Wednesday 6 November 2024

"I had never met anyone like her. I had dated other girls before, some serious, some not. But Usha occupied an entirely different emotional universe"

Usha Vance and her Academic Prowess! 

On the Second Lady (designate) of the USA

JD Vance on his Wife Usha in his Memoir HillBilly Elegy

Today we had hosted a senior American Professor from the University of Houston – Robin E Gearing, who has more than a hundred research papers in SCOPUS/WoS to his credit, and has been quite a regular visiting faculty to MCC for the past six years now.

This afternoon, when he joined us for lunch – I was asking him if he found Indian food good on his palate. He was pausing a bit for an answer – and he then hastened to give me a reply – profusely apologizing for his delayed reply!

Said he, ‘I was busy glued to my mobile phone, looking up the latest on the US Election Results. Trump seems to be leading’ he said.

Well, the Trump win may have raised both positive and not-so-positive comments from the media - here in India and across the Atlantic as well!

But my post today, on our blog here, would focus on Trump’s running mate – J D Vance and his Indian-origin wife Usha Vance.

What interested me the most was the media attention given to Usha Vance and her Indian roots. Was so happy to know about that!

Especially about her academic prowess!

I was so happy to read that, Usha Vance has a great-aunt aged 96, named Chilukuri Santhamma, back here in India, who is celebrated as the nation’s oldest active professor, who – even today – travels around 60 kilometres each day, to her University to teach Physics.

Usha’s parents had moved to the United States way back in the 1970s, and they teach molecular biology and engineering in San Diego. Earlier, both her father and grandfather had studied and later taught at India’s premier Indian Institute of Technology.

Quite interestingly, I chanced upon her husband and Vice-President designate J D Vance’s memoir.

Yes, he had written his memoir titled, Hillbilly Elegy – ‘a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis’ - that of white working-class Americans!

Remarkable that he had written his memoir when he was just 31 years of age!!!

In this memoir he introduces to his readers, his wife Usha Vance as a ‘supersmart daughter of Indian immigrants’.

Usha comes into the picture for the first time in Chapter 13 of this memoir.

Here goes his lovely words on his Usha -

As I began to think a bit more deeply about my own identity, I fell hard for a classmate of mine named Usha.

As luck would have it, we were assigned as partners for our first major writing assignment, so we spent a lot of time during that first year getting to know each other.

She seemed some sort of genetic anomaly, a combination of every positive quality a human being should have: bright, hardworking, tall, and beautiful. I joked with a buddy that if she had possessed a terrible personality, she would have made an excellent heroine in an Ayn Rand novel, but she had a great sense of humor and an extraordinarily direct way of speaking.

Where others might have asked meekly, “Yeah, maybe you could rephrase this?” or “Have you thought about this other idea?” Usha would say simply: “I think this sentence needs work” or “This is a pretty terrible argument.”

At a bar, she looked up at a mutual friend of ours and said, without a hint of irony, “You have a very small head.”

I had never met anyone like her. I had dated other girls before, some serious, some not. But Usha occupied an entirely different emotional universe.

I thought about her constantly. One friend described me as “heartsick” and another told me he had never seen me like this.

Toward the end of our first year, I learned that Usha was single, and I immediately asked her out. After a few weeks of flirtations and a single date, I told her that I was in love with her. It violated every rule of modern dating I’d learned as a young man, but I didn’t care.

Usha was like my Yale spirit guide. She’d attended the university for college, too, and knew all of the best coffee shops and places to eat. Her knowledge went much deeper, however: She instinctively understood the questions I didn’t even know to ask, and she always encouraged me to seek opportunities that I didn’t know existed.

“Go to office hours,” she’d tell me. “Professors here like to engage with students. It’s part of the experience here.” In a place that always seemed a little foreign, Usha’s presence made me feel at home.

But there were signs that things weren’t going so well, particularly in my relationship with Usha.

We’d been dating for only a few months when she stumbled upon an analogy that described me perfectly.

I was, she said, a turtle. “Whenever something bad happens—even a hint of disagreement—you withdraw completely. It’s like you have a shell that you hide in.”

It was true.

I had no idea how to deal with relationship problems, so I chose not to deal with them at all. I could scream at her when she did something I didn’t like, but that seemed mean. Or I could withdraw and get away.

