Dr. sirisha nallakukkala | Physical Chemistry | Women Researcher Award

Sri sivasubramaniya nadar college of engineering, India

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🎓 Educational Background

Dr. Sirisha Nallakukkala holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia (2020–2023), where her research focused on the “Performance Evaluation and Kinetic Study of CO₂-Rich Natural Gas Hydrate Formation for Produced Water Treatment.” This pioneering work explored hydrate-based desalination for high-salinity water treatment. She earned her Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from McNeese State University, USA, in 2007 with a GPA of 3.6/4.0, and a Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (GVPCOE), India, in 2005 with a GPA of 3.5/4.0.

👩‍🏫 Teaching & Academic Experience

With over 11 years of teaching experience, Dr. Sirisha has taught diverse courses in Chemical Engineering such as Physical Chemistry, Separation Process, Reaction Engineering, Process Control, Principles of Chemical Engineering, and Industrial Wastewater Treatment. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor at Sri Sivasubramanian Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai (since August 2024), and briefly held a similar role at NIT Srinagar earlier in 2024. She has previously taught at BMS College of Engineering in Bangalore and B.V. Raju Institute of Technology in Medak, where she facilitated both theoretical and lab-based education.

🔬 Research Experience & Expertise

Dr. Sirisha brings 8 years of dedicated research experience with a strong focus on gas hydrate mechanisms for water treatment, machine learning in process engineering, resource recovery, and carbon capture and storage. During her Ph.D., she made significant contributions by proposing supervised machine learning models for predicting metal removal efficiency in hydrate-based desalination and helped secure research funding from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and YUTP. Her interdisciplinary research approach combines experimental insights with computational tools, advancing sustainable technologies in water security and renewable energy applications.

⚙️ Industrial & Technical Experience

Earlier in her career, Dr. Sirisha worked as a Process Engineer at Dynamic Industries Inc., USA, collaborating with companies like Fluor Corporation and Exxon Neft Gas on operational improvements and module development. She gained hands-on experience in tools such as Smart Plant Review and conducted process evaluations. As a Research and Teaching Assistant at McNeese State University, she performed analytical instrument calibration and engaged in CSTR fault detection studies using Hotelling’s T² test and MATLAB.

🛠️ Technical Skills & Software Proficiency

She is proficient in a range of analytical instruments including ICP-MS, GC, and XRD, and possesses expertise in software tools like MATLAB, CHEMCAD, ASPEN, PVTSim, CSMGem, and Smart Plant Review. Her strong command over multivariate statistical process control (MVSPC) further complements her modeling and simulation capabilities in process systems.

🏅 Awards & Recognitions

Dr. Sirisha’s contributions have earned her multiple accolades including a Bronze Medal at the 47th SEDEX Exhibition (UTP, 2021) for her hydrate-based desalination project, a Best Research Paper Award at ICARAE 2021, and a Gold Medal at EREKA 2022 for innovation in high salinity water treatment. She also received a Bronze Medal at the Malaysia Technology Expo 2023 and was awarded scholarships for her graduate and doctoral studies.

🌍 Research Interests

Her core research interests span hydrate-based desalination, renewable energy integration in water treatment, hybrid separation processes, circular economy, resource recovery, machine learning in process engineering, carbon capture and storage, life cycle assessment, and sustainable development. These interests align with global efforts to create energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable technologies.

🌐 Memberships & Engagement

Dr. Sirisha is a Member of the International Association of Engineers (IAENG) and actively engages in academic communities and collaborative research. She regularly participates in international conferences, workshops, and knowledge-sharing events.

Notable Publications📝

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Seawater and Produced Water Treatment via Gas Hydrate: Review

Authors: Sirisha Nallakukkala, Bhajan Lal

Journal: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering

Year: 2021

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Gas Hydrate-Based Heavy Metal Ion Removal from Industrial Wastewater: A Review

Authors: S. Nallakukkala, A. ur Rehman, D. Zaini, B. B. Lal

Journal: Water

Year: 2022

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Suitable Binary and Ternary Thermodynamic Conditions for Hydrate Mixtures of CH₄, CO₂, and C₃H₈ for Gas Hydrate-Based Applications

Authors: Sirisha Nallakukkala, Hani Abulkhair, Abdulmohsen Alsaiari, Iqbal Ahmad, Eydhah Almatrafi, Omar Bamaga, Bhajan Lal, Azmi Mohd Shariff

Journal: ACS Omega

Year: 2022

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Advancement in Gas Hydrate Water-Based Produced Water Desalination: An Overview

Authors: Sirisha Nallakukkala, Zamzila Kassim, Nurzatil Aqmar Othman, Bhajan Lal

Journal: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Separation Technology 2020 (ICoST 2020)

Year: 2020