Jamia professor becomes the first woman Director of National Institute of Technology, Trichy

Prof. Mini Shaji Thomas from  Department of Electrical Engineering of Jamia Millia Islamia has been appointed as the Director of National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli (NIT, Trichy). She is also Founder Director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), Jamia Millia Islamia. Prof. Thomas will be first woman Director at NIT Trichy and the only lady among the current Directors of IITs and NITs, the Premier Technical Institutions in the country.

Prof. Mini S Thomas
Prof. Mini S Thomas

Prof.  Thomas has set up the first of its kind SCADA laboratory and Substation Automation (SA) Laboratory at JMI, with Industry involvement. She, as the founder coordinator, drafted the curriculum, started a unique, first full-time, M Tech program in the Faculty of Engineering & Technology, JMI, in 2003 in Electrical Power System Management,  with industry participation, which has courses on power automation and  novel hands-on training.

She is a certified trainer for ‘Capacity building of Women managers in higher education’, by UGC and has conducted many training session for Women empowerment.

As the founder Director of Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Jamia, Prof. Thomas has created an environment of Innovation and Entrepreneurship which has led to the setting up of a Design Innovation Centre, a Livelihood Business Incubator, doubling the number of patents filed, winning prizes at many innovation competitions and incubating a few student startups.

Early Career

Besides being Director,Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship-CIE, she has served JMI as Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. She was the Central Public Information officer (CPIO) of JMI from 2008-2014 and the Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering from 2005-2008.Earlier, Prof. Thomas was a faculty member at Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi (now DTU), and at the REC (now NIT), Calicut, Kerala before joining Jamia. She graduated from University of Kerala (Gold Medalist), completed her M. Tech from IIT Madras (Gold Medalist, Siemen’s prize) & Ph.D. from IIT Delhi, India, all in Electrical Engineering.

Publications

She has published over 130 research papers in International Journals and Conferences of repute, has successfully completed many research projects, and is the coordinator of the Special Assistance Program (SAP) on Power System Automation from UGC, Government of India. She is also a reviewer of reputed journals in her field.She has also authored a book ‘Power System SCADA and Smart Grids’ by CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, USA and is a ‘Distinguished Lecturer’ of IEEE Power & Energy Society.

 Awards

 List of awards she has received

  • Meritorious Achievement Award 2015
    Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Educational Activities Board (EAB) Meritorious Achievement Award 2015 for ‘Design and Development of curriculum and laboratory facilities for professionals and students in the electric utility industry”.
  • ‘Career Award’ for young teachers by Govt. of India
  • Won the IEEE Power and Energy Society Outstanding Chapter Chair award 2013,
  • IEEE  Member and Geographic Activities (MGA) Innovation award 2008
  • IEEE Outstanding Volunteer award 2005
  • IEEE Outstanding Branch counselor award 2002
  • Power and Energy Society (PES) Outstanding Chapter Engineer award.

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