Keynote Speaker

Dr Premnath is Head, NCL Innovations at CSIR-NCL and Founder Director, Venture Center (National award winning inventive enterprises and deep tech incubator). Dr Premnath is a technology developer, innovation and incubation manager, startup mentor and a co-founder of 2 medtech startups. One of his inventions -- a breakthrough material for hip and knee joint replacements — has been implanted in more than a million patients worldwide. Another technology for porous maxillo-facial implants has been implanted in thousands of patients in India and abroad.  He has provided leadership for teams that have won National awards for technology development, intellectual property management and  business incubation.  He is chemical engineer and an alumnus of MIT in the US, IIT-Bombay (Distinguished Alumnus, 2022) and has been a Chevening Technology Enterprise Scholar in Cambridge, UK.

Panel Member

Prof. Sunil Potale is a seasoned chemical industry professional with nearly four decades of experience in manufacturing and global operations. He completed his B.Chem. Engg. from ICT (formerly UDCT), Mumbai in 1981, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Operations Research for Management from Mumbai University. Over his 38-year career, Prof. Potale held leadership roles at Bayer, Pidilite, and UPL Ltd., where he retired as Vice President – Group Manufacturing & Technical Services. He played a key role in UPL’s global acquisitions from the manufacturing perspective and successfully led the establishment of a new facility in Vietnam. His work gave him the opportunity to engage with manufacturing practices across eight countries, enriching his global perspective. Post-retirement, he joined IIT Bombay as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, where he actively contributes to industry-academia collaboration through initiatives such as SLP-IDP and Course on Wheels.

Panel Member

Arati Halbe is a science communicator and a Managing Editor at Research Matters, Gubbi Labs. She writes short and long-form articles based on research in English and Marathi, and creates science-based podcasts and videos. She has been coordinating research outreach articles for IIT Bombay for the past seven years. She has made a series of videos covering the research at the Biosciences and Bioengineering Department of IIT Bombay. She has trained and mentored several science communicators. She conducts science communication training and workshops for research scholars and people aspiring to be science communicators. She advocates communicating research in regional languages and believes that science should be accessible to all.

Panel Member

Dr. Sandip Patil is a noteworthy entrepreneur, philanthropist, technologist & motivational speaker. He is a PhD from IIT Kanpur in Chemical Engineering with more than 13 years of research experience. His expertise and passion for nanotechnology motivated him to establish E-Spin Nanotech Pvt. Ltd. in 2010. He has authored an impressive list of scientific publications, some of which have been covered by international CNN U.S. edition, Mint, Wall Street Journal, and prominent Indian newspapers. Dr. Patil is widely recognized as one of the leading entrepreneurs in nanotechnology, and has successfully pioneered the application of nanofiber-based reusable and antibacterial/viral SWASA-N95 facemasks, a most impactful product to cope up with the COVID-19 crisis across India. He has multiple national & international patents to his name. Under his exceptional leadership, his company has made significant accomplishments over the years, which includes earning the DSIR recognition. He has earned multiple accolades for his contributions in the field of science & entrepreneurship. Dr. Patil also takes keen interest in social activism & is a key part of IIT Kanpur’s Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, an organization promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development.

Guest Speaker

Dr. Pankaj Doshi is currently the head of predictive science in the Drug Product Design department in the worldwide R&D organization of Pfizer Inc. He is spearheading the application of cutting-edge computational modeling techniques to accelerate drug product development at Pfizer. His innovative approaches, backed by over two decades of academic and industrial experience, have reduced timelines, mitigated risks, and improved quality - ultimately benefiting patients worldwide. Pankaj has published over 50 papers and delivered over 60 presentations. He received his BS and MS in chemical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai India, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)  in chemical engineering from Purdue University in 2003, which was followed by postdoctoral research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In recognition of his lifetime achievements in engineering, Pankaj received Pfizer's Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award in 2024.