Young Researcher Award 2022

Dr Tousif Khan

Dr Tousif Khan, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering has been awarded the “Young Researcher Award 2022” by the STEM Society at the International Conference organised at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla on December 17, 2022. The basic purpose of the STEM-RS is to bring together Researchers, Academicians, Industrialists and Experts from different parts of the country and the world, to exchange knowledge and breakthrough ideas at a common platform by organising national and international events such as Conferences, Seminars and Workshops that unite the Science, Technology, Engineering and Management for the empowerment of research and development.

winter school-reportSRM University-AP hosted the IEEE SPS Winter School on Deep Learning for Image Restoration and Computer Vision from December 5 to 10, 2022. The six-day conference organised by the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering was inaugurated by the honourable Pro-Vice-Chancellor of SRM University-AP, Prof. D Narayana Rao. Expert talks by renowned academicians from the University of Dayton, USA; University of Bath, UK; IIT Hyderabad; IISc Bangalore; IIIT Hyderabad; DA-IICT etc., were the highlights of the conference.

Prof. Sumantra Dutta Roy from IIT Delhi, a well-acclaimed researcher in computer vision and machine learning, joined on the last day of the conference, Saturday, December 10, 2022, for a lecture on Biometrics and Medical Informatics. The discourse focused on the speaker’s struggles to come to terms with concepts which have comparatively little physical significance in terms of mathematical rigour or algorithmic efficiency but have the potential to produce hitherto unseen levels of startling results. The talk concluded with some applications of deep architectures and a few problems in biometrics and medical informatics.

The event was funded by IEEE and guided by the IEEE Guntur subsection and Hyderabad Section. Hands-on sessions were also conducted at the conference. Faculty, researchers, and students from various universities around the map participated in the insightful sessions. The event organisers were Prof. Jiji CV and Assistant Professor Dr Sateeshkrishna Dhuli of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SRM University-AP.

microplastics2

Solid waste is primarily an overlook source of Microplastics that contribute to a delirious amount of pollution to the environment. Thus, a clear understanding of the occurrence and degradation pathways of solid waste microplastics is critical to develop exhaustive control strategies. Dr Deblina Dutta, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science, has published a paper titled, “An insight on sampling, identification, quantification and characteristics of microplastics in solid wastes” in the Q1 journal Trends in Environmental Analytical Chemistry, having an Impact Factor of 13.62.

Abstract of the Research

Microplastics (MPs) have attracted wide attention worldwide as a remarkable pollutant. While MPs spread throughout several complex environmental matrices, various experiments have been preliminarily concentrated on aquatic ecosystems. Terrestrial sources namely solid waste-origin have remained unexplored, although they contribute largely to the origin of aquatic microplastics. Simultaneously, terrestrial systems under human activity, like healthcare units, are likely to be polluted by various plastic ingredients. Solid waste MPs sources primarily include sanitary landfilling, food waste, wastewater treatment end-product (sludge), tire wear, textile washing and paint failure. These microplastics cause adverse impacts on the ecosystem, environment, and health. Accordingly, the present study addressed solid waste MPs’ occurrence and sources, identification, quantification, characterisation, fate, and degradation pathways for developing comprehensive management strategies following the principles of a circular economy.

In particular, this paper critically demonstrated solid waste MPs sources, solid waste MPs sampling followed by identification and quantification by adopting combined chemical (e.g., spectroscopy viz., Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy), physical (e.g., microscopies such as transmission or scanning electronic microscopy, TEM or SEM) and thermal analyses. Additionally, the strengths and limitations of each analytical technique are discussed critically with practical aspects. Further, national and international regulations or laws and their subsequent relevance to solid waste MPs management with future challenges are critically discussed. Finally, the outcomes of the review paper will be valuable to different stakeholders for effective policy implementation.

 

microplastics

Explanation of the Research in Layperson’s Terms

The published paper deals with microplastics (5 mm to 0.1 μm in size) present ubiquitously in the natural environment including rivers, lakes, estuaries, atmosphere, oceans, soil/sediments, landfilling sites, and wastewater treatment plants. However, microplastics are also present in solid waste and studies related to their identification, characterisation, and quantification are very scarce. Therefore, to know more about microplastics and understand the sources of microplastics in solid waste, the extraction procedures, the identification, characterisation, and quantification techniques, and finally the advantages and disadvantages of each of the processes involved in the identification, characterization, and quantification techniques of microplastics, this study has been carried out.

