1981/BT/ME Professor, Purdue University Director, Centre for Materials Processing and Tribology, Purdue University
Prof. S Chandrasekar stands as a beacon of academic excellence, his name synonymous with innovation, dedication and scholarship in the field of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering. He is currently a Professor in the Schools of Industrial Engineering and Materials Engineering (courtesy) at Purdue University, where he is also the Director of the Center for Materials Processing and Technology.
Throughout his illustrious career, Prof. Chandrasekar has made several significant contributions to both academia and industry, including solution of a 350-year-old problem on fracture of glass (Prince Rupert’s drops). He is renowned for his pioneering research in metal cutting and manufacturing processes. His groundbreaking work in the optimization of machining operations has not only revolutionized industrial practices but has also enriched the academic discourse in the field. His deep theoretical knowledge of engineering and science in general and his amazing experimental abilities have left an indelible mark on the manufacturing of metallic and non-metallic materials.
He earned his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in 1981. Following this, he pursued further studies, obtaining his Master of Science (M.S.) in Engineering Science and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University, Tempe during 1983 and 1985 respectively.
He is recognized as one of the top global experts in machining and forming processes, as attested partly by the prestigious awards he has received over the years. Among his most notable accolades are the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award 1990), the ASME Burt L Newkirk Award (1994), the ASME Milton C Shaw Manufacturing Medal (2019), and the Anders Gustaf Ekeberg Tantalum Prize (2021), awarded by the global trade body for tantalum and niobium, and many more.
Prof. Chandrasekar is a Fellow of the ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers), AAAS (American Association for Advancement of Science), and InSIS (Indian Society for Structural Integrity). He has published over 190 journal articles and holds 22 US and international patents.
For his achievements and contributions towards scientific innovation, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and its alumni are proud to confer Prof. S Chandrasekar with the Distinguished Alumni Award for the year 2024.
