After obtaining the Bachelors degree in Mechnaical Engineering from Govt. Engg. College, Calicut, Linu joined Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee where he received the Masters degree in Nanotechnology. Currently he is working with Prof. Jerzy Szpunar and Barbara Szpunar in developing safer nuclear fuel for the next genertion nuclear reactor.

Journal Publications

1. L. Malakkal, B. Szpunar, R. K. Siripurapu, J. C. Zuniga, J. A. Szpunar “First Principle calculation of thermo-mechanical properties of Thoria using Quantum Espresso”. Published in Int. J. Comp. Mat. Sci. Eng. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S2047684116500081 2016.

2. L. Malakkal, B. Szpunar, R. K. Siripurapu, J. A. Szpunar “Thermal conductivity of bulk and nanowire of cubic-SiC from ab initio calculations “ published in Journal of computational material science. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.commatsci.2016.11.040 2016.

3. L. Malakkal, B. Szpunar, R. K. Siripurapu, J. A. Szpunar “Thermal conductivity of BeO from ab initio Calculations” accepted for publication in Solid states science.

4. E.Jossou, L.Malakkal, B.Szpunar, D.Oladimeji, J.A.Szpunar : “A first principles study of the electronic structure, elastic and thermal properties of UB2” under review in Journal of nuclear materials.

Conference Papers

1.L. Malakkal, B. Szpunar, J. A. Szpunar “Comparative study of thermal conductivity of SiC and BeO from ab initio calculations” accepted for publication in TMS San Diego USA 2017..

2.Ranasinghe J., Szpunar B., Jossou E., Malakkal L., and Szpunar J.A., Proceedings of the 2017 25th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, ICONE25, May 14-18, 2017, Shanghai, China ”Composite versus dispersed accident tolerant nuclear fuels”, under review. ).

3. Szpunar B., Malakkal L., Jossou E., Oladimeji D., Ranasinghe J., Rossland I. and Szpunar J.A., “First Principles Studies of Thermal Conductivity of Nuclear Fuel Materials”. 13th International Conference on CANDU Fuel, Conference Proceedings, Kingston, August 15-18 (2016).

4. A. Prasad, L. Malakkal, L. Bichler, J. A. Szpunar “Effect of Spark Plasma Sintering Process Parameters on Density and Microstructure of Cerium (IV) Oxide.” Published in the proceedings of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering International Congress 2016..

5. A. Prasad, L. Malakkal, L. Bichler, J. A. Szpunar “Challenges in Spark Plasma Sintering of Cerium (IV) oxide” published in ceramic material transactions 2016..

6. B. Szpunar , L. Malakkal, R. K. Siripurapu, J. C. Zuniga, J. A. Szpunar ” Multi-scale Simulation of Thoria-SiC Composites ”published as proceedings of 3rd International Conference on Manufacturing Engineering and Technology for Manufacturing Growth (METMG2015)..

7. B. Szpunar, L. Malakkal, E. Jossou, J. Ranasinghe, J. A. Szpunar “First Principles Investigations of Alternative Nuclear Fuels” accepted for publication in TMS San Diego USA 2017..

Conference Presentations

1. L. Malakkal, B. Szpunar, R. K. Siripurapu, J.A. Szpunar 'Review of Thermo-Mechanical Properties of SiC Using First Principles Method'. Oral presentation at the 26th Candadian Material science international conference on 1-3 June 2014 held at Saskatoon.

2. B. Szpunar, L. Malakkal, J. C. Zuniga, R. K. Siripurapu, D. Oladimeji J. A. Szpunar 'Safer Nuclear Reactors with Enhanced Thermal Conductivity for Clean Energy' . Accepted for presentation at the 14th International Conference on Clean Energy 2015 (ICCE-2015).

3. B. Szpunar, J. C. Zuniga, L. Malakkal, R. K. Siripurapu, J. A. Szpunar 'Quantum Espresso with Ipython Interface For Engineering Students' poster presented at the Workshop on Quantum Espresso 2014 at Pennsylvania state university USA .

4. R. K. Siripurapu, B. Szpunar, L. Malakkal, J. C. Zuniga, J. A. Szpunar 'Ab initio and molecular dynamics study of hydrogen and helium in pure nickel' Accepted for presentation at the 14th International Conference on Clean Energy 2015 (ICCE-2015).

5. A.Choudhary, L.Malakkal, R.K. Siripurapu, B.Szpunar, J.A.Szpunar 'First Principle Calculations - Hydrogen Storage on Cu and Pd decorated Graphene'. Accepted for presentation at the 14th International Conference on Clean Energy 2015 (ICCE-2015).

6. E.Jossou, L.Malakkal, B.Szpunar, D.Oladimeji, J.A.Szpunar: “A first principles study of the electronic structure, elastic and thermal properties of UB2”TMS San Diego USA.

7. A. Prasad, L. Malakkal, L. Bichler, J. A. Szpunar “Synthesis of Cerium (IV) Oxide via Reactive Spark Plasma Sintering of Cerium (III) Oxalate” ISRS India.

8. A. Prasad, L. Malakkal, L. Bichler, J. A. Szpunar “Effect of particle size distribution on the sinterability of Cerium (IV) oxide using Spark Plasma Sintering” MRS Thailand.

9. M. Singh, L. Malakkal, A.K. Chauhan, J. A. Szpunar, M. P. Bradely, M. Chicoine “Effects of irradiation on thermal conductivity of nickel alloys” TMS San Diego USA.

10. L.Malakkal, A.Kumar 'Synthesis of gamma-Fe2O3 based nanostructures- Study of their optical and magnetic properties'. 3rd International Conference on Frontiers in Nano science and Technology ,Cochin Nano 2011during August 14-17, 2011 held at Cochin.

Awards

1. Won the devolved graduate scholarship for Sep 2015-present from University of Saskatchewan.

2. Won the Mechanical Engineering Departmental graduate scholarship for Sep 2014 - Sep 2015 from University of Saskatchewan.

3.Won the University of Saskatchewan graduate scholarship from Sep 2015.

4.Won the graduate student travel grant.