Ph. D. Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France

M. Eng. Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

B. Engg. (Hons.) Mechanical Engineering, University of Madras, India.

1990-95 : Reader, School of Energy Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India.

1995-96 : Assistant Professor, Energy Program, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.

1996- 2004 : Associate Professor, Energy Program, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.

2005 - September 2009:  Dean, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology,     Thailand

2005 - September 2009: Professor, Energy field of study, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
        

• Energy for Sustainable Development and Climate  Change
• Energy Security
• Energy Use in the Building sector

• Solar Energy (Radiation, Thermal and Photovoltaics)
• Energy and climate change
• Cleaner Production
• Energy and sustainable development

As Chair

1. Study of Upgrading/Storage of Solar Thermal Energy by Solid Adsorption Chemical Heat Pumps (Wipawadee Wongsuwan - 2004)
2. A study on unglazed transpired solar collector for drying applications (Augustus Leon Matthias – 2007)
3. PV hybrid system for rural electrification (Napaporn Phuangpornpitak – 2007)
4. A Hybrid Liquid Desiccant Air conditioning System for Buildings in Hot and Humid Climates (Thosapon Katejanekarn - 2008)
5. Daylighting through Unshaded and Shaded Window (Lerdlekha Tanachaikhan - on going)
6. Flue Gas Heat Recovery in thermal Energy Storage Type Heat Exchanger (Chanamon Chantana - on going)
7. A Hybrid solar Biomass Conditioning system (Boonrit Prasartkaew -on going)
8. Solar Regenerated Solid Desiccant Evaporative Cooling System (Nopporn Preamjai - on going)
9.  A study on two stage down draft gasification (Kitipong.Jaojaruek – on going)

As Co- Chair

1. A Comparative Study Of Hydrodynamics And Gasification Performance Of Two Types Of Spouted Bed Reactor Designs ( P. Abdul Salam - 2005) – Prof. S.C. Bhattacharya (co-chair)
2.  Equilibrium Models, Thermodynamic Analysis and Experimental Investigations of Multi-stage Air-stream Downdraft Gasifier (Sompop Jarungthammachote - 2008) - Dr Animesh  Dutta  (co-chair)

Selected Publications (2001-2008)

Journals

1.       Architrandi Priambodo and S. Kumar (2001), “Energy Use and Carbon Dioxide Emission of Indonesian Small and Medium Scale Industries” Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 42, 11, Jul-2001, 1335-1348.

2.     Yossanai  Sriuthaisiriwong and S. Kumar,(2001)“ Rural electrification using photovoltaic battery charging stations: A performance study in Northern Thailand”, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 9, 3, 223-234.

3.      W. Wongsuwan, S. Kumar, P. Neveu and F. Meunier (2001), “A critical review of chemical heat pump technology and applications”, Applied Thermal Engineering, 21, 15, 1489 – 1519, 2001.

4.      D. Barua, T. Urmee, S. Kumar and S. C. Bhattacharya (2001), A photovoltaic solar home dissemination model, “Progress in Photovoltaics Research and Applications”, 9, 313- 322, 2001.

5.      Komkrit Chuawittayawuth and S. Kumar (2002),“Experimental investigation of temperature and flow distribution in a thermosyphon solar water heating system, Renewable Energy – An International Journal, Vol. 26, Issue 3, 431-448, 2002.

6.      M. Ibrahim, M. Anisuzzaman, S. Kumar, S.C. Bhattacharya (2002), Demonstration of PV micro-utility system for rural electrification, Solar Energy, Vol. 72, No. 6, June 2002, pp 521-530.

7.      S. Kumar, C. Visvanathan, R. Kannan and A.B. Hererra (2002), Networking to promote Energy Efficient and Environmentally Sound Technologies (E3ST) in Small and Medium scale industries (SMI), International Journal of Global Energy Issues, Vol. 17, No. 3, 171-188, 2002.

8.      A. Leon, S. Kumar and S.C. Bhattacharya (2002), A comprehensive procedure to evaluate solar drying systems, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 6, No. 4, 367-393, August 2002.

9.      M. Thiruchelvam, S.Kumar and C.Visvanathan (2003),  “Policy options to promote energy efficient and environmentally sound technologies in small and medium scale industries” Energy Policy, Vol. 31, 977-987, 2003.

