Nagamani Jaya Balila

Dr. Nagamani Jaya Balila is an Associate Professor in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), where she has been serving since October 2016. She was promoted to Associate Professor in May 2021, having previously held the position of Assistant Professor. She leads the Micro-Mechanics of Materials (MMM) Group, focusing on mechanical behavior at micro- and nano-scales.

Her research interests center on the mechanical behavior of materials at small length scales, with emphasis on micro-mechanics, fracture of thin films and coatings, interface engineering, and damage tolerance in advanced steels and composites. Her work explores phenomena such as the 'smaller is stronger' effect and inverse Hall-Petch behavior in nanostructured systems. She develops in-situ micromechanical testing tools and employs finite element simulations to design damage-tolerant architectures.

The selected publications reflect a strong trend in miniaturized mechanical testing, in-situ deformation studies, and fracture analysis across diverse materials including high entropy alloys, silicon, metallic glasses, and industrial steels. The research spans fundamental mechanics to industrial applications, particularly in energy and structural materials.

Scientific Awards and Recognitions:

• Head of Max Planck Partner Group at IIT Bombay (2016)
• Acta Materialia Certificate of Excellence in Reviewing (2015)
• Max Planck Postdoctoral Scholarship (2013–2016)
• CSIR & IIM-SJEF Travel Grants for TMS-2013
• Multiple Best Poster and Presentation Awards (2009–2011)
• All India Rank 2 in GATE Metallurgical Engineering (2007)

She has secured significant research funding, including the Max-Planck India Partner Group Project and proposals under the DST-Ramanujan Fellowship and IIT-B Seed Grant, with industrial collaborations involving TATA Steel and TATA Global Steel Wires. These projects aim to tailor damage tolerance in brittle systems and study fracture in cold-drawn wires and solar cell materials.

Dr. Balila leads the Micro-Mechanics of Materials (MMM) Group at IIT Bombay, which integrates experimental in-situ testing with computational modeling to understand deformation and fracture mechanisms at micro- and nano-scales. The group actively contributes to national and international conferences, including Techfest IIT Bombay, and maintains strong ties with Max Planck Institutes and industrial partners.