About

I am Tiju Thomas, a Professor at the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (Indian Institute of Technology Madras, IITM) in Chennai, India. 

Before coming to IITM, I was working as a Faculty Fellow at the Materials Research Center in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Prior to that I was on an industry-academia joint project involving University of Toronto, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and Lumentra Inc. (a start up company, specializing in light emitting devices). Before that I was pursuing my graduate degrees (MS, PhD) at the School of Engineering in Cornell University. I was enrolled in an interdisciplinary program, which enabled me to work with electrical engineers, applied physicists and solid state chemists. These years, I think, informed much of my current research philosophy. Before leaving for Cornell, I was pursuing my masters (M.S (Engg.)) at the Theoretical Sciences Unit in Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. Here is where I learnt the essentials of solid state sciences, which has stayed with me ever since. I am grateful to all my teachers and colleagues, from whom I continue to learn. 

In IITM, our group, the Applied Nanostructures Engineering and Nanochemistry research group focuses on developing compositionally complex oxides, oxynitrides and nitrides, and nanometals for achieving engineering ends. Problems concerning functional properties of materials (electrical and electronic, optical, magnetic; applied surfaces and interfaces) are of abiding interest to us. In particular solar energy harvesting, efficient light emission systems, and remediation materials have been the group's recent focus. Much of the science we do is easily extensible to sensor materials research as well. Eco-friendly, green engineering perspectives guide the synthetic chemical and fabrication routes that the group develops for fulfilling it goals. Furthermore correlations between synthesis, materials processes, and device performance is an increasingly common theme in the group's activities. Because of our inter-disciplinarity, we tend to work with students and collaborate with faculty members from very diverse backgrounds. In the recent past we have worked extensively with chemists, physicists, electrical engineers, chemical and polymer engineers, materials and metallurgical engineers, mechanical engineers. An "applied" approach to materials science makes this trans- and inter-disciplinary work possible.