In talks with P. Deepak Kumar, (B.Tech.-Civil Engineering-class of 2016) who will be joining the PhD program at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NUS and here, he shares some extremely useful insights about pursuing foreign internships, exchange programmes and graduate studies from the world's best universities.
What is known from the literature about the pedagogy of VR and ARPoh-Sun Goh
Working draft of upcoming symposium presentation at AMEE 2018
annotated version at
https://www.slideshare.net/dnrgohps/what-is-known-from-the-literature-about-the-pedagogy-of-vr-and-ar-109537135
more at
https://medicaleducationelearning.blogspot.com/2018/08/amee-2018-symposium-what-is-known-from.html
What is known from the literature about the pedagogy of VR and ARPoh-Sun Goh
Working draft of upcoming symposium presentation at AMEE 2018
annotated version at
https://www.slideshare.net/dnrgohps/what-is-known-from-the-literature-about-the-pedagogy-of-vr-and-ar-109537135
more at
https://medicaleducationelearning.blogspot.com/2018/08/amee-2018-symposium-what-is-known-from.html
The article one about Tutors’ Views on the Utilization of E-learning System in Architectural Educationc critique and the article 2 about BELL /CESSNA BREAK GROUND
Comparative Study of Different Approaches for Measuring Difficulty Level of Q...ijtsrd
"Semantics based information representations such as ontologies are found to be very useful in repeatedly generating important factual questions. Formative the difficulty level Of these system generated questions is helpful to successfully make use of them in various learning and specialized applications. The accessible approaches for result the difficulty level of factual questions are very simple and are limited to a few basic principles. We suggest a new tactic for this problem by considering an edifying theory called Item Response Theory IRT . In the IRT, facts skill of end users learners are considered for assigning difficulty levels, because of the assumptions that a given question is apparent differently by learners of various proficiencies. We have done a detailed study on the features factors of a question statement which could perhaps determine its difficulty level for three learner categories experts, intermediates, and easy . Ayesha Pathan | Dr. Pravin Futane ""Comparative Study of Different Approaches for Measuring Difficulty Level of Question"" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd21532.pdf
Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/computer-engineering/21532/comparative-study-of-different-approaches-for-measuring-difficulty-level-of-question/ayesha-pathan"
COLLABORATIVE EDUCATION: NEW FRONTIER FOR FUTURE EDUCATIONFaisalWali
Business Education & Accreditation (BEA) is distributed in print and through EBSCOHost, ProQuest ABI/Inform and SSRN.
The Journal is listed in Cabell’s publishing opportunity directories and Cabell's online. The Journal is also indexed Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory.
The Journal is ranked in The Australian Business Deans Council Ranking.
Workshop given at ASET Annual Conference, Cardiff 2007.
The workshop examines the expectations and attitudes of both students and employers to work placements as part of the undergraduate curriculum.
Mining Opinions from University Students’ Feedback using Text AnalyticsITIIIndustries
Feedback from university students on their experience while studying in any university allows an institute of higher learning to strategize and improve their strategies in order to enrich students’ university experiences. In Malaysia, a yearly student survey is conducted to solicit feedback and this research studies the feedback by using text analytics to analyze issues in the form of key terms that were discussed in the feedback among these students. The outcomes of the analysis in this paper will highlight key topics and related sub-topics in their feedback. Another outcome of the analysis highlights clusters of feedback where themes that are closely interrelated will be put into the same cluster. The unstructured feedback in this research analyzes their arrival to the university, learning activities and living experiences. The methodology used in this research entails review of related works, understanding on the importance of student experience, text analysis that consists of text parsing, filtering, and topics and clustering of themes after texts are preprocessed, and finally analyzing the outcomes produced. This paper concludes by drawing several issues to the attention of the institute.
Masters vs Job: Factors which Help Students to Decide between the TwoDr. Amarjeet Singh
The main idea of the study is to find out the factors that affect the key decision which results in choosing of one option between pursuing a master’s degree after college or going for placement after graduation. Researcher has collected data from 120 college going students and graduates. The data was accumulated using Google forms, it was analysed using Google’s analytical instruments. It was found out that students do not follow any trend to pursue their next goal but they decide upon factors which are directly or indirectly related to their personal lives and circumstances. Although most common answer recorded during the survey was that how some students do not want a break amidst their studies and on other hand some of them want to learn and gain practical experience.
