Dr Tathagata Sengupta to speak on ‘Debt, Mathematics and Education’.
Department of Mathematics is organising the 16th edition of the “Departmental Weekly Seminar Series” on October 06, 2021, at 3 pm with Dr Tathagata Sengupta as the Chief Guest. Dr Tathagata Sengupta is from Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and he is going to speak on ‘Debt, Mathematics and Education’.
The talk is based on the ongoing work of Dr Sengupta, where he and his collaborators deal with the sociological, emotional and intellectual impacts of mechanical reproduction of formal knowledge systems – such as those based on mathematical models – in the service of economies of endless repetition and mass reproduction. Symbols and formalisms can carry over across different paradigms of human existence, across both time and space, without the underlying meanings and subtleties necessarily being carried along. Such nominalisation of meanings only gets exacerbated under systems of massive mechanical reproduction. Mathematical models particularly are not just mere vehicles of computation but play a paradigmatic role in the very realisation of today’s political economy – being endlessly used to reproduce social relations that suit the interests of power and capital.
Specifically, Dr Sengupta and his team analyse a particular, basic microfinance model that aims to mathematise and thus aid in the management of micro-lending businesses. They describe how such a model not only tries to construct particular social realities and certain kinds of financial ‘common sense’ as such but also how pre-existing normative common sense is likewise codified into the model itself. They argue how such mathematical models have no independent truth value outside of specific historic processes, contexts and paradigms of public common sense – hoping that this allows us to fundamentally shift the culture of mathematical modelling in a way that respects such subtleties of human knowledge in their extremely rich, dynamic, plural, communistic wisdom and creativity.
Dr Sengupta’s main attempt is to push the discussion not only out of the binaries of ‘good/bad models’ but also beyond rule-based rationalist imaginations of ethics into the mundane and emotional – and yet creative, subtle and even magical – daily existence of ordinary people. Existence is marked by social relations of radical inequalities and radical unities. In particular, this also opens up possible directions to pursue intellectually and in practice, when it comes to the question of education.
Mathematics enthusiasts can avail this opportunity to listen to the captivating talk of Dr Tathagata Sengupta on October 06, 2021 at 3 pm.
- Published in Events, Math Events
Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality
Governments from across the globe highlight the need to scale up effective mental health services at all levels in the Covid-19 pandemic. As a part of observing World Mental Health Day, SRM University-AP is organising a three-day webinar series on the dates 8, 9, 10 October 2021, to raise awareness among students regarding preventable psychological conditions.
On October 8, at 6.45 pm, Ms Samitha, Counselling Psychologist with Fortis Malar, Chennai will take the session on the topic “Mastering your Mood”. On the second day, Dr Ninad Patwardhan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, SRM University-AP will elucidate on the topic “All stress begins with your thoughts” at 6.45 pm. Psychotherapist and Special Educator Dr Vasuprada Kartic will engage the session on October 10 on the topic “Mental health for 360-degree success” at 5 pm.
One of the primary causes of psychological disability is depression. Suicide is the second-biggest cause of death in people aged 15 to 29. Assistance for mental and neurological conditions have been severely hampered during the lockdown period. Some groups have been particularly affected, including health and other frontline workers, students, persons living alone, and those with pre-existing mental health issues.
About the Speakers:
Dr Vasuprada Kartic holds double Masters in Counseling and Psychotherapy with a Diploma in Special Education and is a PhD (AM) in Holistic Psychotherapy using complementary and alternative tools. She works as a Psychotherapist in private practice. She’s also a trainer and a live television counsellor.
Ms Samitha has volunteered actively in various Nonprofit organizations such as Sarvahitey that works towards equipping rural kids from age 5-13 with important life skills through interactive ways. She was also a part of a nonprofit organization called FEEL-IT which works towards spreading mental health awareness as well as promoting the use of sanitary menstrual products among the rural population.
Dr Ninad Patwardhan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at SRM University-AP. His research areas include cognitive psychology, social psychology and personality psychology.
Make sure you join these informative and healing sessions from 8 to 10 October 2021, organised as part of World Mental Health Day.
- Published in Events, Psychology
Prof Indranath Sengupta to illuminate on the unboundedness of Betti numbers
Department of Mathematics is organising the 17th Departmental Weekly Seminar on October 13, 2021, at 3 pm. Prof Indranath Sengupta from IIT Gandhinagar will be addressing the students on “Unboundedness of Betti numbers of some families of curves in affine and projective spaces”. Prof Indranath Sengupta will discuss some problems related to the unboundedness of Betti numbers of families of affine curves defined by Numerical semigroups. He will also indicate possible connections, with the help of examples, between the unboundedness of the last Betti number and the Cohen-Macaulayness of the projective closure of these affine curves. This work has been carried out in collaboration with Ranjana Mehta, Joydip Saha & Pranjal Srivastav.
Mathematics Departmental Seminar is widely popular among students and Mathematics enthusiasts. This seminar provides a homey environment where students can interact with renowned mathematicians. Eminent mathematicians and scholars have visited SRM University-AP and enjoyed conversations with students. Everyone is encouraged to take part in the exciting journey through the realms of Mathematics with Prof Indranath Sengupta on October 13, 2021, at 3 pm.
- Published in Events, Math Events
Career Development Guidance to Upgrade From “Option” to “Preference”
Career development skills are the difference between the person who seeks inspiration and the person who becomes one. SRM University-AP is happy to introduce Dr Manu K. Vora, a world-renowned mentor and facilitator to our Master’s students, PhD scholars and faculty members on October 23, 2021, Saturday from 9.00 am to 11.00 am for a session on “Career Development Guidance”.
Dr Vora is an ASQ (American Society of Quality) fellow and had previously served as Vice-President of ASQ Board of Directors and Chairperson of ASQ Chicago Section. He is also a member of AICTE-NEP 2020 Implementation Plan Committee. He had received his B. Tech degree from IIT, BHU and his M.S. and PhD from IIT, Chicago. He also has an MBA degree specializing in Marketing Management from Keller GSM in Chicago.
He has till date developed and offered career development and enhancement skills to over one million people. Dr Vora has also been featured in TED Talks both in India and USA. He has received 56 awards for professional soft skills and leadership development. But his contribution is not just limited to the professional skillsets with which he equips his audience. He has also received 35 awards for his philanthropic activities and has been the President of the Blind Foundation of India since 1989.
Presently, the President and the Chairperson of Business Excellence, Dr Vora has 46 years of Leadership experience guiding Fortune 500 companies and 28 years as Adjunct Faculty Globally in Operations Management. He has so far delivered 1170 presentations, published 70 scholarly articles, written 50 blogs on Quality Management and contributed his skills for the development of 680 educational institutes around the world.
To have such an eminent personality guide us is an opportunity second to none. We believe it will give our Master’s students and PhD scholars the career enhancement skills on which to build their presence in our brand and to develop the career development skills that would make them feathers in our cap. Make use of this exclusive opportunity to acquire the skills that are a match to the global leaders on October 23, 2021, Saturday from 9.00 am to 11.00 am with Dr Manu K. Vora.
Register to Join: https://bit.ly/SRMAP_Eminent-Lecture-Series
- Published in Events