Preeti Aghalayam has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first woman to lead an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). An alumna of IIT Madras, Aghalayam was appointed Director-in-Charge of IIT Madras Zanzibar in 2023, the institution's pioneering international campus located in Tanzania.
A Distinguished Academic Journey
Aghalayam's journey with IIT Madras spans decades, beginning as a chemical engineering student in 1991. After graduating in 1995 with a BTech, she pursued higher studies in the United States, earning an MS from the University of Rochester and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her academic career also includes postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
She returned to India to join IIT Bombay's Chemical Engineering department as faculty before rejoining IIT Madras as a professor in 2010. Her extensive research contributions cover diverse areas within chemical engineering, including underground coal gasification, reactor modeling, and the reduction of automotive nitrogen oxide emissions. Her work has garnered recognition from prestigious bodies such as the Indian National Academy of Engineering.
Pioneering the Zanzibar Campus
The appointment of Aghalayam to lead IIT Madras Zanzibar in 2023 was a landmark event, establishing her as the first woman director in the IIT system. The Zanzibar campus officially commenced classes in October 2023, offering initial programs in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
The inaugural cohort at the international campus comprised 28 students in the BS program and 17 in the MTech program, drawing students from Zanzibar, mainland Tanzania, India, and Nepal. Aghalayam's role involved crucial efforts in establishing the new campus and overseeing its academic operations in an international setting, signifying IIT Madras's significant expansion beyond India's borders.
Following her tenure at IIT Madras Zanzibar, Aghalayam transitioned to the role of Dean of the Office of Global Engagement at IIT Madras, continuing her involvement in the institute's international initiatives.