International Conference on

Advances in Functional Materials and Applications (AFMA – 2025)

20th – 22nd February, 2025

Venue: BITS Pilani, K K Birla, Goa Campus

International Conference on Advances in Functional Materials and Applications (AFMA – 2025)

About AFMA - 2025

  • Goals of the Conference:

    The primary aim of this conference is to provide a common platform for eminent national and international scientists as well as young researchers to discuss the current state of the art, generate novel ideas, and trigger collaborations in the seminal areas of research in structural and functional inorganic, organic and materials chemistry. Topics will range from catalysis, energy storage, environmental remediation, sensors, therapeutics to smart materials. The conference aims to provide a common platform for young researchers and eminent scientists alike for the dissemination of the most recent important discoveries and developments in the aforementioned areas and to foster discussions and trigger collaborations between research groups from across India and abroad.
  • Themes of the Conference:

    The conference will focus on (but is not limited to) the following key topics:
    • Structural Inorganic, Organic, Organometallic and Materials Chemistry
    • Catalysis
    • Energy Storage and Conversion
    • Environmental Chemistry
    • Sensors and Smart Materials
    • Therapeutics
    • Computational Chemistry and Materials Design
  • Structure of the Conference:

    The conference will be divided into several sessions; each session will focus on a specific theme. There will be invited talks as well as selected oral presentations in each session. Invited talks will be 25-30 min long and selected orals presentations will be 10-15 min long. In addition, poster sessions will give ample opportunities to research scholars for the presentation of their recent results. There will be poster competitions and the selected posters of research scholars will be awarded best poster awards in recognition of their research achievements.

 

Organizers: Department of Chemistry

 

The department of chemistry at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus was established in 2004. The department is well known nationally and internationally for its excellence in both academic and research activities. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation facilities and research laboratories. The department has, over the years, received several grants from national agencies (such as DST, DBT, CSIR, DRDO, BRNS), and international agencies (e.g., The Royal Academy of Engineering). The faculty members across the departments are also engaged in various national and international collaborations. With 22 highly motivated faculty members, the department is actively involved in academic developments and research in conventional as well as emerging areas of chemistry and allied subjects. For more information, please visit the departmental website here.

 

About Goa

BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus is nested in the lap of verdant hills overlooking the Zuari River. The location of the campus is unique with regards to the surrounding scenic beauty and the panoramic view of picturesque scenery encompassing the Zuari River, hillocks, waterways, and forests. Goa is situated on the western coast of India and is one of the most beautiful states of India. Formerly a Portuguese colony, Goa is a unique cultural blend of the east and the west. It is endowed with various attractions including white sand beaches on the Arabian sea, lush green country-side, churches, temples, forts and monuments. Being straddled by the North Western Ghats rainforests on one side and the Arabian sea on the other, Goa is one of the rare biodiversity hotspots of the world, with diverse flora and fauna making the state their home. With its tropical climate, Goa is a perfect tourist destination for all seasons. This conference will not only provide participants with a platform for intellectual exchange but also offer attendees a unique opportunity to delve into the captivating beauty of the state. Most of the tourist spots, such as the popular beaches (Calangute, Baga, Colva, Palolem), waterfalls, hill-stations, temples, and churches, are reachable within 1-2 hrs (or less) by cabs or local buses. The organizers will be more than happy to help the participants in case of any query related to sightseeing. Help Booth will be available from the organizers’ side for car rentals. For more details, please visit here.

 

 

Speakers: To be Announced Soon...

 

 

Important Dates

 

  • Last date of abstract submission: 31/01/2025
  • Notification of Acceptance: 02/02/2025
  • Last Date of Registration:  31/01/2025

 

Click here for Abstract Submission format

Click here to Upload Abstract

 

Registration Fee Details (Including 18% GST)

(Before 31/01/2025)

Participants

Registration Details

Fee Includes

Academic Professionals

INR 25000/-

400$ (International)

Registration + Single Occupancy Accommodation

 

INR 20000/-

350$ (International)

Registration + Double Shared Occupancy Accommodation

 

INR 15000/-

300$ (International)

Registration without Accommodation

Industry Professionals

INR 35000/-

600$ (International)

Registration + Single Occupancy Accommodation

 

INR 30000/-

550$ (International)

Registration + Double Shared Occupancy Accommodation

 

INR 25000/-

500$ (International)

Registration without Accommodation

Graduate Students and Postdocs

INR 12000/-

200$ (International)

Registration + Shared Occupancy Accommodation

 

INR 8000/-

150$ (International)

Registration without Accommodation

     

*Participants wishing to come along with accompanying persons and register with accommodation need to register for single-occupancy accommodation.

