Dr. Sai Sidhardh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. Before joining IIT Hyderabad in 2021, he was a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Ray W. Herrick laboratories, Purdue University, USA. His research interests include developing computational methods and solvers (mesh and meshless) for solid mechanics, artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques for applications in solid mechanics, multiphysics (coupled with solid mechanics) modeling and simulations, nonlocal mechanics, and applied fractional calculus. He has published close to 30 research papers in internationally reputed journals. He also serves as a Reviewer for various journals in numerical methods, fracture, composite structures, vibrations, among other general areas of solid mechanics.Dr. S. Suriya Prakash is a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Hyderabad. He received a prestigious Ramanujan fellowship from the Government of India. Before joining IIT Hyderabad, he was a design engineer at Structural Group Inc., Baltimore, USA. He received his PhD from Missouri University of Science and Technology, USA, in 2009. He obtained his M.S degree in Structural Engg. from IIT Madras in 2005. His research interests include using advanced composite materials for civil infrastructure, precast systems for affordable housing, and repairing and rehabilitating structures. He has fifteen years of research and teaching experience, guided 8 Ph.Ds., published more than 85 research papers in internationally reputed journals and presented more than 100 papers at national and international conferences. He is also the associate editor for the ASCE Journal of Bridge Engineering and a member of ACI, ASCE, ICI and ASTR. He is also an executive member of the Indian Institution of Bridge Engineers. He also serves on the editorial board of the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction.Dr. Ratna Kumar Annabattula is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Madras. His areas of interests are stimuli-responsive soft matter, granular materials and coupled problems in mechanics. He has more than 85 peer-reviewed international journal publications and has been a reviewer for several journals in the general area of mechanics and soft matter. He has guided 7 PhDs, 8 M.S. by research and 47 M.Tech students. He is a member of two centres of excellence at IIT Madras namely, Centre of Excellence in Soft and Biological Matter, Centre for Additive Manufacturing. He is currently leading a group of 2 postdocs, 11 PhD students and 9 Master’s students.Dr. Phani Mylavarapu is currently working as Scientist “E” in Non-Destructive Testing Group at Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, DRDO, Hyderabad. His current research interests include reliability assessment of NDT techniques for aerospace applications, modelling of NDT techniques, surface treatment techniques for inducing beneficial residual stresses in aeroengine components, applications of residual stresses in life revision studies of aeroengine components and characterization of powder metallurgy based ceramic composite materials used for advanced armor and structural applications using advanced NDT Techniques, etc. He has over 50 publications including various international journal papers, conference proceedings and presentations. He also serves as a reviewer for various journals in the area of surface engineering and non-destructive characterization of materials.
