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Dr Anil K Suresh is a renowned scientist in the area of Bio-Nanotechnology . The prestigious Ramalingaswami Fellow is now an Associate Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, SRM University-AP. He recently developed an innovative catalyst that he named “Jumbo Catalyst” to address the demanding challenges in heterogeneous catalysis. This 3D-megacatalyst generated using “intact eggshell” food-waste is hand-removable with an overall surface area of ~ 78 cm2, featuring wide catalytic support and is highly stable in polar and non-polar solvents for ultra-efficient heterogeneous catalysis. This megacatalyst can overcome the existing limitations such as cost, time, labour, sustainability, mechanical stability, diverse-reactions, large-volumes, aggregation, recyclability and precursor recovery. Dr Anil K Suresh owns the copyrights for this pathbreaking invention through a published patent.

Catalysis is widely used in various industrial processes to produce desired end products. Research in this area substantially evolved from using organic reagents and metals to the adaptation of metal-based nanoparticles. Supported catalysis is a fast-emerging class of catalysis using inert and supportive frameworks with a potential for efficient reuse and recovery of the catalyst. Synthesis of metal-organic frameworks, fibres, polymers and hydrogel-based catalytic nanoparticle loadings are being reported. However, these are associated with intrinsic complexities and are produced using toxic ingredients, ecologically unbenign and are expensive.

The megacatalyst, generated by Dr Anil and his team using eggshell food-waste in the process, is autogenic, facile, cost-efficient and entirely biodegradable. Dr Anil strongly believes that theirs is the biggest catalyst developed so far. The intact eggshell provides an extensive support area for ultra-efficient catalysis. Applicability of this megacatalyst is so simple that even a layman can use it with ease. Moreover, this supported megacatalyst can be effortlessly removed from the reaction mixture post application as it can be recovered by hand. Catalytic reactions using the megacatalyst can be controlled as the tuff, and uniform coating protects the shedding of nanoparticles. Dr Anil Says, “We presume that the mega-size of the catalyst could be instrumental in several challenging applications. As a proof of concept, we selected three eclectic applications including- 1. Large volume sewage dye degradations, 2. Gram-scale hydrogenation of nitroarenes and 3. Transesterification of used oil to biodiesel- which are all difficult to achieve, highly challenging but are now practically feasible using our megacatalyst.”

“Keeping in mind the ultra-catalytic proficiency of our catalyst that can be simply resourced from continuously available eggshell waste, with minimal maintenance for the large scale practical implementation, we welcome interested beneficiaries from diverse heterogeneous catalysis sectors for bringing this innovation to execution,” Dr Anil asserted.

The team is currently investigating to design and fabricate other species of megacatalyst using other significant metal precursors and earth-abundant metals to expand the applicability in allowance of diverse reactions such as oxidation of CO, Methane, Mono/Polyhydric alcohols, hydrogenation of alkynes, Nitroaromatics and CO2.
Dr Anil K. Suresh concluded that this breakthrough conception would not have been possible without the rigorous efforts of his team and the continuous support from the university management. Dr Anil Suresh thanked his PhD students Chandra Bhatt, Divya Parimi, Tharun Bollu and Madhura. Dr Anil especially thanked Professor D Narayana Rao, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, SRM University-AP for his extensive support in all his scientific endeavours since his association with the university.

SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh presents Aloha, a virtual welcome to the freshers on this erudite journey. Though the pandemic impeded the young students to attend the classes and enjoy the conducive campus of SRM University-AP, an array of performances, contests, and fun awaits them on February 13, 2021, at 10.30 AM. Students are encouraged to unleash their talent in the gamut of competitions hosted by the seniors to celebrate the beginning of the journey of their juniors at SRM University-AP.

The elaborate gala will commence with The SRM Matrix where teams will be participating in a Scavenger Hunt, and flaunt their wit by solving riddles to win the contest. Hurling forward, the freshers will be participating in Fun Trivia, a quiz competition for smart youngsters, where questions will be asked on General Knowledge, Sports, Movies, and other relevant themes.

The freshers will rejoice by partaking in the meme contests, a platform where they will showcase their creativity. Also, Mic Drop has been arranged, where the freshers will shine by sporting their flair in singing, mimicry, or stand-up comedy. Finally, MR/MS Fresher will be chosen for the year through a series of segments such as Introductory round, Star Walk, Talent round, and Rapid Fire. Further, fun games such as Grab ‘N’ Get, Never Have I Ever, and “Aaja Nachle”, Let’s Enjoy (coordinated by Dance Club) will be the other highlights of the day.