Practical Implementation/ Social Implications of the Research

Waste-assisted plastic pollution is a major global concern with socio-economic, ecological, and health effects. The present study will make society understand the source of microplastics in solid waste along with its extraction procedures, identification, characterisation, and quantification techniques. If society is aware of the adverse effects of microplastics, then only one can think to protect the environment and human health.

Collaborations

The research has been carried out in collaboration with the University of Burdwan, the University of North Bengal, and CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur.

It is now widely recognised that microplastic pollution poses a serious threat to the environment on a global scale. Having originated from a diverse source, it has persisted in various ecosystems, thereby entering the trophic chain. It has contributed to microplastic pollution in the environment, e-waste being a major source of it. Hence, along with metal recovery from e-waste, regulating microplastic pollution is a growing interest. At this juncture, Dr Dutta’s future research is directed towards resource recovery processes, regulating microplastic pollution, risk assessment, life cycle assessment, and techno-economics analysis.

MTech in VLSI: A Comprehensive Guide

By Prof Y Siva Sankar
Professor of Practice, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Artificial intelligence, Machine learning, Robotics, IoT, 5G etc., are some of the technological innovations we hear about today. It is predicted that industry 4.0 will be dominated by these technologies and to have a career in industry we need to master them. At the heart of these new technologies is the evolution of the Semiconductor Industry. Semiconductor chips are incorporated in almost every electronic and communication product that enables these technologies for various domains. Military & defence, Automotive, consumer electronics etc. industries rely on these chips in their system design, while communication companies use semiconductors to improve their services. These industries rely on high-quality designs from qualified specialists to manufacture state-of-the-art equipment. Therefore, it’s essential that qualified specialists understand semiconductor design. That’s where an MTech in VLSI comes in handy. Basically, an MTech in VLSI is a two-year degree program that focuses on semiconductor design. During the study, we learn how to design and assemble circuits, chips, and other electronic components using silicon semiconductors. At the end of the degree program, students will be well-equipped to pursue a career as a designer or researcher in the field of VLSI. Since demand for MTech in VLSI is high these days, students can potentially gain lucrative employment after finishing the degree program. Additionally, this degree program prepares you for a career in any organisation that relies on silicon technology- including healthcare and research centres.

Get an MTech in VLSI! Click here to apply

What is MTech in VLSI and How Can It Help You Achieve Professional Success?

MTech in VLSI (Very-Large-Scale Integration) is a postgraduate-level programme in the field of Electronics and Computer Engineering. The course focuses on the design and development of integrated circuits and systems, including computer-aided design (CAD) tools, simulation, and verification techniques.

The programme covers semiconductor device physics, IC fabrication technology, digital and analogue circuit design, computer-aided design tools, VLSI system design, digital and analogue circuit design, semiconductor device physics, and layout design. It also includes hands-on training in the use of VLSI design tools and the implementation of VLSI systems.

Completing an MTech in VLSI can help you achieve professional success by providing you with the knowledge and skills needed to design and develop advanced electronic systems. Graduates of the programme are well-suited for careers in VLSI design, embedded systems, semiconductor manufacturing, and computer-aided design. They are also well-prepared for further research in the field.

Graduates with this degree can work in roles such as VLSI design engineer, IC design manager, or VLSI research and development engineer. They can work in companies like Intel, Texas Instruments, and Samsung. Additionally, MTech in VLSI graduates can pursue research and teaching positions in universities and research institutions.

Are you interested in applying? You are just a click away!

Click here to apply

What are the Prerequisites needed for Pursuing an MTech in VLSI?

The prerequisites for pursuing an MTech in VLSI typically include a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field, such as Electrical engineering, Computer engineering, or Electronics engineering. Some universities may also require a minimum GPA or a certain number of course credits in related subjects, such as circuit analysis, digital design, and semiconductor devices. To perform well in the course basic understanding of semiconductor physics and device operation, and familiarity with computer-aided design (CAD) tools and simulation software, such as SPICE, Verilog, and VHDL, is an advantage. Some institutions may also require a valid GATE or other entrance exam scores.

Exploring Different Career Paths after an MTech in VLSI

Overall, the career opportunities available to MTech in VLSI graduates are diverse and can be found in various industries, including electronics, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, aerospace, and more.

