran and Qatar) and the fourth largest in the revenues is about 2%. Property and construction (22.6%), trade (16%), entrepot (15%)
world (with Russia holding the biggest reserve). and financial services (11%) are the largest contributors to Dubai’s economy. At one
point smuggling activities dominated the port areas of Dubai, all that has now changed.
By far the biggest deposits of oil in the Emirates have been found in Abu Dhabi. The
emirate controls more than 85 per cent of the UAE’s oil output capacity and more than
90 per cent of its reserves. As oil exports began in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it
was still a largely undeveloped desert emirate inhabited by nomads, pearl divers and
fishermen. The ruler’s fort was the only building of substance on Abu Dhabi island, the
site of the city today. There were no roads or basic amenities. Expatriate workers from
Bahrain or Kuwait – where the petroleum industry was much more advanced – were
flown in on small aircraft which landed on runways of flattened sand mixed with oil. In
1966, when Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became ruler, there were fewer than
20,000 people living in Abu Dhabi.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Abu Dhabi, with a population of around
600,000 boasts a Manhattan-style skyline with high-rise buildings rising out of a city
with tree-lined streets, and spacious parks and gardens. It is by far the cleanest and
environmentally friendliest city in the region. Against the background of a carefully man-
aged oil and gas industry, the UAE as a whole enjoys a high standard of living with public
services and amenities as advanced as any in the world.
Dubai in 1990

Oil and gas are the nerves of UAE since 1962. The country was not under developed
back then. Today, it is the backbone of the economy. In the year 1962, petroleum was
first exported. Petroleum dominates the economic power of the city and in the 20th
century, the trade was upgraded to the rich oil resources. Oil trading became the pri-
mary source of trade and revenue in the Emirate. With the transformation of the trading
materials, the city moved on with a fast pace and in 1985, it reached the highest per
capita income in the world with US $19,120. This brought all round development in the
region. Various job opportunities also attracted professionals and unskilled labour from
Asian countries. Unlike oil production the region did not have much infrastructure for
agriculture, fishing, sheep rearing, herding or poultry. Although Abu Dhabi is the richest
in terms of oil production, it is Dubai which is more recognised as the industry leader in
It has become a flourishing business centre and today the word “growth” does not do
justice to Dubai. Dubai is said to currently have as much as 25% of all the world’s
cranes...!!!!!!
The oil industry is still controlled by the government. They know that it is this produce
that brings them on the forefront of development in other sectors. They are producing
240,000 barrels a day and good quality of gas from offshore fields. The UAE has helped
to stabilise the oil industry in the region and the world. Its rulers have positive and a
very balanced way of handling the price structure. Oil has underpinned the develop-
ment of the UAE thus far, but there are growing signs that natural gas will be playing
an increasingly big role for the Emirates as a whole throughout the twenty-first century.
episteme 2011
The same street in 2003
Not only does the UAE own vast reserves of its own, but it is also taking the initiative in
developing the Emirates as a hub from which to supply a network that will benefit the
entire Gulf region – and possibly countries further afield at a later stage. The natural oil
gas industry being still worth its weight in gold, the rulers have become more practical
by diversifying in sectors which are proving to be an asset to the economy.
Having established itself as one of the major players in the international oil and gas
industry and an innovator in intra-Gulf cooperation, the UAE is setting its sights on re-
sponsible, secure and environmentally safe development in the century ahead. Despite
the fact that the role of gas is increasing fast, the UAE does not believe that the oil era
is over or that its demise is imminent. Nevertheless, leading figures in the UAE’s oil in-
dustry believe that further study is needed to see how the continued expanded use of
oil as a power source could be made to be compatible with the growing awareness and
concern around the world about preserving the environment.
Mr. Yusif Bin Umair Yusif,Chairman of ADNOC(Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) says:
....we are sitting on top of two thirds of the world’s proven oil reserves and they are
relatively low cost to develop. The gasoline and diesel fuels which are refined from
these crude oils are reliable, cheap and efficient, with a long successful track record.
It would be beneficial for us and the world if more research into the production of
these hydrocarbon-based transportation fuels is undertaken, which will make them
The same “street” in 2007
even more environmentally friendly and will maintain and enhance their attraction for
many more decades. We believe these conventional transportation fuels will remain
more economically viable than the alternatives and merit more intensive research than
they are currently receiving....
It is one thing to create a flourishing economic state. But it is quite another daunting
task to keep the flag high in spirits years later. As the current rulers in UAE are basking
in the glory of oil rich reserves, the same may not be the case for ever. Like every other
natural reserve, even oil will vanish. Then what? Will the economic dream run end? Will
the riches become obsolete? Will the expatriates look for more lucrative pastures?
The prosperity of the United Arab Emirates and its rapid transformation from a backward
desert region to one with a booming economy have been made possible by revenue
from oil exports. The UAE possesses nearly 10 per cent of the world’s total reserves,
and there is no doubt that oil will continue to provide the income for both economic
growth and the expansion of social services for several more decades at least. In the
coming years, natural gas will play an increasingly important role in the UAE’s develop-
ment – particularly as a fuel source for power generation, petrochemicals and manu-
facturing industry. The UAE has also taken the initiative in developing an intra-Gulf gas
network that could eventually link up with the Indian subcontinent.
 Indo-German Winter Academy Sudarshan Dutta, B.Tech 3rd Year

“Hey, are you here for the winter academy? Hi I am Prof. Durst”, a self-introduction in
such a friendly way as if he was there only to meet me. I just slipped out of my chair. It
was something different than what I was hearing for quite a few days, “Sudarshan, you
are just a tourist here; have you prepared anything? I don’t think so….etc….etc”.
episteme 2011

“Indo-German Winter Academy”: The most astounding experience of my life, till date.
Though reluctant initially but later I realized that not attending the same would be a
great loss. The title of the project (Impingement of droplets on free surfaces) seemed so
scary that without a blink of my eyelid, I thought of dropping out. I even didn’t know what
the term “free surface” meant, let alone “impingement”. But when I got in touch with my
mentor, I realized it’s something really interesting and believe me, I couldn’t have been
blessed more than this (that was the most interesting topic presented over there).

Every year, the winter academy starts with the selection of students from each IIT (7 of
the IITs ) & Erlangen-Nuremberg University, Germany on the basis of their CPI and other
academic credentials. These students are then assigned topics to present upon at the
academy under the guidance of a mentor. The venue of the event varies from year to
year. This year it was conducted by IIT Bombay but was held at YASHADA Pune, a truly ec-
static place to be. Right from the food to the accommodation, it all made us feel heaven
(obviously, even a small alien thing feels great when you are in an IIT).

Every day we had lecture sessions from 9am to 6pm. Who likes them? But it wasn’t
the case to be. Coffee breaks after every lecture kept us awake. For me it was all about
photography and having coffee after the second day (the day of my presentation). Still
there were a few lectures which couldn’t stimulate the cerebral cells but some banged
right onto the forehead. I hope mine didn’t hurt someone because what I was to deliver
was a very recent discovery, which had been praised by all and sundry but only when
presented at micro-scale. The video which runs all over the Facebook,
 YouTube, even Techniche came as my project, “The bouncing of water droplets on fall-
ing on a liquid surface”. This was discovered when someone went really deep into the
time scale, at a few milliseconds or so. It was both fun and tiresome to make everyone
believe and understand the phenomena.

But it all ended up well. Though it may seem exaggerated but it made me feel big, “this
episteme 2011

winter academy surpassed my expectations, my previous experiences had been disas-

trous, just thought when will he STOP?” by Prof. Franz Durst. You cannot imagine how
friendly a professor of his stature can be and I realized that at the dining hall when I met
him for the first time. “Hey, r u here for the winter academy? Hi I am Prof Durst”, a self-
introduction in such a friendly way as if he was there only to meet me. I just slipped out
of my chair. It was something different from what I was hearing for a quite a few days,
“Sudarshan, u r just a tourist here, have u prepared anything, I don’t think so….etc….
etc”. A professor upon whom we hailed our entire fluid mechanics course was right in
front of us. “May I call u Mr. Datta”, that was the next sentence I heard (after I intro-
duced myself with the long first name :P).

