SRMAP Events

International Conclave on the Role of Technology for the Sustainable Agricultural Growth for Future Generations
2021-06-03 09:00 - 2021-06-04 11:00 (Asia/Kolkata)
An International Conclave on the “Transition towards sustainability of Agriculture: Role of Technology in Agriculture Supply Chain” is being organised by the Department of Economics, School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh on June 3-4 from 9 am. Renowned economists and experts across the world will be joining the conclave to share their thoughts and perspectives on the much-needed topic of this time. Faculty and Scholars are invited to submit the abstracts of their research papers on or before May 25, 2021. Prof Vijay Paul Sharma, Chairman, Commission for Agriculture Costs and Price (CACP) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, Govt of India, will grace the conclave with his presence as the Chief Guest.
The agriculture and food sectors are facing multiple challenges. With the global population projected to grow from 7.6 billion in 2018 (UN DESA, 2019) to over 9.6 billion in 2050, there will be a significant increase in the demand for food (UN DESA, 2017). At the same time, the availability of natural resources such as fresh water and productive arable land is becoming increasingly constrained. Production is not the only concern; although agricultural output is currently enough to feed the world, 821 million people still suffer from hunger (FAO, 2018). Processes such as the rapid rate of urbanisation also have important implications for food production patterns and consumption. The agri-food sector remains critical for livelihoods and employment. There are more than 570 million smallholder farms worldwide (Lowder et al., 2016), and agriculture and food productions account for 28% of the entire global workforce (ILOSTAT, 2019).
Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal of a ‘world with zero hunger’ by 2030 will require more productive, efficient, sustainable, inclusive, transparent and resilient food systems. This will require an urgent transformation of the current agri-food system. Digital innovations and technologies may be part of the solution. The so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ (Industry 4.0) observes several sectors to be transformed rapidly by ‘disruptive’ digital technologies such as Blockchain, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Immersed Reality. In the agriculture and food sectors, the spread of mobile technologies, remote-sensing services and distributed computing are already improving smallholders’ access to information, inputs, market, finance and training. Digital technologies are creating new opportunities to integrate smallholders into a digitally-driven agri-food system. In this two-day Internation Conclave, reputed experts will shed some light by sharing their wisdom with others on the recent challenges and the scope associated with it. Needless to say, food will always be an integral part of the basic need of humans. In these discussions, the path towards ensuring enough food supply for future generations will be searched.
The Department of Economics, under the School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at SRM University-AP, is a vibrant unit for teaching fundamental courses (core & electives) in Economics along with allied courses for students across the disciplines. In addition to the Foundation Courses and optional Minors across the departments, the department ensures that the education imparted is truly multidisciplinary with an excellent programme structure that can cater to the growing market demand for professional economists and policy researchers. At Present, the department offers B.Sc. (Hons.) and PhD in Economics and will soon offer a postgraduate programme with specialisations in Econometrics, Finance, Trade and Development in coming years.
Call for Papers:
Faculty and Scholars are invited to submit the abstracts to be presented at the conclave “Transition towards sustainability of Agriculture: Role of Technology in Agriculture Supply Chain” on or before May 25, 2021. The abstract must go through the review, and if accepted by the reviewers, the abstract acceptance notification will be sent. There is no registration fee to participate in the conclave. The event will take place entirely in virtual mode. Please submit the abstracts to ghanshyamkumar.p@srmap.edu.in on or before May 25, 2021. Abstracts should not be more than 250 words, and it must include the purpose of the study, methodology, findings and policy recommendations.
Themes:
Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to:

Sustainable agricultural, farming, and post-harvesting strategies
Multicriteria sustainability performance measures in the food context
Closed-loop ecosystems for by-product valorisation
Improving traceability and transparency of food operations
Strategic approaches for waste management
Sustainable cold chain design and management
Digital twins in food processing, storage, and distribution

Distinguished Speakers:

Prof Vijay Paul Sharma, Chairman, Commission for Agriculture Costs and Price (CACP)Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, Govt of India
Prof Ashok K Mishra, Professor, W P Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, USA
Prof R S Deshpande, Honorary Visiting Professor, Ex-Director, ISEC, Bangalore, India
Prof P S Birthal, National Professor, ICAR-National Institute of Agriculture Economics and Policy Research, PUSA, New Delhi, India
Dr Anjani Kumar, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), South Asia Office, New Delhi, India
Dr Devesh Roy, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), South Asia Office, New Delhi, India
Prof Sukhpal Singh, Professor of Economics, IIM Ahmedabad, India
Prof Gopal Naik, Professor of Economics, IIM Bangalore, India
Prof Prem Vashisth, Professor Emeritus, School of Business Studies, Sharda University, Noida, India
Prof Seema Bathla, Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
Prof C S C Shekhar, Professor, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, India
Prof S S Kamlakar, Director, Agriculture Economics Research Centre, Anand, Gujrat, India
Prof Brajesh Jha Professor, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, India
Dr Asif Reza Anik Associate Professor Department of Agricultural Economics Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) Salna, Gazipur-1706 Bangladesh
Dr Thiagu Ranganathan, Associate Professor, Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Dr Sarthak Gaurav Assistant professor, Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, IIT, Mumbai, India
Dr Amarnath Tripathi, Associate Professor, Department of Economics and International Business School of Business Studies, Sharda University, Noida, India
Dr Elumalai Kannnan, Associate Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, India
Dr Jabir Ali, Associate Professor, IIM Jammu, Jammu, India
Prof S P Singh, Professor of Economics, IIT Roorkee, India

Brochure: Click here to view the detailed brochure

"Commit to Quit":SRM University-AP celebrates World No Tobacco Day
2021-05-31 17:30 - 18:30
World No Tobacco Day is observed annually on May 31 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and global partners to raise awareness on the dangers associated with tobacco usage. Following the theme of this year-“Commit to Quit”, SRM University-AP has organised a seminar to spread awareness and urge university students, teachers, and other employees to take a digital pledge to be restrained from using tobacco. The welcome Adress will be given by Dr Lakshmi Rajyam, Medical Officer, SRM University-AP. Dr Lakshmi Kiran Talluri, Medical Officer, will explain the downsides of tobacco usage as the keynote speaker. He will further guide the viewers with the challenges and strategies associated with quitting tobacco.
The programme emphasises the health hazards associated with tobacco use and encourages individuals to adhere to government rules aimed at reducing smoking and other tobacco product use. According to WHO reports, around 8 million people die each year because of tobacco use. In 1987, the WHO declared May 31 as World No Tobacco Day to encourage people to abstain from tobacco use for at least 24 hours. The World Health Organization even prohibited advertisements promoting any tobacco product in 2008. Cigarette users, according to research, are more susceptible to Covid-19 infection due to the compromised lungs and respiratory organs caused by heavy cigarette usage.
SRM University-AP commits to encouraging its associates to raise awareness and spread information about the hazards and realities of tobacco usage on World No Tobacco Day under the slogan “Commit to quit.” Dr Lakshmi Kiran Talluri holds the prestigious position of resident medical officer at SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh. He is an experienced medical expert and would provide significant insights to session attendees. Dr Talluri would speak from an expert perspective on the numerous aspects associated with smoking and tobacco intake to educate individuals about previously unknown facts. Therefore, everyone is urged to attend the knowledge-based session on May 31, 2021, at 5:30 p.m.

