Dr. Ramadas Narayanan | Energy and Utilities Analytics | Best Researcher Award

CQ University Australia | Australia

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👤 Summary

Dr. Ramadas Narayanan is an accomplished mechanical engineer, academic, and researcher with over 25 years of international experience across Australia, India, and Malaysia. Currently serving as Senior Lecturer and Discipline Leader in Mechanical Engineering at Central Queensland University (CQU), he specializes in clean energy systems, solar-assisted cooling technologies, and agricultural mechanisation. His extensive contributions to research, teaching, and professional development have been recognized with prestigious awards, fellowships, and over $4.75 million in competitive grant funding.

🎓 Education

Dr. Narayanan holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Australia (2012), where he also earned a Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialization. He has a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching with High Distinction from Curtin University (2007), a Master of Technology (First Class Honours) in Mechanical Engineering (1996), and a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering (1992), both from the University of Kerala, India.

💼 Professional Experience

Dr. Narayanan has held multiple leadership and academic roles. He is currently the Discipline Leader and Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at CQU Bundaberg (2023–present). He previously led the Engineering Mobility Program (2021–2023) and the Clean Energy Cluster (2014–2020). He also serves as Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the University of South Australia’s Barbara Hardy Institute since 2014. Earlier roles include Energy Project Officer at the South Australian Government’s DIMTRE and various academic positions at UniSA since 2008.

🏅 Academic Achievements & Recognitions

Dr. Narayanan is a recipient of the Australian Award for University Teaching (AAUT) in 2021 and the Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching at CQU. He is a Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy (2022) and has won several accolades for research including the AIRAH Award for Refrigeration & Air-conditioning Research Excellence. He was also the winner of UniSA’s 3-Minute Thesis Competition in 2011.

📚 Teaching Experience

With a teaching career spanning over 15 years, Dr. Narayanan has delivered core mechanical engineering units such as Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Engineering Dynamics, and Energy Conversion. He is well-known for his engaging teaching style and has received multiple student-nominated teaching awards, demonstrating his commitment to high-quality education and mentorship.

🔬 Research Interests

His research interests include solar-assisted and desiccant-based cooling systems, energy-efficient building technologies, sustainable mechanical design, agricultural mechanisation, and clean energy systems. He has successfully designed innovative desiccant wheels and participated in global research efforts focused on renewable energy and sustainability.

🛠️ Technical Skills

Dr. Narayanan has advanced expertise in thermal systems modeling and simulation using ANSYS, MATLAB, and TRNSYS. He is proficient in the design of HVAC systems, post-harvest agricultural equipment, and experimental thermal testing. He is also experienced in research commercialization and cross-disciplinary innovation.

🔍 Research Grants

He has led and contributed to major research initiatives totaling over $4.75 million in funding. Notable projects include the National Sesame Mechanisation Program ($2M), the Great Northern Spices CRCNA Project ($2.5M), and multiple CSIRO and KFAS-funded clean energy and solar cooling projects. He often serves as the Lead or Theme Leader in these multi-institutional collaborations.

🌐 Professional Affiliations

Dr. Narayanan has served as Chair of Engineers Australia’s Bundaberg Regional Committee (2018–2020) and is a member of AIRAH’s Solar Cooling group. He holds editorial roles in several international journals including Sustainability (MDPI) and Building and Environment (Elsevier). He is an active contributor to REN21, a global renewable energy policy network.

📚 Selected Publication

 Heat Pumps with Smart Control in Managing Australian Residential Electrical Load during Transition to Net Zero Emissions

• • Authors: Adrian Rapucha, Ramadas Narayanan, Meena Jha

  • Journal: Energies

  • Year: 2024

 Implementing Cool Roof and Bio-PCM in Portable Cabins to Create Low-Energy Buildings Suitable for Different Climates

• • Authors: Ahmad Sedaghat, Arash Mahdizadeh, Ramadas Narayanan, Hayder Salem, Wisam K. Hussam, Mohamad Iyad Al-Khiami, Mahdi Ashtian Malayer, Sayed M. Soleimani, Mohammad Sabati, Mohammad Rasul

  • Journal: Sustainability

  • Year: 2023

 Energy and Comfort Evaluation of Fresh Air-Based Hybrid Cooling System in Hot and Humid Climates

• • Authors: Ramadas Narayanan, Subbu Sethuvenkatraman, Roberto Pippia

  • Journal: Energies

  • Year: 2022

 Food waste as a source of sustainable energy: Technical, economical, environmental and regulatory feasibility analysis

• • Authors: Ramadas Narayanan

  • Journal: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

  • Year: 2022

Comparative study of thermal degradation kinetics of two woody biomass samples for bio-oil production

• • Authors: Ramadas Narayanan

  • Journal: Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments

  • Year: 2022