Dr. Saikat Ranjan Maity is a distinguished academician and researcher with more than 17 years of experience in teaching, research and academic leadership. He is currently serving as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India (March 2024–Present), where he leads research initiatives, supervises doctoral and postgraduate students, and contributes to institutional development.

Previously, he held positions as Assistant Professor (Grade-I) at NIT Silchar, Assam (November 2019–October 2023) and Assistant Professor (Grade-II) at NIT Silchar (November 2015–November 2019). Earlier in his career, he served as Assistant Professor at Haldia Institute of Technology, West Bengal (September 2010–November 2015) and as a Lecturer at the same institution (January 2009–August 2010). He also worked as a Research Scientist on a Ministry of Steel and TATA Steel sponsored project at Jadavpur University (July 2008–January 2009).

Research & Publications

Dr. Maity has established a robust and multidisciplinary research profile spanning laser-based additive manufacturing, digital twin technology, polymer and metal matrix composites, advanced machining processes (AWJM, USM, EDM, Micro-EDM), surface modification through thin film coatings and heat treatment, soft computing techniques in manufacturing, manufacturing process modelling and optimization, and artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in manufacturing. His research encompasses multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques and their industrial applications.

His scholarly output is substantial and impactful. He has authored over 112 international journal publications, 25 book chapters, 1 authored book, and 53 international conference publications. His work has garnered significant recognition, as evidenced by his Google Scholar h-Index of 31, i10-index of 77, and over 3,300 citations. Notably, he has been enlisted as one of the top 2% of scientists in a survey conducted by Elsevier and Stanford University in 2024 and 2025.

Patents / Books / Scholarly Contributions

Dr. Maity has made significant contributions to intellectual property development and scholarly publishing. He holds nine Indian patents, including recent innovations in self-healing laser powder bed fusion manufacturing with federated artificial intelligence and physics-informed digital twin control, specialized surface finishing systems, and electromagnetic interface shielding materials. He has contributed to 25 book chapters published by leading international publishers including CRC Press, Springer, and others, and has 1 authored book on thin film coatings published by CRC Press (2026).

Research Projects & Funding

Dr. Maity has served as Co-Principal Investigator on two funded research projects sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, Defence R&D Organisation, and Aeronautics Research & Development Board, India. These include a completed project on stochastic multiscale failure analysis of composites (2018–2022) with total funding of 12.75 Lakhs and an ongoing project on uncertainty quantification of multiscale flutter analysis of composites (2024–2027) with funding of 32.41 Lakhs. He has also undertaken consultancy and testing projects, demonstrating industry engagement and technology transfer.

Teaching & Academic Contributions

Throughout his academic career, Dr. Maity has been instrumental in curriculum development and student mentorship. He has taught foundational and advanced undergraduate courses including Manufacturing Process, Advanced Manufacturing Process, Engineering Inspection and Quality Control, Machining and Machine Tools, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Laboratory, and Workshop Practice. At the postgraduate level, he has delivered courses on Material Selection and Safety, Computer Aided Manufacturing, Engineering Fracture Mechanics, Optimization Methods, Maintenance Management Policies, Design and Manufacturing Laboratory, and Engineering Optimization.

His supervision record demonstrates substantial commitment to postgraduate research and academic mentorship. He has successfully guided 8 doctoral students and 15 master's students through their research and thesis work, and continues to mentor 4 ongoing Ph.D. scholars. Additionally, he has supervised 15 M.Tech dissertations and multiple B.Tech projects. He has actively established and managed several laboratories at his institutions, including the Foundry Laboratory, Advanced Welding Laboratory, and Mechanical Measurement Laboratory.

Faculty Development & Professional Engagement

Dr. Maity has participated in 13 seminars, workshops and short-term courses across diverse topics including advanced testing and characterization, nanotechnology, Python for scientific computing, surface engineering, welding techniques, manufacturing systems, fuzzy and rough set theory, artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing of polymers, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. He has organized 5 major workshops and short-term training programmes (STTPs), including the Industry 4.0 STTP at NIT Jamshedpur and workshops on advanced joining and computational technologies. He has served as Joint Organizing Secretary for two International Conferences on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering at NIT Silchar.

