Puducherry: Shimol Philip, a Senior Research Fellow pursuing her PhD at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Puducherry, has been selected for the prestigious Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) PhD Industrial Exposure Fellowship (PIEF) Program.

Under the guidance of Dr. Nidhi M, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, Shimol's research focuses on sustainable concrete and the use of artificial intelligence to predict its properties. She is one of only 10 candidates selected from reputed institutions across India and is the first student from NIT Puducherry to receive this honour, according to the IGSTC website.

The PIEF Program, jointly funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Government of Germany, supports emerging researchers with a strong orientation towards applied research and technology development.

The six-month fellowship, beginning in August 2025, will see Shimol working under Dr. Christiane Rößler at Sonocrete GmbH, a German startup specializing in reducing the environmental impact of concrete production. She will also access cutting-edge research facilities at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, known globally for its excellence in innovation and design.

NIT Puducherry Director Prof. Makarand M Ghangrekar congratulated Shimol and Dr. Nidhi M, calling the achievement a proud moment for the institute. The fellowship underscores NIT Puducherry's growing emphasis on research excellence and global collaboration in science and technology.