Though we were there to share the knowledge among the community but we turned out
to be firing targets during the presentation (obviously for our lack of preparation). For
us what came first was “FUN”. We ran out of games but not enthusiasm. Every night we with myself was some knowledge into fluid mechanics, a drinking habit (oops, I meant
met at the garden and started with any damn game that struck our mind. We tried ‘dog coffee) and some 43 new friends.
and the bone’, ‘ice water’; I know you would laugh at that. Apart from the group enjoying
Just for a note of information, the Indo-German Winter Academy will be held again in De-
the dark, there still existed a group still toiling hard to finish their presentation and get-
ting prepared for the next day, a typical IITian study schedule. cember ’11, this time at IIT Delhi. So, if you wanna be a part of this, focus hard, get your
acads right on track and who knows, you could be the lucky one landing at IIT-D next
On the penultimate day, we had a trip to the TATA MOTORS industry. Thousands of cars winter. The application process starts well before our midsems for the odd semester.
lined along the pavement as if they were of no value. Gosh!! Each and every car out For further details you can have a look at: “http://www.leb.eei.unierlangen.de/winter-
there was to undergo high speed and safety tests before being sold out in the market. akademie/index.php” or contact Prof. S.C. Mishra (coordinator for Winter Academy from
On an average, the factory was producing at one car per minute. We had a glimpse of IIT Guwahati). You will cherish this period of your life for your entire life.
some of the latest technology that comes into play in the industries, the automated ro-
bots, hovercrafts etc. On the final day we had a trip to the Sinhagad fort. The fort got its
name from Tanaji (general for Shivaji) who died during the battle of Sinhagad. We had a
great time trekking out there as it is built on a high rise mountain. Lots of group photos
followed (some 500 of them). Though it was the best day for us, it left us extremely tired.
The following day saw me bidding goodbye to my new friends whom I had intimidated so
much during the 7 days tour that we didn’t want the time to move on. But what I carried
 Intern Corner...
Vishak Bharadwaj Prasad, B.Tech 3rd Year

The following is an excerpt from my rich internship experience (especially for our junior
batches). The views presented herein are entirely personal and should not be taken in
general otherwise.

I hope most of you have rejuvenated yourselves at home after a busy semester here at
episteme 2011

IITG. Some of you had also stayed back in the campus for inter-IIT or had been involved
in some projects. I guess most of you will be wondering what you will be doing this win-
ter in regard to your summer internship. It is needless to say that we did go through the
same.

Generally, most go for 3 different kinds of internships:-

I.Industrial Training or project.

II.Academic Internship in any of IITs or IISc or some recognized university.
III.Research Internship in any of the Research Labs.

As the report of the previous years goes most of the students go for Industrial Training.

I.Industrial Training or Project

For further details regarding these programs look for in their websites.
Gaining this internship opportunity is purely based on your contacts. If you have the
contact of some staff in the company, do not hesitate to contact them. Incase, you don’t Another possible idea is to approach the Professor directly and asking him/her for an
have the contact try approaching them personally. Sending a mail also helps. The com- opportunity. Also, you can take up projects in IITG and “seriously” work on it. Who knows
mon likes of the students are IOCL, GAIL, ONGC, RIL etc. Further there is a difference in if you work well you can get a paper published on your name!
Training & Project. Incase of Training you will be taught with a group of people regarding
the various equipments (like cooling towers, boilers etc.) used in the industry. Incase of III.Research Intern
a project you will be given some task to perform. For example :-Increasing the efficiency
of the plant using some software. (which will be very easy to learn) or doing some mate- The work you do here is somewhat similar to what you do in your academic intern. But in
rial balance & enthalpy balance. Projects may probably fetch you some stipend. here you will be given much more freedom to work & you’ll be working in a real environ-
ment, you get to know the job environment also. Those who would like to research or
II.Academic Internship go for research this could be a good option. Getting into these research labs again goes
through contacts. Also try approaching them. So if you get in touch with one of them I
There is a fellowship program in each of the IITs & IISc where you can send your applica- would say go for it. For example:- NCL(Pune) , NRL, IICT(Hyderabad), CCMB(Hyderabad),
tion form with CV attached so that you can get into the fellowship program. Make your all these labs are govt. labs which come under DST. There are also private labs like
CV with your emphasis on research & mention supporting projects you may have done. Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences centre etc.
 I now put forth my internship experience wrong. I was most lucky with my results out their. My guide termed my results as phe-
nomenal & best they got till now. The credits goes to my guide who ensured that I was
Title : Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Lignocellulosic biomass into sugars. doing each and every part accurately. Finally I had made sugar from the bio-mass and
Place : Reliance Life Sciences, Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Navi converted it to bio-ethanol, which is a bio-fuel. We did get a fair yield of it. In my tenure
Mumbai. of work out there, I did learn a great deal of technical stuff apart from self-“reliance”,
episteme 2011

safety, dedication & most importantly confidence. I used to be in there for almost 10-12
I was pretty enthusiastic about getting my internship as I was convinced that Bio-fuels hrs a day for 6 days a week. Travel took about one and a half hours. Hectic is the word.
are going to be the future fuels. I received an offer letter indicating that I had gotten into Stuff for recreation included movies in the laptop for the first few weeks. Later, it as all
Enzymology department. I was taken aback, as I knew nothing about the topic. Finally, I strolling in the malls & exhibitions around. As I got Sundays alone to enjoy, I used to
took a train to Mumbai from my home. It was my first trip to Mumbai alias Bombay. I was often move to IITB to my friends’ place & spend time out there. Places I had been to: -
told to come dressed completely in formals. Laptops weren’t allowed inside. My guide Elephanta caves & Marine drive. There are also many places in & around Navi Mumbai
had come after making me wait for about an hour. He made me get an E-access card. I were you would love to spend a happy weekend.
put it in front of the detector, there was a beep sound and the door opened. “Welcome
to Rellife”, said my guide, “Our department is on the third floor”. I looked up wonder- In the end, I had compiled my report on the topic & had to submit it to them. Since I was
struck by the beauty of the building, spacious cabins, many labs, centralized A/C and working on my report apart from doing my regular work. it didn’t take much of my time.
what not!! Later by the end of my tenure I felt “Its Corporate, Bah” .So my guide asked Finally my work was done and got my certificate on the last day. I realize now, I surely
me “What’s your interest, because most of your IIT students are good in coding & mod- miss Mumbai.!!
eling, what do you plan to do” I asked him to give me wet lab work. He highlighted that
since I was from IIT he expected more from me. He gave me two research abstracts,
told me to get their full papers from IITB and study them. Then he took me to the lab, I
was awestruck seeing every one dressed as doctors in white coats. There were several
labs on both sides of the pathway. Last came mine. It read “Industrial Biotechnology &
Enzymology”. I was told to remove my shoes and was given a new pair of “lab shoes”
(Wow!!). I was introduced to the fellow labmates.
The first day was over.