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering organises Invited Talk to prepare students for the upcoming competitive exams

Higher Studies or Job? Students are often torn between these two after the completion of their undergraduate studies. Whereas getting a job after B.E./B.Tech is not that difficult, but securing one’s dream job may not be that easy. Some students prefer to take admission in a reputed institution and pursue higher studies, some might want to join R&D in well-established companies. A few might be even interested in securing employment in the public sector. The choices vary from one student to another depending on their merit, financial stability and personal preferences. SRM University-AP always encourages students to go for their choices. A good pay package is only useful when it comes with a job of one’s inclination. However, first of all, one has to be aware of the choices he/she has. Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering organises an invited talk on the two of the most sought after opportunities for engineers after their undergraduate studies- Indian engineering Services and GATE.

Indian Engineering Service offers highly prestigious employment under the Government of India. The IES is a very specialised and technical service. Only engineering graduates from recognised universities are eligible to take the entrance examination. Even postgraduates with specific specialisations such as wireless communications, radio engineering, electronics, or radiophysics are eligible to apply in certain posts. A career in Indian Engineering Services allows an engineer to administer a large segment of technical challenges in the public sector economy, consisting of Indian Railways, Power, Telecommunications, Central Water engineering, and Defence service of Engineers, Central Engineering Service.

On the other hand, the purpose of the GATE exam is to test students’ knowledge and understanding of their undergraduate level subjects in Engineering and Sciences. A misconception among the students is that the GATE exam is only necessary for the ME. /M. Tech aspirants who want to pursue a career in academia. But, the GATE score of the candidate is also valued by several public sector undertakings (PSU) for recruiting graduate engineers in entry-level positions or to be enlisted in the Fellowship Programs of CSIR or applying for scholarships in ME/M.Tech, and many more.

However, qualifying these examinations is not a piece of cake. It requires rigorous planning, perseverance and above all, hard work. But, there is always some strategic points which can make a student stand out in the exams. Dr Murali Prasad, the distinguished guest of the session, will brief you on some strategic points that will help you immensely in cracking the examinations. Dr Prasad has over 30 years of teaching experience, especially for competitive exams like GATE, IES in ACE Engineering Academy, Hyderabad. He has completed his graduation in engineering from The Institution of Engineers, Calcutta. He pursued his M tech from Pondicherry Engineering College and later obtained his PhD in WiMAX from JNTU Anantapur. Dr Prasad has published six patents and currently working as a Professor at Vardhaman College of Engineering, Hyderabad. Join the session tomorrow at 10.30 am and learn the masterstrokes from the expert to crack competitive exams like GATE and IES.

In the glorious launch of e-cell presented by the Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA), SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, Mr Sri Ram Suravarapu, Founder & CEO – Isthriwala, Tonmetri Info Solutions, and The UnFlugged Band, has been invited as the eminent guest for the larger benefit of the community, and to engage the students in an evocative fashion.

The concept of this e-cell is to train the students to create the impact which is desired and much needed by society. With the mission of creating a culture of entrepreneurship not only at the SRM University-AP campus, but across the accessible length and breadth of the state of AP, the e-cell is commencing on January 27, 2021, at 5.30 PM.

Programme Agenda: Click Here

Another chapter in The Newsmakers features Sanjana Vadapalli, an undergraduate student in Psychology who is better known as the certified Opera Singer of SRM University- AP. Her talent in music is recognised by Trinity College of London with a level 8 Certification in Music Theory. Completing level 8 represents an achievement that is equivalent to an undergraduate diploma or degree. Trinity College, London certifications are regulated by Ofqual and recognised by Julliard and Royal Academy of Music, London.

Sanjana was discovered with the voice of a soprano at the age of three by her teacher, and since then she has been practising Opera Singing. She was mostly self-taught with brief expert guidance. Her artistic skills are not limited to only music, she is a poet and also a sculptor who likes to carve in wood and wax. She makes her own paint out of natural resources, and her art pieces are mostly on Gouache on Acrylic. Sanjana said, “Opera singing is not a child’s play. Many sacrifices had to be made in order to find success. I had to isolate myself for at least 6-7 hours for practice. No ice-creams, no cold water. But, music is something that my soul connects with. I have learnt about 2000 songs so far, and I am willing to make a career in music.” Despite being asthmatic, Sanjana never lost faith or patience to pursue the genre of music where controlling the breadth is an essential part of the art. With proper meditation and medication, she managed to find her way to excel in Opera Singing.

Sanjana further asserted, “The thing that I love the most about SRM University-AP is the space you get for your creativity. I completely dedicated myself to music, and I received support from everyone. With amazing faculty support and motivation, it turned out to be the most beautiful experience in academics. The University has some of the most spectacular extracurricular clubs and facilities which are really interesting to explore. My experience in the Music Club has been wonderful so far.”

On Saturday, February 6, 2021, Join Sanjana on The Newsmakers at 4 pm to know more about her journey in Opera Singing. Sanjana is now aspiring for ATCL LTCL FTCL in music, which is equivalent to postgraduation in music (Opera Singing).

SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh presents Business Voyage, a club initiated by the students pursuing BBA in the School of Entrepreneurship and Management Studies. During the ceremonious inauguration of the club on February 6, 2021, at 5 PM, Ms Vino Supraja, a renowned fashion designer, will be addressing the audience. From a young age, Ms Vino Supraja was driven by her passion and acumen for fashion. She walked the ramp in Shanghai Fashion Week, presented her collection Buoyancy at the 10th anniversary of Brooklyn Fashion Week, and the collection Rise at New York Fashion Week, 2018. Among her many accolades, she won the prestigious Golden Laureate Award from IFA, Paris. Of late, the collections of Ms Vino Supraja reflects sustainable fashion, and she has launched her Premium online sustainable and ethical fashion brand, based in UAE.

Hurling further, the club organized Marketing Geeks, a competition where participants will be showcasing their marketing and persuasive skills through the presentation of a creative advertisement. To ace the contest, participants will create a brief presentation and pitch the product assigned to them to the panel of judges. This wonderful opportunity will also allow enthusiastic and competitive students to have fun while learning.

Khushboo Sharma is one of the brightest gems in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. She is currently pursuing her third year in undergraduate studies. She has recently bagged an envious summer internship offer at one of the most reputed companies- Adobe India, a multinational software company. Through their women-only hiring challenge “SheCodes”, Khushboo not only bagged an internship offer but she may also have an opportunity of a Pre Placement Offer, upon successful review after this internship with attractive pay package. She will be joining Adobe India in May 2021 for the internship of 10-12 weeks with a stipend of 1 lakh rupees per month.

Mr Vivekanandan, Assistant General Manager, Department of Corporate Relations and Career Services (CR&CS), says “It is a proud moment for the university. SRM University-AP is full of bright students with huge potential. It is our sincere responsibility to bring out the best in them and help them find the right place in the industry.” Khusboo asserted that the training process in the Department of CR&CS was rigorous. Be it attitude development or interview preparations, the CR&CS department has extended continuous guidance and support along with mock sessions. Mr Vivekanandan further informed that the training programmes of SRM University-AP are designed by the experts to make students prepare for every challenge that they might face in a competitive world. They even organise some training sessions that are company-specific. Needless to say, that the placement department is not ready to leave any stone unturned when it comes to the future of its students. The placement team thoroughly guided Khushboo in the four-month-long hiring process in Adobe.

Khushboo expressed her gratitude, saying that it would not have been possible for her to crack this challenge without the continuous guidance and support provided by her teachers and the placement team. The modernised industry-oriented curriculum helped her gain the necessary in-depth knowledge to excel in her studies. Khushboo is also a part of tech-based clubs of SRM university-AP and always strives to think something out of the box. Her zeal towards scaling new heights and perseverance her made her achieve this offer.

Advancing the celebration, Prof D Narayana Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, SRM AP took the virtual podium to comment “Science and Technology is the driving force for the economic development of India. We need to encourage young scholars by providing a vibrant and conducive research environment. Expanding the frontiers of knowledge by triggering interest among students must be the priority of the institutions. Also, focus should be on translational research with societal applications through collaborative research to make our nation a global leader.”

The team comprises of undergraduate students – Mr Raviteja Reddy, Mr A Chaitanya, Mr P M Aditya, Mr K Praveen, K Yeshashwini, A Sravya, K Vasu, and G Priyanka along with faculty members – Dr Venkata N Nori, Associate Professor, and Dr Panchagnula Jayaprakash Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering. Aditya reveals, “We endured several challenges in various aspects of retrofitting the conventional petrol motorcycle. Also, designing a portable battery system, enhancing the performance of the Hub motor, Chassis improvements, etc. enriched our understanding of electric vehicles and manufacturing techniques.”

Conversion of IC engine bike to an e-bike is considered to be a potential business venture by the team. Sharing their forthcoming plans, Aditya informs, “We are working on additional designs and ideas to incorporate the best possible features to make the e-bike more reliable. We heartily thank Prof D Narayana Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, for his continuous support. Also, Dr Venkata Nori and Dr Jayaprakash propelled us to create a steadfast model by relentlessly helping us in improving our design to make our model more cost-effective.”

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