IIRS-ISRO offers "Online Certificate Course on Space Technology and Applications"
2021-05-31 08:00 - 2021-06-04 17:00
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) -Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) is offering a five-day “Online Certificate Course on Space Technology and Applications” from May 31 to June 04, 2021. The course will be highly beneficial for the school teachers, who teach science, mathematics and geography. The Registration process is going on for the course. With a limited number of available seats, participants are encouraged to secure their enrolment as early as possible. The course intends to create awareness and capacity building of school teachers on the use of space technology and its application.
IIRS outreach programme is an innovative distance learning initiative for training the students and professionals from academic Institutions and user departments in the field of geospatial technology & Earth Observation (EO) by utilising state-of-art Information and communication technologies. SRM University AP-Andhra Pradesh has collaborated with the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) -Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) ‘s outreach programmes. As part of the association, SRM University-AP being the nodal centre for such programmes, the people of SRM University-AP have the excellent opportunity to register for courses as well as live and interactive programmes being organised by IIRS. In addition, E-learning courses for a short span of 3-4 Month duration will be accessible by the students.
Course Brochure: Know more about the course
Course Schedule: View the detailed course schedule
Platform where course is held: https://eclass.iirs.gov.in/login

Intriguing discussion on "Dietary Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Dietary Management"
2021-05-29 11:00 - 12:00
The fourth edition of the Biology Seminar Series presents an enthralling webinar on “Dietary Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Dietary Management.” Dr A Laxmaiah, Director Grade Scientist (Scientist ‘G’- Epidemiology) and HoD, Division of Public Health and Nutrition from ICMR – National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), will grace the event as the keynote speaker. The webinar has been scheduled for May 29, 2021, at 11 am.
Dr A Laxmaiah has an academic background in Medicine and Public Health, with hands-on professional experience in Public Health Nutrition at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), ICMR, Hyderabad. He is involved in many training & capacity building programmes in health and nutrition care. He has carried out several epidemiological, operational research and randomized clinical trials (RCT) in the field of Health and Nutrition. Dr A Laxmaiah further attended and presented numerous research papers in National and International Conferences, Seminars, workshops and meetings.
Dr A Laxmaiah has published more than 120 papers in National & International journals like The Lancet and BMJ. He is a subject Expert member in several health and nutrition committees of various Ministries like Department of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Science and Technology (DST), HRD (MDM Programme), Government of India and in many National and International NGOs.
Dr A Laxmaiah graduated in medicine (MBBS) from Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal in 1987. After that, he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health (DPH), Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad in 1992 and a Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Nutrition from National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad in 1994. Dr A Laxmaiah pursued Master Degree in Public Health (MPH) from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medicine Sciences and Technology, Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala and a Master in Business Management (MBA). Lastly, he was awarded a PhD in Public Health Nutrition by the NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada in 2014. He has written many book chapters on health and Nutrition and received several national and international training in health and Nutrition.
Dr A Laxmaiah has been honoured with many awards and accolades. He has received the International training Fellowship Award in the year 2006 from the ‘International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS), USA, to attend the African Nutrition Epidemiology Conference in August 2006, Ghana, South Africa. He was awarded INF/Kraft Fellowship for the training of “Institutional Research Capacity Strengthening in Nutrition” in September 2007 and also attended the 10th Asian Congress of Nutrition at Taipei, Taiwan. Dr A Laxmaiah received the Best Paper Award in the year 2008 for the paper “Pattern of indigenous vegetables and legumes consumption in rural India”, presented in the International Conference on Indigenous Vegetables and Legumes. Prospectus for Fighting Poverty, Hunger and Malnutrition, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Hyderabad. He was selected for the ‘International Health Professional of the year 2010’, awarded by the Research and Advisory Board, International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, UK. Dr A Laxmaiah also received a Postdoctoral Training Award from the Bristol University and London School of Hygiene and Public Health, UK., in 2012. He was further selected as an ‘Honorary Senior Research Fellow’ in the Faculty of Medicine at the Royal Imperial College, London, UK, in recognition of his contributions to the field of Nutrition and Health.
Join the webinar on May 29, 2021, at 11 am to avail yourself the opportunity to learn more on Dietary risk factors for Non-communicable diseases from the expert himself.

"Films as History; Exploring Historiophoty"-a discussion on defining the relations between Films and History.
2021-05-18 11:00 - 12:00
The Department of History, SRM University-AP, initiates a monthly webinar series with a thought-provoking discussion on defining the relations between Films and History. “Films as History; Exploring Historiophoty”, the introductory session of the series, has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at 11 am.
Dr Sebastian Joseph, a Historian and Film Critic, will deliver the first talk of the webinar. Dr Joseph was the State Award Winner for Best work on Film History 2020. He has authored Cochin Forests and the British Techno-ecological Imperialism in India.
Dr Nandita Banerjee will be the keynote speaker in the second session of the webinar. She is an Associate Professor at Sindhu Kanho Birsa University and a pioneer in Film History and Visual Studies in History.
The webinar aims to discuss the use of films in particular and visual images in general as sources for the reconstruction of History. It will deal with the promises and challenges of Historiophoty as a sub-stream of history. Following Hayden White’s pathbreaking analysis of visual imagery and its location in historiography, Historiophoty has emerged as a most promising pathway for historians, particularly as we move towards a rapidly digitizing world. The webinar series will introduce students to new and exploratory themes in History.