From the second day my work was googling for the papers regarding my topic. My
guide taught my how to grow a microorganism and make & optimize media. Sadly, I was
the lone fellow in the entire department. I used to do my prescribed work and used to
report to my guide. This went on & on. In the start my guide was not satisfied with my
job, as I grew familiar with stuff, he started appreciating me. Let me recall one thing,
which is of foremost importance in research i.e. planning. The better you plan, the lesser
the time it takes & you will not end up in any kind of error. Then I had to model the data
in already existing fits using excel. Excel played a very important role in my internship. It
helped me do all data analysis, to check if my data was correct or
 A route at odds... Vishak Bharadwaj Prasad, B.Tech 3rd Year
toclaved media(autoclaving-heating at a fixed temperature and pressure to disinfect)
Biochemical engineering is a branch of chemi-
which is optimised in terms of sources as well as pH and at room temperature. Media
cal engineering or biological engineering that
optimisation is important because we need to ensure maximum specific activity of the
mainly deals with the design and construction
enzyme. For the proper production of enzyme appropriate amount and type of Minerals,
of unit processes that involve biological organ-
Organic and Inorganic sources are to be provided. Inoculation is done in a laminar flow
isms or molecules, such as bioreactors. Bio-
hood under sterile conditions. Ensuring sterile conditions is important at each and every
chemical engineering is often taught as a sup-
point. The inoculate medium is kept in static or under shaking conditions as required.
plementary option to chemical engineering or
episteme 2011

biological engineering due to the similarities in

CHARACTERISATION OF ENZYME
both the background subject curriculum and
problem-solving techniques used by both pro-
There are different ways of characterizing an enzyme. One of the foremost aspects of
fessions. Its applications are used in the food,
characterization of an enzyme is to find the specific activity. The process of characteriza-
feed, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and water
tion by analysis is done by assays.
treatment industries.
The amount of protein in the enzyme is estimated by Bio-Rad Reagent. Bio-Rad reagent
Bio-Chemical Engineering is one of the foremost
was prepared by diluting 1 part Bio-Rad Reagent Concentrate with 4 parts DDI water.
and versatile field of Chemical Engineering es-
Standard plot was prepared using BSA over a convenient concentration range of of BSA.
pecially in today’s growing need hence acute
shortage for energy. Absorbance of the colored reaction mixture was measured using an ELISA plate reader.
Protein concentration was estimated from the standard graph.
Today, in fact microorganisms provide us an excellent alternative to solve our growing
energy needs. SDS-PAGE

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Lignocellulosic biomass into sugars. A combination of biochemical and mechanical techniques – including various types of
filtration and centrifugation – can be used to separate different cell compartments and
Abstract organelles.
Production of Enzyme - Maintainance & Spore visualisation of the given culture, Media
Optimisation for production of Enzyme. Three different enzymes were prepared in simi- The solution of proteins to be analyzed is mixed with SDS, an anionic detergent which
lar way with different media components and pH. denatures secondary and non–disulfide–linked tertiary structures, and applies a nega-
tive charge to each protein in proportion to its mass. Heating the samples to at least 60
Characterisation of Enzyme – Protein Analysis, SDS-PAGE, Measurements of Enzyme degrees C shakes up the molecules, helping SDS to bind.
Activities, Specific Activity, Effect of Temperature, Substrate Concentration and pH on A tracking dye may be added to the protein solution (of a size smaller than protein) to
Activity. allow the experimenter to track the progress of the protein solution through the gel dur-
ing the electrophoretic run.
Applications of the given enzymes.
Preparing acrylamide gels:
The aim of the project goes back to the foundations of Biofuel & Biomass.The research
work is mainly focused on the following areas:- The gels generally consist of acrylamide, bisacrylamide, SDS, and a Tris-Cl buffer with
1) PRODUCTION OF ENZYME adjusted pH. The solution is degassed under a vacuum to prevent air bubbles during
2) CHARACTERISATION OF ENZYME polymerization. Ammonium persulfate and TEMED are added when the gel is ready to
3) APPLICATION OF ENZYME be polymerized. The separating or resolving gel is usually more basic and has a higher
polyacrylamide content than the loading gel. Gels are polymerized in a gel caster. First
PRODUCTION OF ENZYME the separating gel is poured and allowed to polymerize. Next a thin layer of isopropanol
is added. Next the loading gel is poured and a comb is placed to create the wells. After
Firstly the cultures are allowed to grow for a stipulated period and the spore are visu- the loading gel is polymerized the comb can be removed and the gel is ready for elec-
alised on a compound microscope. Later a number of spores are inoculated into a au- trophoresis.

episteme 2011
Acryl Amide stock
Setting of Gel
Electrophoresis:
First the anode and cathode buffers are prepared. The anode buffer usually contains
Tris-Cl, distilled deionized water and is adjusted to a higher pH than the cathode buffer.
The cathode buffer contains SDS, Tris, Tricine, and distilled deionized water. The elec-
trophoresis apparatus is set up with cathode buffer covering the gel in the negative
electrode chamber, and anode buffer in the lower positive electrode chamber. Next,
the denatured sample proteins are added to the wells one end of the gel with a syringe
or pipette. Finally, the apparatus is hooked up to a power source under appropriate
Electrophoresis
running conditions to separate the protein bands.An electric field is applied across the
gel, causing the negatively-charged proteins to migrate across the gel towards the posi-
tive (+) electrode (anode). Depending on their size, each protein will move differently
through the gel matrix: short proteins will more easily fit through the pores in the gel,
while larger ones will have more difficulty (they encounter more resistance). After a set
amount of time (usually a few hours- though this depends on the voltage applied across
the gel; higher voltages run faster but tend to produce somewhat poorer resolution), the
proteins will have differentially migrated based on their size; smaller proteins will have
traveled farther down the gel, while larger ones will have remained closer to the point
of origin. Therefore, proteins may be separated roughly according to size (and therefore,
molecular weight), certain glycoproteins behave anomalously on SDS gels.
DETERMINATION OF ENZYME ACTIVITY
Enzyme activity = moles of substrate converted per unit time = rate × reaction volume.
Enzyme activity is a measure of the quantity of active enzyme present and is thus de-
pendent on conditions, which should be specified. The SI unit is the katal, 1 katal = 1
mol s-1, but this is an excessively large unit. A more practical and commonly-used value
is 1 enzyme unit (IU) = 1 μmol min-1. 1 IU corresponds to 16.67 nanokatals.The general
units recommended by IUPAC is International Unit(IU).
Finally the enzyme unit was calculated from the obtained glucose concentration. One
unit (IU) of enzyme activity is defined as the amount of enzyme required to release one
μ mole of glucose per ml per min under standard assay conditions.
OPTIMISATION OF ENZYME ACTIVITY
Optimization refers to a technique to increase the yield of a produce. In Enzymology, op-
timization is often used as a technique to increase the activity of enzymes, for efficient
hydrolysis etc. Here we use optimization to increase the enzyme activity. This process is
done by measuring the Effect of pH, Temperature and Substrate concentration.
CONCLUSION AND APPLICATION
Hydrolytic potential of Enzymes (Culture filtrate) for Lignocellulosic biomass:-
The enzymes were made to act on different pretreatments of the biomass and readings
were taken after 24 hrs to measure the reducing sugar.
Production of Ethanol:- The reducing sugar obtained is fermented using a microorgan-
ism. The assay of the ethanol produced was carried out with the help of an enzymatic
kit obtained commercially.
Modelling of the kinetics data was done by measuring the concentration of various
intermediates formed. It was seen that a considerably good percentage of sugars had
formed from the lignocellulosic biomass.
 Alumni Chit-Chat
For the first time, we bring to you not one, neither two but three very impor-
tant people associated with the Department of Chemical Engg., from three
different career backgrounds, each one chasing his pursuit successfully.
Here is your chance to catch a glimpse of them through a small excerpt of
what they said...
episteme 2011
Aashish Goel (alumnus, Batch of 2008)
(He is currently employed with ITC)
1. Tell us about your current personal and professional
life and how has your life shaped up after graduating
from IITG.
I have been working with ITC ever since I graduated from
IIT Guwahati. The journey so far has been enriching and
has given me a lot of practical experience. I have been
able to apply the theoretical knowledge we acquired in
college, and I believe I have benefitted tremendously from it. On the personal front,
life has continued to be as social as it was back in IITG. One change is that I have now
started playing sports :).
2. How is your current job profile different from the industrial internship
experience you had had?
After my 3rd year, I had pursued a research based internship at ETH Zurich. I
actually had no industrial experience before I joined ITC.
3. Do you find your job routine satisfying? Is the workload reasonable or is it
physically straining?
My current job routine is about 12 odd hours of work everyday for 6 days in a week.
To me, it is satisfying because I am really enjoying what I am doing. Between, I forgot year, usually aren’t quite clear about the profession to be pursued. After introspection, if
to mention, I am currently working as a Project Engineer and am posted in one of the you really feel you want to pursue a job, study the job profiles offered by the companies
factories of ITC.
4. As the brand IIT is associated with you, do people expect more from you?
Absolutely. It takes us all a lot of hard work to achieve the tag, it appears to be more
difficult to live up to it!
5. Do you feel the responsibility /pressure of standing up to the IIT brand name?
Responsibility: An overwhelming yes. Pressure: Not so much because our academic
regime at IITG prepares us for any sort of pressure in the ‘unknown’ world.
6. What do you plan to do in the future? Will you continue with your job or grab any
opportunity for higher studies?
Currently, I am enjoying my job. So, I don’t plan to leave it for higher studies. At the same
time, I am not ruling out the latter, because sometime down the line, it will help me ac-
celerate my professional growth.
7. What do you miss the most about IITG?
Wonderful people, breathtaking landscapes and the weather.
8. If given a chance to re-live the IIT life what changes you would want to bring in your-
self as well as the IIT?
In myself, I will utilize the opportunity to participate in sports, something In didn’t quite
pursue while I was there. In IITG, I will try to improve the systemm (there is always a
scope) by being a member of the Senate and by bringing to the forum issues which are
otherwise never brought to notice or are usually ignored.
9. Tips/guidance for students who are sitting for placements this season as well as
for the coming batches.
One should at least have a vague idea of what one wants to do after graduation. I use
the word ‘vague’ because expect may be a few lucky ones, most of us, even in the final
before you apply for them. For this, actively participate in the PPTs, talk to your profes-
sors, your family members and your seniors. Don’t just run after the salary packages,
keep ‘em secondary.
 Vamshi Krishna Yamsani (alumnus, Batch of 2009) sometimes your extra-curriculars as reflected in your SOP. But you can show a con-
( He is currently pursuing his masters from . tinual growth and extenuate yourself from being slack with subsequent improvements
. Texas A& M University) in acads. Will most definitely help if you have journal papers or ones in international
conferences. Good Recos will help a lot.

