Host City USA: Kozhikode

Narayanan Kuthirummal

Dr. Narayanan Kuthirummal is a physics professor and most of his academic career has been spent at the College of Charleston (CofC) having around 10,000 students with about 5% graduate students. He is currently on his second term as Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at CofC. Dr. Kuthirummal follows a teacher-scholar model and his current experiences and skill sets include developing effective teaching strategies, developing degree programs (undergraduate and graduate), promoting experiential learning, recruitment, promoting diversity, and developing connections with industries. He received his PhD in Physics from Banaras Hindu University, India. Before joining CofC in 2004, Dr. Kuthirummal spent about three years at Brown University (USA) as a Postdoctoral Associate and about five years as postdoctoral fellow at Academia Sinica, Taiwan. Dr. Kuthirummal’s research interests include nanomaterials for energy applications, composite polymer materials for medical applications, and nondestructive evaluation techniques applied to nanomaterials. He has mentored 30 undergraduate research students and published 53 peer-reviewed publications in international journals and about 55 abstracts in national/international conferences. He received the Distinguished Teacher Award of CofC, Norine Noonan Sustained Achievement Award of the School of Sciences and Mathematics, Excellence in Collegiate Education and Leadership (ExCEL) Awards: Outstanding Faculty of the Year for the School of Sciences and Mathematics of the College of Charleston, and is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

The objective of the proposed Fulbright-Nehru project is to engage students and faculty at Farook College in nanotechnology and nanomaterials characterization using nondestructive evaluation methods through a combination of teaching and research with emphasis on graphene-based nanocomposites. The research component of the proposed project includes synthesis and characterization of modified graphene nanocomposite materials. As part of the proposal, a course on “Nanotechnology and Advanced Nondestructive Evaluation Methods” will be developed and taught following a student-centered approach. Students will be introduced to the process of research through data analysis, interpretation, and to developing research questions and writing scientific proposals.

Ramesh Dangol

Dr. Ramesh Dangol joined Youngstown State University (YSU) in 2012 after completing a PhD in strategic management from Purdue University in Indiana. Since joining YSU, he has published manuscripts in Strategic Management Journal, International Journal of Production Economics, International Business Review, and Journal of International Management. His research focuses on how individuals and organizations develop capabilities and their implications on individual/ organizational performance.

Having examined the links between capabilities and performance, Dr. Dangol’s new research focuses on identifying obstacles (frictions) that prevent individuals from developing capabilities, and delineating the mechanisms by which capability frictions negatively influence individuals’ wellbeing. His new research will help government worldwide enact policies and invest in resources to circumvent capability frictions.

Dr. Dangol’s Fulbright-Nehru project seeks to examine the impact of violence against women (VAW) on their employment capabilities and, subsequently, economic wellbeing. Authors argue that VAW reduces women’s ability to develop employment capabilities by limiting spatial mobility. Consequently, women’s ability to secure employment essential to realize economic wellbeing is curtailed. Authors also posit that human extensibility can alleviate the adverse effects of VAW on employment capabilities by supplanting spatial mobility. This research calls for investments in human extensibility infrastructures to help women in high violence areas develop employment capabilities and realize economic wellbeing.

Phanikumar Mantha

Dr. Phanikumar Mantha is a professor of civil and environmental engineering (College of Engineering) and professor of MSU AgBioResearch (College of Agriculture & Natural Resources) at Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing. He obtained his PhD in engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and worked as a scientist at the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bengaluru, where he developed models of estuarine and coastal ocean processes and received the Sir C.V. Raman Young Scientist Award for his work in 1996. His research interests encompass the scientific, technical, societal, and policy aspects of water involving water quantity, water quality, public health, and water–energy–food systems. As a faculty member at MSU for over 25 years, he has worked with students and colleagues to address societally relevant water issues. Examples include: the development of process-based, coupled, physical–chemical–biological models and their applications to understand and predict coastal water quality in the Great Lakes region of North America; quantifying the effects of droughts on crop yields in Kenya and in Cambodia in the Mekong River Basin; and integrated hydrologic modeling of watersheds in the U.S. and UK. He has published in journals like JGR Oceans, Limnology and Oceanography, Water Resources Research, and Journal of Hydrology. Prof. Mantha was also a Lilly Teaching Fellow at MSU.

Prof. Mantha’s research is funded by grants from agencies like the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the United States Department of the Interior. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the International Association for Great Lakes Research and a fellow of the Geological Society of America.

The ecological products and services of India’s coastal environments are increasingly being impacted by harmful algal blooms (HABs). Effective strategies for their mitigation call for an understanding of the key factors behind their formation. Prof. Mantha’s Fulbright-Nehru project is studying coastal water quality with a focus on HABs and the use of mathematical models and field observations to gain novel insights into important processes and drivers.

Hessam Ghamari

Dr. Hessam Ghamari is associate professor of interior design in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). With over 15 years of experience as an architect and interior designer across Iran and the United States, Dr. Ghamari brings a wealth of expertise to his role. His professional journey spans diverse projects in healthcare, hospitality, commercial spaces, and residential design. Before joining CSUN, Dr. Ghamari taught at Appalachian State University for four years. In 2014, he earned his PhD in environmental interior design from Texas Tech University, marking a pivotal point in his academic and research pursuits. He has authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and has presented at international conferences, focusing on topics like environmental psychology, evidence-based design, and healthcare environments.

Central to Dr. Ghamari’s design philosophy is a deep-rooted belief in addressing the physiological and psychological needs of individuals through interior spaces. He champions the creation of healthy, humanistic environments that positively impact users’ quality of life across diverse settings. His interdisciplinary approach integrates insights from environmental psychology, healthcare design, and evidence-based practices to enhance health and well-being outcomes. Currently, Dr. Ghamari holds significant leadership roles as the director of Strategic Initiatives and as a board member at the Interior Design Educators Council. He also serves as the director of Academy Awards and as a board member at the International Academy of Design and Health. Dr. Ghamari has received prestigious awards, including the Irene Winifred Eno Grant from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

Dr. Ghamari’s Fulbright-Nehru research, in collaboration with the National Institute of Technology Calicut, is assessing the quality of physical environments in Indian hospitals using evidence-based healthcare design principles. With its focus on patient safety, infection control, and staff well-being, the study is employing a comprehensive data collection approach involving quantitative and qualitative methods and field observations. By investigating factors such as accessibility, sustainability, and staff workflow, the research aims to improve healthcare spaces and outcomes in India.