Prof. Vasan Arunachalam is currently a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. He has been actively involved in teaching, research and academic administration for over twenty four years. He holds a PhD in Water Resources Engineering and did his Post-Doctoral studies at Western University, Canada. His research interests include Optimization of Reservoir Operation using Nature Inspired Algorithms, Water Distribution Network Design Optimization, Leak Detection in Water Distribution Networks using Machine Learning and Sensors. He has received awards for various research papers and sponsored research funding from multiple agencies. He has published over 100 research papers and is a reviewer for numerous reputed international journals.

He has served the institute in various academic administrative roles. Notable positions he has held include Associate Dean (Academic - Undergraduate Studies), Associate Dean (Instruction Division), Head of the Department (Civil Engineering), Chairman of the Academic Counseling Board, and Chairperson of the User Council for the Hyderabad Campus Growth Plan (Phase II). Additionally, he has contributed as a Task Force Member and Leader of the Quality Assurance & Assessment Team during Mission 2015: Vision 2020 and as a Task Force Member of the Academic Programs & Pedagogy team during Mission 2012: Vision 2020. He has also held several Faculty-in-charge roles, overseeing the Instruction Division, Educational Hardware Division, Maintenance Unit, Engineering Services Division and also served as the Program Officer & Coordinator for the National Service Scheme.

Education

• PhD (Civil Engineering), Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan.
• ME (Structural Engineering), PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (Affiliated to Bharathiar University).
• BE (Civil Engineering), Adhiparasakthi Engineering College, Melmaruvathur, Tamil Nadu (Affiliated to University of Madras).

Academic Work Experience

August 2008 to Till Date - Faculty, Department of Civil Engineering, BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

August 2007 to July 2008 - Post-Doctoral Fellow, Facility for Intelligent Decision Support, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, Ontario, Canada                           

August 2000 to July 2007 - Faculty, Civil Engineering Group, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus