Biography
Prof Rathilal holds a PhD and an MSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is a C-rated researcher with the National Research Foundation.
Prior to joining the University, from 2020 – 2025 he was the Deputy Dean and served as the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), which he joined in 1996 as an academic in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He has held various leadership roles, including programme leader, research coordinator and head of department before taking up posts in the deanery.
Prof Rathilal’s contributions span teaching and learning, research, curriculum development, community engagement and academic management. He is an advocate for diversity, sustainability and innovation in engineering. He inspires emerging professionals to pursue transformative solutions for society’s most pressing environmental challenges like safe water access, environmental protection and circular economy approaches.
At DUT, Prof Rathilal was the Chair of the Green Engineering Research Group and led a range of externally-funded research projects in this field. His current research is focused on advancing green hydrogen research and developing innovative systems for micropollutant removal from wastewater.