Those were the proverbial arrows in my quiver, and I had nothing else. The thought of fighting with her reduced me to a morass of the qualities I thought I hadn’t inherited from my family: stress, sadness, fear, anxiety. It was all there, and it was intense.

So I tried to get away, but Usha wouldn’t let me. I tried to break everything off multiple times, but she told me that was stupid unless I didn’t care about her. So I’d scream and I’d yell. I’d do all of the hateful things that my mother had done. And then I’d feel guilty and desperately afraid. For so much of my life, I’d made Mom out to be a kind of villain. And now I was acting like her. Nothing compares to the fear that you’re becoming the monster in your closet.

I was near Ford’s Theatre, the historic location where John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham in the head. I turned the corner, and after a few steps I saw Usha sitting on the steps of Ford’s Theatre.

She had run after me, worried about me being alone. I realized then that I had a problem—that I must confront whatever it was that had, for generations, caused those in my family to hurt those whom they loved.

I apologized profusely to Usha. I expected her to tell me to go fuck myself, that it would take days to make up for what I’d done, that I was a terrible person.

A sincere apology is a surrender, and when someone surrenders, you go in for the kill. But Usha wasn’t interested in that.

She calmly told me through her tears that it was never acceptable to run away, that she was worried, and that I had to learn how to talk to her. And then she gave me a hug and told me that she accepted my apology and was glad I was okay.

That was the end of it.

And the endearing saga goes on and on. Do grab yourself a copy of Hillbilly Elegy rightaway!

And here’s wishing JD Vance and Usha Vance a remarkable stint at the White House grounds, as Second Gentleman (SGOTUS) and Second Lady (SLOTUS) of the US.

PS: For those of you into binge-watching - on Netflix, there’s news for you on the Vances. Hillbilly Elegy, is streaming now on Netflix. It’s an American drama film [directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Vanessa Taylor] based on JD Vance’s 2016 memoir! Here’s wishing you happy watching!

Photo courtesy: ClevelandDotCom

Monday 28 October 2024

" Three of my core principles for life are Persistence, Consistency and Time management!"

Today’s VISA Programme with Daniel Abraham: A Report

Virtual Interaction with Scholars Abroad

Episode 10 | 28th October 2024

Speaker: Daniel Abraham, Predoctoral Scholar with Stanford University, US

(Stanford is Ranked #6 in World QS Rankings of Universities)

College Prayer by Mr. Abraham, Global Student Ambassador

Welcome Address and Introduction by Dr. Asha Thomas, HoD of Mathematics, SFS

Talk by Daniel Abraham 

* Speaker’s Transition from Math to Econometrics to Political Science and Development Economics

* Inspired by Dr. Duraisamy (then HoD of Economics in MCC) to follow Econometrics

* Chose University of Madras over universities abroad due to Covid restrictions

* Worked in an Agro Economic Research centre briefly, was Research Assistant at IIM Ahmedabad and worked with big data

* Currently working at Stanford on the field of women in politics. Interested in topics of political violence etc. in India

Question and Answer Session

The talk was followed by a Q and A session where he had answered and also provided his insights upon many things related to his domain and study of interest.

Mr. Daniel talked about the admissions and internships in the premier institutions in India such as the IITs and IIMs.

He then described that the SOPs for the field of economics does not matter much to get into the country of USA and how just a broad mention of the topic of research and experiences would get one into any premium institution in US.

Mr. Daniel mentioned that the SOPs written with the help of undergraduate degree is more of personal instances and whereas when one writes after the completion of postgraduation or Ph.D., it is more about the work and one’s research experiences.

He had also talked about his professional and personal goals and also about how one can efficiently and effectively manage one’s time.

Mr. Daniel described Stanford University as a topnotch place where one can meet wonderful people. It is known for its Indian diaspora and also for its cosmopolitan nature. He also mentioned about the different ways needed for the science and social science students in approaching their respective professors for their research work in USA.

Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Samuel Rufus, Dean of International Programmes

Programme coordinated by Prof. Arun Kumar Joseph, Associate Dean of International Programmes

Minutes of the Meeting: Ms. Lakshmi Ramaswamy, Global Student Ambassador.

Summary of the Proceedings: Mr. Abraham, Intern, Office of International Programmes.

We shall meet again for the next Episode of VISA in the last week of November 2024.

