Prof. C. Durga Rao brings his crucial research to SRM University, AP and tells us why it will be a hub of worldwide R&D facilities
The fact that academics in the country are responsible for staggering amounts of research is well known. But it’s not very often that you come face to face with someone involved with life-saving medical research. Prof. C. Durga Rao has been a part of the team responsible for the development of Indian Rotavirus Vaccine. During his long stint with Indian Institute of Science, he worked on childhood viral diseases, primarily Rotavirus, and Enteroviruses, which are related to Polio Virus. Now he is setting up the laboratory at SRM University, AP to continue the vital work while helping students imbibe crucial research skills. What’s the progress? Read on.
Bringing it home
As part of the team at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Prof. Rao played a crucial role in the development of the first indigenous viral vaccine developed and produced in India. He asserts that he joined SRM University, AP because it offered him an opportunity to continue with his research. “The administration is supportive and determined to develop the University as a research-oriented institution. I am sure that the coming years are going to be very significant for the R&D of the university. Though we are a new organization, the intellectuals gathered at the university are exceptional,” he says enthusiastically.
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Multidisciplinary model, multidisciplinary talent
Dr Rao’s enthusiasm, high energy are befitting of a researcher bursting with ideas, looking forward to making his University a significant contributor among worldwide R&D facilities. Given the multidisciplinary nature of studies and collaborations at SRM University-AP, he is also excited about working with researchers who are experts in fields like Nanotechnology, Gerontology and more. “But since we are working on the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary models, mostly I have engineering students. So making Biology interesting to them is crucial,” he speaks of translating his passion onto his students.
Encouraging future researchers and thinkers
Dr Rao reveals that at SRM University, AP the focus is on the active participation of students. They are encouraged to ask questions and get marks for it towards their annual grading. The idea is to increase engagement that results in their all-round intellectual development. “In my biology class, we go from how life evolved to the latest advancements in the field. We also teach Data Analysis in Biology, which is an amalgamation of latest Data Analysis technologies with the standard practices of Biology. We want to keep things relatable and stimulating to help students apply their minds and be successful in careers they choose,” he spells out the long term goal.
Lithium ion batteries research a nobel cause_MPS
Lithium-ion Batteries Research: A Nobel Cause
If the portable electronics industry has revolutionised the way we communicate today, then we have a lot to thank Lithium-ion Batteries for providing the building blocks. These humble batteries have powered this high tech revolution. It’s probably why Lithium-ion Batteries are rated as one of the most influential pieces of materials science that impact modern life. So when John B Goodenough, University of Texas at Austin, M Stanley Whittingham, Binghamton University, and Akira Yoshino, Meijo University, were announced as Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry for their work on Lithium-ion Batteries, it was a seen as a recognition long overdue.
Long-standing impact
After Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm announced the distinguished winners of the richly deserved awards it said in a statement, “Lithium-ion Batteries have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil-fuel-free society, and are of the greatest benefit to humankind.” They have been the bedrock for the modern technology-driven world we live. It’s interesting to note that Lithium-ion Batteries have been around for three decades. While mobile technology has gone through a dramatic change only in the past few years, battery technology hasn’t bettered Lithium-ion Batteries for 30 years. That shows you what a powerhouse of a discovery it has been.
Research background
It was in the 1970s that M Stanley Whittingham began the work to overcome the drawbacks of earlier rechargeable batteries, mostly the amount of energy they could store. Lithium’s properties made it an ideal material for the batteries. His first Lithium Battery was also developed in a bid to promote and look for fossil-free energy solutions. However, the batteries ran the risk of exploding, which is why he added Aluminum to Lithium in the anode of the battery. John B Goodenough used Cobalt Oxide for Cathode and it instantly doubled the battery voltage. Akira Yoshino used the technology to create the first commercial battery in 1985.
Changing the future forever
John B Goodenough aged 97 is the oldest Nobel Laureate ever. According to him, when he started his work on Lithium-ion Batteries, he couldn’t imagine the impact they would have. “I didn’t know what electrical engineers would do with the battery. I really didn’t anticipate cellphones, camcorders and everything else,” he said in an interview. But the fact is that today they are at the heart of several modern technologies, from mobile phones and laptops to electric cars. Since Lithium-ion Batteries hold the electric charge longer, they have intrinsically enhanced the viability of electric cars that will be the need of the future.
Lithium-ion Batteries have broadened the spectrum of sustainable energy resources. That’s because they are capable of storing energy from the Sun, Wind and more. These renewable resources will be expected to power our planet’s future. And Lithium-ion Batteries will be making it possible, thus sustaining our tomorrow.
SRM University-AP has set up Amara Raja Center for Energy Storage Devices in collaboration with the Amara Raja Group. The center is fueling the advanced research on Li-ion and beyond Li-ion batteries that aims to revolutionize the world in upcoming years. Ultra-fast charging of devices, new materials for energy storage devices, more efficient batteries and even more R&D are being carried at the center.
