CDU appoints director to lead NACOG
A chemical engineer who has a strong record of addressing industry challenges has joined Charles Darwin University as Director of the North Australian Centre for Oil and Gas (NACOG).
Originally from Chennai, India, Professor of Chemical Engineering Suresh Thennadil has more than 20 years of experience in chemical engineering, working throughout the United Kingdom and United States of America.
The process monitoring expert has a special interest in process control and instrumentation and is co-inventor of 10 patents dealing with applications in chemical process monitoring and medical diagnostics.
“I first became interested in process monitoring while working as a shift engineer at a refinery after completing my engineering degree in India,” Professor Thennadil said.
“My research has focused on monitoring processes and developing techniques to gain better control to optimise processes and operation.
“The development of these techniques is important for many industries such as oil and gas, mining or even agricultural industry. Process monitoring techniques are not only important for process control and optimisation, but also for condition monitoring, which can be vital to give adequate warnings in cases of malfunction.”
He said he was excited about his new position and the possibilities of the emerging oil and gas industry in the Northern Territory.
“I like to see things grow,” Professor Thennadil said. “I want to be part of the growth of this industry and NACOG is well positioned to be at the forefront of education and research to assist industry.
“It is also an opportunity to address new challenges and a chance to apply my skills, and implement techniques I have developed through research over so many years to address problems unique to the NT.”
Professor Thennadil said he would bring his industry experience to his teaching at CDU and aimed to further collaborations with local industry and research partners in oil and gas monitoring and processing techniques.
Before joining CDU Professor Thennadil was senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.
He has developed highly inter-disciplinary industry focussed research programs with a range of global companies in the chemical sector such as BP, Shell, Pfizer, National Nuclear Laboratories BASF and Fuji Film as well as leading academic and research institutions across Europe.