Best wishes,

Office of International Programmes

MCC

One of the key takeaways of today’s VISA Programme with Daniel was his insistence on three of his principles for life – Persistence, Consistency and time management.

When asked by Mr. Sabarinathan, (our Global Student Ambassador) on how he was able to manage time, he said that, ‘I can ever share my template on how I manage time. I have an app that asks me, before I even open any video or reel on Insta or facebook, ‘Is it really important’?

‘There’s yet another app that allows me to use social media for seven minutes at a time, after which it locks my social media handle. That makes me highly conscious of my social media usage every day’ he said. He has also offered to help prospective students with their SoPs.

Friday 18 October 2024

Poetics and Politics of Language in Postcolonial Studies: An Insightful Article ❤️

I am so delighted to share with you dear readers, an insightful article written by Dr. Sridevi Meenal Shanmugam, Professor, PSG Krishnammal College for Women, Coimbatore, based on my lecture on the topic, Poetics and Politics of Language in Postcolonial Studies, in their vibrant Institution, on 12th July 2024.

The Link to the Article on Purple Bimonthly Editon 1 HERE.

Tuesday 15 October 2024

FDP @ MCC on “Advanced Pedagogy And Classroom Delivery Enhancement Techniques In Higher Education"

 

FDP ON “ADVANCED PEDAGOGY AND CLASSROOM DELIVERY  ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION" 

A Faculty Development Program on “ADVANCED PEDAGOGY AND CLASSROOM DELIVERY ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION" (AN INITIATIVE OF MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, GOVT. OF INDIA IN ASSOCIATION WITH IIT GUWAHATI) is organized by MCTL & MRF Innovation Park from 4th to 8th November 2024 at the BLUE WHALE HALL, MCC – MRF INNOVATION PARK. The details are given below.

Key Features

Subsidized fee for MCC participants: Registration fee for MCC participants is Rs.500/- (five hundred) only and the registration fee for outside participants is Rs.1500/-. The College absorbs Rs.1000/- of each MCC participant

Scope for API score of 10 credit points  

Government recognized certification  

The facilitators of the FDP are experts from IIT Guwahati (Details are provided in the brochure)

Apart from participation certificate, on successful completion of the assigned project, participants will also receive a grade certificate.

Invite for VISA Episode # 10 ❤️

Dear All,

Do join us for the 10th Edition of VISA (Virtual Interaction with Scholars Abroad) on Monday, 28th October 2024 at 7 pm on Zoom Meet.

Daniel Abraham Praburaj is a Predoctoral Research Fellow at the King Center on Global Development, Stanford University, California.

Stanford is Ranked #6 in the latest QS World University Rankings.

Praburaj completed his BSc in Mathematics (SFS) from Madras Christian College and MA in Econometrics from the University of Madras. Previously, Praburaj worked as a Research Assistant at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and the Agro-Economic Research Centre. His research interests lie in the intersection of development economics and the political economy of India. 

Join us for the Zoom meet using the link given below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3186192180?pwd=M2l6N2F0aFJpcGhtMDBEQXUyL0gyUT09

Meeting ID: 318 619 2180

Passcode: chemistry

Best wishes,

Office of International Programmes

MCC

'It’s okay to have career gaps in one’s life. However, learn to appreciate and make the most of your career gaps’ ❤️

Minutes of Today’s VISA Programme

Ms. Athira Suresh Kumar

VISA Edition No. 9

Today was a rain holiday in Chennai. However, we decided to go ahead with the VISA Event scheduled for today, since we had planned for it even a month ago.

We were initially a bit skeptical about the turn-out for today, since many parts in Chennai didn’t have electricity today, and many other areas were heavily inundated because of the rains.

However, we had a very good participation (34) for today’s VISA Programme, and there were lots of insightful questions for Ms. Athira from our students and faculty alike. It was such a joy to have one of our vibrant alumna talking to us today on her experience abroad.

One particular thought that she had shared is worth mentioning. Here goes -

‘It’s okay to have career gaps in one’s life. However, learn to appreciate and make the most of your career gaps’, she said.

Yet another interesting thought that her Professor Dr. Caroline shared about her is also worth mentioning as well. Here goes -

‘I want everyone participating in this talk today, to know how Athira best utilized her time in MCC. She is a good dancer, and she topped not only in her studies but also participated in all extra-curricular activities. Even in her UG she did good research work’, she added.

