" 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.

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.

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]

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! 

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.

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