Umesh Madanan

Dr. Umesh Madanan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur). His research focuses on thermal and fluid sciences, with particular expertise in convection phenomena, heat and mass transfer, and thermo-fluids applications. He maintains an active research program investigating fundamental thermal processes in various configurations and scales.

Dr. Madanan earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 2019, followed by post-doctoral work at the same institution. He previously completed his M.Tech. at IIT Madras (2012) and his B.Tech. (Honors) at the University of Calicut (2007). His professional experience also includes industrial roles at GE Power & Water and Mahindra & Mahindra Automotive.

His research interests encompass buoyancy-driven convection at high Rayleigh numbers, heat and mass transfer analogies, optical techniques in thermo-fluids, single- and two-phase flows in micro- and mini-tubes, heat transfer enhancement in pool boiling, and porous-media convection. His work bridges fundamental thermal science with practical engineering applications, particularly in thermal management systems.

Dr. Madanan's publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to thermal science literature, with recent work focusing on Darcy-Bénard convection, inclined enclosure convection, minichannel heat sinks, and high-precision thermal measurement techniques. His research spans both experimental and numerical approaches to thermal problems, often addressing challenges in high-Rayleigh-number regimes and complex geometries.

His scientific achievements have been recognized through numerous awards including:

• Member, Early Career Editorial Board, Applied Thermal Engineering, Elsevier (2025-27)
• Max Planck-India Mobility Grants, Max Planck Gesellschaft (MPG), Germany (2024-26)
• Multiple Outstanding Instructor awards at IIT Kanpur
• International Travel Support from Science and Engineering Research Board, India (2023)
• Short Research Travel Grant from Institut Français India (2022-23)

Dr. Madanan has established himself as an effective educator, receiving multiple Outstanding Instructor awards for courses including Thermal Environmental Control, Heat and Mass Transfer, and Convective Heat and Mass Transfer. He appears to be actively mentoring students through research projects, though specific student names are not listed in the available information. His work with the Max Planck Institute suggests international collaboration opportunities for his research group.