1. Tell us about your current personal and professional If you are asking about things you should look for in a university while apping, then:
episteme 2011

life and how has your life shaped up after graduating Being an IITian, I strongly feel, it does not make sense to go to a university ranked
from IITG. more than 20 in your field. The standards would only be lower than those at IITG, acads
and infrastructure wise. But some exceptions could be given. Lower GPA guys have no
Personal life? You want me to talk about my girlfriend? choice, but to go there. But then be wise and look for a geographically better placed
Just kidding :P But you get to see girls, hot girls, here. university. Doing a PhD later, after MS in US, will, most of the times, land you in a better
Well, one thing very different from IITG professionally is university. Doing a PhD from a better ranked university is very very important especially
the satisfaction in the work I do now. Not only am I study- if you are to go into academics later.
ing what I really liked to and always wanted to, I must say
I am also better placed to doing things in future along the lines I have wanted to. Things 6. What do you miss the most about IITG?
are more flexible here.
Friends and LAN.
2. What prompted you to go for the career option you are pursuing right now?
7. If given a chance to re-live the IIT life what changes you would want to bring in
Personally, I wanted to do a few subjects in Mechanical Engg. and did not feel like doing yourself as well as the IIT?
a kind of job that would only be repetitive at best, while being at graduate level. Also,
since I would now be majoring in a different area, it would only be wise to have more I would develop a hobby for life. Spend more time with friends without compartmentaliz-
exposure and understanding of the area before embarking on a PhD. Even if it means ing your circle. Pursue tennis a little more seriously. Do assignments on my own. I would
doing a job after MS, I am now more employable, and what more if the job would be in want to see the spirit of IITG as a whole reflected on the junta, which severely lacks at
the field of your liking. various levels. May be an IITG song/anthem will help. I would like to see the Indian flag
on occasions other than I-day and R-day in IITG.
3. As the brand IIT is associated with you, do people expect more from you?
8. Tips/guidance for students who wish to pursue higher studies.
Yes, especially if the professor in question is from India. And, of course from the
general students around you too. Final year guys, bug your seniors on FB in the US. They will reply, may be late. For oth-
ers, don’t be sloppy with your GPA, even though you feel they are no measure for your
4. Do you feel the responsibility /pressure of standing up to the IIT brand name? genius. Stop staring at that dabba in front of yours and be more proactive. Work for one
sem with right kind of professor and you will most likely get a paper. You now have a
Responsibility, yes. Pressure, No. Keep doing things your way. You are in IIT for better profile. Do well in your Math courses, very important, this is. If not all, get a 10 in
what you are. a few subjects you like, occasionally.

5. Besides GRE score what are the other important aspects while targeting a good
university abroad?

Depends on the kind of university and its admission policy. More generally, GPA and
 Deepak Nanwani (alumnus, Batch of 2008) 6. What do you miss the most about IITG?
(He is currently pursuing his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad)
Alcher, the hooting in manthan, anchoring, my lobby friends and the night long bakar
1. Tell us about your current personal and professional life and how has your life sessions, alcher spons meetings
shaped up after graduating from IITG.
7. If given a chance to re-live the IIT life what changes you would want to bring in
episteme 2011

After pursuing chemical engineering from IIT Guwahati I worked as a consultant with yourself as well as the IIT?
PricewaterhouseCoopers India. It was mainly a job in the IT consulting domain and I
learnt quite a lot during my two year professional stint. To move up the corporate ladder At IIT Guwahati a lot of things need to change the facilities are very good. The culture is
in general and the consulting ladder in particular I decided to pursue my MBA. changing, but the placement scenario needs to change drastically if IITG is to stand in
the same league as the other IITs. The student faculty interaction, the number of compe-
2. What prompted you to leave other career options like MS/Ph.D. and to quit your job titions we participate in all of it needs improvement and it will come over time provided
thereafter? we make a conscious effort.

Actually, I did not have a masters offer .I had a small venture that I was trying to pursue 8. Tips/guidance for students who wish to go for CAT and other similar exams in future.
with my friends and I decided to carry on with it along with the job. However, due to vari-
ous reasons, I was eight months into my job and even that did not work out. It’s more than a test of your maths DI or English, it’s a test of your mental strength. I
guess more than anything else people need to work on their exam temperament, the
3. As the brand IIT is associated with you, do people expect more from you? way they keep themselves calm and composed during those 120 min or so. Rather than
focussing on the strengths and weaknesses focus on taking one question at a time.
Yeah in the corporate world people expect more from you. Not necessarily in terms of
your knowledge but in the quality of work that you deliver, your ability to learn. You are
expected to pick up things quickly. And the brand name definitely brings in a certain
degree of respect from your peers as well as from the clients.

4. Do you feel the responsibility /pressure of standing up to the IIT brand name?

No there is no pressure at all. As in yes a higher level of output is expected from you but
then beyond a certain point of time it goes off as in you get used to it. And then there is
no pressure as such, you know you have to do it and you just go about doing your work
the normal way.

5. Is the technical knowledge you had gained in your 4 years at IITG useful in any
way at the IIM? Does it give you a leading edge over others?