  • Additional 20% of the fee above will be levied for late/on-spot registrations
  • Organizers of AFMA-2025 hope that everyone who registers for the conference will be able to attend; however, under extenuating circumstances, the cancellation and refund policies are as follows:

    1. Conference registrations cancelled by dropping an e-mail request to afma2025@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in on or before 10/02/2025 is entitled to 50% refund of the registration fee. However, such requests will be processed only after the conference ends.

    2. Registration cancellation requests after 10/02/2025 will not be considered and the participant will not receive any refund as per the cancellation policy.

 

Procedure for Payment and Registration

 

(A) Click here for Payment Procedure (Instructions for online payment are given here)

(B) Click here for Conference Registration after completion of payment

 

Conference Schedule: To be announced soon...

Organizers

Chief Patron

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao

Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Patron

Prof. Suman Kundu

Director, BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Conveners

Dr. Saurav Bhattacharya

BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Prof. Sukhendu Mandal

IISER Trivandrum

Co-conveners

Dr. Uttara Basu

BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Dr. Debajit Sarma

IIT Patna

Chairpersons

Prof. Bhavana, P.

HOD, Chemistry

Prof. N. N. Ghosh

BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Organizing Secretaries

Prof. Mainak Banerjee

BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Dr. Avijit Kumar Paul

NIT Kurukshetra

Treasurer

Dr. Sudipta Chatterjee

BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Members

Prof. Amrita Chatterjee, Dr. Kiran Vankayala, Dr. Woormileela Sinha, Dr. Sandip Kumar Nandi, Dr. Subhasish Roy, Prof Ranjan Dey, Prof Rashmi Chauhan, Prof Halan Prakash, Dr. K P Jayadevan, Prof Anjan Chattopadhyay, Prof R N Behera, Prof Sunil Bhand, Prof. Tincy Lis Thomas, Prof. Subhadeep Banerjee

BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus

Dr. Sourav Laha

NIT Durgapur

Dr. Subhradeep Mistry

Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University

Partha Mahata

Jadavpur University

 

Sponsors: To be updated soon...

 

How to reach the venue

Being a popular tourist destination and a haven for relaxation, Goa offers superb connectivity to major cities throughout the country. Nesting in the lap of verdant hills, overlooking the Zuari River, BITS, Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus is spread over an area of 180 acres. The location of campus is unique in the respect of scenic beauty and panoramic view of picturesque surrounding encompassing Zuari River, hillocks, waterways, forests and landscape.

Note: BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus is on the side of a bypass road to NH17B and regular buses will not go via Campus, so avoid taking a local/ city bus.

Accessing BITS Pilani Goa Campus is facilitated through diverse transportation options, guaranteeing convenience for both attendees and visitors.

Air Travel

Goa boasts two airports, namely Goa International Airport (Dabolim), situated approximately 5 km away and Manohar International Airport (Mopa), which is roughly at a distance of 55 km from BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa campus, the venue for the symposium. Goa International Airport, being the closest, is extensively connected to major cities across India, providing a time-efficient air travel option. One can find regular flights to this tropical paradise from cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Chennai. The fastest way to reach Goa is often by taking a flight from Mumbai or Bengaluru, with the journey typically lasting around an hour. Air India is recognized as the national carrier. However, travelers can choose among various airlines, including SpiceJet, IndiGo, Air Asia, Akasa Air and Vistara. Upon arrival, pre-paid taxis are readily available to reach the Campus.

Pre-paid Taxi service at the Airports

Pre-paid Taxi counters are available at the airport arrival area.

Goa International Airport (Dabolim) to BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus: ~Rs. 500/- ($6)

Manohar International Airport (Mopa) to BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus: ~Rs. 4,000/- ($50)

One can also avail the ‘Goa Miles’ cab service via the Government certified transportation portal: https://www.goamiles.com.

Note: The rates may vary accordingly and can be higher if not pre-paid. The above rates and information are representative and approximate. Organizers are not responsible for any deviation in prices and information mentioned above.

Rail Travel

Those inclined towards rail travel can commute by train and arrive at Karmali Railway Station, located about 20 km, Madgaon railway station, which is 22 km away or Vasco railway station which is 10 km from BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus. These railway stations have established connections to major cities in the region.

Karmali Railway Station to BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus: ~Rs. 2,000/- ($25)

Madgaon Railway Station to BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus: ~Rs. 2,500/- ($30)

Note: The above rates and information are representative and approximate. Organizers are not responsible for any deviation in prices and information mentioned above.

Road Travel

The campus is easily reachable by road, with well-maintained highways and road networks linking it to neighboring towns and cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad etc.

Accommodation Details: To be updated soon...

 

For more Information

 

Contact:

Dr. Saurav Bhattacharya

Department of Chemistry
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
K K Birla Goa Campus
NH - 17B, Zuarinagar
Goa - 403726, India

Email id: afma2025@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in