Prior to joining NTU, he was a professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India, from 2000 to 2018.

Ram’s studies resulted in the elucidation of pressure sensitivity of plastic deformation, localization of flow into shear bands by using the bonded interface technique, embrittlement due to structural relaxation, and the mechanics and mechanisms of ductile and brittle fractures that led to the identification of the characteristic length scales that control the micromechanisms in BMGs and their composites.

Ram has used his expertise in fine scale mechanical testing—particularly nanoindentation—to obtain valuable insights and establish structure-property correlations in molecular crystals.

He demonstrated as to how the multi-scale nature of the process-induced micro- and meso-structures can be exploited for designing strong, tough, and fatigue resistant alloy components.

He has given lecture courses in The African University of Science and Technology, Nigeria, as part of a World Bank initiative to create institutions similar to the Indian IITs in Africa.