Graduate student in chemical engineering earns Excellence in Innovation Award
Published: Sep 29, 2025 1:00 PM
By Rachel Wingard
Harrish Kumar Senthil Kumar thinks his polymer research will improve the recyclability of plastics and help keep the Earth greener. Judges of the Green Materials Mini Symposium agree.
Kumar, a fourth-year chemical engineering doctoral candidate, has spent his last three years at Auburn researching multilayer polymer plastics and finding more efficient recycling methods.
The Research
Kumar explained that some plastics are made of only one polymer layer while others are composed of multiple different layers, making them harder to break down.
Each individual polymer provides the plastic with a different property, such as holding its shape, giving it more flexibility or blocking out oxygen and moisture.
“My focus has been on selectively removing the high-value materials within these plastics,” Kumar said. “Recycling the multi-layered plastics entirely is very difficult due to the challenges involved, but if you can remove the individual polymers and recycle them separately, it becomes much easier.”
He hopes to use his research to make polymer plastics that are greener, more sustainable and easier to recycle.
Green Materials Mini Symposium
The symposium, hosted by the Alexander Research Team at Auburn University, is a student-led and organized event that brings together researchers and professionals from across institutions to highlight innovations in sustainable technology and green materials. The event was led by graduate student Armin Seyedesfahani and Chemical Engineering Assistant Professor Symone Alexander. Multiple universities were involved in the symposium and allowed a wide range of engineering students to present their research.
Kumar entered for the opportunity to share his research and get feedback. He also enjoyed getting to learn about other presenters’ projects.
“One thing that was really fun was being able to help younger students,” Kumar said. “I was able to give them tips on paying attention to the small details to ensure their presentations looked good.”
The symposium ended with a reception dinner where closing notes were given and award winners announced. Kumar was announced as receiving the Excellence in Innovation Award.
“I was not expecting to win,” he said. “It was nice to get the recognition for my work.”
The Auburn Experience
Kumar has always been interested in engineering. While doing an internship with Chevron as part of his undergraduate program at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, he realized he wanted to go further.
“I looked for graduate study opportunities in other countries because I wanted to explore other cultures,” he said. “Auburn was one of the first schools to accept me, and I love the culture here.”
Kumar experienced culture shock when he first moved to Auburn, but said that everyone was very welcoming, and he was able to find his place.
“I play for the university’s pickleball team,” he said, “which has been a really fun way to relieve stress during the more difficult parts of grad school.”
Bryan Beckingham, the Mary and John H. Sanders Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and director of the Center for Polymers and Advanced Composites, said, “Mentoring highly motivated students like Harrish is the best part of being a faculty here.”
“Harrish has demonstrated exceptional dedication, critical thinking and curiosity in his own research while always looking outward to see where he could help others with their projects or learn something new. This curiosity, collaborative spirit and leadership have placed him on a path to great things and I’m both proud of him and excited to see where he goes next.”
What’s Next?
Kumar hopes to finish his Ph.D. by the end of this school year, and from there he wants to be a mentor for other research projects. His dream job is to be a research consultant for a large-scale company.
“I love brainstorming and collaborating with others,” he said. “I want to help people to think outside the box and come up with new ideas, and then work with them to accomplish their goals.”
He said Beckingham has inspired him to help others.
“He doesn’t say no to people when they ask for help,” he said. “He’s passed that spirit down to me. I love helping people, so that’s what I want to do.”
Media Contact: , jem0040@auburn.edu, 334.844.3447
Harrish Kumar Senthil Kumar presents at the 2025 Green Materials Mini Symposium.