The technical knowledge as such might not come in useful directly. Some aspects of
my internship after the third year do help me to a certain extent but then there is no
direct correlation. There is no edge over others as such. Once working all that matters
is the performance; does not matter if you are from IIT or not. Being at IIM also we have
to prove your worth.
 A Closer Look
It is true that industries have revolutionized our lives and we rely heavily on them for
our day to day needs, but we cannot neglect the negative side of industrial growth. This
includes pollution of all sorts, depletion of natural resources and the very frequent acci-
dents which cost many human lives. Accidents in chemical process industries constitute
major threat to property and population because of the magnitude. With the rapid devel-
opment in Science and Technology, several new innovations have come up and process
industries deal with thousands of new materials and several processes. Nevertheless,
episteme 2011
there are innumerable causes that lead to accidents of major or minor in nature.People
working in traditional industries like oil, gas or process plants worldwide are more likely
to be endangered by such accidents.
The largest industrial disaster on record-Bhopal gas tragedy was by far the worst acci-
dent if you consider its severity and the impact it had on the chemical industry. It took
about 15,000 lives and caused huge number of injuries. In 2005 a series of explosions
occurred when a hydrocarbon isomerization unit was restarted and a distillation tower
flooded with hydrocarbons at BP’s Texas City refinery, in Texas, US, was quite furious in
the sense it killed 15 people and caused 180 injuries. Another great disaster occurred
in September 2001 when a shed containing ammonium nitrate exploded at a fertilizer
plant in Toulouse, France, creating a huge crater. The detonation of around 300 tonnes
of ammonium nitrate left 31 dead, thousands injured, and 27,000 buildings damaged
in the surrounding area.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) have investigated recent accidents at petroleum refineries,
chemical manufacturing facilities, tolling operations, chemical distributors, and other
types of facilities. Recurring causes of these accidents include inadequate process haz-
Akshat Jain, B.Tech 4th Year
ards analysis, use of inappropriate or poorly-designed equipment, inadequate indica-
tions of process condition, and others. Of particular note, installation of emissions or
pollution control equipment has preceded several significant accidents, highlighting the
need for stronger systems for management of change. In India CISRA (Cell of Industrial
Research and Risk Analysis) India, in which they came out with useful conclusions after
analyzing over 100 accidents in chemical industries. They pointed out an important
point that most accidents (about 49 %) based on location occurred was due to the
carelessness in storing while other studies reports that it is during transportation major
accidents occur. Bhopal gas tragedy is one such example.
Electrical shocks are another primary reason for such disasters accounting to about
65% of the total accidents due to malfunctioning. External causes such as frictional
sparks, combustible waste, static electricity though low on scale initially, lead to severe
disasters if went unnoticed. Although there are innumerable causes like inadequate
hazard review or process hazards analysis, installation of pollution control equipment,
use of inappropriate or poorly designed equipment and an infinite number of examples
to these, history shows repeatedly that major disasters are often preceded by a series
of smaller accidents, near-
misses, or accident precur-
sors. This was true in some of
the most notorious accidents
in recent decades.
In the Challenger space-shut-
tle accident, engineers at
NASA and its contractor, Mor-
ton Thiokol, were well aware
of previous malfunctions in
solid rocket booster O-ring
joints, and that 4 of 21 pre-
vious shuttle launches had
experienced booster O-ring
leakage. Engineers even met
with launch managers on the morning of the accident to consider the safety implica-
tions of the O-ring problem. It was known that low ambient temperatures exacerbated
the problem, and the day of the accident was the coldest launch day yet. In spite of
knowledge of past problems and the explicit warnings from engineers, project manag-
ers decided to proceed with the launch over engineering objections. At Bhopal, India,
smaller accidents had occurred at the plant prior to the disastrous methyl isocyanate
(MIC) release in 1984, and small MIC leaks had been noted on numerous previous oc-
casions highlighting the need for automatic MIC leak detection. In fact, workers stated
that experiencing eye irritation (a symptom associated with low levels of airborne MIC)
was not an unusual phenomenon.
These warnings went unheeded.
 Across the table...
Aldous Huxley (1894 – 1963) once said, “Experi- laboratory.
ence is not what happens to a man; it is what a
man does with what happens to him.” A man of 3. Do you believe that our research laboratories are equipped to handle most of the
his calibre, allegiance and dedication, Dr. Ramgo- research work of our department?
pal V.S. Uppaluri exemplifies this accurately. Here
episteme 2011

is a short extract of his rendezvous with us... Yes, I very much believe that the facilities in our research laboratories are enough to
fetch good publications and pave the way for high end research.

1. Sir, you have been in this department since 2004 and you have seen it grow to what
it is now. What are the major changes in the department that you see today?
When I joined the Department, the core research areas of the Department had not
evolved. Most of my faculty colleagues were expert in the area of Membrane Technol-
ogy. Today, our Department has expertise in Fluids, Materials, Composites, Fuel Cells,
Nanotechnology etc., as well in addition to the Membrane technology expertise. There-
fore I strongly feel that the Department has established its knowledge base in existen-
tial perspective.
2. What are the research projects that you are currently involved in? (explain briefly)
Previously I have worked for a DRDL sponsored project entitled “Thermal analysis of
Graphite Chamber” as a Co-investigator. The project involved the development of suit-
able optimization code for the analysis of graphite chamber using computational heat
transfer techniques. 4. What are the consultancy or sponsored projects you are involved in?
According to me, research is always open ended. It depends on how you see it and in
what perspective. For instance in our CSIR project, we need analysis of the solution con-
centration for nickel/palladium/silver. We could have depended on AAS for which there
will be operational problems due to availability of gases. Therefore, I insisted that we
always stick to a titration based approach.
An important issue for research is your ability to mould the existing facilities to evolve
for a scientific conclusion. This is rather difficult, but with gradual practice you will like
to get into this.
Remember that when Kepler presented his laws on planetary motion, he did not do the
experimentation and used the data of Brave. But he had good analytical and computa-
tional capabilities with which he came out with the Kepler laws. Therefore, I suggest the
student community to be positive minded and always approach chemical engineering
with a heart full of enthusiasm and curious endeavour.

I have also been the Principal Investigator for a project entitled “Development of cost I have done number of consultancy projects in the areas of heat exchanger networks,
effective surfactant formulations for the enhanced oil recovery of crude oil from Assam small scale power generation, environmental impact assessment studies etc.
Reservoirs. This project did not get us much success due to infrastructural limitations.
But this is a very good area in which the Department can grow in the years to come. 5. Can undergraduate students be a part of your consultancy projects? Are there any
undergraduate students who are already a part of your projects?
Presently, my fascinating area of research is mass transfer enhanced electro-plating
for metal-ceramic membrane fabrication. This is a CSIR sponsored project. This will be I see there is no problem of UG students to be part of the Consultancy Projects. Usu-
probably one of the areas I will consider worth mentioning always as I see that there is ally, Consultancy projects have short “Residence Time” and time bound commitment.
immense potential in this area. This area is basically an extension of what you learn in Therefore, if the UG student is smart enough to provide the desired outputs in the Con-
the mass transfer with chemical reaction experiment in the heat and mass transfer sultancy projects they can always be involved in the same.
 So far, my feeling is that UG students do not have the maturity and expertise to execute
Consultancy projects. But I always believe that there are exceptions and I welcome such
exceptions in the years to come for my Consultancy Projects.

6. What is your opinion of the current placement status of our department?

episteme 2011

This year we are lucky to get good number of placements in Reliance which is a core
company for our graduates. I hope that the placements will improve substantially and
all final year students should get placed very soon.

7. Considering the fact that you had been the chairman of the technical board, what is
your opinion on the involvement of students in our technical and cultural fests?

According to me, a chemical engineer is a multi-tasker. Our students have been heav-
ily involved in Techniche and may be their involvement and capabilities of multi-tasking
and parallel processing capabilities have provided rich dividends for Techniche. But I
do lament that because of their heavy commitment to Techniche, they have lost a good
opportunity in the world of research. Research is also important and therefore, those
who wish to do Techno-management should try to identify this profile of theirs in the
early 2nd year itself. This is what I suggest to future graduates. Planning very early and
executing things will bring maturity in your front for any occasion.
8. What do you expect an undergraduate student to know beyond his course curriculum
at the end of four years?