10.  S.C. Bhattacharya, R.M. Shrestha, C. Visvanathan, S. Kumar and N.T. Kim Oanh, (2003) Cooperative Research programme experience of the Asian regional Research programme in Energy Environment and Climate.

11.  S.C. Bhattacharya and S. Kumar (2003), ‘Renewable Energy for Asia: Research and Dissemination of Selected Technologies’, Renewable Energy World, Vol. 6, No 1, p. 90 –95, January-February 2003.

12.   S. Kumar, G. Senananayake, C. Visvanathan and B. Basu (2003), Desiccated Coconut industry of Sri Lanka: Opportunities for energy efficiency and environmental protection, Energy Conversion and Management,. Vol. 44, No. 13, page 2205-2215,  August 2003.

13.  Nguyen Le Truong and S. Kumar (2003), Cleaner production in the plastic industry of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, International Energy Journal, Vol. 4, No. 1, 29 –  40, 2003.

14.  S. Kumar, S.C. Bhattacharya and M. Anisuzzaman (2003), Role of regional programme for promotion of photovoltaic based rural electrification in Asia, International Journal of Global Energy Issues, Vol. 20, No 2, 139 – 154, 2003.

15.  T.Q. Dung, M. Anisuzzaman, S. Kumar and S.C. Bhattacharya (2003), Demonstration of a multi purpose battery charging station for rural electrification,  Renewable Energy-An International Journal, vol. 28, 2367-2378, 2003.

16.  Sushil Adhikari, S. Kumar and Piniij Siripuekpong (2003), Performance of household grid connected PV system in Thailand, Progress in Photovoltaics Research and Applications, accepted for publication, August 2003.

17.  Kayasith Sadettanh and S. Kumar (2004),“Renewable energy resources potential in Lao PDR”, Energy Sources, 26, 9-18, 2004.

18.  Do Nam Trung and S. Kumar (2005) , Resource use and waste generation in the Vietnam hotel industry, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol.13, pp 109-106, 2005.

19.  B. Janarthanan, J. Chandrasekaran and S. Kumar (2005), Evaporative heat loss and heat transfer for open- and closed-cycle systems of a floating tilted wick solar still , Desalination, Volume 180, Issues 1-3, 15 August 2005, Pages 291-305.

20.  Janarthanan, B., J. Chandrasekaran and S. Kumar (2005), Monthly Mean Daily Utilizability of South India, International Energy Journal, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 33-40, June 2005.

21.  W. Wongsuwan and S. Kumar (2005), Forced Circulation Solar Water Heater Performance Prediction by TRNSYS and ANN (2005), International Journal of Sustainable Energy, Vol.24, No.2, pp.69-86, June 2005.

22.  Sat Samy, S. Kumar, M. Anisuzzaman and S.C. Bhattacharya (2005), A solar start PV in Cambodia, Renewable Energy World, Vol.8, No. 2, pp.82-87, March – April 2005.

23.  Napaporn, P  and S. Kumar (2007), PV hybrid systems for rural electrification in Thailand, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 11, 7, 1530 -1543, September 2007

24.  Augustus Leon and S. Kumar (2007), Mathematical modeling and thermal performance analysis of unglazed transpired solar collectors, Solar Energy, Vol. 81, 1, 62-75, January 2007.

25.  Thosapon Katejanekarn, and S. Kumar (2008),  "Performance of a solar-regenerated liquid desiccant ventilation pre-conditioning system" Energy and Buildings, 40, 7, 1252-1267, 2008.

26. Augustus L. M. and Kumar, S.(2008), Design and performance evaluation of a solar assisted biomass drying system with storage, , Drying Technology, Volume 26, Issue 7, July 2008 , pages 936 – 947.

27. Chavan, B. R,  A. Yakupitiyage, S. Kumar (2008), Mathematical Modeling of Drying Characteristics of Indian Mackerel (Rastrilliger kangurta) in Solar-Biomass Hybrid Cabinet Dryer, Drying Technology, Volume 26, Issue 12, December 2008 , pages 1552 – 1562.

28. Chavan, B. R., A. Yakupitiyage, S. Kumar and S. K. Rakshit (2008), Experimental investigation on biochemical, microbial and sensory properties of mackerel (Rastrilliger kangurta) dried by solar-biomass hybrid cabinet dryer, Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, Vol. 6, Issue (3 and 4), 167- 172.