At SRM University- AP, we realise the need for research for making the world a better place and we strive to make it happen, for us and for you!
Next Tech Lab students end the year with a win!
Next tech lab students achieve yet another milestone in Hackathon Codebreak 1.0 organized by MIT ADT University, Pune on 21st and 22nd December, 2019. The team- Rushank Jain, Suraj Maharana, Omkar Ingale, and Ajay Kumar participated from SRM AP in this national level hackathon, where they competed with students from IIIT, BITS, Bennet University, K.J. Somaiya and many more. The panel of judges comprised of experienced personnel from IBM, Siemens, and Xpansion.
Our team built a Virtual Reality application that tackles tourism, medical and social issues. The students mitigated the challenge of not having a 360-degree camera by capturing images on their phone, and doing the laborious work of stitching more than 80 images and later, automated the process by utilizing their skills in OpenCV. The students surmounted all the quandaries and made it to the 1st runners up prize among 40 other teams.
The students expressed their gratitude to SRM University AP for providing the opportunity to attend this hackathon and for fortifying them throughout. “It was my first time participating in a competition at such a large platform. It was an amazing experience competing with so many brilliant minds and learning so much from the exchange. We are expecting 2020 to be full of achievements and fun”, says the young achiever of SRM AP- Rushak Jain.
- Published in Events
SRM AP welcomes the new year with grandeur!
“We felt at home away from home with our friends at SRM AP who have become family”- Apurba Kumar Howlader (3rd year, Mechanical Engineering).
As dusk fell on the eve of the new year, an extravagant celebration was witnessed at the SRM AP campus. The basketball court was stunningly decorated with disco lights, a perfect backdrop for the celebration.
The ambiance was set with soulful performances by “Diversity”-the student’s band led by the lead vocalist Asim along with Suchet B Thapa on guitars, Srijan B Thapa with clap box, and Srijeet Tomrokar as an acoustic guitarist.
The new year is the time to cherish the fond memories of the passing year before bidding farewell to it. The students participated in the competition “Rewind 2019” where they had to create a video on their memorable moments spent in SRM AP. Sukumar (2nd year, Computer Science Engineering) bagged the first prize in the competition whereas, Parshal Chitrakar (3rd year, Computer Science Engineering) himself narrated his year’s journey on camera to become the runner up.
The much-awaited “DJ Night” began right after where the students grooved to English, Hindi, and Telugu music handpicked by Sukumar. “Nothing could have been better than this celebration right before the turn of the year where we got to spend time with our mates”, says Sreelekha Bhuvaneswari (2nd year, BSc.Physics)
The countdown to 2020 began at midnight and soon enough skyrockets shot off to declare that we stepped into the new year. A cake-cutting ceremony by Wng Cmdr Venkataachalam Sekkappan (Director-CLM) marked the end of the day. Suchet B Thapa (3rd year, Mechanical Engineering) wraps it up aptly by saying, “The jazzy celebration is a 20 on 20 to begin the year 2020”.
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- Published in Events
Career options after BA
What are my career options after completing my BA?
Find yourself asking: after BA, what next? You’re not the only one. In science-and-tech-obsessed India, a bachelors in arts or a BA is often portrayed as a “lesser” option. Some parents even dissuade their children from an education in the arts, despite the student’s keen interest in a subject like history, political science, or English literature. The common assumption is that job prospects after a BA are poor. So, is that true? Absolutely not! As you will see through this article, your career options after a BA are rich and promising, with high-paying jobs after BA a reality. Apart from debunking the myth that a BA is a bad career choice, we would also want to stress on the importance of choosing your Bachelor’s degree according to your interest area, rather than what people think is popular. This way, you lay the foundation for a long and rewarding career that actually sustains your interest!
But first, what do I study in a BA?
In India, a BA degree is either a Pass course, in which you study a mix of subjects or an honours degree which specializes in one subject, such as a BA (Honours) in Political Science. Again, a BA Pass degree is regarded as inferior to an Honours degree, but fresh thinking suggests a Pass or multidisciplinary Bachelors may actually be useful from a career point of view because it trains you in many subjects. A Bachelors in Arts degree covers subjects in Liberal Arts, such as
- Languages, such as Hindi, English, Sanskrit, French and more
- Social Sciences, such as Economics, Political science, History, Psychology
- Humanities, such as English literature, Maths, Philosophy, Statistics, Journalism, and Fine Arts
What are Maths and Economics doing in a Bachelor of Arts?
Fun fact: Economics and Maths are traditionally recorded as Liberal Arts rather than science disciplines! Many colleges still offer a BA, rather than a BSc, in Maths. Since economics is a science about society, and since Maths is closely linked with music and art – think about fields like beats, dimension, perspective, and geometry – both of these are considered Arts subjects!
