Intl. Symp. On Physics, Technology and Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development


Bio | CV | Publications

This major symposium is in honour of the distinguished work and lifetime achievements of Prof. Hardev Singh Virk, a pioneer in interdisciplinary research in India using heavy ion beams for irradiation of minerals, glasses, polymers and other insulators. He was instrumental in using Radon concentration in indoor air, soil and groundwater for estimation of health hazard effects and earthquake prediction in the Himalayas to develop applications for sustainable development of the region.

Prof. Virk received his Bachelor degree in Science (B.Sc.) with Distinction from Punjab University, Chandigarh (1961) and Masters in Physics (M. Sc.) with specialisation in Elementary Particles from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (1963). He started his teaching career in an Engineering College in 1963. In 1970, he won the Scholarship of French Government for pursuing his research leading to Doctorate (Ph.D.) in High Energy Nuclear Physics from Marie & Pierre Curie University, Paris (France) in 1972 with highest citation of 'Tres Honorable'. The results of his investigations were published in "Nuclear Physics" and "Comptes Rendus", Proceedings of Academy of Sciences, Paris. He was offered a Post-Doctoral Fellowship to work in K0 - anti K0 collaboration between CERN, College of France and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bombay but his parent university was not in favour of his joining this collaboration.

Prof. Virk has 50 years of Teaching & Research Experience in several Universities and Institutions of Punjab state. He started his teaching career in 1963in an Engineering College at Ludhiana. Thereafter, he served in Punjabi University, Patiala (1965-79), Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (1979-2002), DAV Institute of Engineering & Technology (2008-11), SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib (2013-17), Punjabi University Patiala (2017-19), and SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib (2020-till date). His research output is commendable and spread over interdisciplinary areas of High Energy Nuclear Physics, Radiation Physics, Heavy Ion Physics, Geochronolgy, Radon Studies for Environmental Health Hazards & Earthquake Prediction, Nanotechnology, History & Philosophy of Science. Professor Virk has published 425 research papers in national & international journals; 45 books and 150 articles on Science Education & Science Policy in India. His research papers are listed on Web of Science, Researchgate, Academia.edu, Mendeley, ORCHID, Vidwan, and Google Scholar with h-index of 26 and i-10 index 95.

He has travelled through 50 countries for his academic pursuits: participating in international conferences, delivering Seminar lectures and as a Visiting Professor in about a dozen foreign universities, including UC Berkeley. He enjoyed the status of a Senior Associate of International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy during 1988-93. Third World Academy of Sciences provided him Travel grants under South-South Fellowship to visit China, Iran, Malaysia and Hungry. He was Guest Research Professor at Technical University of Innsbruck (1987) and Honorary Visiting Professor at University of North Texas at Denton, Texas (1993); a Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and University of California at Berkeley (1993).

Academic Honours and Awards:
(a) Distinction in Physics, B.Sc. Exam., Punjab University, Chandigarh. (1961).
(b) "Most Honorable" in Doctoral Dissertation of Marie Curie University, Paris (1972).
(c) First Prize for Translation of Popular Science Book "Story of Cosmic Rays"(Brahmandi Kirna Di Kahani) awarded by Punjabi University, Patiala (1969).
(d) First Prize for Text Book "Heat and Thermodynamics "(Tapgati Vigyan) awarded by Punjabi University, Patiala (1977).
(e) First Prize for Text Book "Atomic Physics "(Atomi Bhautik Vigyan) awarded by Punjabi University, Patiala (1978).
(f) Senior Associateship of International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy (1988-93).
(g) Shiromani Award as Best Writer of Scientific Literature in Punjabi awarded by Punjab State Languages Department (1993).
(h) Honorable Mention Award of Templeton Foundation (USA) for a Project on Global Perspectives of Science & Sikh Religion (2005).

