ME Dept organizes FDP on “Sustainable Engineering Innovations for Energy, Environment, and Industrial Applications”

The Department of Mechanical Engineering makes every effort to enhance the knowledge and professional competencies of faculty members in the areas of sustainable engineering, energy efficiency, environmental protection, and industrial applications.

The Department in association with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), VAST and sponsored by the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE) and the Institution of Engineers (India) [IE(I)], successfully organized a six-day online Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “Sustainable Engineering Innovations for Energy, Environment, and Industrial Applications” during 20-25 July 2026 through Zoom platform.

The programme was convened by Dr. Rakesh Hari (Prof,HoD,ME Dept)  and coordinated by Dr. Renjish Vijay (Asot Prof, ME Dept) and Mr. VishnuShaji (Asst Prof, ME Dept).The FDP aimed to provide participants with an interdisciplinary understanding of sustainable engineering practices, renewable energy, decarbonization, green technologies, environmental protection, emerging materials and sustainable industrial applications.

The FDP commenced with an inaugural ceremony on 20 July 2026. Dr. Sunitha C (Principal) delivered the Presidential Address, while Dr. Ajith Gopi (Founder and CEO, Zonergia Services Pvt. Ltd., Technopark, Trivandrum) delivered the inaugural keynote address on “Energizing Tomorrow: How Renewable Energy Fuels the Sustainable Development Goals.” The inaugural session also included felicitations by Dr. Shalij P R (Academic Director, VICT) and Mr. Suresh Lal (Executive Director, VICT).

The six-day FDP featured twelve technical sessions delivered by eminent academicians, researchers, scientists, and industry professionals from leading institutions and organizations. The sessions covered diverse topics including Net Zero Carbon, Carbon Neutrality, Smart Renewable Energy Systems, Advanced Battery Management, Green Building Technologies, Biomass Conversion Technologies, Biolubricant Development, Vertical Axis Wind Turbines, Sustainable Micro-combustion, AI and Quantum Computing for Energy Sustainability, and Battery Thermal Management Systems for Electric Vehicles.

The resource persons included experts from organizations such as CWRDM, Tata Elxsi, Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, IIT Bombay, Quest Global, Sciraft Technologies and Zonergia Services, among others.

A total of 86 participants registered for the FDP, representing approximately 33 external participants across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, in addition to faculty members from VAST. The programme received highly positive feedback from the participants. The twelve technical sessions recorded overall effectiveness ratings ranging from 4.71 to 4.93 out of 5, while the consolidated programme feedback recorded an overall experience rating of 9.30 out of 10. Furthermore, 94.5% of the respondents expressed interest in attending advanced follow-up sessions or workshops on the topics covered during the FDP.

The FDP concluded with a valedictory function held on 25th July 2026. Dr. Vinila M L, Professor and Head, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, VAST, delivered the Presidential Address. Participant feedback was also shared during the function, followed by an update on certificate distribution by Mr. Vishnu Shaji (Co-ordinator, Asst Prof, ME Dept). The programme concluded with the Vote of Thanks proposed by Dr. Renjish Vijay (Co-ordinator, Asot Prof, ME Dept). 

The FDP successfully provided participants with exposure to emerging technologies and sustainable engineering practices while strengthening industry–academia interaction and promoting research and collaboration in sustainability-focused areas. The overwhelming positive feedback and strong interest in advanced follow-up programmes reflected the relevance and success of the FDP.