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Prof Aravind Vijayaraghavan
Professor of Nanomaterials, National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester
Professor Aravind Vijayaraghavan is a Professor of Nanomaterials in the Department of Materials and the National Graphene Institute at The University of Manchester. He leads the Nanofunctional Materials Group and is Head of Internationalisation (India & Business Engagement) for the Faculty of Science & Engineering. He is a member of the Manchester Conference Ambassador Programme and acted as lead organiser for the prestigious Graphene 2023 conference.
Prof Vijayaraghavan’s research involves the science and technology of graphene and 2-dimensional materials, particularly for applications in composites, electronics, sensors and biotechnology. He was previously a senior post-doctoral research associate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany. He was awarded his MEng (2002) and PhD (2006) from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA and his BTech (2000) from the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras, India. He has published over 100 papers in international peer reviewed journals and delivered over 100 presentations at international conferences. He has filed 7 patents. He is the founder of two spin-out companies, Atomic Mechanics Ltd. and Grafine Ltd. He is also a leader in public engagement and science communication has won numerous awards.
Graphene 2023
More than 700 graphene industry and academic professionals descended on Manchester to exhibit and celebrate revolutionary graphene technologies at Graphene 2023, the 13th edition of the Graphene Conference series - the largest European event in Graphene and 2-dimensional materials.
The event took place at The University of Manchester 27-30 June 2023. The conference featured workshop sessions and lectures from over 200 experts from academia and industry. A two-day industrial forum focussed on the latest developments in graphene production methods and commercialisation, future investment opportunities, and updates on the application of graphene in energy storage, aerospace and more.
The conference was held in the newly opened Manchester Engineering Campus, the new home of Engineering and Materials at the University. Unrivalled in scale as a hub of engineering and materials expertise here in the UK, it combines Manchester's industrial heritage with new, purpose-built facilities, ideal for discovery and solving some of the world's most pressing issues. Delegates were also offered tours of the National Graphene Institute (NGI) and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), the flagship facilities for graphene and 2D materials research and development.
Professor Vijayaraghavan commented “We are placing special emphasis on attracting industrial and academic partnerships from around the world to invest and collaborate with the University, and this conference is the ideal opportunity for us to showcase our world-leading facilities and expertise in advanced materials and manufacturing which is key to a green, equitable and healthy future for us all.”
Professor Vladimir Falko, Director of the National Graphene Institute, said, “Manchester’s National Graphene Institute and Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre stay at the forefront of graphene and 2D materials research and commercialisation, and we are glad that a major pan-European graphene conference is coming to the UK, despite all the uncertainties created by Brexit.”
The conference marks 20 years since the first isolation of graphene at the University, by Professor Sir Andre Geim and Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov, who were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for their ground-breaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester said “We’re proud to welcome businesses and researchers from across the world to Greater Manchester for Graphene 2023. Our city-region has been the driving force behind cultural and scientific innovations for over 200 years, and it’s fitting that we host the world’s 2D materials community as we approach 20 years since graphene was first discovered. I hope delegates get a sense of the exciting work happening right here in Greater Manchester to commercialise advanced materials.”