An MTech in VLSI can open a wide range of career opportunities in various fields such as:

  1. VLSI design: Graduates of the program can work as VLSI designers, developing integrated circuits and systems for various applications, such as computer processors, memory chips, and wireless communication devices.
  2. Embedded systems: Graduates can work in embedded systems, designing and developing intelligent devices and systems that include embedded processors, sensors, and communication interfaces.
  3. Semiconductor manufacturing: Graduates can work in semiconductor manufacturing companies, where they can be involved in the production of integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices.
  4. Computer-aided design: Graduates can work as CAD engineers, using computer-aided design tools to design and simulate integrated circuits and systems.
  5. Research and Development: Graduates can also opt for research and development in VLSI, working in universities, research institutions, or private companies, to conduct cutting-edge research in areas such as nano-electronics, low-power VLSI, and more.

Some of the common career paths for graduates of the programme include:

  1. VLSI Design Engineer: These professionals work on the design and development of integrated circuits and systems using computer-aided design (CAD) tools and simulation techniques. They may work in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, and consumer electronics.
  2. Embedded Systems Engineer: These professionals design and develop embedded systems, which are computer systems integrated into other devices and products. They may work in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and consumer electronics.
  3. Semiconductor Manufacturing Engineer: These professionals work in the manufacturing and producing of semiconductor devices, such as transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits. They may work in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, and consumer electronics.
  4. Computer-Aided Design Engineer: These professionals work on the development and use of computer-aided design (CAD) tools for the design and simulation of electronic systems. They may work in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, and consumer electronics.

The Benefits of Pursuing an MTech in VLSI Design & Technology

Pursuing an MTech degree in VLSI Design & Technology can provide several benefits, including:

  • Advanced Knowledge: The programme provides a deep understanding of VLSI design methodologies, digital and analogue circuit design, semiconductor device physics, and layout design, which is essential for developing integrated circuits and systems.
  • Hands-on Experience: The programme provides hands-on training in the use of VLSI design tools and the implementation of VLSI systems, which can help graduates gain valuable practical experience in the field.
  • Career Advancement: An MTech in VLSI and Embedded systems can help graduates advance their careers in VLSI design and technology, or related fields such as embedded systems or semiconductor manufacturing.
  • Specialization: The programme is specialised and provides the opportunity to gain expertise in a specific area of VLSI design and technology, which can be an advantage in the job market.
  • Networking: The programme can provide opportunities to network with other professionals in the field, including faculty members and fellow students. This can be valuable for building professional relationships and staying informed about the latest developments in the field.
  • Research Opportunities: An MTech in VLSI and Embedded systems can provide students with the opportunity to conduct research in the field, which can lead to discoveries and advancements.
  • Higher Pay: The graduates with MTech in VLSI usually get higher pay than the undergraduate engineers.
  • Higher positions: MTech degree holders are often considered for higher-level positions, such as project managers, research and development managers, or senior engineers.

Enhance your career prospects in VLSI. Apply now for your MTech degree!

Click here to apply

Advantages of pursuing an MTech Degree in VLSI at SRM University-AP

SRM University-AP (Andhra Pradesh) is one of the premier institutes in India for education and research in the field of VLSI Design & Technology. Pursuing an MTech degree in VLSI at SRM University-AP can provide several advantages, including:

  • Faculty: The university has a team of highly qualified and experienced faculty members who are experts in VLSI design and technology.
  • Research-oriented curriculum: The programme has a research-oriented curriculum, which provides students with opportunities to conduct research and work on projects under the guidance of faculty members.
  • State-of-the-art facilities: SRM University-AP has state-of-the-art facilities, including labs and research centres, which are well-equipped with the latest equipment and software needed for VLSI design and technology.
  • Industry Connections: The University has strong industry connections, which can provide students with opportunities for internships and placements in leading companies.
  • Entrepreneurship: The University has a strong focus on entrepreneurship, which can provide students with the opportunity to develop their business ideas and turn them into successful ventures.
  • International Exposure: SRM University-AP collaborates with international universities and research institutes, which can provide students with opportunities for international study and research.
  • Strong Alumni Network: The University has a strong alumni network, which can be valuable for networking and professional development.
  • Reputation: SRM University-AP is known for its reputation for providing high-quality education and research in the field of VLSI and Embedded systems, which can benefit graduates in terms of employability and career opportunities.
  • Scholarship: All the students who get admission to the course will be given up to 100% scholarship to cover the tuition fees.
  • Stipend: All the students who get admission to the course will get a stipend of Rs. 6000 per month.

Apply now for your MTech degree!