The UG education in Chemical Engineering at our Department is based on a broad

knowledge base. Chemical Engineering as such can have cross disciplinary handshake
with many other areas of Engineering and even sciences. Therefore, it is very important
that you should have some conceptual projection of what you learn here and what you
face in the world. IITians have got good capability of imagination and visualization and
this aspect should be used to look for Life. There are many challenges in the world and
sound technical knowledge is very much required in addition to effective management.
Therefore, my suggestion to my students is that please don’t neglect technicality in the
light of management and vice versa. Try to project an optimal balance now and also in
the years to come.
 Dr. Amit Kumar recently joined our prestigious
department as an assistant professor. Excerpts
from the interview with our new young and
dynamic faculty.
episteme 2011
3. What are you most looking forward to about moving to the North-East region?
I am keen to establish a quality research program here and help contribute towards the
image of IIT Guwahati as the leading institute of the north-eastern region. Our depart-
ment is relatively new and is still in the growing phase. I would love to see it realize its

full potential and develop into one of the best chemical engineering programs in the
  nation in the next few years. On a lighter note, the north-east region provides ample op-
portunities for fun activities such as hiking, camping etc. I wish to explore the natural
1. What drew you to the IIT Guwahati’s Department of Chemical Engineering? beauty of this region in the near future (not just the popular tourist destinations but also
the less frequented areas).
The Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Guwahati, despite having been estab-
lished quite recently, is equipped with excellent research facilities and has a group of 4. What do you like most about teaching and describe the teaching style you have
young, ambitious, dynamic faculty members. The analytical laboratory in the depart- adopted or will be adopting in future?
ment and the central instruments facility of the institute house a wide variety of state-
of-the-art equipments. The computational facilities are also quite adequate (after the Based on the limited experience that I have of teaching at IIT Guwahati, I would say that
installation of a new high-performance computer cluster in the next few months, the the most likable aspect of teaching is the satisfaction of having shared valuable knowl-
computational facilities in my opinion will become excellent). edge with young, receptive minds. Further, in some instances, insightful and probing
questions from students might lead the instructors to examine a concept from a whole
The prospect of teaching bright, young minds of the country and the opportunity to carry new perspective and consequently, broaden their knowledge and understanding. I love
out quality independent research in an esteemed institution and an intellectually stimu- this aspect of teaching where it’s not just a learning experience for the students but for
lating environment were important factors in my decision to join IIT Guwahati. Finally, to the teacher as well.
some extent, the natural beauty, calmness and serenity of this campus also drew me
here. I prefer to adopt an approach where emphasis is placed on the physics behind the
problem. In my opinion, this facilitates the choice of mathematical tools needed and
2. Your career path has moved unusually from B.Tech to PhD directly. How was that forms a rational basis for any simplifying assumptions. I believe that learning should be
possible? more about developing a fundamentally sound understanding of the subject rather than
simply memorizing formulae and correlations. I like my classes to be interactive where
The path is not as unusual as it might appear at first glance. It is customary to think that student participation is encouraged and communication is two-way.
the natural progression of academic degrees is Bachelor’s→Master’s→Ph.D. However,
many universities in the USA (and I presume in other parts of the world as well) provide 5. What departmental courses have you already taught and you will be teaching in the
the option of directly enrolling in a graduate program leading to a Ph.D. degree upon coming semesters?
completion of four years of undergraduate study. There certainly is an option to submit
a thesis for Masters Degree. However, based on personal choice and academic perfor- I have taught transport phenomena during the summer session of 2010. In the fall of
mance, one can forgo that option and work directly towards his/her doctorate. 2010 (July-Nov. semester), I co-instructed Process Equipment Design – II (CL304) and
in the current semester (Jan-April 2011), I am teaching Chemical Engineering Thermo-
dynamics - I (CL203).
 6. What are your current research interests and how does your research focus align weeks after joining.
with the department’s diverse expertise? I have only had the opportunity to get to know some of the students of the department
yet. In general, I found the students to be bright and perceptive. I would encourage the
Currently, my primary fields of interest are nanoporous materials for gas separation students to be proactive, vocal and less hesitant about engaging in honest conversation
and adsorption, and application of molecular simulation techniques to the aforemen- with faculty members regarding any problems/difficulties they might be facing related
episteme 2011

tioned areas. Several faculty members in the department are working on other related to their studies. All in all, I believe that the students here possess sharp minds and the
aspects. For example, there already is ongoing work on experimental aspects of mem- potential to excel in their future professional careers.
brane gas separation, gas storage and adsorptive gas separation. In addition, some
faculty members are using molecular simulation tools to explore interesting systems 9. Considering the fact that you are an IIT graduate, what message would you like to
such as polymers, proteins and ionic liquids. I expect my research to complement the give to the present undergraduate students of the department?
work in progress and hopefully, add another dimension to the already diverse research
endeavors of the department. I am highly enthusiastic about working on collaborative It is by no means a small accomplishment to be successful in the JEE and get admis-
research projects. sion into an IIT. However, this is just the beginning of four years of quality education that
should train and prepare you for whatever career path you choose to undertake. There
7. What research projects do you anticipate beginning first? might be an inclination/temptation in some students to “slack off” after joining an IIT,
a tendency that I would strongly discourage. The attitude towards learning should not
My first project would focus on elucidating molecular-level mechanisms responsible be one of indifference or reluctance. Rather, the students should be inquisitive and
for enhanced gas separation exhibited by several novel nano-structured materials such enthusiastic towards the various new concepts and skills that they have the opportunity
as nanoporous carbons and nano-confined polymers. This will involve studying adsorp- to learn. I am not advocating to becoming a consummate bookworm either. One should
tion and configurational diffusion in nanopores. In the previous two decades, several definitely devote some time toward the pursuit of interests and hobbies outside of aca-
research groups have reported membranes fabricated from nano-structured materials demics. It is indeed healthy and natural to do so. I am confident that the students here
that exhibit significant enhancement of gas separation properties (permeability and se- are resourceful enough to efficiently manage their time and prioritize their schedules
lectivity) over conventional bulk polymeric membranes. We will use molecular simula- such that they can successfully pursue extra-curricular activities (sports, social-cultural
tion tools to identify the mechanism responsible for this phenomenon that may in the fu- events etc.) without hurting their academic performance.
ture help guide the tailoring and fabrication of efficient membranes. In the near future,
I also intend to start research work on polymer brushes (i.e., polymer chains tethered to On a somewhat different note, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would
a surface) and in the field of biomolecular simulation. like to reiterate that students should focus on the underlying physics behind any process
or problem that they study. Mathematical formulation and treatment are undoubtedly
8. Your thoughts on the current faculty and students of the department. indispensable for carrying out engineering calculations. However, physical understand-
ing enables one to determine the form of an equation and the types of assumption that
The faculty members of the department are relatively young and quite dynamic. They are applicable to a particular system and provides deeper insight into the problem.
have expertise in a wide array of fields ranging from novel separation technologies to
molecular thermodynamics and micro/nano fluidics to alternative energy. They are en- Finally, I wish all the students the very best in their current academic and future profes-
terprising, focused and driven to maintain the high standard of teaching and research sional endeavors.
that is expected at an educational institute of national importance such as ours. They
have been very friendly and helped me immensely in settling down during the first few
 Seniors ki Zubani
Internships Interviews
Disha Gupta –ITC Disha Gupta –Schlumberger Asia
“I had the opportunity to do my summer internship with ITC in my third year. It was my “Just like ITC, Schlumberger also provides a hands-on experience to its employees and
first step into the corporate world and see how a product is developed from the scratch. I am fortunate that I will be able to explore the work culture. The interview of Schlum-
episteme 2011

Apart from the industrial exposure I got there, I got to interact with the workers on the berger was more of an interaction with the panel. They asked me about my internships
shop floor and also dealt with the top management. Being surrounded by dynamic and in detail and the things I learnt there. Also, they expected us to have gone through their
intelligent people, I learnt modesty and team work. The art of decision making, taking website extensively and luckily , I had done my research. Also, it is important to be very
calculated risks and problem solving techniques are some of the things I felt confident clear as to why one wants to join them. And remember, just be honest! ☺”
about. But most importantly, I enjoyed myself thoroughly. “
Gaurav Kumar—Reliance Industries Limited
Gaurav Kumar—Max-Planck Institute, Germany “My RIL interview was more of an ODI match, with the interviewers peppering me with
“As of now, I’m not sure how big an impact my summer intern in Germany has had on bouncers aimed at my weaklings viz. NO industrial intern, good CPI and one too many
my future prospects. But, one thing is for sure that I realized research is not at all what academic projects. Yes, I mentioned good CPI as my weak link. One has to back his/
has been portrayed here at our college. If one has a thing for it, he/she should go for her good CPI with a proper “alibi”, lest he/she falls into their plans-for-higher-study trap,
it. Its challenging and total fun at the same time. For me, it was more of an opportunity and the game is over. Nonetheless, like a normal cricket match, they did their bit and I
to visit new places, meet new people and do a few things I’d have never done in India.” hit them whenever the ball was in my zone. In the end, it all worked out pretty well. :)”