Where should I enrol for my BA?
Enrolling at a good college for your BA is important because this will give you a competitive advantage. If you’re planning to apply to a BA, work hard and ensure you have a good score in Class 12th so you can get the college and subject of your choice. Some of the best colleges for a BA in India are:
- Lady Sri Ram College, University of Delhi. Best for English, Economics, Maths, Psychology, Statistics, and Journalism
- St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. Best for English, Philosophy, History, and Political Science
- Presidency College, Kolkata. Best for Political Science
- Christ Church University, Bangalore. Best for English and Economics
- Fergusson College, Pune. Best for Economics
- Loyola College, Chennai. Best for English, Economics, and Statistics
- SRM University, Andhra Pradesh. Best for Interdisciplinary Bachelors. You can customize 6-7 courses across Arts and Science disciplines.
- Ambedkar University, New Delhi. Best for Psychology and Fine Arts
- MS University Baroda. Best for Fine Arts
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Best for BA in German, Spanish and other languages.
What are my career options after graduation in arts?
Like we’ve seen, the range of subjects covered under a BA degree are vast. Your career scope after a BA program will depend on your choice of subjects to a great extent. For example, A bachelors in English or communication will help you make a career in the media, while a BA in Statistics will prepare you for a career in insurance and risk management. However, one advantage of doing a BA is that your career choices are quite fluid; so, you can always for a career in advertising after a political science degree or pursue an MBA after an Honours in English. Based on whether you want to pursue advanced studies, or look for a job right after your BA, here are some career options:
Which is the best course after graduation in arts?
The best course is the one which most suits your interest and skills. Here are a few options you can choose from.
MA/ MPhil in your subject
In case you want to pursue a career in higher education and research, opt for a Master’s in your subject. You can be eligible to teach in a college after an MA if you qualify the National Eligibility Test (NET). You can further pursue an MPhil/ PhD from universities, such as University of Delhi, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, and SRM University, Amravati. Ever since the Sixth Pay Commission, educationists get very rewarding salaries.
Starting monthly salary for an ad-Hoc college professor: Rs 50,000 for a central university
Bachelors in Education
If you would like to teach at a school, you can pursue a Bachelors in Education, which is typically a two-year course. A B Ed qualifies you for school teaching, which is both lucrative and emotionally rewarding since you get to mentor the youth of tomorrow.
Starting monthly salary: Rs 25,000 upwards for pre-primary teachers; Rs 35,000 upwards for primary teachers
Law
After your 3-year B. A degree, you can appear for the Common Law Aptitude Test (CLAT) which enables you to get into a Bachelors of Law (LLB) program. After specializing in civil, criminal, corporate, or intellectual property law, you can join either a district or high court as a lawyer, or even work for the legal department of a firm. Where: National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore; Symbiosis Law School, Indian Law College (ILS), Pune; MSU, Baroda
Starting monthly salary: Varies greatly, starting from Rs 20,000 for a lawyer at a districts court
MBA
Students often ask: can I do an MBA after a BA in English or History? Of course, you can! A graduate from any discipline can apply for an MBA after a BA. You will be required to take the CAT for the IIMs and other entrance exams for institutes such as the IIMs, and other exams for institutes like XLRI, Jamshedpur and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. A great option for MBA after your BA is MICA (once known as the Mudra Institute Communications, Ahmedabad) which offers an MBA in Marketing and Advertising. In an MBA, you can specialize in options such as finance, marketing, human resources, foreign trade, and more. Depending on your specialization, you can work as a manager in various departments of Indian and multinational companies, such as American Express bank, tech giants like Google and Intel technologies, and consulting firms like KPMG and Deloitte. Choose a specialization allied with your strengths to get the most out of your MBA degree.
Starting monthly salary: Graduates from tier-1 colleges like IIM Ahmedabad and ISB can expect a monthly average salary of Rs 1,25,000.
Postgraduate courses and diplomas in journalism
Have a distinctive voice and want to make it heard? A master or postgraduate diploma in business journalism after your B. Com prepares from institutes such as the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, and Indian Institute of Mass Communications (IIMC), Delhi prepares you for a career in print, TV, or digital media! You can work as a reporter, writer, or editor with a newspaper, news agency, TV channel, or website, depending on your preference and specialization. Popular employers in India are the Times Group, the Indian Express, TV18, and NDTV.
Starting monthly salary: Reputable print and digital media outlets pay a starting salary ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000. For TV channels, the salary can go up to Rs 60,000.
Masters in Social Work
If you want to make a difference to the world around you, a Masters in Social Work is a good option. This course prepares you for a career with non-profits, in the corporate social responsibility arms of MNCs, healthcare, and counselling, depending on your stream of specialization. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, as well as the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi offer very reputable Masters in Social Work (MSW) degrees.
