Participants of the faculty development program held at SJU.
Chumoukedima, October 20 (MExN): The Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics at St. Joseph University, Chumoukedima, organized a five-day Faculty Development Program (FDP) titled "Innovations in Sustainable Research and Modern Data-Driven Approaches." The event, held from October 15 to 19, brought together experts from various fields to provide insights into cutting-edge research and technological advancements.
On the opening day, Dr. A.N. Senthilkumar, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Alagappa Government Arts College, Tamil Nadu, introduced participants to bioelectrical processes. His presentation focused on the role of glucose in biopower generation, microbial fuel cell technology, and direct electron transfer using bacterial nanowires. He also highlighted key bacterial species, such as E. coli and S. lactis, involved in biofuel cells.
Dr. R. Meenakshi, Associate Professor of Physics at Cauvery College for Women, Tamil Nadu, took over on the second day, offering participants valuable guidance on how to approach funding agencies such as DST, DBT, CSIR, UGC, and ISRO. She emphasized the importance of crafting strong research proposals to secure funding.
The third day featured a two-part presentation by Dr. H. Joy Prabu, Assistant Professor of Physics at St. Joseph College, Tamil Nadu. He covered advanced tools for high-impact research, including artificial intelligence, molecular simulation, and quantum computing. In the second part, he discussed global challenges like water scarcity and energy, highlighting the potential of technologies such as photocatalysts and nanoparticles.
Dr. Pranjal Kumar Bora, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Dibrugarh University, Assam, led the fourth day's session, focusing on R programming. He demonstrated data visualization techniques using ggplot2 and data manipulation with dplyr, offering practical insights into the application of RStudio environments for research.
On the final day, Dr. A. Anandan, Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry at Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, Tamil Nadu, explored innovations in chemical synthesis and nanotechnology. He provided an overview of current and future trends in chemical research, discussing both the challenges and the exciting prospects in the field.
The program was organized by Dr. K. Raja, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Dr. John James, Assistant Professor of Physics, and Dr. Bapan Das, Assistant Professor of Mathematics. Nearly 545 participants registered, and 385 faculty members from various institutions completed the program. Those who submitted feedback received certificates of participation.