The article one about Tutors’ Views on the Utilization of E-learning System in Architectural Educationc critique and the article 2 about BELL /CESSNA BREAK GROUND
Comparative Study of Different Approaches for Measuring Difficulty Level of Q...ijtsrd
"Semantics based information representations such as ontologies are found to be very useful in repeatedly generating important factual questions. Formative the difficulty level Of these system generated questions is helpful to successfully make use of them in various learning and specialized applications. The accessible approaches for result the difficulty level of factual questions are very simple and are limited to a few basic principles. We suggest a new tactic for this problem by considering an edifying theory called Item Response Theory IRT . In the IRT, facts skill of end users learners are considered for assigning difficulty levels, because of the assumptions that a given question is apparent differently by learners of various proficiencies. We have done a detailed study on the features factors of a question statement which could perhaps determine its difficulty level for three learner categories experts, intermediates, and easy . Ayesha Pathan | Dr. Pravin Futane ""Comparative Study of Different Approaches for Measuring Difficulty Level of Question"" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd21532.pdf
Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/computer-engineering/21532/comparative-study-of-different-approaches-for-measuring-difficulty-level-of-question/ayesha-pathan"
COLLABORATIVE EDUCATION: NEW FRONTIER FOR FUTURE EDUCATIONFaisalWali
Business Education & Accreditation (BEA) is distributed in print and through EBSCOHost, ProQuest ABI/Inform and SSRN.
The Journal is listed in Cabell’s publishing opportunity directories and Cabell's online. The Journal is also indexed Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory.
The Journal is ranked in The Australian Business Deans Council Ranking.
Workshop given at ASET Annual Conference, Cardiff 2007.
The workshop examines the expectations and attitudes of both students and employers to work placements as part of the undergraduate curriculum.
Mining Opinions from University Students’ Feedback using Text AnalyticsITIIIndustries
Feedback from university students on their experience while studying in any university allows an institute of higher learning to strategize and improve their strategies in order to enrich students’ university experiences. In Malaysia, a yearly student survey is conducted to solicit feedback and this research studies the feedback by using text analytics to analyze issues in the form of key terms that were discussed in the feedback among these students. The outcomes of the analysis in this paper will highlight key topics and related sub-topics in their feedback. Another outcome of the analysis highlights clusters of feedback where themes that are closely interrelated will be put into the same cluster. The unstructured feedback in this research analyzes their arrival to the university, learning activities and living experiences. The methodology used in this research entails review of related works, understanding on the importance of student experience, text analysis that consists of text parsing, filtering, and topics and clustering of themes after texts are preprocessed, and finally analyzing the outcomes produced. This paper concludes by drawing several issues to the attention of the institute.
Masters vs Job: Factors which Help Students to Decide between the TwoDr. Amarjeet Singh
The main idea of the study is to find out the factors that affect the key decision which results in choosing of one option between pursuing a master’s degree after college or going for placement after graduation. Researcher has collected data from 120 college going students and graduates. The data was accumulated using Google forms, it was analysed using Google’s analytical instruments. It was found out that students do not follow any trend to pursue their next goal but they decide upon factors which are directly or indirectly related to their personal lives and circumstances. Although most common answer recorded during the survey was that how some students do not want a break amidst their studies and on other hand some of them want to learn and gain practical experience.
In talks with Rajat Jain, (IDD-Civil Engineering-class of 2016) who will be joining the Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Civil Engineering degree program at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, this Fall and here, he shares some extremely useful insights about pursuing foreign internships, exchange programmes and graduate studies from the world's best universities.
2010 is the 4th year since the B.E. CSE batch of 2006 passed out. This talk presents an overview of the different career paths chosen by the 2006 passouts. the mentor talks about different career choices including academic options like MS, PhD, MBA, and industry options and also put you in touch with people pursuing these choices themselves. The mentor also touches upon internships, summer research job opportunities in our college and elsewhere.
Please respond to the following discussion questionsDiscussion .docxblazelaj2
Please respond to the following discussion questions:
Discussion #2
Kettering University/Experiential Learning:
Kettering University founded in 1919, is a private institution that is currently ranked 31 in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges. Kettering has been accredited since 1962 by the Higher Learning Commission and is also a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. At Kettering University their mission reads, “Our mission at Kettering University is to prepare students for lives of extraordinary leadership and service by linking
transformative
experiential learning opportunities to rigorous academic programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and business.”
Kettering University added a fifth-year thesis requirement and became a degree-granting college with a continuing commitment to cooperative education. KU current model runs 13:1, every Kettering student alternates between school terms and work (co-op) terms. While in the classroom, the student to faculty ration is 13:1. This unique cooperative education model, also known as experiential education, is taken to a higher level at KU. This exclusive ideal is what helps the university prepare their students for extraordinary leadership skills!
