Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator
Embedded Files
I am Dr. Prashant Kumar, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, where I lead the Thermo-Fluid Dynamics & Optimisation (TFDO) Lab. My academic foundation was built through a direct Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. I completed my Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in mechanical engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Hamirpur in 2014.
My research philosophy is centred on a synergistic approach that bridges high-fidelity computational modelling with precise experimental validation. At the TFDO Lab, we specialise in the development of advanced numerical solvers, particularly those utilising the Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) and level-set methods for complex fluid-structure interactions, topology optimisation, heat transfer surfaces, turbulent flows, bio-fluids, and interface tracking. This computational work is complemented by our experimental facilities, where we conduct wind tunnel tests and apply single-blow methods to characterise flow and heat transfer performance. A defining feature of my current work is the integration of modern data-driven techniques into traditional thermal-fluid problems. We leverage machine learning for data reduction and nonlinear modelling to better understand complex physical phenomena.
Contact
E-mail (official): prashant@mech.iitkgp.ac.in
E-mail (personal): kumarp.iitkgp@gmail.com
Phone (office): +91-3222-28-2932
Office: IC Engine lab (behind old building)
Education
Direct PhD (MS + PhD) in Mechanical Engineering
Duration: July 2015 - September 2020
Institute: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering
Duration: July 2010 - May 2014
Institute: National Institute of Technology (NIT) Hamirpur, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Professional Experience
July 2024-Present
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
May 2021 - June 2024
Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
January 2021 - April 2021
Project Associate, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
July 2020 - December 2020
Pre-Doctoral Fellow, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Achievements
Awarded institute Pre-Doctoral Fellowship (July 2020 - January 2021) at IIT Madras for completion of MS + PhD within 5 years.
Featured article in Physics of Fluids: “Effects of shear intensity and aspect ratio on three-dimensional wake characteristics of flow past surface-mounted circular cylinder”.
Editor’s pick in Physics of Fluids: “Flow transition in periodically fully developed wavy channels”.
Star reviewer in Physics of Fluids for the year 2021.
Awarded MHRD scholarship throughout the Direct Ph.D. programme based on the all-India GATE score.
Recipient of merit scholarship in all semesters in B.Tech.
Secured 3rd position in B.Tech. batch of 2014 in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Secured 2nd rank in the district in the 12th Board (intermediate) examination.
Secured 2nd rank in the district in the 10th Board (High School) examination.
Awarded a state scholarship in Classes 11th and 12th based on performance in the high school board examination.
Awarded best boy of the school for overall performance in class 10th.
Academic service
Journal Reviewer
Physics of Fluids
Scientific Reports
Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering
Fluid Dynamics Research
Journal of Fluid Science and Technology
Conference Reviewer
Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power (FMFP)
Australian Fluid Mechanics Conference (AFMC)
Reviewer and Track Chair in International (ISHMT-ASTFE) Heat And Mass Transfer Conference (IHMTC-2025)
Invited Talks
"Simulation, Modelling, and Analysis: Tools for Mechanical Engineering Research", a five-day Faculty Development Program (FDP), organised by the School of Mechanical Engineering (SMEC), VIT-AP University, Amaravati (AP), India, from 1st July to 5th July, 2025.
"Multi-Objective Topology Optimisation of Heat Transfer Surface in Turbulent Regime", 9 Institutes Joint Meeting On Turbulent Flow Control, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan, June 28, 2023.
“Theoretical and Experimental Study of Single Blow Technique in Heat Transfer Measurement", Karlsruhe Institute of Technology-Institute of Industrial Science (KIT-IIS) workshop, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, March 31, 2023.
"Topology Optimisation of Heat Transfer Surfaces in Turbulent Regime”, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan, October 04, 2022.
“On Transitional Characteristics Behind Surface-Mounted Bodies in the Presence of Impinging Shear Flow”, Turbulence Simulation and Flow Design (TSFD), University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, October 12, 2021.
Administrative Responsibilities
Faculty advisor of the undergraduate mechanical batch of 2024.
Assistant warden, Gokhale Hall of Residence.
Member of departmental faculty search committee.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse