Education TimesHe defines the institute’s focus on the development of research across the domain.
focus on research
The director says that the institute focuses on research in the areas of AI/ML/DL, computer vision and image processing, web science, communication and cryptography. “In the area of e-health, research teams are working on projects such as robotic brain surgery as well as hardware design for paralyzed, neuron-affected patients,” he says.
Girls in STEM PhD
Das revealed that the number of girls applying for PhDs in STEM subjects at the institute has increased. “We have a 55:45 ratio of research applications and selected students in favor of girls,” he says. Das says the girls are excelling in technical research because they are focused, hard working, go over the fundamentals of the subject, have good analytical and logical thinking skills along with team spirit. “The institute also offers additional fellowships to encourage girl students in the field of STEM research,” he says.
work in data science
The institute’s courses in Data Science are renowned, making it imperative to stay ahead in research as well. “Initially, there was a need for a database to store the information and as a result data science emerged to explain the complexities of vast chunks of information packaged as big data. With the increase in computational activities, the need for storage increased, leading to the introduction of analysis and analytical modules. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) showed that data science can be used in areas beyond technology,” says Das.
Today, the Internet of Things (IoT) is used to collect data needed for research in the field. “A data set is used to make decisions that will affect the associated automation. While this is where research in data science stands today, the next step is to analyze whether the decisions are accurate; this is referred to as a process of interpretability. The students of the institute are actively pursuing research in related areas of Geographic Information Systems, Mass Processing, Computer Networking, Hardware and others based on AI/ML/DL” says the Director.
academic-industry collaboration
“Our students participate in a variety of industry-led research projects. Additionally, during the summer, our faculty engage in any industry of their choice to discuss and understand unsolved research problems, striving to find solutions. are,” says Das. Das adds that the industry also invites teachers to train and mentor its current workforce so that it remains updated with all the changing trends and latest additions in their operations.
soft skills needed
While being technically sound is essential, having soft skills in communication, teamwork, integrity and ethics are equally important for engineers. “The Undergraduate (UG) syllabus for any engineering course is divided into three parts with focus on concepts/basics, problem solving skills as well as soft skills, health and sports. Despite the faculty’s focus on soft skill development, the lack of interest of the students acts as a deterrent,” he says.
Students are more focused on acquiring technical knowledge because their school teachers have told them that the only way to get a job is through a single-minded focus. “Once students join an engineering institute, it becomes difficult to change their mindset. There is a need to make changes at the school level itself to make engineers all-rounders.”