Alagappa College of Technology was founded in 1944. Funds for its establishment in the amount of five hundred thousand Indian rupees was donated by philanthropist, Vallal Dr. Alagappa Chettiar to Dr. A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, Vice Chancellor of Madras University in 1943. Dr. Alagappa Chettiar expressed an interest in setting up a College that offered newer technology related courses. As a token of appreciation for his generosity Madras University resolved to name the college as Alagappa College of Technology, offering Chemical Engineering, Textile Engineering and Leather Technology and also conferred on him the Honorary Degree of LL.D. at a special Convocation.
Departments
There are Six departments and two autonomous centre in Alagappa College of Technology.
The department of chemical engineering was established in 1944 under the University of Madras. In 1978, the department was transferred to the then newly formed Anna University. The department which started with an undergraduate course in chemical engineering now offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in chemical, petroleum refining and petrochemicals, and environmental science and technology. In the early days of the college research was carried out in the conventional areas of chemical engineering like Absorption, Adsorption, Liquid-liquid extraction, and Fluid Dynamics. Over the period of years the areas of research have moved in line with developments in the chemical process industries. The department focuses on areas like Bioprocesses, modeling, Nanofiltration, Bioengineering and Environmental systems. The department offers two undergraduate courses:
B.Tech - Chemical Engineering
B.Tech - Petroleum Refining and Petrochemical Technology
and three postgraduate courses:
M.Tech - Chemical Engineering
M.Tech - Petroleum Refining and Petrochemical Technology
The annual technical festival of the department is called Chemfluence. It features paper presentation sessions, lectures, video conferences, technical quizzes and other events.
Department of Textile Technology
The Department of Textile Technology was established in 1945 under the University of Madras. The department houses laboratories such as Spinning Lab, Weaving Lab, Chemical Processing Lab, Quality Assurance and Testing Lab, Knitting Lab, Garment Lab and CAD Lab. It offers undergraduate courses in Textile Technology and Apparel. However, M.Tech is offered only for Textile Technology. PhD Programmes also available. The department also houses a library with a variety of books on Textile Technology, Knitting, Sewing, Fashion Illustration, and other topics as well which are available to be borrowed during the weekends.
The Center for Biotechnology was established in 1987 in Anna University with financial support from the Department of Biotechnology, University Grants Commission and Anna University. The center has abuilding of about 1000 square metres sponsored by Southern Petrochemicals Corporation Limited at Taramani Campus with facilities for carrying out research in biotechnology, Bioprocess technology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Immunology, etc. The Administrative building is located in the main campus at Guindy, and a separate academic complex offers teaching programs. The department offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in industrial biotechnology, Food Technology and Pharmaceutical Technology. It also offers a postgraduate program in Computational Biology which is a network program conducted by Pondicherry University-Madurai Kamaraj University and anna University. It is the first of its kind in India started by DBT, India. And it is upgraded to M.Tech computational biology from the academic year 2014 in collaboration with Pondicherry university.
Department of Ceramic Technology
Anna University started a M.Tech Degree Programme in Ceramic Technology in the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1990 with financial support of Rs.50 lakhs from M/s Carborundum Universal Ltd, Chennai. The Division of Ceramic Technology was formed in 1993. A B.Tech Programme in Ceramic Technology was started in 1996 with financial support of Rs.25 lakhs from M/s Carborundum Universal Ltd., Chennai.
Department of Applied Sciences and Technology
The Department of Applied Sciences was established in 2013. The only undergraduate course taught under this department is Petroleum Engineering and Technology, which is a self-supporting course.
Centre for Nanoscience and Technology
The Centre for Nanoscience and Technology was established at Anna University in 2005. The centre has been actively pursuing research in various aspects of Nanoscience and Technology including Chemical, Mechanical and Bio Synthesis of nanomaterials like semiconductor nanostructures, nanocrystalline thin films, carbon nanotubes and nanofibres, metallic nanoadhesives, polymer based nanocomposites, nanostructured ferroic materials, etc. The centre has been offering M. Tech. course in Nanoscience and Technology from 2008 onwards which is supported by DST-Nanomission with a multi-disciplinary curriculum.