Akshat Jain-- IISc Bangalore Vineet Mohan--Strand Life Sciences

“I did my internship at dept. of chem engg. at IISC Bangalore and it was a great experi- “It was a purely technical interview. The company was interested in algorithms and data
ence. The green campus of IISc is one of the most beautiful campuses I have ever seen structures. The fact that my projects were in computation helped. And they were really
which made my stay quite memorable. I worked on simulation of suspension under the impressed by a leisurely work in algorithm design I had done during my first year vaca-
guidance of Prof. Prabhu, who is a pioneer in this field. The work seemed to be difficult tion. Everything you do someday pays off.
for the first one month but things settled down as time progressed. All summer interns There wasn’t an HR interview... so no exciting stuff :)”
got a chance to know about research areas of other faculty members which was encour-
aging. People there are very helpful and I enjoyed my stay at IISc.” Akshat Jain-- Reliance Industries Limited
“Reliance interview was my first interview experience and it was very smooth. They
Akash Anand-- Reliance Industries Limited (PPO) asked me about my Btech. project and were interested in knowing about its industrial
“I worked with Reliance Industries Ltd. Patalganga Site. The work involved modelling of applications.My interview lasted for about 40 minutes in which they asked me about
BE RERUN column on ASPEN and later predicting the changes required to operate it at my favorite subject, the software’s our department has,the courses taught here,all In-
30% higher load. My work had direct application in LAB plant. The best part was their dia rank,where would I like to work if employed and why and some very basic technical
level of expectation, which kept me motivated to give my best.I had a wonderful experi- questions from heat and mass transfer.”
ence working with them.”
 The Boulevard Ahead Ashwin T. Kumara, B.Tech 2nd Year
Although rough ideas and techniques of mixing chemicals under specific conditions to eraged Navier-Stokes equations. Reynolds’ contributions to the field of fluid mechanics
get desirable products existed since long before, modern chemical engineering was in- are considered fundamental and are used to optimize chemical processes.
stituted as a science only in 1805 when English chemist John Dalton published “Atomic
Weights”. Dalton’s pioneering work allowed balancing of chemical reactions and thus Founder father of Chemical Engineering
paved the way for mass balances in chemical engineering. Since then, chemical engi-
neering as a core area of research has advanced in leaps and bounds. The following are George Edward Davis (1850-1907) worked as a chemist at Brearley and Sons for three
some of the innovative scientists whose path-breaking research revolutionized chemi- years. He also worked as an inspector for the Alkali Act of 1863, a very early piece of en-
episteme 2011

cal engineering: vironmental legislation that required soda manufacturers to reduce the amount of gase-
ous hydrochloric acid released to the atmosphere from their factories. In 1872 he was
The Carnot Cycle engaged as manager at the Lichfield Chemical Company in Staffordshire. In this job his
capacity for innovation flourished. His works included what was at the time the tallest
French physicist Sadi Carnot studied the thermodynamics of combustion reactions in chimney in the UK, with a height of more than 200 feet (61 m). Davis identified broad
1824 in his “Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire and on Machines Fitted to de- features in common to all chemical factories and wrote the influential “A Handbook
velop that Power”. Using the principles developed by Carnot, German physicist Rudolf of Chemical Engineering”. He also published a famous lecture series of 12 lectures
Clausius began to apply to chemical systems at the atomic to molecular scale in the which defined Chemical Engineering as a discipline. As a result of his pioneering efforts,
1850s. Developing on the thermodynamics of Clausius, American mathematical physi- George E. Davis is widely regarded as the founding father of Chemical Engineering.
cist Josiah Willard Gibbs, in a series of three papers, developed a mathematical-based,
graphical methodology, for the study of chemical systems in the years 1873-1876. Ger- The Bessemer Converter
man physicist Hermann von Helmholtz published a founding thermodynamics paper,
similar to Gibbs, in which he showed that measure of chemical affinity is determined by Sir Henry Bessemer (1813-1898) was an English engineer, inventor, and businessman.
the measure of the free energy of the reaction process. These scientists’ path-breaking Bessemer’s name is chiefly known in connection with the Bessemer process for the
research broadly set up the basis for modern thermodynamics and even today, their manufacture of steel. Many industries were constrained by the lack of steel, being reli-
principles are fundamentally applied in the industry. ant on cast iron and wrought iron alone. Examples include railway structures such as
bridges and tracks, where the treacherous nature of cast iron was keenly felt by many
Reynolds Number engineers and designers. Bessemer worked on the problem of manufacturing cheap
steel for the purposes of ordnance production from 1850 to 1855 when he patented
Osborne Reynolds was a prominent innova- his method. On 24 August 1856 Bessemer first described the process to a meeting of
tor in the understanding of fluid dynamics. In the British Association in Cheltenham which he titled “The Manufacture of Iron without
1883, Reynolds defined the dimensionless Fuel.” The Bessemer process involved using oxygen in air blown through molten pig iron
group for fluid flow, leading to practical scale- to burn off the impurities and thus create steel. Though this process is no longer com-
up and understanding of flow, heat and mass mercially used, at the time of its invention it was of enormous industrial importance
transfer. He studied the conditions in which because it lowered the cost of production steel, leading to steel being widely substituted
the flow of fluid in pipes transitioned from for cast iron.
laminar flow to turbulent flow. From these ex-
periments came the dimensionless Reynolds These are just a few of the numerous innovative minds whose efforts propelled chemi-
number for dynamic similarity — the ratio of cal engineering. Advances in chemical engineering technology have been able to keep
inertial forces to viscous forces. He also pro- up with the demands of nature, the growing industry and the whims of the consumer.
posed what is now known as Reynolds-av- While enormous advances have been made in the past, there are still many challenges
eraging of turbulent flows, where quantities remaining:
such as velocity are expressed as the sum of
mean and fluctuating components. Such av- As non-renewable fuel supplies dwindle and pollution becomes a greater challenge, the
eraging allows for ‘bulk’ description of turbu- search is on for viable, renewable sources of energy. Chemical engineers have a unique
lent flow, for example using the Reynolds-av- Osborne Reynolds
grounding in chemistry, physics, and math. By virtue of this diverse training they are
 particularly well suited to the task of discovering and exploiting the many opportunities petroleum-refining, and electric-power-generation industries. The ability to reuse waste
available in this array of alternative energy sources. materials helps reduce our dependence on costly and scarce natural resources. New
techniques to store energy help minimize the need for new power plants.
* Although hydrogen is a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, its use as a fuel presents
several obstacles that must be overcome. It is difficult to store and distribute. No meth- The field of nanotechnology—one of the newer areas of materials science—makes use
of the functional advantages that many materials demonstrate when they are produced
in extremely small particle sizes. In nanotechnology the basic unit of measurement is a
episteme 2011

nanometer, which is one-billionth of one meter. Today specialized techniques developed

by chemical engineers enable many common materials to be produced with individual
particle dimensions measured in nanometers. Nanometer-sized particles demonstrate
a broad range of more favorable physical properties compared with larger-sized parti-
cles. These properties include:

* Improved chemical resistance,

* Improved hardness and abrasion resistance,
* Increased tensile strength and flexibility,
* Favorable melting points,
* Favorable magnetic properties,
* Increased thermal and electrical conductivity, and
* Favorable surface-chemistry effects that improve the ability of a .
. powder to be dispersed in a liquid.

