A faculty member of the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras (IIT-M) has been elected as an international member of the National Academy of Engineering, an American non-profit, non-governmental organisation. He is one of 18 new international members of the Academy.
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R.I. Sujith, a professor in the Aerospace Engineering Department of the Institute, is currently the D. Srinivasan chair of the department, and is also the head of the Centre of Excellence for studying critical transitions in complex systems.
The post came in recognition of his contribution to “applications of dynamical systems theory to the understanding of instabilities in engineering systems.” Prof Sujith said he was “pleasantly surprised to get the news” on Monday morning. He termed it an honour and thanked his teachers, students and collaborators, the institute’s administration, the scientific community and his family.
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An institute press release said election to the Academy is among the highest professional distinctions given to an engineer. Prof Sujith is the second Indian to be elected to the aerospace section of the Academy. Earlier, B. N Suresh, director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO, from 2003-07, had held the post.
Prof Sujith is also the second professor from IIT-Madras to be accorded the honour, the first being .Ashok Jhunjhunwala
Prof Sujith completed his undergraduation in aerospace engineering from IIT Madras in 1988 and completed his Master’s degree and PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta.