Prof. Dr. S. Kanmani is a distinguished academician, researcher, and environmental policy expert with over three decades of experience in the fields of environmental engineering, climate change adaptation, and sustainable resource management. She currently serves as the Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management (CCCDM) at Anna University, where she leads interdisciplinary research and capacity-building initiatives addressing climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and environmental sustainability.
Her academic and research contributions span a wide range of areas, including solid and hazardous waste management, wastewater treatment, environmental impact assessment, and climate change mitigation strategies. Under her leadership, CCCDM has evolved into a nodal centre for developing District Climate Action Plans (DCAPs), State-level climate vulnerability assessments, and policy briefs that guide climate-resilient development across Tamil Nadu.
Prof. Kanmani has successfully coordinated multiple World Bank, DST, CPHEEO, KfW and MoEFCC-funded projects, focusing on integrating scientific evidence into climate governance and promoting nature-based solutions for sustainable development. She has published extensively in reputed national and international journals and has guided numerous Ph.D. scholars in the domain of environmental and climate sciences.
As an advocate for evidence-based policy and community-centric approaches, she plays a key role in linking academia, government agencies, and civil society to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s response to climate change. Her work continues to inspire young researchers and practitioners committed to advancing environmental sustainability and resilience in India and beyond.