Starting monthly salary: Rs 20,000 with small non-profits to Rs 50,000 and upwards for large non-profits, MNCs, hospitals, and governmental organizations.
What if I want to apply for a job after my BA?
You have many options here too. Some great options are listed below.
Government jobs after BA
Government jobs after a BA are a good option. A BA is especially useful in preparing you for the Indian Administrative Exams (IAS), and the Provincial Civil Services Exam (PCS) as many questions in the preliminary exams cover subjects such as Indian politics, history, and general knowledge. Most such competitive exams for the Central and state government require only a Bachelor’s degree, so they are always a good option.
Hot tip: Though subjects like political science and history are evergreen options for government exams, specializing in subjects like Sanskrit or Philosophy is also a good choice, since these subjects are high scoring.
Monthly salary range: Upwards of Rs 50,000 for IAS and PCS.
Defence jobs
After your BA, you can take the NDA (If you are under 19) or CDS (between the ages of 19 and 24) recruitment exams to join the defence forces. Apart from numerous perks, the monthly salary ranges for the lieutenant rank in the army is upwards of Rs 50,000 (basic pay).
Banking jobs
You can also take bank exams to join public sector banks, such as Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank, or the separate RBI exam for the Reserve Bank of India. The RBI exam is a great option, though quite competitive.
Starting monthly salary: upwards of Rs 38,000 for probationary officers (PO) in banks, Rs 68,000 for RBI Grade B officers (including basic pay and benefits)
Private jobs
Journalist
Journalism is a great career option after a BA in English. You can join a newspaper, television channel, or digital outlet as a reporter right after your graduation; though without a postgraduate diploma in journalism, you may be required to take an editing and general knowledge test. Remember to brush up on your language skills and reading before taking such an exam!
Starting monthly pay: Rs 25,000 upwards
Content writer
Writing for a website, blog, or business is a good option, especially if you are creative and good at secondary research. It helps if you establish a niche, such as education, lifestyle, business, or healthcare and specialize in it. You can work with businesses from Amazon to Myntra to Nykaa to Microsoft as a content writer. Often, you may be required to undertake a writing test.
Starting monthly salary: Depending on the size of the outfit, this can range from 15,000 to Rs 40,000 for Microsoft and Nykaa
Copywriter
Have a knack for coming up with catchy hashtags and memorable slogans? You have a good chance of joining an ad agency as a copywriter right after your BA. Most ad agencies, such as Leo Burnett, Ogilvy and Mather, and Dentsu will require you to take a copy test to evaluate your creativity and language skills.
Starting monthly pay: Rs 20,000 upwards
An executive with a multinational corporation
If you have a BA in subjects like Economics, Statistics, or Maths, you can join an MNC as an antry-level associate, consultant, or executive. Companies such as Price Waterhouse Cooper, JP Morgan, and McKinsey often hire freshers.
Starting monthly pay: Rs 30,000 upwards
Researcher
Whether it be news agencies, NGOs, or corporates, all organizations require researchers who can collect, process, and archive data. You can join news organizations such as NDTV, NGOs such as CRY and Goonj, or MNCs like Gartner as a researcher right after your BA.
Starting monthly pay: Rs 15, 000 (for small non-profits) to Rs 20,000 upwards (for larger NGOs, media agencies, and MNCs)
Translator
Have a BA in French, Spanish, Japanese, Urdu, or Sanskrit? Or are you fluent in more than one language and have a flair for translation? You can work as a translator for a publishing house, a multinational corporation, travel agencies, and embassies. Fluency in foreign languages, especially those that are tough to master, such as Japanese, can be especially lucrative.
Starting monthly salary: Rs 20,000 (for publishing houses) to Rs 40,000 upwards (for large translation agencies and MNCs)
PR Executive
All large organizations and many smaller ones have public relations arms, so there is no shortage of PR and marketing jobs. A Bachelors in English or communications presents an additional advantage in getting a job in public relations, marketing, and sales. Though starting salaries in these fields may be low, the ramp up can be fast if you exhibit good language, communication, and sales skills.
Starting monthly salary: Rs 15,000 upwards for small organizations to Rs 30,00 and more for larger companies
Graphic designer or illustrator
In a world increasingly attuned to the visual medium, this option is perfect for those with a Bachelors in Fine Arts. Advertising agencies, production houses, design and branding studios, as well as media houses, often require illustrators, so brush up your portfolio!
Starting monthly salary: Rs 25,000 and upwards
With all these options around, a Bachelor in Arts can be a hidden advantage, especially since studying humanities and liberal arts subjects often hone your communications skills and emotional quotient, factors that go a long way in building a fruitful career.
- Published in Blog, Liberal Arts
Dr. Shuvendu Rana
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