29. Permana A.S, R. Perera, S. Kumar (2008), Understanding energy consumption pattern of households in different urban development forms: A comparative study in Bandung City, Indonesia, Energy Policy, Vol. 36, Issue 11, November 2008, 4287 -. 4297.

30. S. Kumar, G. Anadarajah and C. Visvanathan (2008), Techno-economic Analysis of Energy Efficient and Environmentally Sound Technologies in the Asian Small and Medium Industry Sector, Tech Monitor, Jan-Feb 2008, 17-23.

31. Shrestha R.M, S. Kumar, Samuel Martin and Arjun Dhakal (2008), Modern Energy Use by the urban poor in Thailand: a study of slum households in two cities”, Energy for Sustainable Development, Vol VII, No 4, 5-13, December 2008.

32. Thosapon Katejanekarn, and S. Kumar (2008), An experimental study of a solar-regenerated liquid desiccant ventilation pre-conditioning system, Solar Energy, accepted for publication, December 2008.

Books/Book chapters/Proceedings:

1.      S. Kumar et al, PV System Components: PV System Components: Technology Fact Sheets, Renewable Energy Technologies in Asia project Phase III, ISBN 974-8208-64-8, 20 pages, June 2005.

2.      S. Kumar et al, Demonstration and Monitoring of PV systems:  lessons learned, Renewable Energy Technologies in Asia project Phase III, ISBN 974-8208-62-1, 24 pages, June 2005.

3.      S. Kumar et al, Renewable Energy technology promotion: case studies from six countries, Renewable Energy Technologies in Asia project Phase III, ISBN 974-8202-65-6, 56 pages, June 2005.

4.      S. Kumar and S.C. Bhattacharya (Editors), Technology Package: Solar, Biomass and Hybrid dryers, Renewable Energy Technologies in Asia project Phase III, ISBN 974-8208-96-8, 60 pages, June 2005.

5.      S. Kumar (Editor), Technology Package: Low cost PV system components, Renewable Energy Technologies in Asia project Phase III, ISBN 974-8208-98-4, 48 pages, June 2005.

6.      S.C. Bhattacharya and S. Kumar (Editors)l, Technology Package: Screw press briquetting machines and briquette fired stoves, Renewable Energy Technologies in Asia project Phase III, ISBN 974-8202-97-6, 64 pages, June 2005.

7.      R.M. Shrestha, Sudhir Sharma, Govinda R Timilsina and S. Kumar, Baseline Methodologies for Clean Development Projects, UNEP, November 2005 (200 pages).

8.      Shrestha, R.M., S. Kumar and S. Martin (Editors), Proceedings of the Asian Regional Workshop on Electricity and Development, 28-29 April 2005, AIT, Thailand, ISBN: 974-93753-6-X, January 2006.

9.      Shrestha, R.M., S. Kumar and M. Anisuzzman (Editors), Proceedings of the Second Extended Regional Workshop on Capacity Building for the Clean Development Mechanism, 19-21 October 2005.

• Member, International Solar Energy Society (ISES), Germany.
• Senior Member, Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), USA (2002-2003).
• Member, Institution of Engineers (India).
• Secretary/Treasurer, International Association of Solar Energy Education (IASEE) (1996-1999).
• Program Research Fellow, International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) Program for Training and  Research in Italian Laboratories (1994-95), Italy.

• • Key note speaker, New Energy Forum for Sustainable Environment (NEFSE) of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Forum, Kyoto University, Kyoto,  Japan , 25-28 May 2008.
  • Key note speaker, 10^th Anniversary  Symposium, Institute of Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Kobe, Japan, February 14, 2008.
  • Key note speaker, API Series – Advanced Seminar in International Environmental Studies, “Energy for Sustainable Development and Climate Change mitigation”, November 9, 2007.
  • Invited lecturer to the 2007 Asia Pacific Young Leaders Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development. And presented “ Energy and Climate Change”, Shanghai 18-27 September 2007.
  • Recipient of the “Excellence in Research” award in recognition of outstanding research performance in the field of energy technology, by SERD, August 1999.
  • Recipient of the Research Award - 2000 in recognition of outstanding research performance in the field of energy technology, by SERD, August 2000.