Now over to the Minutes of the Meeting, by Mr. Abraham, III BA English.

Here goes - 

Ms. Athira spoke about herself and her journey from India to Luxembourg in the year 2022. Her talk focused on the opportunities in Luxembourg, with reference to the location, population and the languages spoken.

Ms. Athira mentioned Luxembourg as the world’s richest country and also presented a video clip of the country - known to preserve its ancient architecture and beauty.

She spoke on why one should choose Luxembourg, and presented the benefits such as having an international environment, free public transportation, no requirement of language tests, availing the Schengen visa and also about the easy to acquire citizenship norms of this country.

Then, Athira spoke about the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology and also about the University of Luxembourg which is the only university present in the country.

Then she described her life in Luxembourg as a Ph.D. researcher, Ph.D. completion criteria, etc., and also gave an insight on why study one should study or work abroad, about the application process and where to look for the available research projects, how to check for test requirements and the need for applying for the latest Ph.D. advertisements, scholarship opportunities, government and institutional funding, about how one can strengthen their application, challenges faced abroad and finally concluded her talk by providing the various career opportunities available post Ph.D, etc.

The talk [which had 34 participants today], was followed by a Q and A session and concluded with the vote of thanks given by Ms. Lakshmi, Global Student Ambassador.

The session began with the MC by Ms. Lakshmi, Global Student Ambassador, and the college prayer was read by Dr. Samuel Rufus, Dean of International Programmes, who also gave the welcome address.

Dr. Caroline Victoria, Associate Professor, Department of Physics (Aided) formally introduced Ms. Athira Suresh Kumar. Dr. Samuel Asirvatham, Head, Dept of Physics, and Dr. Nirmal Tyagu among others interacted with Ms. Athira.

We thank Dr. Selvakumari, for suggesting Ms. Athira Suresh Kumar for today’s programme.

We shall meet again, for the tenth edition of VISA on 28th October 2024, which will also be the final VISA Event for this Semester.

Best wishes,

Office of International Programmes

MCC

[Minutes of the Meeting prepared by Mr. Abraham, III BA English]

Sunday 13 October 2024

Can You Identify Research Gaps? ❤️

The Map & The Gap in Research Writing!

Can you identify Research Gaps before you go ahead and engage yourself in academic research?

Remember! Identifying the research gap is crucial before you venture into serious research. 

First, let us take a look at the research question.

Well, an important constituent of a good research work is the development of a carefully formulated research question.

Good research questions are capable of triggering a beehive of intellectual activity. They not only help in critical reflection, but also open up a slew of discussions and debates on the topic.

Moreover, innovative research questions have the capacity to challenge conventional assumptions and age-old beliefs.

Now, let us look into the research gap!

While a research question acts as a road map that provides direction for new research, the research gap is considered the birthplace for research questions/ research topics.

In short, a research gap is a field of study in which there is a lack of existing research or knowledge on a particular concept.


To sum it up, identifying the research gap becomes a very important part of a good research, as it can help bridge gaps in existing literature, and a good research question is one that addresses the research gap and the research problem.

Now consider these two articles from the Times of India, Chennai Edition.

Read them carefully… Here we go!

Gaps in special education research in India prompted researchers and educators to establish the India Inclusion Research Network (IIRN) in the city on Saturday.

Former national security advisor M K Narayanan launched the forum, which will address policies that help children with special needs holistically.

“Inclusive education benefits the learning needs and creates an enriching environment. We have to support policies that help children with special needs, and these policies must be grounded in robust research,” he said.

Lack of guidance for writing and publishing research and peer discussion are major hurdles in advancing the field, experts said.

“There is hardly any indigenous research. We need qualitative and mixed methods research in special education,” said Himanshu Das, professor at the school of special education and rehabilitation science, SKD University.

To address this gap, Sankalp, a special school under the department of welfare of differently abled persons, brought together educators, researchers, and parents. Richard Rose, professor of inclusive education at Northampton University, said curricula should focus on holistic approaches to ensure equity and access for learners with diverse needs.

Gitanjali Govindarajan, founder of Snehadhara Foundation, introduced her Arts Practices for Inclusion (API) programme, which integrates therapeutic arts practices to promote social inclusion.