Research Projects Supervised:
(a) Dating of Rocks (1974-77) under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.
(b) Deuteron Interactions in Nuclear Emulsions at 10 GeV/c (1976-79) under University Grants Commission (UGC) New Delhi.
(c) Uranium Estimation in Plants and Water (1979-82) under CSIR, New Delhi.
(d) Radon-Thoron Estimation in Soil (1983-88) under CSIR, New Delhi.
(e) Elemental Analysis of Fossil Bones using XRF (1986-88) under Third World Academy of Sciences, Trieste (Italy).
(f) Earthquake Prediction using Radon Signals (1988-91) under Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi.
(g) Development of Gas Scintillation Proportional Counter (1988-91) under UGC, New Delhi.
(h) Heavy Ion Radiation Damage in SSNTDs: Basic Properties and Technological Applications (1989-92) under UGC, New Delhi.
(i) Earthquake Prediction using Radon Signals (1992-95) under Himalayan Seismicity Project of DST, New Delhi.
(j) Single Pore Sensor for Water Pollution Control (1993-95) under Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, New Delhi.
(k) Radon/Helium Studies for Earthquake Prediction and Fault Delineation in N-W Himalaya (1995-98) under Himalayan Seismicity Project of DST,New Delhi.
(l) Seismo-tectonics and Earthquake Studies in the State of Punjab (1997-2000) sanctioned by the Department of Revenue, Government of Punjab, Chandigarh.
(m) Study of Radon/Thoron levels in Punjab and Chandigarh under BRNS, Department of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India (1996-2000).
(n) Heavy Ion Radiation Effects in Insulators under DST, New Delhi (1997-2001).
(o) Radon/Helium Monitoring in Thermal Springs under DST, New Delhi (2001)
(p) Earthquake Prediction Studies in N-W Himalaya using Geochemical Precursors (2000-2003) under Himalayan Seismicity Project of DST, New Delhi.

Research Highlights :

(a) Identification of very inclined and relativistic tracks in nuclear emulsion.
(b) Fission track dating of tektites, pegmatites, ore formations and volcanic eruptions.
(c) Calibration of glass dosimeters for neutron fluence determination.
(d) Uranium estimation and its biogeochemical exploration in the Himalayas.
(e) Earthquake prediction studies using Radon/Helium as a precursor.
(f) "Single Activation Energy Model" for annealing of radiation damage in insulators.
(g) Development of Ion Track Micro/Nanotechnology and its applications.
(h) Assessment of radiation health hazards in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
(i) Problems of Physics Education at School, College and University levels.

ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS
A round table discussion open to everyone interested will be organized at a specific date and time during the symposium. It will be a platform for high level representatives of various industries, technologies, and academic disciplines to freely discuss and debate all topics of this symposium, and identify positive and efficient pathways towards sustainability in industrial practices, technologies, and research.
You are cordially invited to actively participate in this symposium by submitting and presenting a paper, or by attending the round table. We look forward to meeting you in Phuket, December 2022.

Click here to see the General Author Invitation

CHAIRS

Dr. Florian Kongoli
CEO
FLOGEN Technologies
Canada, [Bio]

BIO of Florian Kongoli

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Dr. Florian Kongoli holds 3 degrees: a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Science/University of Montreal, Canada and a Doctor of Science Degree/Tohoku University, Japan. Since 1996 he is CEO of FLOGEN Technologies Inc., (www.flogen.com) a Sustainable High Tech applied research institute incorporated in Canada and USA that today have offices and representations in more than 15 Countries around the world while carrying out high tech projects in more than 40 countries.
Since 2007 he is Chairman of FLOGEN STAR OUTREACH (www.flogen.org), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to (1) achieving sustainability through science and technology, (2) raising the profile of science and engineering in the society and (3) properly honoring scientists and engineers.
Since 2003 Dr Kongoli has been President of the Organizing Committee of the Sustainable Industrial Processing Summits (SIPS) held every year in several countries around the world with an average participation of 500 authors from academia, industry, government and the entrepreneurship world representing an average of 80 countries.
Dr Kongoli has about 25 years of rich scientific and applied technology experience through direct involvement in numerous invited engagements in all continents. He has worked with more than 60 well-known chemical and metallurgical companies and several well-known universities around the world.
Dr. Kongoli is has published 77 books and about 190 scientific articles in the last 10 years and has delivered in numerous countries about 200plenary, keynote and invited presentations as well as articles, technical reports and research presentations. He has served in many leadership positions in national and international organizations.
Dr. Kongoli is an Elected Member of Euro Mediterranean Academy of Arts and Sciences (EMAAS) and member of the Industrial Achievement Award Committee of International Federation of Automatic Control. In 2017 he was Awarded “The Environmental Tech CEO of the year 2017” by CEO-Monthly magazine in UK and in 2019 was given the official title of Honorary Citizen of Rio de Janeiro by a special Legislative Decree voted unanimously by the Rio de Janeiro City Council. He is Editorial Board member of several International Journals. He has participated in business and government delegations in numerous countries accompanying Prime Ministers, Minister and other government officials.
A more detailed biography can be found at: http://www.flogen.com/elt/pdf/Kongoli_Short-CV.pdf
Latest news can be found at: https://www.flogen.org/?p=33