"Dissolving Mood and anxiety"- A conversation towards mental happiness.
2021-05-15 16:00 - 17:00
Are you feeling caged without being able to go out and meet your friends? Are you spending most of your day sitting in a corner? Are you being irritated with small trifle things? COVID-19 pandemic has put us into a trying time by all means. The month-long lockdowns, constant anxiety for your loved ones, indoor life without much activities are taking a toll on our minds.
It is okay to feel low sometimes. It is okay to be depressed. We all are trying our best to cope with this unprecedented crisis. Understand that you are not alone in this. Most of all, you have someone to share your feelings and anxieties with.
The Department of Student Affairs initiated the weekly event with your counsellor to keep your mental health in check. This week Ms Aayushi Sharma, Student Counsellor, will enlighten you on “Dissolving Mood and anxiety” on May 15, 2021, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
Millions of people worldwide witness anxiety and low mood; out of the total population suffering, only 39-40% of them seek proper counselling. According to psychotherapists, the common symptoms are panic, fear, irrational worries, nervousness, and uneasiness. To know detailed information on the topic, join the session with your friends and family to help yourself and others when necessary.

Technology Business Incubator(TBI) of SRM university-AP launches first startup venture cohort
2021-05-15 08:00 - 10:00
Technology Business Incubator(TBI) of SRM university-AP, Andhra Pradesh, is launching the first startup venture cohort with 35 selected startup ventures on May 15, 2021.
A very special guest of honour, Prof Ramesh Loganathan, Head of Co-innovation and Outreach at IIIT Hyderabad and Ex-Chief Innovation Officer of Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC), will interact with the teams and share his valuable industry experience and explain the scope of innovation and entrepreneurship as a career in India.
62 teams which comprise of 192 students applied for the opportunity. After a rigorous screening and evaluation on various parameters like innovation, scalability and commercialization, only 35 teams/ventures were selected to be a part of the SRM TBI’s first cohort.
The selected ventures will be mentored and supported for a period of minimum 12 months where they will be facilitated with infrastructure support, mentoring and networking support, seed fund and innovation fund support, hardware and software support, industry connectivity, learning resources, market exposure and several others.
The event will start with the welcome address of Prof V S Rao, Vice-Chancellor, SRM University-AP, followed by talk sessions of Dr Prakash Yadav, Head Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA) and Vice President SRM TBI and Mr Udayan Bakshi, CEO SRM TBI and Associate Director-Entrepreneurship.

Weekly Live Discussions on the Mental Health and its Related Issues
2021-05-12 18:00 - 19:00
Amidst the catastrophic situation of Covid-19, more than half of the population suffers from mental health-related issues. As per the reports of the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, about 60 per cent of the urban dwellers are victimised to depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness.
It is highly needed to combat the battle of mental disorder with firm steps. SRM University, AP, Andhra Pradesh has come forward to join hands in the mission by initiating a weekly discussion session, “Ask your Counsellor,” starting on May 12, 2021, at 6 pm, to stream live every Wednesday. The Department of Student Affair organises it, presenting Ms Aayushi Sharma, the Student Counsellor who would respond to all queries related to mental health and its illness.
Covid-19 Pandemic created a huge impact on the mental well-being of individuals. The aim of organising such discussions is to encourage individuals suffering from mental health-related issues to come out and consult with an expert/ counsellor. It is high time that we break the stigmas revolving around mental health and its related issues.
An expert in the psychological and behavioural sciences, Ms Aayushi Sharma, has joined SRMAP as the student’s counsellor in the Department of the Students Affair. She completed her master’s in arts (Psychology) from the Amity University, Noida, Delhi, India. Ms Sharma guides student and associates to cope with mental health-related concerns and directs them to take adequate care.
When the world is under an alarming situation due to covid-19, it is significant to keep positive approaches and conduct open discussions over “Health and mental well-being”. Join the event every Wednesday at 6 pm to enlighten the facts about mental health conditions and clarify the queries.

The live medical consultation session, "Talk to Your Doctor", to stream every Saturday
2021-05-08 18:00 - 19:00
Health and Fitness are the most significant aspects of our lives. These are the two “known “terms going hand in hand. Regular consultations with trusted and experienced medical experts are necessary when health is a concerning factor amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. SRM University-AP steps forward to offer an avenue for its students, staff and faculty members to discuss their health-related issues. It is a free online medical consultation programme that will take place every Saturday, May 08, from 6 pm onwards. Distinguished medical officers of the institute Dr Lakshmi Rajyam and Dr Lakshmi Kiran Talluri, would address the session.
In this scenario where individuals are more prone to get infected by a fatal disease, people must clarify all health-related questions on symptoms, causes and treatment. The one-hour long consultation session would be a valuable platform for getting responses on health-related issues and bursting the myth regarding diseases. Due to COVID-19, when people are not inclined to visit the clinics and hospitals, they can obtain detailed information on their queries through online consultation with these medical experts.
Dr Lakshmi Rajyam is a distinguished personality serving the medical science fraternity for over 42 years and is currently associated with SRM University-AP as the Chief Medical Officer. She has vast experience working with reputed hospitals in the country and can enlighten the participants on testing, treatment, and medication. Since 2017, Dr Rajyam has been an integral part of the SRM Group and is looking after the health and welfare of the University associates in challenging times.
Dr Lakshmi Kiran Talluri is the young mind in the medical team of SRM University-AP. He has completed his MBBS from the NRI College of Medical, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, and has pledged to render the best services to the community.
With the growing stress in life, people are succumbed to fatal diseases and face an early death—the only way to prevent fatality is the diagnosis and proper medication. Here the medical experts can enrich the participants with the necessary knowledge. The faculty, staff and students of the University are requested to join the session every Saturday from May 08 at 6 pm to satisfy their queries

Erasmus Mundus Scholarship: Bismark reveals his secret on "The Newsmakers"
2021-05-08 17:00 - 18:00
The exalting sessions on “The Newsmakers” leave no stone unturned to inspire students with motivating stories of their peers and known personalities. The Department of Student Affairs presents Bismark Razak Haruna in this week’s session. Bismark, a B. Tech Final Year Student at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is deemed to be bestowed on the highly prestigious Erasmus Mundus scholarship. The globally acclaimed European Union-funded scholarship will help Bismark pursue the joint master’s degree programme in Decentralised Smart Energy Systems (DENSYS) in renowned universities of Europe.
Bismark sets an example by being the first Ghanaian to get into the DENSYS program. He expressed that as part of the mobility scheme of the programme, he would pursue the first year at the University of Lorraine, Nancy, France, and continue the final year at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain. The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship help students enrol into the world’s best universities for masters and doctoral programmes with substantial benefits. Needless to say, it is an exceptional achievement to secure the prestigious scholarship out of numerous candidates all over the world.
Join the session on May 8, 2021, at 5 pm with Bismark to know his journey so far.

Prof Arunan to usher into the advancement of Molecular Beam Microwave Spectroscopy
2021-05-08 11:30 - 12:30
The Chemistry Distinguished Lectures series starts its voyage towards transcendental knowledge with an exciting discussion on “Molecular Beam Microwave Spectroscopy: Defining Hydrogen Bond and Discovering Carbon Bond” on May 8, 2021, at 11.30 am. Renowned scientist and Professor E Arunan from the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, will join the webinar as the Keynote Speaker.
Professor Arunan has extensive research experience in the field of Chemical Sciences and is long associated with IISc, Bangalore, one of the premier institutes of India. Dr Arunan pursued his undergraduate studies at The American College, Madurai, followed by two masters from IIT Madras and IIT Delhi. He obtained his doctoral degree from Kansas State University, USA. Prior to becoming an academician, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prof Arunan started his career as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry, IIT-Kanpur in 1995. He later moved to the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, IISc, Bangalore and became a Professor in 2009 and Chairman in 2018.
Prof Arunan’s research interests include experimental physical chemistry, molecular and van der Waals spectroscopy, chemical kinetics and dynamics, hydrogen bonding and other intermolecular bonds/interactions, shock wave interactions with molecules and materials, astrophysics/astrochemistry. He has published around 100 papers in peer-reviewed international Journals, 14 in International Conference Proceedings, 8 in Resonance, the Journal of Education and 16 in Current Science, published by the Indian Academy of Sciences. The celebrated personality has given numerous plenary, keynote and invited lectures all over India and many countries in the world, including the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Finland, Russia, Australia, Czech Republic, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore and South Korea. He has delivered inspiring talks at most of the premier institutes in India and also in colleges and high schools all over India.
Prof Arunan is a Fellow of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Indian Academy of Sciences and a member of the International Advisory Board for ‘Horizons in Hydrogen Bond Research” Conference 2011, International Advisory Board for the Asian Spectroscopy Conference 2009-2013, Programme Advisory Committee on Physical Chemistry, Department of Science and Technology 2008-2012, International Advisory Editorial Board for Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Royal Society Publication, From 2005 and many other organisations and advisory boards. Further, he is serving the scientific community as the Section Editor (Chemistry) for Current Science from 2018, Associate Editor from 2013, Associate Editor for Journal of Chemical Sciences from 2012-2016.
Prof Arunan’s contributions to the world of Chemical Sciences has been acknowledged with many awards and accolades. He was the recipient of the Chemical Research Society of India Bronze Medal 2008. He is also the Founder Member cum Vice-President of the Indian Society for Shockwave Research.
Chemistry enthusiasts are encouraged to join the webinar to learn more on the Molecular Beam Microwave Spectroscopy from the expert himself on May 8, 2021, at 11.30 am.

Dr Ramana Vinjamuri to expose the fascinating tale of "Synergy Based Human Machine Interfaces"
2021-05-08 10:30 - 11:30
In collaboration with IEEE-SRM Student Branch, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, is organising a highly called for discussion on “Synergy Based Human Machine Interfaces”. The event has been scheduled for May 8, 2021, at 10:30 am. Dr Ramana Kumar Vinjamuri, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Director of Sensorimotor Control Laboratory (Vinjamuri Lab), University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA, will honour us with his presence as the keynote speaker.
Human-machine interface (HMI) has not only become a popular technology but has become the hope of many individuals for restoring their lost limb function. Any HMI has two important intrinsic design components—(i) decode the human commands and (ii) controlling the machine to convert that command into action. Decades of research went into making the interface between the human and the machine seamless but was unable to effectively address the inherent challenges, namely, complexity, adaptability and variability.
To overcome the above challenges, it is critical to computationally understand and quantitatively characterise human sensorimotor control. Emerging areas in HMIs critically depend on the ability to build bioinspired models, experimentally validate them and utilise them in adaptive and intuitive control. The human hand with high dimensionality encompasses the three inherent challenges and may serve as an ideal validation paradigm. How central nervous system (CNS) controls this high dimensional human hand effortlessly is still an unsolved mystery.
To address this high dimensional control problem, many bioinspired motor control models have been proposed, one of which is based on synergies. According to this model, instead of controlling individual motor units, CNS simplifies the control using coordinated control of groups of motor units called synergies. However, there are several unanswered questions today— Where are synergies present in CNS? What is their role in motor control and motor learning? By combining the concepts of human motor control, computational neuroscience, machine learning and validation with noninvasive human experiments, can we answer these fundamental questions? The goal of this research is to develop efficient, seamless and near-natural human-machine interfaces based on biomimetically inspired models.
Dr Ramana Vinjamuri received his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2008, specialised in dimensionality reduction in control and coordination of human hand from the University of Pittsburgh. He worked as a postdoctoral research associate (2008-2012) in the field of Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMI) to control prosthesis in the School of Medicine, the University of Pittsburgh, where he received Mary E Switzer Merit Fellowship from NIDILRR in 2010. Prior to that, he worked as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University (2012-2013) in the area of neuroprosthetics. He also served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology (2013-2020). In 2018, he received Harvey N Davis Distinguished Teaching Award for excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching. He earned the NSF CAREER Award in 2019 and NSF IUCRC Center Planning grant in 2020. His other notable research awards are from USISTEF and New Jersey Health Foundation. He holds a secondary appointment as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, India. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

"National Symposium on High Energy Physics"-enthralling discussion on Particle Physics, Dark Matter and gravitational waves
2021-05-01 11:00 - 13:00
The Department of Physics, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, has organised a National Symposium on High Energy Physics on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 11 am. Leading Physicists of the nation are going to share their perspective on the progress and recent challenges in Particle Physics, Dark Matter Physics and Gravitational-Wave Astronomy. Padma Shri awardee Prof Rohini Godbole, theoretical particle physicist at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, will present the inaugurating talk on “Status of Particle Physics: in light of Nobel Prizes of 2013 and 2015”. Prof Basudeb Dasgupta from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, will join us for the next session on “The Mystery of Invisible Mass”. The last talk of the day will be given by Prof. Bala Iyer from the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), Bengaluru. He will shed light on “The Detection of Gravitational Waves and the Dawn of Multi-messenger Astronomy”.
Our first speaker of the day, Prof Rohini M Godbole, is a theoretical particle physicist at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangaluru. Over the past three decades, she has worked extensively on particle physics phenomenology, exploring different theoretical aspects of Standard Model and Beyond Standard Model physics at high energy collider experiments. She is an elected fellow of all the three Academies of Science of India and the Science Academy of the Developing World (TWAS). She has published over 200 research papers and received numerous recognitions from all over the world. Prof Godbole co-edited the book “Lilavati’s Daughters”, a collection of biographical essays on women scientists of India, which was published by the Indian Academy of Sciences. In 2019, she was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of the Government of India, for her contribution to Science and Technology.
In 2013, the Nobel prize in Physics was awarded for the theoretical postulate of the Higgs Boson, after the experimental discovery of the same at the LHC in 2012. This was considered being the last missing piece in the periodic table of the Standard Model (SM). In 2015 the Nobel prize in physics was awarded for the experimental discovery of Neutrino oscillations, which is one robust evidence for physics beyond the SM. In her speech, Prof Godbole will comment on the status of particle physics in light of these two and the exciting results on the measurements of the magnetic moment of the muon that have been announced in the previous weeks.
Prof Basudeb Dasgupta is a theoretical physicist at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. His research interests include the interfaces of particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology with an emphasis on dark matter and neutrino physics. Prof Dasgupta is also the Leader of the Astroparticle Physics Partner Group of Max-Planck Institute for Physics. Prof Dasgupta is a regular speaker at notable international workshops and conferences and different Science Outreach programmes.
When we look at the night sky, we see a variety of astronomical objects, such as planets, stars, gas clouds, still waiting to form stars to swathe of the emptiness. For a long time, it was believed to be all that the Universe is consists of. The following discoveries came as a huge surprise that all we see and know comprises only about 20% of the matters in the Universe. The remaining 80% is invisible and called “Dark Matter.” What is this dark matter? How do we know that is out there? What is it made of? How can we decipher the nature of this mysterious new ingredient of the cosmic soup? In this talk, Prof Basudeb Dasgupta will address and answer some of these questions.
Prof Bala Iyer is currently the Simons Visiting Professor at ICTS-TIFR Bangalore and CO-PI of the LIGO-India Scientific Collaboration. The alumnus of Bombay University previously worked at the Raman Research Institute, Bangalore, on Astrophysical applications of General Relativity, Perturbation methods and Black Holes. Since 1990, he is working on calculations of Gravitational waves from inspiraling binaries of neutron stars and black holes. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation. He has been the Chair of the IndIGO Consortium since its inception in 2009. Prof Iyer was a Member of the Core Team for the LIGO-India Mega-Project Proposal. Further, he is the Chief Editor and Subject Editor of Gravitational Waves for the Online Journal `Living Reviews in Relativity’, published recently by Springer. Prof Bala Iyer has been a Visiting scientist in France, UK, Germany, USA. He has been involved in REAP (Research Education Advancement Programme) for B.Sc students at the Bangalore Planetarium for over two decades and Public outreach on General Relativity and Gravitational Waves.
The first detection of gravitational waves from a black hole binary in 2015 was a breakthrough, taking a century to realise, and made possible by the coming together of a remarkable experiment and an exquisite theory complemented by the best in sophisticated data analyses, state of the art computing and the transition to “big science”. 2017 brought the discovery of gravitational waves from a neutron star binary. The intense associated electromagnetic follow up of this event was spectacular. It heralds the launch of a new multi-messenger astronomy with the potential to impact astrophysics, cosmology and fundamental physics in the coming decades. Prof Bala Iyer will discuss the nature of gravitational wave and its impact on Physics.
The symposium aims to make students aware of the current status of some of the fascinating research topics of High Energy Physics. Students of basic sciences and engineering streams will be highly inspired and motivated after attending the symposium and listening to the talks. Join the captivating event on May 1, 2021, at 11 am.

National Symposium on High Energy Physics”-enthralling discussion on Particle Physics, Dark Matter and gravitational waves
2021-05-01 00:00

"Covid-Vaccine-Life Saviour"-an awareness campaign by Dr Lakshmi Rajyam
2021-04-28 18:00 - 19:00
Although Covid-19 vaccines became available for the people throughout the nation, a massive number of the population is still in a dilemma on whether to avail it. The scepticism is caused by the numerous unverified opinions and comments that are being populated in the mass media. Under the confusion, people are missing out on the boon of Medical Science and are causing more risk to themselves.
In this scenario, only a medical expert can answer the questions that are being raised against the vaccination, and for that matter, Dr Ch Lakshmi Rajyam is the most knowledgeable resource that SRM University-AP has. Following the advice of the COVID-19 SOP Committee, the Department of Student Affairs has launched “Covid-Vaccine-Life Saviour”, an awareness programme on COVID-19 vaccinations to raise consciousness among the people.
The names and manufacturers of the vaccines, doses, eligibility criteria, side effects and after-effects of the vaccines and other essential aspects regarding this will be parts of the discussion. Dr Rajyam will explain in details how vaccination offers protection against COVID-19, differentiating the facts and myths associated with it. She will further guide on the precautionary measures to be taken before and after the vaccines and the do’s and don’s associated with it.
Dr Ch Lakshmi Rajyam is a reputed doctor with 42 years of experience in the medical sciences. She is associated with the SRM Group for a long time and presently serving SRM University-AP as the Medical Officer. She is also an important part of the COVID-19 SOP Committee of the university and looking after the welfare of the students, staff and faculty members of the university during this trying time.
COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the world as we used to see it. The nation is becoming regressive with a moribund economy, the healthcare system is facing an unprecedented challenge. Many lives are being lost in this pandemic, and it is time to rise above the turmoil and learn what is the best possible method to ourselves safe. The faculty, staff and students of the university are requested to join the webinar on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, at 6 pm, where Dr Rajyam will be present to satisfy the queries and clear the doubts on the COVID-19 vaccinations.

Youngster Sai Akhil in Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-19 Squad
2021-04-26 17:00 - 18:00
“I’ve failed over and over and over again that why I succeeded”-Michael Jordan.
Aspiring young cricketer and second-year BBA student of SRM University-AP, Sai Akhil made to ‘The Newsmakers’ for getting selected into the prestigious Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-19 Team, 2021. Born and raised in Hyderabad, Akhil started playing cricket from the age of 12 in a neighbouring cricket coaching centre called Crick Summer. Department of Student Affairs has scheduled the event for April 26, 2021, at 5 pm.
With constant support from family and well-wishers, Akhil Stepped into his journey of cricket. For three consecutive years, he played for Ramadevi Public School’s National Cricket Tournament. Akhil also played in the Under-16 district tournament for Andhra Pradesh. Sai Akhil informed, “Since my childhood, I have always loved watching and playing cricket. I wanted to pursue my interest in cricket, and thankfully both my family and my university encouraged me towards it”. Accolades and awards did not stop him from concentrating on his goals while focusing on his studies. In his endeavours, Akhil was awarded the “Man of the Match” at Vitopia, the sports and cultural fest organized by the Vellore Institute of Technology-AP. He exclaimed, “I represented SRMAP in finals and was proud to be the part of the moment of victory”.
While speaking of Vinoo Mankad Trophy, Akhil expressed, “We played a district tournament in February this year, and the selected players will perform in the state team. My University offered me huge support during my practice days by reconducting tests and extending the deadline for assignment submissions. Faculty members of my department showed immense trust and encouraged me to do my best”.
This young man has set an example for thousands of enthusiasts who want to follow their passion. With uncompromised practice, perseverance and dedication, one can achieve great things, and Sai Akhil is the best person to convey more about it. Join him on ‘The Newsmakers’ on April 26, 2021, at 5 pm.

Dr. Uma Maheswar Arepalli has been invited for an expert lecture as part of the 1-week online FDP by Sreyas Institute of Engineering and Technology.
2021-04-26 00:00 - 2021-05-01 00:00
Organising Institution: Sreyas Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana
Type: Faculty Development Programme
Brochure: Brochure of the Workshop

An intriguing two-day session on "Flourishing through stress" with Aayushi Sharma
2021-04-24 16:00 - 2021-04-25 17:00
Amid Covid-19, when we see high rates of mental duress and a substantial rise in the cases struggling with health concerns, an initiative in the form of discussion is highly obliging. The Department of Student Affairs of the SRM University-AP came forward with an imperative step to hold a two-day webinar on “Flourishing through Stress” with Aayushi Sharma, Student Counsellor, SRM University-AP on April 24 and 25, 2021, from 4 pm to 5 pm.
Mental health and well-being go parallelly, and both interrelate for a healthy livelihood. Everybody caught up in the web of stress, anxiety, and mental issues necessitate counselling to escape through it. With the advent of social media and pop culture narrative, people are open to conversations related to mental health concerns. Youths are the future for a healthier society, laden with a responsibility to understand the mechanism of a complex world. Therefore, a general discussion on self-care and mental health awareness is an effective coping strategy for improving quality of life.
There is very little information disseminated on mental health which led to confusion among people. Individuals often confuse the term mental illness with mental health conversation as there is a profound absence of awareness. Meanwhile, no one confuses a common cold or headache as these illnesses happen on a broad spectrum.
More actions are needed to spread awareness on the spectrum of mental health, especially the common ones such as loneliness and depression, so that an individual can realize these issues and seek medical help or therapy.
Participate in the zoom webinar on April 24 and 25, 2021, at 4 pm to get detailed information on mental health and related topics.

"Multicellularity and Organizational Principles of Metabolism"- Dr Sunil ushers in the new possibilities
2021-04-24 11:00 - 12:00
In the next chapter of the Biology Seminar Series, the Department of Biological Sciences, SRM University-AP, invites Dr Sunil Laxman to deliver an enlightening talk on “Rethinking multicellularity based on the organizational principles of metabolism”. Biology Seminar Series 03 has been scheduled for April 24, 2021, at 11.00 am.
Dr Sunil Laxman is an Associate Investigator at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), Bangalore. The laboratory is interested in understanding organizational principles of metabolic regulation and mechanisms of nutrient sensing. The laboratory research interests can be viewed in three parts: (i) understanding what makes some metabolites special, (ii) discovering metabolic sensors and signalling systems, and (iii) understanding how metabolic constraints can control collective cell behaviour. These studies integrate systems-level approaches, mechanistic biochemistry and cell biology, and theory/mathematical modelling to address these questions. Dr Sunil Laxman has been a DBT-Wellcome India Alliance Intermediate Fellow and is a current EMBO Global Investigator. Beyond the lab, Dr Sunil is interested in understanding how science and innovation can be effectively scaled-this includes policy, innovation hubs, and research outreach programs.
Dr Sunil did his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Industrial Biotechnology from the Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai. He obtained his PhD from the University of Washington, Seattle, USA. He spent several years at the Dept. of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Scientist before joining inStem, Bangalore.
Dr Sunil is also active in science outreach programmes, and he has written popular science articles. The periodic science column for The Wire on the process of discovery, innovation and the scientific method; “Who moved my science”- a science policy and process discussion on the Pragati podcast; Science communication on amazing fungi are some of the examples that bear his signature as a passionate science preacher and educator.
It is a great privilege for Biology enthusiasts to have such a versatile scientist among them. Join the webinar on April 24, 2021, at 11.00 am to learn more from the expert himself.

Dr. Uma Maheswar Arepalli delivered an expert talk on Modern era AASHTOWare Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Design – Can it be a future design methodology for Indian conditions? at PDEU University
2021-04-19 00:00

Prof Lakshmi Kantam to present a captivating speech on Catalysts for Sustainable Chemical Industry
2021-04-17 15:30 - 17:30
SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, invites Prof M Lakshmi Kantam in the ninth edition of the University Distinguished Lecture Series to deliver the keynote address on “Design and Development of Homogeneous/Heterogeneous Catalysts for Sustainable Chemical Industry” on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at 03.30 PM. Our guest of the evening, Prof M Lakshmi Kantam, FNA, FTWAS, FNASc, FRSC, is a renowned name in the field of Chemical Sciences and Engineering. She is presently the Dr B P Godrej Distinguished Professor of Green Chemistry and Sustainability Engineering at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai.
Her areas of expertise are Catalysis, Materials & Process Chemistry.

Prof Lakshmi Kantam did her Bachelor in Science from Andhra Pradesh. The Alumna of Kurukshetra University pursued her masters and doctoral studies there. She has further received Honorary Doctorate in Science by Sri Padamavati Mahila Viswavidayalam, Tirupathi, in 2014.
She was the former Director of CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. She is also an Honorary Professor at The University of New Castle, Australia and an Adjunct Professor at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Apart from managing various academic and leadership positions for various organisations, Prof Kantam is also the Non-Executive Independent Director at Godavari Biorefineries Ltd, Indo-Amines Ltd., and Vinati Organics Ltd.

Prof Lakshmi Kantam is one of India’s leading researchers in the domain of Chemical Engineering and is bestowed with numerous awards and recognition for her commendable contributions to the scientific fraternity. The admirable scientist has published 347 research papers in reputed peer-reviewed journals with citations of 16018. she has further authored and edited five books. The brilliant scientific mind has been granted 52 patents for her innovations. Her present Industry Collaborations include companies such as GBL, VOL, Hikal Ltd, Indo Amines Ltd, Jubilant, Rallies, Kesar Petroproducts Ltd, GACL, Marvel Drugs, Prasol, Mangalam Organics etc.
She is associated with various Government Organisations, including the Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Science and Technology, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory-Pune (DRDO), IIT-Hyderabad, GAIL, etc., to name a few.
Prof Kantam’s contributions are recognised with numerous honours and awards. She has been awarded ICC -D.M.Trivedi Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Devang Mehta – National Education Award (Women in Education Award) in 2017, Asian Paints Padma Vibhushan Dr R A Mashelkar Medal and Chemcon Distinguished Speaker Award (For leadership in Science, Technology and Education)-CHEMCON in 2016, J.C.Bose Fellowship (SERB-DST) in 2015, Lifetime Achievement Award by Indian Chemical Society in 2011.
She is further honoured as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Indian National Science Academy, The Royal Society of Chemistry- UK, National Academy of Sciences, India.
The spirited woman also performs her scholarly duties as the Editorial Board Member at Chemical Record (TCR), Wiley-VCH and Journal of Chemical Sciences, Springer Publishers and the Associate Editor, Catalysis in Green Chemistry and Engineering, Begell house.
Join the webinar on April 17 at 3.30 PM to listen to the captivating speech of the leading scientist in Chemical Engineering and avail this opportunity to broaden your perspectives.

"Health in Our Hands"- an interactive session with Dr Srimadhuri on World Health Day
2021-04-07 16:00 - 17:00
On the auspicious occasion of World Health Day, the Department of Student Affairs organises a very special session for the students of SRM University-AP. As Ralph Waldo Emerson rightly said, “The first wealth is health,” we often forget that. Especially in the thrill of the invigorating youth, students tend to neglect their health and suffer later. Needless to say that we all should remember that health is the most important thing in everyone’s life. A few good practices can keep the diseases away and make your life worthwhile. “Health in Our Hands”, presented by Dr Srimadhuri, will enlighten the students on some substantial problems that the youth of this generation face. She will also share the present scenario regarding COVID-19 and the ideal stand to keep oneself safe from the disease. The session will not be limited to problems related to the students. The faculty and staff will also be benefitted by listening to Dr Srimadhuri’s advice.
Dr Srimadhuri has completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from NRI Institute of Medical Sciences, Visakhapatnam, under the affiliation of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences. Dr Srimadhuri is a young and brilliant doctor who is currently associated with the Ramesh Hospitals, Guntur, as a Medical officer at the Department of Cardiology and Paediatrics.
Enthusiasts are requested to join the webinar on April 07, 2021, at 4 pm to know more from Dr Srimadhuri herself.

"PDEs and Digital Images"- in discussion with Dr Vijayakrishna Rowthu
2021-04-07 15:00 - 16:00
Department of Mathematics is back with another exciting version of the Departmental Seminars Series. This week, the Department of Mathematics invites the in-house mathematician Dr Vijayakrishna Rowthu to deliver a talk on “PDEs and Digital Images.” He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics. The seminar has been scheduled for April 07, 2021, at 3 pm.
Digital images are discrete versions of 2D functions defined over a rectangular bounded domain. In the language of Partial Differential Equations(PDE), a digital Image Processing Method(IPM) appears as an Initial Value Problem (IVP) where the initial value is an image, and the PDE mimics the processing part of the method. Unlike the traditional IPMs, the final outcome is not subjective but majorly depends on the convergence of the evolving solution over the time axis.
In this talk, various PDE models will be illustrated to showcase the benefits and to infuse enough mathematical rigour into the field of image processing itself. Mathematics enthusiasts are requested to avail this opportunity to listen to our distinguished speaker on April 07, at 3 pm.

PDES and Digital Images
2021-04-07 00:00

"GETTING GOAL DIRECTED"-Captivating session by Aayushi Sharma
2021-04-03 17:00 - 18:00
A worthy life is full of admirable goals with a fool-proof plan to achieve those. Be it completing the syllabus, getting a good job, living a peaceful life or retiring with enough money to live; all can be achieved with good planning only. In his celebrated book “Thinking Fast and Slow”, the noble laureate Daniel Kahneman opined, “Intelligence is not only the ability to reason; it is also the ability to find relevant material in memory and to deploy attention when needed.”
Therefore, it need not be debated that only planning is not enough. You will need proper ways to execute it. This is where Aayushi Sharma comes into the picture. Ms Sharma is your Student counsellor and the appropriate person who can enlighten you on how to plan and turn those plans into actions. Join the captivating session with Ms Aayushi Sharma on April 03, 2021, at 5 pm to know more.

Newsmakers: G Ram Dheeraj to recount the tale of his expedition to "Deo Tibba Peak (6001mts)"
2021-04-03 16:00 - 17:00
G Ram Dheeraj, 2nd year, Civil Engineering, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh voyaged to the summit of “Shetidhar Peak(5358mts)” and “Friendship Peak (5287mts)” prior to his recent successful trek to the “Deo Tibba Peak (6001mts), Manali, Himachal Pradesh”. DeoTibba is the second highest peak of the PirPanjal Mountains. Basking in the meadows, and glaciers, Dheeraj reached the mountain peak – an exceptional snow dome with a magnificent view.
A trek enthusiast, Dheeraj fancied adventure, mountaineering, seeing places, and embracing the serenity of nature. Bending barriers, he climbed the peak only to marvel at the picturesque view. He rejoiced being at a place traversed by a few. On April 3, 2021, at 4 PM, Department of Student Affairs, SRM University-AP invited Dheeraj to recount the thrilling tales of his expeditions. In the interactive session – “Newsmakers”, he will also share insights on his fitness regime, along with giving the audience a glimpse of his future trekking plans.

