Students Showcase Innovation at Research Conclave

Shoolini University’s Student Research Council (SRC), in collaboration with iHUB, organised a Student Research Conclave and a day-long symposium titled ‘Advanced Technology Impacting the Social Economy’. Supported by iHUB DivyaSampark at IIT Roorkee, the event aimed to promote innovation and research among students, featuring expert talks, keynote addresses, and student showcases. 

The event opened with a welcome address by Prof Pankaj Vaidya, head of the Yogananda School of AI, Computers and Data Science. Ramanujan Research Associate and SRC founder Anitya Gupta delivered the keynote address, highlighting the council’s mission to build a research-driven environment.  

Prof Deepak Kumar, iHUB Shoolini Coordinator and Professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, updated the audience about iHUB Shoolini’s progress, focusing on emerging technologies like Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), the Internet of Things (IoT), and drones. He acknowledged the continuous support of the university leadership, including Founder Chancellor Prof PK Khosla, Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla, President of Innovation and Marketing Prof Ashish Khosla, and iHUB DivyaSampark CEO Manish Anand. 

Addressing the audience, the Chancellor emphasised the importance of innovation and translational research, particularly in healthcare. He announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for students publishing research papers in the prestigious Nature journal, with an additional Rs 25,000 for their mentors. 

The symposium featured expert discussions on student and university funding opportunities, including a presentation by Prof Sujit Banerjee, former Senior Director at the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Prof Harish Sahu from DRDO shared insights into the development of quantum technologies. 

Assistant Professor Piyush moderated a panel discussion on ‘Advanced Technologies Impacting the Social Economy’. The panel included experts like Prof Banerjee, Prof Sahu, Prof Manju Khari from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The panel explored the societal and economic implications of AI, blockchain, and IoT, focusing on digital upskilling and the challenges of job displacement. 

Students showcased their innovative ideas during the research conclave. Anmol Malhotra, a third-year BSc Biotechnology student won first prize for his business model on ‘Stem Cells from Menstrual Blood’. Monika, a research scholar from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, secured second place for her presentation on ‘Green Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles Using Rumex Nepalensis Spreng’. Bhawna Gautam, a second-year MBA student, earned third place for her app, providing localised information to tourists. 

Anitya Gupta shared that the university was in talks with DRDO, led by Gaurav Gupta, to secure internships for select students. Several ideas from the symposium are being refined for submission to DRDO and DST. 

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof MS Thakur from the Core Engineering department. 

Sept 9, 2024