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Dr. Asit Baran Bhattacharya
Professor
JIS U.
India, [Bio]

BIO of Asit Baran Bhattacharya

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Prof. A. B. Bhattacharya did his M. Sc. and Ph. D. degree in Physics from the University of Calcutta and Post-doc from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA and subsequently joined in the Department of Physics, Kalyani University. He has published 258 Research papers in high impact Journals and over 151 proceeding papers in conferences. He has successfully guided 24 scholars for their Ph.D. and has written large number of invited articles in many Journals. He is the author of 29 text books written for science and engineering students from many reputed publishers like Infinity Science Press, Taylor & Francis etc. He served as Head of the Department of Physics of University of Kalyani, Dean of Research of Techno India University and Pro Vice Chancellor of JIS University, West Bengal. International Institute of Success Awareness honored him with their most coveted Institutional and globally reputed “Glory of India Gold Medal” for remarkable contributions to India’s national prestige. He is the life Fellow of the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers.

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Dr. Avinash Chandra Pandey
Professor
Inter U. Centre
India, [Bio]

BIO of Avinash Chandra Pandey

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Professor Dr. Avinash C. Pandey had a brilliant academic career with four Masters (Physics, Mathematics, Business Administration and Computer Science) degrees followed by Ph.D. in Physics from Allahabad university, India. He was awarded GB Deodhar Gold Medal for securing highest marks in M.Sc. (Physics-X Rays) examination 1984. He served Allahabad university in various capacities holding positions of Professor in Atmospheric and Ocean Science; Coordinator, K. Banerjee Centre of Atmospheric & Ocean Studies and M.N. Saha Centre of Space Studies; and Director, Institute of Inter Disciplinary Studies (IIDS). He received Excellence Award, University of Allahabad in 2016.
Professor Pandey has nearly 300 publications in journals of repute in areas of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, and Atmospheric & Ocean Science, including 20 Patents and 19 books/monographs and contributed Chapters. He has supervised 30 research projects worth 37 Crores in the capacity of Principal Investigator. He entered into research collaboration with USA, Japan, South Africa, Germany, Armenia, South Korea, SAARC Countries and Italy. He developed state-of-the-art facilities for synthesis/characterization/device applications of nanomaterials; high performance computing for simulation studies of atmospheric/ocean/molecular dynamics and Virtual Physics Laboratory. His research output is of high quality with 4666 citations, i-10 index 129, and h-index 36.
Professor Pandey holds the position of Adjunct Professor, Michigan Tech, USA; and Chairman, Governing Council, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore. He was Vice Chancellor of Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (2012-15) and presently holds dual charge as Director, Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi & Director, Inter- University Centre (Yoga Sciences) Bangalore.

www.flogen.org/

Dr. Fedora Quattrocchi
Chief Scientist
INGV
Italy, [Bio]