The Research Question hence includes the research gap and the problem as well.

Now read the next article –

Avid texters will soon have a new way to talk about the growing impacts of climate change: an emoji depicting a tree without leaves.

Approval of the emoji was revealed in an update earlier this year from the Unicode Consortium.

The leafless tree — also known as the “dead tree” or “dying tree” emoji — was first pitched in 2022 by Brian Baihaki, who saw a gap in messaging graphics that touch on environmentalism.

“That something from 2022… is still relevant today actually speaks to the longstanding relevancy of the concept,” says Jennifer Daniel, chair of the emoji subcommittee at the Unicode Consortium. “Because two years in digital space might as well be 200 years.”

Emoji may not be high on the list of tools needed to combat the impacts of climate change, but the dead tree reflects people’s need to communicate about those impacts, says Scott Varda, an associate professor of communication at Baylor University.

“An emoji like the leafless tree emoji has the possibility to create awareness of climate change as a problem,” Varda says, though he’s “concerned that it does not fix any of the larger messaging issues.”

The leafless tree is one of seven new emoji that will be available on phones in the first half of 2025, joining a fingerprint, a harp, a splat, a shovel, a root vegetable and a face with bags under its eyes.

Source: Times of India, Chennai Edition, 22 Sept 2024

These two articles would help provide a clear overview to identifying the research gap and the research problem before you go ahead and frame the research question and the thesis statement.

Here’s wishing you the best in your tryst with your research! 

Thursday 3 October 2024

Into a Musical World of Chaos

 Alan M Eben's (II MA English) Performance in The New Indian Express dt. 3rd October 2024,Chennai Ed.

Tuesday 1 October 2024

Invite for VISA Episode # 9 | Ms. Athira Suresh Kumar

 

PhD Candidate in Materials Science | Specializing in Correlative Microscopy & Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Ms. Athira Suresh Kumar is currently a second-year PhD student at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), where she is part of the Advanced Instrumentation for Nano Analytics (AINA) group. Her research is centered on creating novel methodologies for mapping the spatial distribution of hydrogen in materials, utilizing correlative microscopy based on Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). her work seeks to deepen the understanding of hydrogen interactions within materials using advanced nano-analytical techniques, contributing to advancements in materials characterization and its development.

Collaborations: Technical University, Delft, Netherlands

Monday 23 September 2024

To experience a unique learning opportunity!

VISA – Ms. Swapna Sundar | A Report

23rd Sept 2024

Dear All,

Thank you for participating in today’s VISA – Virtual Interaction with Scholars Abroad Episode # 8 with Ms. Swapna Sundar, Alumna, Department of Political Science.

Minutes of the Meeting

Speaker: Ms. Swapna Sundar

(Studies: BA Political Science in MCC

Pursued Law at Dr. Ambedkar Govt. Law College, Chennai

Masters in Law, Brussels School of International Studies

Teaching Assistant, Kent Law School, University of Canterbury)

College Prayer given by Global Student Ambassador Sabarinathan

Welcome Address given by Dean of International Programs, Dr. Samuel Rufus

Introduction of speaker by Professor Diviyan from the Department of Political Science

Ms. Swapna Sundar’s Talk

Slide 1 - Why Study Abroad?

* As a student looking to pursue higher education overseas, ask yourself why you want to study abroad.

* May be to experience a unique learning opportunity or to settle abroad or for experience and exposure. Make choices for universities based on your decisions.

Slide 2 - What to Study? Academic Choices

* Professional Degrees - be mindful of pursuing professional degrees abroad with the intention of returning to home country, as equalisation exams are necessary before one can practice.

* Regulation and Laws - be mindful of the laws regarding return to home country.

* Future Career Path - Sketch out a suitable path for yourself to help with making academic choices.

Slide 3 - Funding Your Education

* Scholarships - Research and apply early for scholarships that suit your profile. As India is no longer classified as an underdeveloped or developing country, scholarship opportunities have come down, but there are still good ones.

* Student Loans - Be mindful of your ability to pay back.

Slide 4 - Living Options

* Guest Homes and Hostels - diverse living space with opportunities to interact with people from various cultures

* College campus and Student Residence - spaces sanctioned by the university with opportunities to interact with students from the same university

* Shared Housing - spaces that enable camaraderie on the basis of sharing a living space.

