Dr Venkat Bakthavatchaalam

BEng, MSc, PhD, FHEA

Publication

• Date
• Type

Research

My research interests lie in exploring the intersection of engineering education policies, sustainable development and Peacebuilding. 

My research explores integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond within engineering, with a particular focus on gender equality, energy, and water conservation, into the curriculum. Additionally, I have explored various dimensions of engineering education's role in addressing global challenges through digital education, the impact of policy on academic productivity, use of AI in education and the socio-cultural factors influencing research dynamics. My research has led to a number of international collaborations, grants, and publications aimed at fostering inclusive and sustainable educational practices.

Teaching

I am a keen advocate of inter-disciplinary Problem Based Learning and employ a variety of pedagogical approaches. I have taught a range of modules over the years. Few of them include:

• Applied Design and Practice (Project-based Learning approach)
• Sustainability in design and manufacture
• Research methods and Statistical data analysis
• Professionalism in Engineering 
• Fluid and Engineering Mechanics
• Engineering in Society

Biography

Honours and awards

• Secured £89,247 funding from Royal Academy of Engineering as a co-investigator for a project titled ‘Making and Knowledge Exchange for Repair & Sustainability’ (2022)
• Consecutively Won $1,000 from UNESCO in both 2017 and 2018 to present educational research at the UNESCO-TECH17 and UNESCO-TECH18 Conferences, (2018, 2017)
• Won the ‘Santander Iberamerican Scholarship’ in the amount of £2,500 for conducting a collaborative research titled “Gender and academics’ research productivity: A cross cultural study of India and Portugal” with Prof. Machado-Taylor at CIPES, University of Porto, Portugal (April 2016).
• Secured €13,408 funding for a two-year Erasmus exchange programme between City College Plymouth, UK and Klaipedos Valstybine Kolegija, Lithuania, (2016).
• Won the highly competitive funding / stipend to attend the summer school and present research at ‘Forum Internationale Wissenschaft’, University of Bonn, Germany (2018).
• Won €140 for presenting a research paper at the Mission Responsible: Future of Education and Youth Work, 30 Nov – 2 Dec, 2017, Athens, Greece

Professional memberships

Fellow of Higher Education Academy

Speaking engagements

SELECTED SPEAKING/PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES:

• Designed and delivered a series of sustainability programmes to school children at Parkanon-Lukio school, Finland (August 2023) and also online (Oct. – Dec. 2022)
• Travelled to South Africa’s township schools as a part of Project Zulu, to teach and identify their education, infrastructure needs. This is to develop real-world impactful student projects (Aug. 2022)
• Organised and conducted several engineering out-reach programmes at local schools in Bristol (2021-2022)
• Delivered a staff development programme on ‘Sustainable Development through big data and AI’ at Coimbatore Institute of Technology, India (Mar. 2021)
• Delivered a lecture on ‘Gender research in engineering’ for staff and students at SNS college of technology, India (June 2020)
• Delivered a series of lectures on ‘Incorporating Gender Equality and Energy Conservation in Lessons’ to school teachers and students in Coimbatore, India (May – Nov. 2017)
• Delivered a series of 6 lectures on ‘Research motivation of academics’ to staff members at various institutions in Coimbatore, India  (July – Aug, 2015)
• Delivered a lecture on ‘Review of research issues in Indian Higher Education institutions’ at ‘Klaipedos Valstybine Kolegija’, Klaipeda, Lithuania (May 2014)
• Co-organiser, International Conference on ‘Global Congress on Engineering, Science and Technology’, in collaboration with the University of Plymouth and Dhanalakshmi Eng., Institutions, India (May 2011)
• Delivered a series of International Video Offline Lectures to various colleges in India ‘The Bright way Forward Lectures’ on Motivational practices and research Methods. (Apr. ‘11 – Dec. ‘11)
• ‘The Year of BIG Dreams – 2010 lectures’ a series of 4 lectures to 400 students on ‘The Need for Quality Research – Dimensions and factors’ at various Universities in India (Aug - Sept. 2010)

Supervisions

Few of the Broad areas of interest:

• Implementation of Circular Economy / Sustainability principles / Total Quality Management Principles in industries
• Embedding SDGs in Engineering / STEM Education
• Embedding SDGs in Industries
• Gender in Engineering
• Use of AI in Engineering Education
• Peace through Engineering Education
• Innovative Teaching and Learning in engineering
• Problem-Based / Project-Based learning in Engineering

Past projects

Few of the MSc, MEng and BEng projects supervised:

• Acceleration of Circular Economy in EU's Automotive Industry
• Recycling Face Masks for Manufacturing FlaxPP Eco-Composites
• Assessment of policy-society interface to increase female participation: A study of Aerospace Engineering in the Maldives
• The motivation of Aerospace Industry in their transition towards sustainability in the South-West of the UK
• Factors that affect the legibility of Laser Markings on Bearing Surfaces
• Increasing Energy Security in Rural Coastal Areas with Wave Power
• Resilience mechanisms used by aerospace industries during COVID-19
• Total Preventative Maintenance in a PCB Manufacturing Context
• Achieving a sustainable environment through Solar Energy: A case study on Qatar's ambition to reduce CO2 emissions
• Identification and analysis of the factors influencing female participation in engineering at academia level
• Case study on Implementation of Six Sigma in Small to medium sized Electronic industries in England