"Overcoming Procrastination!-Doing Vs Delay"- in conversation with Dr Smita Sharma
2021-03-27 16:00 - 17:30
How many of you thought, “It’s just the beginning of the semester, there’s a lot of time to catch up with studies,” and then struggled with the syllabus before the exams? How many of you were frustrated with assignment submissions just because you did not start it on time? How many sleepless nights have you spent before taking the exams because the revision was due? We are sure that you all have experienced some kind of trouble because you put the work on hold. Admittedly, we all have a procrastinator within ourselves. We all love to postpone things a bit, allowing us some free time to enjoy ourselves. However, we often forget that all the work that is being piled up due to our procrastination will come back to us with a bitter consequence.
A student’s life is a time to learn the essential skills that are going to support them in their future professional and personal growth. Doing tasks on time has its own substantial benefits that are not only going to help you in your academic career but also in every sphere of life. Do you find it to be too difficult to learn?
Dr Smita Sharma is the ideal person who can enlighten you on how procrastination affects our thinking and behaviour. She will further guide you with the techniques to defeat it. Dr Smita, as you know, is your counsellor at SRM University-AP, and she will be available in an Interactive session with you on “Overcoming Procrastination!-Doing Vs Delay”. Join the session on March 27, 2021, at 4 pm.

Prof Pankaj Poddar to narrate his fascinating journey of working on "M3: Microscopy, microbes, and materials"
2021-03-27 11:00 - 12:00
The second chapter of the Biology Seminar Series presented by the Department of Biological Sciences, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh will have Prof Pankaj Poddar, Professor, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) & Senior Principal Scientist, Physical & Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, speak on “M3: Microscopy, microbes, and materials“. The interaction of cells with Materials Science yields surprising inferences due to their sensitivity to the surrounding environment. Whether it is the study of cytotoxicity of various materials against mammalian cells or microbial cells, cells respond often in an unpredictable fashion when in proximity to the inorganic/organic materials. On March 27, 2021, at 11 AM, Prof Poddar will present highlights of this fascinating journey in his laboratory where he used various tools to look at the cells closely and invented a method ‘biomilling’ which has the potential for bioremediation in industries.
Since he was young, Prof Poddar had a keen interest in understanding the secrets of nature. After completing his PhD in Physical Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2000, he worked at the School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, and in the Department of Physics, University of South Florida. In April 2005, he returned to India and joined CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune as a scientist and started his research group. His early research focused on bio-inspired material sciences, microscopy of biological objects where his team investigated the interesting Physics of microbes and their interaction with the surroundings. Later, he worked on multimodel imaging, and drug-delivery systems for cancer cells using rare-earth phosphor nanomaterials, quantum-clusters, etc. Prof Poddar has been awarded with CSIR-Young Scientist Award in Physical Sciences, Scientist of the Year Award by CSIR-NCL, and MRSI- medal by Materials Research Society of India. He is also a fellow of the Electron Microscope Society of India, and the Maharashtra Academy of Sciences.

e-Cell organises enlightening webinar on "Super focus at Exams with Theta Waves"
2021-03-25 19:00 - 20:00
The e-Cell of Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA), SRM University-AP is back with another exciting chapter. ‘Unleash Mind’ is a programme that unlocks the mind’s untapped potential through some of the ancient and proven scientific techniques.
Albert Einstein once said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”. This is the simplest indication of the various levels and frequencies of our mind.
We all must have experienced that when we need a solution, we start thinking. When we start thinking, we go into the depths of our minds. Sometimes, the tranquillity feels like a dream or bliss or a peaceful state mingled with creativity and a flow of thoughts that eventually aids you to come up with a solution.
Everything begins with some simple understanding of the fundamentals of life, based on some laws of this universe. If one can master one’s thinking ability, he/she will be able to expand and enhance his/her capabilities. Controlling your mind empowers you with the potentiality of controlling your life.
Ms Swathi and Ms Varshini have come up with a very special edition of the Unleash Mind Community – Super focus at Exams with Theta Waves. A very special guest Shri Girish Jha, an International Coach of Spirituality, will be among us to share his personal experience in the-“mind over matter.”
Join the exciting event Theta Waves: 10x Focus @ Exams, organised by Unleash Mind Community – SRM ECell, on March 25, 2021, at 7 pm.
Join the leadership community and be a part of our dynamic e-cell at www.tiny.cc/srmapecell

Dr Chittaranjan Mishra to discuss "Fast pricing of multi-asset American options under jump-diffusion models"
2021-03-24 15:00 - 17:00
In the next chapter of Departmental Seminars Series, Department of Mathematics, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh welcomes Dr Chittaranjan Mishra, Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, to deliver a lecture on “Fast pricing of multi-asset American options under jump-diffusion models” on March 24, 2021, at 3 pm.
Multi-asset American options are interesting in many ways, e.g., they give the holder the flexibility to exercise at any time up to maturity, allow for risk diversification and for us, these contracts are mathematically challenging to price due to the non-availability of a closed-form formula. When jumps are introduced to model underlying assets, one will be required to solve a partial integro-differential complementary problem (PIDCP) for pricing these contracts. In these cases, we find that computing sufficiently accurate option prices in real-time is extremely difficult. That is because the in hand PIDCP involves a multi-dimensional partial integro-differential equation with a non-local double integral term. Solving these multi-dimensional PIDCP by advanced numerical techniques, such as a customized finite difference method, is very time-consuming, as the corresponding discretization matrices are huge in size. More importantly, the integral approximation matrix is also dense, posing a serious challenge to handle storage memory. Many efficient techniques are proposed primarily to handle the double integral term. However, the required solving time is still not practicable for practitioners.
In our research, we exploit the amazing parallel architecture of modern graphics processing units (GPUs) to solve computationally expensive scientific problems. Nevertheless, resolving the problem at hand by employing a GPU is not straightforward. It requires one to overcome many bottlenecks, such as in. In this work, we have investigated these issues in order to achieve substantial speed-ups compared to a sequential FD implementation.
Mathematics enthusiasts are requested to avail this opportunity to listen to our distinguished speaker on March 24th, at 3 pm.