Slide 5 - Travel on a Budget

* Travelling by Parental Support

* Explore the city - take time to explore travel facilities offered to students, especially in Europe and utilise wisely.

* Travel Safe - look for trustable group tours and solo travel with caution.

Slide 6 - Cost Management

* Live like Students - Embrace a simple lifestyle - choose valuable experiences over comfort

* Budget wisely - especially in a shared living space (and even otherwise), manage finances wisely.

* Odd jobs - working part time helps the budget.

Slide 7 - Relationships and Social Life

* Personal Relationships - Be mindful of the kind of company you make

* Social life - do not do anything that would land you in trouble. Be mindful of the fact that you are in another country.

* Legal Awareness - be mindful of the law when it comes to international students in that country as opposed to locals. Don’t jeopardise your visa status or future plans.

Q&A session with the students

Vote of Thanks by Lakshmi

MC & Minutes: Ms. Lakshmi Ramaswami, II MA English

Report of the Meeting: Mr. T. Abraham

We shall meet again next week on yet another Episode of ‘VISA’.

Best wishes,

Office the Dean of International Programmes

MCC



Thursday 19 September 2024

Invite for VISA Episode # 8 | Ms. Swapna Sundar

Invite for VISA Episode # 8 | Ms. Swapna Sundar

Dear All,

We cordially invite you to join us for a lively time of interaction with Ms. Swapna Sundar at 6 pm, Monday, 23rd September 2024 on Zoom Meet, as part of our Virtual Interaction with Scholars Abroad Series, Episode # 8.

Ms. Swapna Sundar has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Madras Christian College, and she is a proud member of the alumni association.

Ms. Swapna Sundar is an accomplished scholar, with four renowned publications to her credit. She is also an excellent communicator, with a vibrant zest for life, and a quest for achieving excellence. She will talk about her experience abroad, and with her immense global exposure, she would also give valuable suggestions on opportunities for higher studies in various destinations abroad.

Do join in at 6 pm, Monday, 23rd September 2024 on Zoom Meet using the link below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3186192180?pwd=M2l6N2F0aFJpcGhtMDBEQXUyL0gyUT09

Meeting ID: 318 619 2180

Passcode: chemistry

Please also find attached the flyer for the event.

Kind regards,

Dr. Rufus

Monday 16 September 2024

Madras Christian College Introduces a Smart Duck to track water quality of its Campus Lake

In Today's Times of India

Madras Christian College has introduced a smart duck to track water quality of a lake inside its sprawling 300-acre campus in Tambaram.

The IoT-enabled, remote-controlled duck will move across the lake and gather real time data on seven key parameters, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and pH, among others.

The lake, one of the key water sources inside the campus, was desilted by Bisleri International Limited as part of their CSR project. They also handed over funds for developing a prototype for checking water quality.

A team from MCC-MRF Innovation Park developed the 3D-printed duck with sensors and created an app to receive and analyse data.

“We can make informed decisions on conserving the lake based on the data. It will help us to protect the ecology and wildlife inside the campus,” says Paul Wilson, principal of Madras Christian College.

The idea of deploying the smart duck was his.

He said any change in the water quality, including an increase in acidity levels, could reveal contamination and help them take proactive measures to control the damage.

“The inbuilt solar panels can power the duck. It can be operated without sunlight for two days, and if needed, it can also be manually charged,” said Kousik, founder of the startup KOLOZEN, which built the duck. The startup has now been fetching and transferring this data for the last two weeks.

Researchers say they could deploy similar ducks on other water bodies outside the campus to monitor water quality and collect data for local bodies.

“This data could tell us about what is happening to a water body during the rain, seasonal change, its environmental health, and diseases. We can also build a hydro informatics platform of a water body with this data. It has huge potential,” said professor T Pradeep, department of chemistry, IIT Madras.

The scrub jungle inside the MCC campus is home to roughly about 90 spotted deer, porcupines, toddy cats, and bats. The duck has two cameras in its eyes to help the college track movements of wild animals within the campus.

Thursday 12 September 2024

VISA Meet with Dr. Ramesh Raja, Alumnus

VISA Meet | 12th September 2024 | A Report

Mr. Ramesh Raja | Singapore

[BA & MA Tamil in MCC]

Dear All,

Thank you for participating in today’s VISA – ‘Virtual Interaction with Scholars Abroad’ Episode # 7.

