Jose Santo

Teaching Assistant

Over the course of my Ph.D., I served as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for multiple undergraduate and postgraduate courses, gaining extensive experience in laboratory instruction, tutorial sessions, curriculum delivery, and student mentoring. My role included assisting in course design( Lab activities of advanced composites ), preparing teaching materials( Advanced Manf. And Composite courses), conducting assessments, and providing academic support to students across different academic levels.
Undergraduate Courses:
• Materials Science (Tutorials and Laboratory Sessions)
-Delivered tutorial sessions explaining fundamental concepts in materials structure, properties, and applications.
-Guided students through experimental techniques such as metallography, mechanical testing, and microstructural analysis.
• Manufacturing Processes (Tutorials and Laboratory Sessions)
-Instructed students in traditional and advanced manufacturing techniques.
-Supervised hands-on laboratory work, including casting, welding, machining, and additive manufacturing demonstrations.
• Advanced Manufacturing Processes (Laboratory Sessions)
-Mentored students in advanced methods such as powder metallurgy, rapid prototyping, and non-traditional machining.
-Evaluated student projects and provided feedback on process optimization and materials selection.

Postgraduate Courses:
• Advanced Composites (Laboratory and Tutorial Sessions)
-Conducted detailed sessions on composite materials' processing, characterization, and mechanical testing.
-Supervised experimental work involving fiber-reinforced polymers and nanocomposite fabrication techniques.
• Materials Testing (Laboratory Sessions)
-Guided students through electrochemical(corrosion) mechanical and thermal testing of materials according to ASTM standards.
-Assisted in interpreting results from corrosion testing, tensile, impact, DMA, and TGA-DSC experiments.
Key Responsibilities and Contributions:
• Developed and improved laboratory manuals and tutorial assignments to enhance student understanding.
• Evaluated lab reports, tutorial assignments, and examinations, ensuring fair and constructive feedback.
• Mentored students during project-based learning activities and group assignments.
• Co-supervised final-year undergraduate thesis projects, journal articles, and conference proceedings[3-5] are based on students research outcomes.
• Consistently promoted critical thinking, problem-solving, and experimental rigor among students.
• Actively contributed to curriculum development discussions, suggesting updates to incorporate recent advances in materials engineering and manufacturing technologies.

• Led the comprehensive operations of arc and induction furnaces, ensuring the precise refining of steel to meet stringent quality standards for casting into various forms, including slabs, blooms, and billets.
• Established a materials characterization lab with FE-SEM, metallurgical and optical microscopes, spark spectroscopy, XRF, and analyzers for carbon/sulfur and oxygen/nitrogen/hydrogen.
• Directed a process control team dedicated to enhancing machine utilization, effectively minimizing downtime, and maximizing operational efficiency across the production line.
• Formulated and implemented systems, policies & procedures to streamline steel melting shop operations.
• Authored SOPs for new steel grades, ensuring ISO/TS compliance and improved product quality.
• Established and implemented robust In-Process (IQC) and Outgoing Quality Control (OQC) systems for steel melting operations, ensuring consistent raw material quality, process stability, and final product compliance with stringent metallurgical specifications.
• Planned and carried out brownfield and greenfield expansion projects, managing installation and commissioning.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify and implement process improvements, enhancing productivity and reducing operational costs.
• Successfully led a project achieving a 20 % reduction in time of LRF-Degaser processing through process control measures and equipment upgrades.
• Played a lead role in commissioning a new Electric Arc furnace and Continues Caster.
• Recognized for leadership and project management; received the JSW Excellence Award for managing multiple high-impact projects.