The "Maitreyi Awards" is an esteemed recognition program established by St. Joseph’s College for Women to encourage and honor teachers who have demonstrated exceptional academic and research output during the academic year. Named after the ancient Indian scholar and philosopher, Maitreyi Awards serve to appreciate the relentless efforts of faculty members in contributing to research and knowledge dissemination within the institution. Instituted in the year 2021-22, Maitreyi Awards serve as a platform to recognize, encourage, and celebrate academic and research achievements among the college's faculty members. By doing so, the institution aims to cultivate a vibrant research culture, inspire faculty members, and promote a collective pursuit of excellence in teaching and research.
The college recognises the importance of research and aims to encourage and support its faculty members in their scholarly pursuits. The institution has been conducting a Research Support and Promotion Scheme called "Anudaan” since 2018 to achieve this goal. Under this scheme, faculty members can seek financial assistance from IQAC to cover registration or membership fees related to conferences and academic, professional bodies. The primary objective of the "Anudaan" scheme is to promote and facilitate the active engagement of faculty members in research and academic activities.
It was envisaged as a hub to promote activities related to the native and quintessential culture of Kerala: its indigenous songs, dances and oral literature; to preserve its folklore in addition to the regional and tribal knowledge; to open up a whole world rich with facets of life and livelihood that is fast disappearing at the onslaught of globalization and its potent and pervasive market forces.
ICANSF 2025 (International Conference on Advances in Nanomaterials for a Sustainable Future),a hybrid event, took place from January 9th-11th, 2025, hosted by St. Joseph’s College for Women, Alappuzha. The conference, a joint effort of the IQAC and the PG departments of Physics and Home Science, commenced with an inaugural session graced by College Patron Rt. Rev. Dr. James Raphael Anaparambil, Principal Dr. Usha AA, Municipal Chairperson Smt. K.K. Jayamma, and Keynote Speaker Dr. K Sethuraman, Central University of Tamil Nadu. Dr. Sr. Bincy John, Convenor of ICANSF 2025, delivered the welcome address, officially opening the conference. Dr. Sr. Usha A A, the College Principal, then shared her message, emphasizing the importance of the conference and its potential impact on the field of nanomaterials.The inaugural address was delivered by Rt. Rev. Dr. James Raphael Anaparambil, Patron of the College and Bishop of Alleppey.
Dr. K Sethuraman, Professor in the Department of Material Science at Central University of Tamil Nadu, delivered the keynote address, setting the stage for the conference's theme and objectives.
Dr. Sharon D’Cunha, IQAC Coordinator, Adv. Rego Raju, Sea View Ward Councillor, Dr. Rose Leena Thomas Head, PG Department of Physics had offered felicitation speech on the occasion. The inaugural session ended up with a note of gratitude by Dr. Bhagya D, Assistant Professor, PG Department of Home Science, followed by National Anthem.
The afternoon sessions began with Dr. K Sethuraman (Central University of Tamil Nadu) delivering an insightful presentation on thin film preparation techniques and their diverse applications in electronic devices, highlighting their crucial role in modern technology. Paper presentations for both online and offline was done parallel. Online presentations for Life science and Chemistry was completed. Following this, Dr. A Manuel Stephen, Senior Principal Scientist,CSIR-CECRI, Karaikudi,Tamil Naduexplored the potential of lithium-sulfur batteries, discussing their future commercialization, particularly for electric vehicles and air taxis, and methods for improving their discharge performance. The day continued with Dr. Dong Jin Yoo (Jeonbuk National University, South Korea) providing a detailed explanation of the synthesis and characterization of ether and ether-free anion exchange membranes for fuel cell and water electrolyzer applications. This presentation was followed by a discussion with Prof. Dr. Michael J. Schöning (FH Aachen, Germany), who shared his expertise in biotechnology and microelectronics. The first day concluded with an online session by Dr. Prasad V Sarma, who discussed design principles for improved interfaces in water electrolyzers, emphasizing the crucial role of the catalyst-electrolyte membrane interface and the challenges posed by anode catalyst restructuring. He also examined potential failure modes in AEM water electrolyzers and explored mitigation strategies.