Mr. Ramesh Raja who did his BA and MA in Tamil with us in MCC, spoke on his teaching experience in Singapore.

‘Singapore is a land of safety and security, and it’s a jewel from heaven come down, said Mr. Ramesh Raja’, elaborating on life in Singapore.

‘There are no recommendations for any postings in Singapore. According to your talent, you will be absorbed in any sector’, said Ramesh.

‘There’s a lot of demand for teachers in Singapore, but a B.Ed Degree is mandatory to get into school teaching’, he said.

On Higher Education in Singapore, he said that, ‘Singapore gives the provision for students to work part-time while doing their degree programme. Five Singapore Universities are among the top #100 in World Rankings, he observed, and added that, there is a great demand for good Professors in Universities there. No kind of recommendation works in Singapore, as merit is valued there’, he said.

‘As regards applying for your PhD programme, the only criteria they expect from you is to clearly outline the objectives of your research. This can get you even scholarships and stipends’, he added.

‘After your Degree, doing a technical course / Value-added course / Diploma Course helps in enhancing job prospects in Singapore’, he said.

Ramesh also said that he would help students of MCC to contact the right person, as regards their higher studies or placements, if they get in touch with him. (He has also given his email id and contact no).

Mr. Sabarinathan did the MC, and Mr. Abraham read out the College Prayer. Dr. Paul Prabhu Santharaj, Head, Dept of Tamil, welcomed the gathering. Dr. Sebulon Prabu Durai introduced the speaker of the day and coordinated the Q & A.

We shall meet again next week, on Wednesday, 18th September 2024, on our next edition of VISA.

Thank you.

Office of the Dean of International Programmes

MCC


Wednesday 11 September 2024

Study Abroad Seminar on Higher Education in Japan: A Report

Study Abroad Seminar | Higher Education in Japan

11th September 2024 | A REPORT

Dear All,

Thank you for participating in today’s lively and highly engaging Study Abroad Seminar on Opportunities for Higher Studies, Internships and Scholarships in Japan.

Dr. Robinson, Head, Department of Mathematics was the Resource Person. He kept the students engaged right from start to finish.

Interestingly he spoke to a few in the audience in good Japanese, and they responded with equal enthusiasm.

Dr. Robinson started off by giving an overview of the Structure of the Education System in Japan, and then proceeded to elaborate on Higher Education in Japan.

He outlined all the famous Universities in Japan, right from

Hiroshima University,

Akita International University,

Hokkaido University,

Chiba University,

Keio University,

Kyoto University,

International Christian University,

Kyushu University,

International University of Japan,

Nagoya University,

Kanazawa University,

Osaka University,

Kumamoto University,

Tohoku University,

Kwansei Gakuin University,

Tokyo Institute of Technology,

Kyoto Institute of Technology,

Waseda University,

Osaka University,

University of Tokyo,

University of Tsukuba,

Rikkyo University,

Risumeikan Asia Pacific University,

Soka University,

Sophia University,

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies,

Tokyo University of the Arts,

Global Toyo University,

University  of Aizu

Which includes the top Universities preferred for MEXT Scholarships.

Dr. Robinson then elaborated on the Japan Society for Promotion of Science and the

1. Ronpaku PhD Programme

2. Post-doctoral fellowships (Short term/Long term)

3. Invitational Fellowships (Short term/Long term)

4. Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI)

Then Dr. Robinson proceeded to outline the seven steps to study in Japan, and highlighted the EJU – Examination for Japanese University of Admission for International Students.

He also gave a few insightful guidebooks on -

Scholarship for International Students in Japan, 2024

International Students Guidebook

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

List of Scholarships for Privately-financed International Students, etc.

Many students asked their genuine queries and had them addressed by Dr. T. Robinson.

It was a memorable session that took us all into a beautiful educational and cultural tour of Japan.

On behalf of the Office of the Dean of International Programmes, we sincerely thank Dr. T. Robinson for spending his valuable time and for sharing the valuable information on Higher Education in Japan.

Ms. Ganga did the MC and introduced the speaker.

Mr. Sabarinathan did the opening prayer and the Q&A coordination.

Ms. Smrithi presented the memento to the Resource Person and also proposed the Vote of Thanks.