Click here to apply

volleyball-championship-srmapThe joyful bliss when you reap the fruits of your labour and passion is immeasurable! The Directorate of Sports proudly congratulates the Men’s Volleyball team for bagging the Silver Medal in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State-level Institutional Volleyball Championship held at Khammam, Telangana. The league tournament was held from January 13 to 15, 2023 and was sponsored by Techwave India Ltd. The Volleyball team displayed a fantastic performance throughout the league and furnished a grand victory over the Khammam team in the semifinals by 3-2 sets. Dr Vijay Kumar Upadhyay, Ex-Ranji Player and Director of Sports, SRM AP was the Chief Guest of the Tournament.

The team consisted of Captain – Ch Ganesh TVM Sai; Vice Captain – Ch Srinivas Rao and members N Gnana Sai Kiran, K Vivek, K Niranjan, K Bhardwaj, S Yeswanth, K Bhuvenesh, N Mahmood, K J N Venkat Sai, K Avinash, K Shri Harsha, K Balaji. They were accompanied by Coach – Tella Vamsi and Manager – Dr Abdul Mohimin.

SRM AP provides top-notch training and world-class facilities for students with potential, building them into national and international athletes. The university also celebrates the amalgamation of sports with academics improving the physical and mental constitution of the students. The university also recognises the need to provide aspiring athletes with opportunities to receive premier education. Hence the institute plans to include Sports and NCC Quota in the University Admissions in the upcoming year.

Upskill your assets through App design

The App Design and Development Club in association with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering is organisApp Design and Development"

It is a prerequisite for technophiles to upskill their assets and sharpen their practical knowledge on tech operations and functions. The App Design and Development Club in association with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering is organising a workshop on the “Introduction to App Design and Development” on November 05 and 06, 2022 to help polish their tech savviness. Mr Praveen Kommuri, Senior Mobile Developer, iOS and Mr Yashwanth Muddana, Full Stack Developer will address the webinar.

About the speaker

Mr Praveen Kommuri has 11+ years of experience in iOS & amp; Mac application design and development. Currently, he is working as a Senior Mobile Developer, Senior Mobile Developer – iOS, Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., USA. Prior to this, he worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Way.com, Inc. USA from January 2017 to September 2021. Whilst in Way.com, he redesigned the Way app from scratch with brand new features. Being the lead, he has participated in UI discussions and implemented many UI and functional modules. He has taken data driven decisions based on Analytics data and implemented A/B Test on all new features. He improved app ratings from hundreds to 25k in a short time and collected valuable user feedback incorporated in the immediate releases. He worked as a consultant in Apple, Sunnyvale, California, USA where he worked on Apple’s internal iOS and Mac applications. He also served as a system analyst and system software engineer in QueST Global, Aspire Infolabs Pvt Ltd. Mr Praveen worked across multiple projects and threads. His creative thinking, expertise, and positive can-do attitude is awe inspiring. Mr Praveen’s strengths in pro-actively offering solutions and ideas, strong technical skill and being adept at all aspects of communications is an example for budding technophiles.

Mr Yashwanth Muddana is a Full Stack Developer who is passionate about solving the challenging problems with tech solutions. He has worked for many start-ups as a full-stack developer, mentored a web and app development club in the college and has done 10+ freelance projects. Mr Muddana is a React JS and React Native developer, UI/UX designer. He uses Node for the server and MySQL and MongoDB for the database. Besides that, he has experience on MEAN Stack, PHP, and many SDKS for analytics, Maps, Ads, Push Notifications and many more. He worked as a Software Developer, Zasket (Part Time) from September 2021 to May 2022. He has secured a job in Krypto Company with a CTC of 60 LPA and is also working on his own start up idea.

Join the webinar to improve your tech savvy!

dr-ugen-bhutiaIt is a prerequisite for a country like India showcasing vast cultural, social, political and economic diversity, for adopting an unprejudiced reservation system to ensure equal and just representation of varied communities in the political decision-making process of the country. But many communities that have been historically disadvantageous(SC/ST) still struggle to receive their right to representation. Dr Ugen Bhutia, Assistant Professor, Department of Liberal Arts, has published a paper titled “The Limbu–Tamang Communities of Sikkim History and Future of Their Demand for Reservation” in the Journal Economic and Political Weekly. The paper provides a comprehensive outlook on the complex history of the communities in Sikkim and past events that have cumulated in their demand for representation in the democratic polity of the country. The future direction of the demand for reservation and its prospective outcomes have also been emulated.

Abstract

Since its merger in 1975 with the Indian union, one of the major sociopolitical issues in Sikkim has been the demand for reservation in the state legislative assembly for two communities—Limbu and Tamang. The demand of reservation for the Limbus and Tamangs crystallised in Sikkim when these communities were notified as Scheduled Tribes under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 2002. The history and future of this political demand has been analysed.