Chemical engineers are regularly involved in the design and optimization of complex in-

od currently exists for delivering hydrogen to households, and no infrastructure is in

place to allow fuel cell-powered cars to refuel at local gas stations. Because Hydrogen
fuel cells rely on electrochemistry rather than combustion, they virtually eliminate the
emission of pollutants associated with today’s cars, trucks, buses, and power plants.
Chemical engineers are heavily involved in the development of a variety of safe and
technically feasible systems to produce hydrogen cost efficiently on a small scale and to
develop fuel-cell batteries that would use hydrogen or other fuels that can be converted
to hydrogen.

* As supplies of fossil fuel and cheap electricity have dwindled, methods to harness
solar energy are in demand. Since chemical engineers are well trained in both material
science and heat transfer, their efforts have been instrumental in designing the most
efficient systems for collecting solar energy and converting it to electricity.

•Chemical engineers continue work on new production techniques to reduce the envi-
ronmental footprint of the chemical, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, pulp-and-paper,
 dustrial operations, applying their engineering ingenuity to pollution prevention efforts.
The objective is to develop techniques and processes that minimize or even eliminate
the formation of unwanted by-products and hazardous pollutants—in other words, to
make industrial operations “benign by design.” Chemical-engineering contributions to
pollution prevention include:

* Improved engineering technologies and advanced machine designs .

episteme 2011

. that save raw material and energy,

* Higher-activity catalysts,
* Re-engineered processes designed for “closed-loop” and “zero-dis .
. charge” operation,
* Enhanced maintenance procedures,
* Advanced monitoring and diagnostic instrumentation,
* More efficient process control systems with less waste, and
* Environmentally friendly, biodegradable solvents.

Chemical engineers play a leading role in the design and implementation of effective
technology-based solutions to control carbon dioxide emissions. Current projects in-
clude advanced combustion systems that reduce the formation of carbon dioxide and
other combustion-related GHGs, pollution-control systems engineered to capture car-
bon dioxide emissions; and use of cleaner-burning alternative energy sources, such as
biomass-derived fuels and solar- and wind-generated power.

These are a few among the multifarious areas of research that present chemical engi-
neers of today and tomorrow with the opportunity to innovate. Chemical engineers are
well-suited to meet the challenges they face - the only barrier they will have to pass is
their mind.
 People’s say-The Survey
episteme 2011

Canada, Australia and New Zealand comprised the “Other(8%)”

Somebody says, “wife and kids”…!!! :-O

Probably options like ‘finding contacts’, ‘checking mails’, ‘downloading stuffs’ and
even ‘reading online newspapers’ would have made the task a little easier for the
‘’Other(8%)”
episteme 2011
 Placement Report
It was a cold morning couple of days after the usual end semester exams, the
exams which left most of us grunting and huffing for air after the tough odd se-
mester. But then it was all over. While most of them were in all hurry to sleep on
their mom’s lap, a few of us had stayed back for the prestigious Inter-IIT Sports
meet (practice sessions for which had already begun) and still a few for the most
awaited phase of their life at IIT-G, the placements. So, it was on one of these
episteme 2011
batch (overall 10) which included 2 PPOs (Pre-Placement Offers). The very same
day Strand Life Sciences (IT) and AVA Corp (IT) recruited one student each. While
IOCL and ISRO arrived with some other plans, it didn’t let the placement eye
bat an eyelid with BHEL , Deloitte( consultancy firm) recruiting 2 students each
and Jindal Power and Steel Ltd. recruiting 4 of them. This has taken the total
placements of the B.Tech final year students to 76% with recruitment offers to

brumal mornings when came the fantastic news of two of our seniors getting 26 students out of a batch of 34 as on date. This year IITG has drawn attention
placed with the world’s largest oilfield services company, Schlumberger. Well “it” of a wide spectrum of companies for campus recruitment. As compared to past
had begun, the very first day of the placement season. couple of years, the job scenario has been quite good till date. With PSUs like
ONGC, BCPL and BPCL in sight, fingers are kept crossed and hoping for the best.
Though placements began on a strong note, it soon turned a little watery. In the
next few days, while 3 students got placed in the IT company Virtusa India, one Our recruiters so far:
student got placed in the consultancy firm Zs Associates. Things turned healthy
once again with RIL (Reliance Industries Limited) recruiting nearly 30% of the

Company Sector No: of Offers

Schlumberger Asia Oilfield Explorations (Core) 2
ZS Associates Consultancy 1
Virtusa India IT 3
RIL Petrochemical (Core) 8 + 2 (PPO)
Strand Life Sciences IT 1
AVA Corporation IT 1
Deloitte Consultancy 2
Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. Conglomerate(Core) 4
BHEL Electricals 2
Engineers India Ltd. Consultancy (Core) 1
MphasiS IT services 2
 
 IIChE-SC Activities & Team Members
Activities completed in previous semester (July- Nov 2010) : Co-Ordinator & Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Kaustubha Mohanty
1) General Body meeting of IIChE-SC. Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering Department, IIT Guwahati
2) Orientation for 1st year students to improve the interaction between seniors and
juniors. Editor (Technical, IIChE-SC Newsletter):
3) Faculty-Student interaction for 1st year students to allow them to know our faculty Prasanjeet Poddar
episteme 2011

and interact with them on several aspects of academics,hostel life etc.

4) Freshers’ party Associate Editor (Technical, IIChE-SC Newsletter):
5) Free printouts for B.tech people Ashwin Thirumala Kumara
6) Internship talk for 3rd year students.
7) Inclusion of IIChESC site in IIT Guwahati Club list on intranet site General Secretary:
Visit -http://shilloi.iitg.ernet.in/~chemeng/intranet/iichesc.html Gaurav Kumar
8) Internship talk for 2nd year students
Joint Secretary:
Activities in pipeline for year 2011: Vishak Bharadwaj Prasad
Bikash Ranjan Mishra
1) Industrial visit to paper mill Nagaon/IOCL Guwahati.
2) Workshop: Matlab for 1st and 2nd yearites- by 4th year seniors Treasurer:
3) Aspen workshop for 3rd and 4th yearites Punit Kumar Jain
4) Department T-shirt/Sweat shirt
5) Discussions regarding conduction of first ever departmental technical fest-Chemfilia Web Design Coordinators:
6) Group Discussion Sumit Hablani
7) Panel discussion-for improvement of academic related problems.
8) Guest lecture Contact Address:
The IIChE Student Chapter
Department of Chemical Engineering,
IIT Guwahati, Guwahati-781039.
Phone: +91-361-2582300
Fax: +91-361-2690762

Since you have spent this time going through this magazine, we really need your feed-
back. Write to us about what you liked, what you hated, what you would like to see here
and absolutely anything you wanna share with us. Shoot your emails at
iichesc@iitg.ernet.in or p.poddar@iitg.ernet.in.
episteme 2011

Gallery
Beneath th e la nd where I stan d
I k n ow from eter nity...
Beneath th e la nd where I stan d
E ver y d rop from the ocea n s o ak ed
T he th ir st of deserts yet to quen ch
N o sign s of life in the dr y la n e
I a m n ot th e fir st to love ra i n .
Beneath th e la nd where I stan d
So i l at my feet soa ked with tear s
A hun d red e pita phs scribbled o n
T he c ac oph ony of ca daverous c r y
I a m n ot th e fir st one to die.
B en eath th e l a n d wh ere I s ta n d
E nv i o u s eyes ch a s e ever y i n ch
C ata s t ro p h e l u rk s b eh i n d i m p u d en c e
T h e wea p o n s s h a l l b eg i n to h o n e
I k n ow I w i l l n o t d i e a l o n e.
B en eath th e l a n d wh ere I s ta n d
C o r p s e o f h u n d red s ea s bu r i ed
E ven th e s l i g h t s h i m m er h el d c a p ti ve
B u t th e d u s k o n l y p rec ed es th e d aw n
A n d I h ave g o t n o rea s o n to m o a n .
B en eath th e l a n d wh ere I s ta n d ! !
- G a u r av Ku m a r
B. Tech 4 th yea r