Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has nominated its director (R&D) to be a member of the expert panel in the setting up of proposed centres of excellence in the petrochemicals sector.

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) had invited details from several institutes, organisations and companies on the COEs, which have been projected as internationally recognised centres for analysis and dissemination of existing global knowledge in the chosen fields that will provide authoritative, strategic and timely information to organisations and companies for use in the development and implementation of their projects and programmes.

The proposed CoEs should also be equipped to undertake developmental activities in any of the focus areas identified by DCPC.

All parties involved in the CoEs will bring to the partnership a special expertise of strategic importance to the petrochemical sector, the DCPC said.

The team leader of the proposed CoE must be an established research scientist who should have requisite administrative experience to direct the program and guide the co-investigator and other team members in the proposed CoE.

The team leader should have continuity in research in the relevant area, as demonstrated from the publications in the last five years in various peer-reviewed international journals. The team leader should include details of research projects handled and number of PhD students registered in the proposal.

Similarly, co-investigator and other team members must be under the permanent payroll of the proposed Institute and should have publications in international journals.