Mr. Karunakaran is a dedicated materials researcher specializing in thermoelectrics and functional materials. He joined Centre of Excellence in Materials for Advanced Technologies (CeMAT), SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly SRM University) in December 2023 as a Research scholar. He holds a Master’s degree in physics from Kanchi Mamunivar Centre for Postgraduate Studies and Research (KMCPGS), affiliated with Pondicherry University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Saradha Gangadharan College (affiliated with Pondicherry University). His current research focuses on the development and optimization of silicide and selenide-based materials for mid-temperature thermoelectric applications, with the goal of enhancing energy conversion efficiency through advanced material engineering.