IIT-M ties up with Deakin University to set up first Bilateral Centre of Excellence

The new centre will research on developing next-generation wear-resistant and high temperature alloys, smart and functional materials, and advanced manufacturing technologies. The IIT Madras-Deakin University CoE in Advanced Materials and Manufacturing is being set up with seed grant from both Deakin University and IIT Madras. 

The CoE will execute the recently funded Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) project. The Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Madras, in collaboration with the Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, have come together to establish the CoE. Key research areas that will be undertaken by this centre include next generation wear-resistant and high temperature alloys, smart and functional materials such as nano-spun fibres and nano-composites for bio applications, apart from light and strong materials which encompasses novel forming techniques for ultra-high strength steels.

The centre will collaborate with both industries as well as research and development organisations such as International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory and Defence Institute of Advanced Technology. 

“The CoE leverages the combined expertise of the faculty of the two universities and will create new materials and next-generation manufacturing techniques at the global cutting-edge”, Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director of the institute said during the launch of the centre. According to him, the CoE would work towards establishing a world-class additive manufacturing facility at IIT Madras, which would complement the facilities at Deakin University. 

Ravneet Pawha, Deputy Vice President - Global and CEO - South Asia, Deakin University, said, “Putting together the expertise of both the institutions in establishing research work, the Centre of Excellence is set to be a leader in the coming years. It will play a strategic role in enforcing methodologies of the future.” 

Philip Dalidakis, Minister for Trade and Innovation of Victoria, the state in Australia where the publicly-funded Deakin University is situated, inaugurated the Centre of Excellence along with IIT-M director Bhaskar Ramamurthi.