Competitive Advantage:
Experiential learning has set Kettering apart from its competitors as it equips the students with hands on decision making and critical thinking experience in the workplace starting as early as their first year in college. This thought process is an example of the critical lessons that are learned beyond a lecture hall, it provides students with a set of abilities that cannot be taught by reading a textbook or listening to a lecture. Students attending other institutions are learning about the work place and the successes and failures where Kettering University students are experiencing it in real-life and in a real work setting.
Rationale:
As a cooperative education student, you are working as part of your rotation for your degree. Based on a co-op wage and benefits survey in December of 2015, Kettering Employee Partners are paying:
Freshman Engineering Students: $14.95/hour on average
Freshman Business Management Students: $14.00/hour on average
Freshman Computer Science Students: $14.71/hour on average
Freshman Applied Science Students: $14.30/hour on average
Senior Engineering Students: $18.28/hour on average
Senior Business Management Students: $17.43/hour on average
Senior Computer Science Students: $17.86/hour on average
Senior Applied Science Students: $17.55/hour on average
Kettering University’s most recent graduation rate is currently 62.9% by year 8, and retention rate is at 79.
The solution for unemployed graduate can still be found but when it comes to unemployable - then it becomes very challenging. Let's explore into this on-going disaster and see where's the light amidst all the darkness.
Essay about Business Administration
Healthcare Oral Exam
Essay Why I Want To Pursue A Masters Degree
The Survey Masters LLC copy Essay example
Sample Concept Paper for Masters Degree
My Goals in Studying Computer Science
Statement Of Purpose For MS In Mechatronics
Masters Of Education Program Reflection
The Master Of Teaching Program Essay
Master Of Admission Essay Sample
Sample Concept Paper for Masters Degree
Reflections on a Graduate Program
Masters In English Application Essay Sample
I Am Pursuing A Master s Degree Essay
The statement of purpose or entrance essay is written while applying for admission to any university. I wrote this SOP while applying for Masters to several universities. It was my general SOP and every university I apply to just have to edit the final last part of it i.e information and motivation for that specific university.
Hope this will help many students
Statement of Purpose (UCLA)What is the statement of purpose, and.docxsusanschei
Statement of Purpose (UCLA)
What is the statement of purpose, and what is it used for?
The statement of purpose is an integral part of your application for graduate admission and consideration for merit-based financial support. It is used to understand your academic interests, and to evaluate your aptitude and preparation for graduate work, as well as your fit with the proposed program of study. It is also used to assess your ability to write coherent and convincing prose.
Instructions
Please respond to the following. Your statement can be up to 800 words in length (approximately 1.5-page, single spaced, using 1-inch margins and 12-point font). You do not need to answer every question; focus on the elements that you feel are most relevant to your candidacy.
· What is your purpose in applying for graduate study in your specified degree program? Describe your area(s) of interest, including any subfield(s) or interdisciplinary interests.
· What experiences have prepared you for advanced study or research in this degree program? What relevant skills have you gained from these experiences? Have your experiences led to specific or tangible outcomes that would support your potential to contribute to this field (examples: performances, publications, presentations, awards or recognitions)?
· What additional information about your past experience may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UCLA? For example, you may wish to describe research, employment, teaching, service, artistic or international experiences through which you have developed skills in leadership, communication, project management, teamwork, or other areas.
· Why is the UCLA graduate program to which you are applying is the best place for you to pursue your academic goals? If you are applying for a research master’s or doctoral program, we encourage you to indicate specific research interests and potential faculty mentors.
· What are your plans for your career after earning this degree?
Personal Statement
What is a Personal Statement and what is it used for?
The Personal Statement is an opportunity for you to provide additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UCLA. It will also be used to consider candidates for the Cota-Robles and Graduate Opportunity fellowships.
Instructions
Please respond to one or more of the following prompts. Your statement can be up to 800 words in length (approximately 1.5-page, single spaced, using 1-inch margins and 12-point font).
· Are there educational, personal, cultural, economic, or social experiences, not described in your Statement of Purpose, that have shaped your academic journey? If so, how? Have any of these experiences provided unique perspective(s) that you would contribute to your program, field or profession?
· Describe challenge(s) or barriers that you have faced in your pursuit of highe.
With whom a non - PhD faculty can collaborate?
Is there any possibility for the English Faculty to collaborate with other faculty from abroad and industries?
How do the faculty of English Department partake in Industry Institute Interface?
My question is related to drafting the right project proposal pertaining to Language and linguistics…. Please suggest right ways to do interdisciplinary projects including language aspects.
How to get connected with the foreign prof for collaborative research, sending mail to a concern person not worked out for me. No response from them. How to communicate and get connected?
