Dr. V. Neeraja is an Associate Professor of Chemistry with over 15 years of teaching experience in Engineering Chemistry at the undergraduate level, complemented by a decade of research experience spanning academic institutions and industry. Her teaching has centred on building strong conceptual foundations in chemistry for engineering students, alongside sustained involvement in curriculum development, including the design of digital learning content and innovative laboratory experiments. Dr. Neeraja earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, where her doctoral research focused on developing recyclable transition-metal and solid-base catalysts for a range of organic transformations. This was followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the City University of New York, where her work centred on the synthesis of biotin-functionalised conjugated polymers using click chemistry for biosensing and biomedical imaging applications.
She has since held research positions at IICT Hyderabad and Albany Molecular Research, with her interests broadening to include polymer electrolytes and nanocomposites. Her scholarship is reflected in 18 publications in SCI/Scopus-indexed international journals, five patents, and a co-authored textbook on Engineering Chemistry, with a Google Scholar h-index of 13, an i10-index of 14, and over 650 citations. Beyond the classroom and laboratory, Dr. Neeraja has held several academic administrative roles, including Department In-Charge, Chairperson of the Board of Studies in Chemistry, and Anti-Ragging Coordinator, alongside active involvement in organising faculty development programmes. She has also guided doctoral research and mentored numerous student projects over the years. Driven by a strong commitment to teaching and student development, Dr. Neeraja continues to nurture scientific curiosity in her students, encourage interdisciplinary research, and support institutional growth through thoughtful mentorship and academic leadership. Her career reflects a steady blend of rigorous research and dedicated teaching in service of the next generation of engineers.
