Prof Sivakumar Venkataraman has obtained his PhD degree from Sri Venkateswara University, India, with a thesis entitled “Lidar studies of the middle atmospheric temperature structure and tropospheric cirrus clouds over a low latitude” while continuing his work at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), at the Department of Space, at the National Atmosphere Research Laboratory.
Later, he joined the University of Reunion (France), Atmosphere Physics and Cyclone Laboratory of Centre Nationale Recherche de la Scientifique (CNRS, similar to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research CSIR), UMR 8105, as a post-doctoral Researcher.
For four years from 2002-2006, Prof Venkataraman continued his atmosphere research, specifically studying the structure and dynamics, in terms of middle atmosphere temperature, special features/unusual atmosphere events (stratosphere warming, double stratopause etc.), wave dynamics, ozone budget and trace gases exchanges etc.
In 2006, he joined the CSIR National Laser Centre (South Africa) as a Senior Researcher (Gd:II) and was subsequently promoted to the position of Principal Researcher (Gd-II) in September 2008. At CSIR-NLC, his work involved the development of a mobile lidar system for studying atmosphere particulate matter and pollutants. Prof Venkataraman successfully demonstrated the first-atmosphere backscatter lidar in South Africa and it is currently operational. Further development work is ongoing and his PhD student is leading it. Since, January 2009, Prof Venkataraman was appointed as Extra-Ordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria, Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology.
In January 2011, he was also appointed as Honorary Professor. Prof Venkataraman has been invited to the University of Reunion on various occasions (Nov-Dec 2008, Sep-Oct 2009, Apr-May 2010, Apr-May 2011, Sep-Oct 2011) as a Visiting Professor/Researcher to provide lectures for master degree students. He was also a Visiting Researcher at CSIR-National Laser Centre (January 2013 to December 2015).
Prof Venkataraman has been employed at the School of Chemistry and Physics (Discipline of Physics) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, since December 2011. He also acts as a Programme Director / Academic Leader for the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP) at UKZN. He is actively involved in various levels of Teaching (first year to fourth year - Honours) and post-graduate supervisions (Honours, Master, Doctoral and Post-Doctoral). Prof Venkataraman is currently Supervising 3 Post-Doctoral (externally funded), 7 PhD and 3 Master degree students and 5 Post-Doctoral, 12 PhD and 18 Masters degree students have already been awarded.
Since 2000 (after registering for his PhD programme in August 1999), he has published about 211 research articles (94 Journal and 110 peer-reviewed conference proceedings), 5 book chapters, 1 book and has been a first author of more than 15 journals and 27 conference proceedings (average 8 publications/per year).
Prof Venkataraman's research work includes (1) studies on middle atmospheric thermal structure and wave dynamics; (2) mesospheric temperature inversion; (3) studies on gravity waves, planetary waves, equatorial waves and etc., (4) stratospheric warming and planetary waves, (5) Aerosols and clouds, (6) general characteristics of the tropopause and its relation to the ozone concentration and the stratosphere-troposphere exchange, (7) remote sensing techniques and (8) various kinds of pollution measurements.
He has been recognized as an Atmospheric Researcher/Scientist, internationally, and presently, he scores an h-index of 15 and a Google scholar index of 17. Prof Venkataraman has also been acting as a Principal Investigator/Project Leader for different projects funded by UKZN, NRF, CSIR-ALC, National Laser Centre (NLC) / Department of Science and Technology (DST), CNRS and other national/international bodies.
His involvement in project work includes management, leadership, partnership and also co-ordination of various atmosphere research projects. Prof Venkataraman has been honoured to play a role as a Panel Member of different National Research Foundation (NRF) programmes, CSIR-Scientific-Thematic calls, NLC-Science and Education and Technology panel, Technical Committee Member of the CSIR Bi-annual conference, 2008, Vice President and Council Member of South Africa Society for Atmosphere Science (SASAS), 2007-2016, President of SASAS, 2017-2018, National Executive Chair of NASSP (Since 2018), Steering Committee Member of South Africa Space Research, 2010-2015, Steering Committee Member of South Africa Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 2010-2015, Session Convener - Remote Sensing of the atmosphere in Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS)-2008, 2010, 2012 and 2016, more than 12 different international/national Journal Reviewer, Editor of the peer-reviewed conference proceeding of SASAS (2010-2014) and Co-Editor of National Association of Clean Air (NACA) journal. Prof Venkataraman also acts as a Reviewer/Assessor for various committee members of the National Research Foundation, Swiss Meteorological Society, Global Ozone assessment, Global Carbon assessment and locally at UKZN, etc.