An Image caption generator system implies the detection of the image as well as producing the caption with natural language processing by the computer. This is a tedious job. Image caption generator systems can solve various problems, such as self-driving cars, aiding the blind, etc.

The recent research at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering proposes a model to generate the captions for an image using ResNet and Long Short-Term Memory. Assistant Professors Dr Morampudi Mahesh Kumar and Dr V Dinesh Reddy have published the paper Image Description Generator using Residual Neural Network and Long-Short-Term Memory in the Computer Science Journal of Moldova with an impact factor of 0.43.

The captions or descriptions for an image are generated from an inverse dictionary formed during the model’s training. Automatic image description generation is helpful in various fields like picture cataloguing, blind persons, social media, and various natural language processing applications.

Despite the numerous enhancements in image description generators, there is always a scope for development. Taking advantage of the larger unsupervised data or weakly supervised methods is a challenge to explore in this area, and this is already there among the future plan of the researchers. Another major challenge could be generating summaries or descriptions for short videos. This research work can also be extended to other sets of natural languages apart from English.

Abstract

image caption generatorHuman beings can describe scenarios and objects in a picture through vision easily, whereas performing the same task with a computer is a complicated one. Generating captions for the objects of an image helps everyone to understand the scenario of the image in a better way. Instinctively describing the content of an image requires the apprehension of computer vision as well as natural language processing. This task has gained huge popularity in the field of technology, and there is a lot of research work being carried out. Recent works have been successful in identifying objects in the image but are facing many challenges in generating captions to the given image accurately by understanding the scenario. To address this challenge, we propose a model to generate the caption for an image. Residual Neural Network (ResNet) is used to extract the features from an image. These features are converted into a vector of size 2048. The caption generation for the image is obtained with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). The proposed model was experimented with on the Flickr8K dataset and obtained an accuracy of 88.4%. The experimental results indicate that our model produces appropriate captions compared to the state of art models.

tennis-court

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”

-John F. Kennedy

The Directorate of Sports of SRM University-AP, inaugurated the ‘‘Synthetic Tennis Court” accentuating the importance of physical fitness in everyday life and catering to rising tennis players with immense potential. Honourable Vice Chancellor, Prof. Manoj K Arora inaugurated the new court with a maiden game along with Registrar Dr R Premkumar, Director of Sports, Dr Vijay Kumar Upadhyay and Director of Communication, Mr Pankaj Belwariar. SRM AP aims at providing intensive quality training and world-class facilities for students with potential, encouraging and developing them into national and international athletes. The university showcases the significance of the seamless alignment of sports with academics to improve the physical and mental constitution of the students.

eee-career-guidance

Electrical and Electronic Engineering is a core engineering course in the market with an aspiring number of students securing admissions to reputed universities. Yet with the advent of the modern software era, the dilemma of future job opportunities for Electrical Engineers has been buzzing around the students of the field. The Power & Control Society, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering organised an invited talk on February 02, 2023, on “Career Opportunities for Electrical Engineers” to empower and enlighten young graduates on potential career prospects in the field. Prof. Praveen Kumar of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati was the distinguished speaker of the session.

Some of the frequently asked questions among Electrical Engineers are whether selecting Electrical Engineering as a core course instead of other engineering streams for their BTech degree was the right choice and whether it would hinder their career opportunities in this ever- transitioning job market. Nowadays, the engineering field is dominated by software and its application. It is quite evident that most jobs lie in the software or IT sectors, focusing more on coding and programming instead of our core streams.

Prof. Praveen Kumar addressed this pressing situation and reassured students that selecting the EEE stream was the right choice with it being an important core stream in the field of Engineering and giving flavour to understanding the physics behind the engineering model. He has addressed with examples of how such knowledge plays a major role when relating to other fields in any sector of the industry whether in assembling, production, AI, innovation etc. Prof. Kumar talked about coding and programming, reading syntax, and explained the importance of AI today, and how it plays an important role in engineering analysis such as Control theory, Electrical machines, Power electronics, Power systems etc. Prof. Kumar also highlighted different aspects of the transformation of the Nationwide EV ecosystem in India and encouraged students to learn various aspects of EV and solutions – To think and analyse the problem to create, innovate and present solutions per the market trend.

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About the Speaker

A distinguished academician from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Professor Praveen Kumar had completed his MTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi. He was conferred with PhD from the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands and is an expert in the fields of Electric Vehicles, Wireless Power Transmission and Electrical Machines.