Bikram Koirala is a Ph.D. candidate and research assistant in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston, Houston, TX. He received his B.Sc in engineering from Nepal in 2016 and worked as a TA for a machine design course until 2019. His research interests include automated systems, robotics, mechanical design and analysis, simulation, and programming.
Abishek Kafle is a dedicated Ph.D. student at the University of Houston, where he is making significant strides in the field of additive manufacturing. With a robust background in mechanical engineering, Abishek's research encompasses cutting-edge techniques such as Direct Ink Writing (DIW), Cold Spray Additive manufacturing (CSAM), and the automation, design, and control of these advanced processes. At the University of Houston, Abishek is a key member of the COSS research group that is pushing the boundaries of additive manufacturing. His work in Direct Ink Writing focuses on the precise deposition of functional materials, enabling the creation of complex, high-resolution structures with diverse material properties. This technique is pivotal for applications requiring intricate geometries, such as biomedical devices, electronics, and custom engineering solutions. In addition, Abishek is exploring Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing, a process that deposits metals and other materials at high velocities without melting them. This preserves the inherent properties of materials and produces dense, high-performance components. His research aims to optimize the parameters and materials used in CSAM, enhancing the mechanical properties and expanding the practical applications of the fabricated parts.
Dr. Venkatesh Balan earned a B.Sc. in 1989 and an M.Sc. in 1991 from Madras University. He received his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, in 1999. From 1999 to 2001, he served as a postdoctoral fellow at Osaka University. From 2001 to 2002, he worked as a scientist at the Oji paper company. From 2002 to 2004, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the AIST. From 2005 to 2017, he served as a Research Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science at Michigan State University (UH). From 2017 to 2022, he served as an assistant professor, and since 2022, he has been serving as an associate professor at the Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston. His research expertise includes producing microbial products from algae and fungus, fuels, and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass using pretreatment, enzyme hydrolysis, and microbial fermentation. Dr. Balan was the recipient of the CSIR fellowship from the Government of India in 1992. He received two prestigious fellowships in Japan from the JSPS in t 1999 and 2022 for a 4-year postdoctoral position in Japan. He received a research excellence award and a teaching excellence award given by the UH College of Technology in 2019 and 2020, respectively. He was the recipient of the ‘Advanced Materials Award’ from the International Association of Advanced Materials, Sweden in January 2024, and the USDA E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship in May 2024.
