Dr. K. Sreekumar received his Bachelor and Post Graduate degree in Chemistry from University of Kerala in 1982 and 1984 respectively. He obtained his Ph.D in Polymer Chemistry from Mahatma Gandhi University in 1989. He achieved his Post-doctoral research fellowship from School of Chemical Sciences, M. G. University in 1989. He started his career in 1989 as Lecturer in the Dept. of Chemistry, Kerala University and in 1998 became Reader in Chemistry. In 1999 he joined the Dept. of Applied Chemistry, Cochin University of Science and Technology as Reader in Industrial Catalysis. In 2006 he became Professor of Industrial Catalysis and has served as Head of the Department of Applied Chemistry during 2010-2013 and 2016-2020.
Presently serving as Head of the Department of Applied Chemistry, CUSAT [From March 2020 onwards]. He is serving as Chairman, Board of Studies in Chemistry, CUSAT and Member of Senate, CUSAT. He is also a Member, of Academic Council, member of Faculty of Science, and coordinator of Center for Integrated Studies CUSAT. He has undertaken almost 9 projects. He has over 31 years of teaching experience and has been actively involved in research for the last 34 years.
• Ph.D. thesis supervised : 39
• Ph. D thesis under progress : 08
• M. Phil thesis supervised : 17
• Research Publications (National/International) : 171
• Patent Title/ Technology Transferred: 01
• Book Chapters : 03
• Research Papers Presented : 81

• Polymers as aids in organic synthesis-Polymeric reagents and catalysts-Heterogenisation of homogeneous catalysts, Polymer supported dendritic nanoparticles as catalysts. Modified clay supported transition metal complexes as heterogeneous catalysts.
• Solid phase organic synthesis- Combinatorial approach.
• Photochemistry of synthetic polymers-solution phase and solid state photochemistry and photophysics of synthetic polymers-fluorescence life time and conformational studies.
• Polymers for holographic applications- Synthetic polymers with dyes doped in the matrix and polymers with pendant dye groups for permanent recording holograms-data storage and signal processing.
• Polymers for optical lithography-photosensitive polymers which show differential solubility properties upon irradiation with light- for use as photoresists, polymers in micro stereo lithography and MEMS.
• Polymers for optoelectronics and photonics-Conducting polymers, light emitting polymers, polymer nano composites, amplified fluorescence quenching as a method of signal transduction in sensors. Nanostructured functional polymers as chemosensors.
• Polymers containing donor-acceptor and chiral units for second harmonic generation supramolecular chirality and helical polymers, polymeric NLO materials.
• Computational studies on quantum electro dynamical . in connection with NLO properties of polymers -DFT and Ab initio calculations
• Development of high energy density materials-synthesis, characterization and ab initio computational studies. Thermoplastic and thermoplastic elastomeric materials as high energy binders. Modified polyphosphazenes as energetic binders.

Detail of patents/ Technology transferred
• Technology to prepare polymer films for holographic application was transferred to M/s. Light Logics Holography and Optics Pvt. Ltd., Thiruvananthapuram on March 2008.

Research articles (Latest 10)

1. K. Sreekumar and G. Rajesh Krishnan, Supported and Reusable Organocatalysts- “New and Future Developments in Catalysis Hybrid Materials, Composites, and Organocatalysts”. Elsevier, 2013

2. K. Sreekumar and G. Rajesh Krishnan, Recent Trends in Polymer Supported Catalysts -“Focus On Catalysis Research, New Developments”, Nova Publishers, New York, 2012

3. K. Sreekumar and G. Rajesh Krishnan , Applications of Dendrimers in Catalysis-“Focus On Catalysis Research, New Developments” Nova Publishers, New York, 2012

Research articles (Latest 10)

• Heterogeneous palladium (II)-complexed dendronized polymer: A rare palladium catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of 2-arylbenzoxazoles, Smitha George , Krishnapillai Sreekumar.(2020), . https://doi.org/10. 1002/aoc.6083.

• Experimental Investigation on the Correlation between the Physicochemical Properties and Catalytic Activity of Six DESS in the Kabachnik-Fields Reaction, M. Shaibuna, and K. Sreekumar, ChemistrySelect (2020), 5, 13454

• Development of homogeneous polyamine organocatalyst for the synthesis of 2-aryl-substituted benzimidazole and benzoxazole derivatives, K. Hiba, M. Shaibuna, P. B. Sherly mole, A. M. Shebitha, V. T. Letcy, G. Avudaiappan, K. Sreekumar J. Heterocycl. Chem. 1 (2020), 1-8

• A new type IV DES: a competent green catalyst and solvent for the synthesis of α, β-unsaturated diketones and dicyano compounds by Knoevenagel condensation reaction, M. Shaibuna, K. Hiba, Letcy V. Theresa and K. Sreekumar, New J. Chem.,, 44, 14723

• Convenient Synthesis of Dihydropyridine and Dihydropyrimidinethione Derivatives Using a Porphyrin Cored G1 PAMAM Dendrimer as a Homogeneous Catalyst. Avudaiappan, G. Unnikrishnan, V. Sreekumar, K., ChemistrySelect, (2020), 5, 506

• Polyamine Dendritic Polymer–Copper Complex: A Reusable Catalyst for Additive‐Free Amination of Aryl Bromides, and Iodides, Avudaiappan, G. Palmurukan, M. R. Unnikrishnan, V. Sreekumar, K., New Journal of Chemistry, (2020), 44, 1477

• Green Synthesis of Pyrazolopyranopyrimidinone and Pyranopyrazole Derivatives Using Porphyrin‐initiated Amine‐functionalized PolyBCMO Dendritic Polymer as Sonoctalyst, Avudaiappan, G. Unnimaya T, J. Asha, P. Unnikrishnan, V. Sreekumar, K., Journal of Heterocycl ic Chemistry, (2020), 5, 197

• Enantioselective Aza-Diels Alder reaction catalyzed by clay supported Schiff base complex V. Kannan, K. Sreekumar, J Heterocyclic Chem. (2020), 1–8

• Parackal Baby Sherlymole, Alexander Ronaldo Anuf, Gopalakrishnan Anjali Krishna, and Krishnapillai Sreekumar, Dendrimer with Interior Cavity as Catalytic Pockets for Substrate Molecules: Synthesis of Bisimidazoles and Molecular Docking Study, ChemistrySelect, 2020, 5, 5055 –5065

• A.M. Shebitha, S.S. Sreejith, P.B. Sherly Mole, Nithya Mohan, G. Avudaiappan, K. Hiba, K.S. Priya, K. Sreekumar, Facile synthesis, X-ray diffraction studies, photophysical properties and DFT-D based conformational analysis of octa and dodecacyanomethoxycalix[4]resorcinarenes, Journal of Molecular Structure 1214 (2020) 128215