Rate My Professor Vishnu Ravisankar

Dr. Vishnu Arvind Ravisankar is an environmental engineering expert affiliated with Murdoch University's School of Engineering and Information Technology, where he conducted his doctoral research and contributed to teaching and supervision. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering at Murdoch University from 2015 to 2019, with a dissertation titled 'Improving sweeping gas membrane distillation applicability and specific thermal energy consumption.' This work focused on enhancing the energy efficiency of sweeping gas membrane distillation (SGMD), a thermally driven desalination process particularly suited for remote communities lacking access to conventional power grids, as it can be powered by renewable sources such as solar and wind energy. Prior to his PhD, Ravisankar earned a Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Arizona, where he gained practical experience by participating in the construction of a full-scale solar-driven membrane distillation plant in Leupp, Arizona, for a remote community.

Under the supervision of Professor Wendell Ela, Doctor Ralf Cord-Ruwisch, and Associate Dean Duncan Farrow, Ravisankar's research emphasized optimizing design and operational parameters to reduce specific thermal energy consumption, making SGMD more viable for industrial adoption compared to energy-intensive reverse osmosis methods. He collaborated closely with fellow PhD student Ivonne Tshuma on sustainable desalination solutions and presented his findings to Cape Town government officials during their 2018 water crisis as part of a Murdoch University delegation. At Murdoch, Ravisankar supervised several honors theses, including Rowel De Paz's 2019 project on on-farm desalination using halophytes and evaporation ponds for reverse osmosis brine management, and Ivan Tucakovic's 2020 work on an automated blending device for brackish water desalination. His key publications include the 2016 paper 'Solar-driven membrane distillation demonstration in Leupp, Arizona,' co-authored with Robert G. Arnold and Wendell P. Ela, demonstrating practical implementation of solar-powered desalination. Recognized as a desalination expert, Ravisankar advanced low-cost, energy-efficient water treatment technologies for arid regions. He currently serves as Senior Process/Mechanical Design Engineer at Jacobs in Western Australia, bridging academia and industry in sustainable engineering solutions.