Day two commenced with a compelling presentation Fuel Cells, A Path to Sustainable Energy by Dr. Sibi K. S.,Assistant Professor,Dept of Physics,University of Kerala, who provided a broad overview of fuel cells as a promising pathway to sustainable energy.The talk focused on the role of fuel cells within the broader "Go Green" initiatives aimed at achieving an optimal balance between economic growth and ecological preservation. Fuel cells, particularly Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), offer significant advantages, including high efficiency, fuel flexibility, and long operational lifespan. The discussion encompasses India's National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to establish the country as a global leader in green hydrogen production and utilization. After the session the online paper presentations for Physics was continued till noon. In the mean time hands on training was carried out. In the afternoon, Dr.Raghu Chatanathodi, Professor,Dept of Physics, NIT, Calicut gave an amazing talk titled Computational Atomistic Modeling for the Design of Energy Materials . The session provided a detailed picture of how computational methods are significant in choosing the right material in designing energy devices. Following this, Dr. Nikhita Joseph(Post Doctoral Fellow,Tomas Bata University,Czech Republic) presented on high-rate anode materials for Lithium-ion batteries, exploring advancements in this critical component of battery technology.
On the third day, Dr. Robert Feil delivered an insightful presentation reporting on the use of fluorescent cGMP biosensors to study cGMP signaling, particularly in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).Researchers used these biosensors to investigate natriuretic peptide signaling in murine VSMCs and atherosclerotic lesions, discovering a link between VSMC phenotype modulation and a switch from ANP/GC-A to CNP/GC-B signaling during atherogenesis.The study found that silencing the CNP/GC-B axis increased chondrocyte-like plaque cells, suggesting this pathway's atheroprotective role in limiting VSMC transition. The next speaker, Dr.Reshmy R, Associate Professor, Providence College of Engineering, Chengannur,explored extracting nanocellulose (NC) from agricultural waste as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based products. The process involved treating residues with alkali (soapnut extract method), acid, and bleaching, followed by mechanical processing to produce NC. The resulting NC, possessing excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical strength, showed promise for biocomposite applications in food packaging, wastewater remediation, and wound healing.The last session of the day featured Dr. L John Kennedy, Professor, Dept of Physics, VIT ,Chennaiwho offered valuable insights into the structural evolution of nanostructured materials for hydrogen production by electrochemical water splitting.
The Valedictory Session of the ICANSF 2025 commenced with an invocation.Ms. Manju Thomas, Assistant Professor, Department of English, delivered the welcome address, officially opening the closing ceremony. Dr. Sr. Usha A A, the College Principal, then delivered a message, highlighting the key takeaways from the conference and expressing deep gratitude to all who contributed to the success of ICANSF 2025. Dr. L John Kennedy, delivered the valedictory addressand offered perspectives on the future directions of nanomaterials research for a sustainable future. Following this, prizes were awarded for outstanding presentations. Dr. Sharon D'Cunha, the IQAC Coordinator, then gave a felicitation speech, acknowledging the esteemed speakers for sharing their expertise, the participants for their active engagement, and the organizing committee for their tireless efforts. Dr. Rose Leena Thomas, Head, Assistant Professor, Dept of Physics who acknowledged the contributions all the members who contributed to the success of the conference.The Convenor of ICANSF 2025, Dr. Sr Bincy John, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude everyone involved in making the conference a success.Feedback was also collected from participants to help improve future events.The Valedictory Session concluded with the National Anthem, bringing the ICANSF 2025 conference to a formal close.
The National Conference RICERCA 2022 was organized with the aim of providing a virtual platform to students of undergraduate and postgraduate from all disciplines, research scholars and faculty to show case their multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research talents and exchange of research ideas nationally after undergoing rigorous review process. Among 119 entries from 9 disciplines 101 research papers were selected after peer review for quality and innovation. The online student project presentation was from 20-09-2022 to 18-10-2022 and the abstracts selected and plenary talks are compiled as proceedings. Among each category of research presentation for each subject best researcher with best presentation were evaluated nationally by eminent scholars from respective subjects and was awarded “EXCELSIOR AWARD”, for encouragement second and third place were also given certificate of merit.