BIO of Fedora Quattrocchi

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Fedora Quattrocchi is “Chief Scientist” at INGV as “Research Director” technologist (Prot. INGV Decr. 226, 25/07/2009), starting her activity in 1990, after the degree in Earth Sciences at University "La Sapienza" of Rome, in November 1988, "cum laudem", and after 20 years in following with the role of "tutor" a lot of degree and PhD students over different Italian universities (Rome 1-2-3, Padova, Florence, Milano-Bicocca, Cagliari, Basilicata, Perugia, etc..). She is already looking after Functional Unit “Fluid Geochemistry, Geological Storage and Geothermics” at the Department Seismology and Tectonophysics, and Responsible of “Energy and Georesources Research Line/Section Rome 1/INGV. Fedora started to teach as "contract professor" (2009) at the University "Tor Vergata" of Rome, Faculty of “Industrial Engineering”, for a 48 hours Course (5 CFU) named: “CO2 transport and sequestration”. She served as University teacher at Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope - Engineering Department - in December, 2015, teaching: Cod. A07 titled “Processes for the separation, capture and re-use of CO2”, in the frame of the post-PhD formation project “SMART GENERATION – Innovative Systems and technologies with high poligeneration efficiency”.
She is Italian member of “SET PLAN ENERGY enlarged Board” at the MIUR Ministry and Member of the EU-ZEP Platform Zero Emissions Fossil Fuels Power Plants since 2007. She represented for INGV the Zero Emission Fossil Fuels Power Plants Platform (EU-ZEP) inside the Working Group 2: CO2 Geological Storage, starting the activities in January 2006 and still ongoing. She was selected by IEA (International Energy Agency) on a series of activities on CCS, in the frame of the writing the Agency’s Energy Technology Perspectives 2008 Report. She was selected by IEA Commetee on Energy Research and Technology, as member of "Expert Group on R&D Priority setting and Evaluation" with first meeting November, 16-17, 2011 in Paris "Monitoring Progress towards a Clean Energy Economy". She is a Scientific Committee member of the Sustainable Development Foundation in Italy (Fondazione Sviluppo Sostenibile). Fedora has published more than 100 papers in peer reviewed and other journals.

www.flogen.org/

Dr. Laszlo Sajo-Bohus
Professor
Simón Bolívar U.
Venezuela, [Bio]

BIO of Laszlo Sajo-Bohus

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Laszlo SAJO-BOHUS, is a Hungarian-Venezuelan physicist. He has contributed to the development of a method for direct measurement of the Schottky barrier (earned him an award for its development) using a silicon surface detector built by him; This experience has allowed him to participate in the construction of the central barrel of the ALICE station at CERN. In the theoretical field, he contributed to the formulation of the theory of formation of nuclear tracks in passive detectors from first principles. The measurements of the levels of environmental radioactivity have allowed him to make the first radiological map of Venezuela with his collaborators. He recently studied with his colleagues and students different configurations of thorium-uranium molten salt reactors fed with an external source of neutrons (accelerator- driven reactors). He participated in the Pugwash movement and the Conference of Scientists for Nuclear Disarmament. Regularly invited as a teacher and researcher by European and American universities.
He is a researcher and professor of nuclear physics who has spent more than 40 years at the Simón Bolívar University (USB), initiating the Nuclear Physics Section of the USB and has dedicated part of his time to give lectures and install laboratories for radon studies in the American continent. Among his distinctions he has received the Andrés Bello Award and the Visiting Professor Award from the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, he obtained a Special Distinction from the Francisco de Paula Santander University of Colombia and more recently, elected Corresponding Member for the Vargas State of the National Academy of Engineering and Habitat of Venezuela. The University awarded him with the title of Emeritus Professor of the USB in 2015. In October 2019 he received the Order of Merit Knight's Cross of the Republic of Hungary. He began his studies in Nuclear Energy and graduated with a diploma of Chief Technician (1969), obtained the Laurea of Doctor of Physical Sciences in Milano, Italy and at the same university the Diploma of Specialist in Atomic and Nuclear Physics (1975); Trained in the implementation of nuclear power plants at KfK of Karlsruhe, Germany (1976). The University of Birmingham, Birmingham UK, awarded him the Ph.D. in Physics (Applied Nuclear Sciences) in 1985.

www.flogen.org/

Dr. Robert Pullar
Professor
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia
Italy, [Bio]