His engagement in academic and professional communities extends to active participation in conference organization and academic committees. He has chaired and co-chaired multiple technical sessions at national and international conferences and served as Advisory Committee Member for several international workshops and conferences. He has delivered 11 invited expert talks and technical presentations on topics ranging from green product development and decision-making approaches to laser-based additive manufacturing and intellectual property rights.

Awards, Honours & Professional Memberships

Dr. Maity's contributions have been recognized through multiple awards and accolades. He received the 2nd Best Paper Award (student: Rishav Raj Singh) at the 1st International Conference on Sustainable Communication, Machine Intelligence, and Metavera (SCMIM-2025) in 2025. He has received multiple best paper awards from his research groups at prestigious international conferences including the International Conference on Processing and Characterization of Materials (ICPCM-2022), the International Conference on Materials Processing and Characterization (ICMPC-2021), and the International Conference on Mechanical Electronics and Computer Engineering (ICEMECE-2020). Most notably, he has been recognized as one of the top 2% scientists by Elsevier and Stanford University in 2024 and 2025.

Professionally, he maintains active memberships in leading academic and scientific organizations. He is a Life Member of the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), Membership No. LM-131349; Life Member of The Institute of Engineers (India), Membership No. M-1703344; Senior Member of the Indian Institution of Industrial Engineering, Membership No. S.M.I.I.E.-11278(11); and Member of both the IAENG Society of Industrial Engineering and the IAENG Society of Mechanical Engineering, Membership No. 278913.

Leadership & Institutional Contributions

Beyond his research and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Maity has undertaken significant administrative and leadership roles. At departmental level, he has served as DPPC (Departmental Performance and Planning Committee) Member, Manufacturing Lab In-charge, Welding Laboratory In-charge, Department T&P (Training and Placement) Coordinator, and Member of the Magazine Publication Committee at NIT Silchar. At the institutional level, he served as Superintendent of a boys' hostel with a capacity of approximately 300 students (April 2013–November 2015), Member of the Anti-Raging Committee (April 2011–November 2020), Workshop In-charge (August 2016–March 2024), and Faculty In-charge for Vehicle Management (January 2019–March 2024) at his previous institutions. Currently, he serves as Mechanical Measurement Lab In-charge, Faculty Advisor for the Engineering & Computational Mechanics Department, and Member of the M.Tech. Admission Committee at NIT Jamshedpur.

He serves as Editorial Member of Operational Research in Engineering Sciences: Theory and Applications and PriMera Scientific Engineering journals, and is a regular reviewer for over 20 peer-reviewed international journals published by leading publishers including Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, Royal Society of Chemistry, SAGE Publications, Taylor & Francis, and Emerald Publishing. He has also served as an external examiner for doctoral dissertations at multiple universities and as an external examiner for M.Tech project viva examinations.

Eligibility for Distinguished Researcher Award

Dr. Saikat Ranjan Maity presents a compelling case for the Distinguished Researcher Award through his comprehensive portfolio of 17+ years of academic excellence, 112+ international journal publications, 25 book chapters, 1 authored book, 9 patents, 3,300+ citations, top 2% scientist recognition from Elsevier and Stanford University, and substantial funded research projects from the Ministry of Defence. His multidisciplinary research spanning advanced manufacturing, additive manufacturing, composite materials, surface modification, and artificial intelligence applications has generated significant impact in both academic and industrial contexts. His demonstrated commitment to doctoral and postgraduate student mentorship (8 Ph.D. and 15 M.Tech students guided), laboratory establishment and management, institutional leadership, and academic engagement through conference organization, expert talks, and editorial responsibilities collectively showcase a researcher and academician of the highest caliber.

Based on his achievements and credentials, Dr. Saikat Ranjan Maity is eligible for consideration for the Distinguished Researcher Award in Scientific Laurels, particularly in recognition of his exceptional contributions to advanced manufacturing research, innovation through patents and publications, mentorship of research scholars, and leadership in establishing academic infrastructure at his institutions.