BIO of Robert Pullar

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Prof. Robert Pullar obtained a PhD in Materials Engineering from the University of Warwick (UK) in 2000. Afterwards he was a research fellow in the UK from 2000-2008 at LSBU and Imperial College London, and then in 2008-2009 he was in Crete on a Marie Curie Fellowship. From 2009 to 2020 he was a Principal Researcher at the Department of Materials and Ceramics Engineering of the University of Aveiro in Portugal, and since autumn 2020 an Associate Professor at the Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
His main research interests are the synthesis and processing of ceramics, oxides and nanomaterials, and include sustainable and green chemistry & nanotechnology; magnetic, dielectric and ferroelectric ceramics & nanomaterials; multiferroic and magnetoelectric ceramics & composites; ceramic fibers; bioceramics and bioglasses; photocatalysts; electrochromic and photochromic materials (smart windows); solar energy materials for splitting H2O and CO2; waste remediation and valorisation; wood-based ecoceramics; cork derived materials; combinatorial and high-throughput ceramics processing; 3D printing and robocasting; and sustainable materials for the preservation of Cultural Heritage.
Prof. Pullar has published over 170 papers, with over 5300 citations and an H index of 37, has presented at over 85 conferences on 5 continents, including over 30 invited presentations, and delivered ca. 30 invited lectures worldwide.
https://www.unive.it/data/persone/24258468/curriculum

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Dr. Gurtej Sandhu
Vice President & Senior Fellow
Micron Technology
USA, [Bio]

BIO of Gurtej Sandhu

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Gurtej Sandhu is Senior Fellow and Vice President at Micron Technology. In his current role, he is responsible for Micron’s end-to-end (Si-to-Package) R&D technology roadmaps. The scope includes driving cross-functional alignment across various departments and business units to proactively identify technology gaps and managing the engineering organization to resource and execute on developing innovative technology solutions for future memory scaling. Dr. Sandhu’s responsibilities include leading several internal project teams worldwide and managing interactions with research consortia around the world.
At Micron, Dr. Sandhu has held several engineering and management roles. He has been actively involved with a broad range of process technologies for IC processing and has pioneered several process technologies currently employed in mainstream semiconductor chip manufacturing.
Dr. Sandhu received a degree in electrical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, and a Ph.D. in physics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1990. He is recognized as one of the top inventors in the world. Dr. Sandhu is a Fellow of IEEE. In 2018, he received the IEEE Andrew S. Grove Award for outstanding contributions to silicon CMOS process technology that enables DRAM and NAND memory chip scaling.
Gurtej Sandhu’s urge for enhancing the efficiency of technological devices has not only got him more US patents than Thomas Edison, but also a recognition for being all-time seventh most prolific inventor as measured by number of U.S. utility patents. https://www.thebetterindia.com/194656/gurtej-sandhu-indian-origin-inventor-more-patents-than-edison-inspiring/

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Dr. Sukhmander Singh
Professor
Santa Clara U.
USA, [Bio]

BIO of Sukhmander Singh

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Prof. Sukhmander Singh did his M.S. from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from University of California Berkeley. He worked as Senior Project Engineer with a top Consulting Company in San Francisco. He worked as Principal Investigator of Prominent projects such as a Dam with a history of slide (failure), and its redesign; and in charge of the Seismic Stability of all the Slopes and Liquefaction of the soils along the entire 800 miles of the Trans Alaska pipeline.
Subsequently, he joined Santa Clara University and currently holds the position of Professor of Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering. He has been teaching there for 35 years of which 15 years as Chairman of the Department. He has been a visiting faculty, for short periods, for 10 years at Cambridge University, UK, publishing 10 collaborative papers with Cambridge. He has delivered invited lectures at Stanford, Berkeley, and Cambridge Universities. Professor Singh is recipient of some noteworthy awards: Researcher of the Year, Endowed Chair Award for Academic achievements, President’s Special Recognition Award for Teaching, Research and Service. Chairmanship of sessions at International Conferences. Lifetime Achievement Award from American Society of Civil Engineering’s San Jose Chapter. He is one of the top researchers in the fields of Liquefaction of Silty soils, Landfill Stability of Solid Waste Landfills. Editor of a Landmark book from American Society of Civil Engineering as Memorial to the top Engineer in the Earth Dam Designs. Co-editor of another book. Published 118 research papers in reputed journals and refereed conferences.

www.flogen.org/