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp Network
Interview - Deepak kumar
1. Student Alumni Interaction Cell, (SAIC)
Indian Institute of Technology, IIT (BHU), Varanasi
Mayank Vats from the SAIC, IIT (BHU), Varanasi is in talks with P. Deepak Kumar, (B.Tech.-Civil
Engineering-class of 2016). Deepak will be joining the PhD program at Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering, NUS and here, he shares some extremely useful insights about pursuing
foreign internships, exchange programmes and graduate studies from the world's best universities.
Q-1: Please let us know about your undergraduate experience at IIT (BHU) including your
internships.
I am Deepak, graduated with bachelors from Department of Civil Engineering in May 2016 and will be
joining NUS for my PhD this fall. My undergraduate experience was truly enriching in various
dimensions as it exposed me to various career paths I could pursue and more importantly in the
process I found what I would love to work upon at least for the next couple of years. I was involved in
various activities alongside of my academics, established Civil Engineering Society (CES), revived Shilp
(Technical festival of Civil Engineering Dept.), worked as training and placement representative,
participated and later organized events in technical fests. All these helped me to grow as an individual
and shaped what I am today. During the course of my undergraduate studies, I worked upon various
research themes and had an opportunity to intern at Larsen & Toubro – Chiyoda Ltd (2014), IIT Gandhi
Nagar (2015), Dept. of Civil Eng. at NUS, Singapore (2015), Soete Laboratory at Ghent University,
Belgium (2016).
Q-2: What made you choose the path of higher education, rather than go for jobs secured through
placements at the college?
When I entered IT-BHU (I prefer calling it as IT rather than IIT), I wanted to pursue my childhood dream
(to become an IAS officer) but here I am today pursuing a passionate career in research. I realised that
we are being conferred with a degree for a greater cause than merely for pursing a job when I attended
convocation with Karan Bajaj (alumnus of CSE’13) in 2013. After thinking deeply, I decided to bring
change pertaining to issues at my department regarding which I was disappointed earlier. I firmly
believed that I won’t be able to bring change at district level in future if I am unable to do so at a
department level itself. I struggled hard for 18 months convincing the stubborn HOD, managing
professors, solving various issues, preventing myself from being involved in departmental politics for
establishing CES and reviving Shilp. Alongside I was exposed to various research projects & internships
including industrial internship at L&T Mumbai. Though I was successful in bringing the change I was
not happy about what I have been through and decided not to pursue career in civil services.
Simultaneously, I was looking for a foreign research internship and ended up landing at the webpage
of Prof. K.J. Bathe at MIT. Instantly, I was inspired about the research in ‘Computational Mechanics’
and decided to pursue a passionate research career, out of my intuition and experience, than
something else and thus never bothered to secure a job even though I had an opportunity to get into
Bechtel during campus placements.
Q-3: Please tell a little about the course and university you have opted for.
I will very soon embark my PhD program at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NUS.
I would be working in the field of Continuum Mechanics and the tentative research topic is
‘Computational Homogenization and Continuum Modelling of Auxetic Materials’. Computational
2. SAIC | IIT (BHU), Varanasi | Alumni Experiences
Higher Education Series | Deepak Kumar
Page | 2
homogenization is a technique to evaluate the mechanical response of a heterogeneous material
which establishes a qualitative link between the macro variables and its micro structural counterpart.
From time and cost point of view, homogenization technique is preferred than experiments and direct
numerical simulations for engineering design purposes in civil, mechanical and aerospace industries.
Auxetic materials exhibit counterintuitive behaviour, expand when put under pressure or contract
when heated or will get fatter rather than thinner when stretched lengthwise, along with enhanced
mechanical and physical properties, are found to have wide range of applications spanning from
construction to molecular engineering including biomedical and nanotechnology applications. Thus
the research theme I would be working upon will have significant impact in the years to come.
Q-4: What factors did you consider when deciding your current course and university? (What were
your other options in terms of admits?)
During my internships I got a glimpse into Computational Mechanics but I always wanted to learn
more and work upon deep research themes having numerous applications in industries.
Thus the path was clear to pursue a PhD by joining one of the best research groups in computational
mechanics. By doing some basic search, I was able to figure out few very good research groups and
approached them. I was quite glad to hear positively from few professors currently in the most
reputed universities at US. But I have chosen NUS as it is one of the most reputed university, offers a
good scholarship as compared to other universities since I have only bachelors. Also, it would be very
easy for me to progress at my work at NUS as I had prior experience working with same supervisor at
NUS during my internship. Additionally, I would be working in collaboration with a professor from
France who is very well known in higher-order continuum models.
Q-5: What were the key things one should consider when preparing application to foreign
universities? (Emphasis areas? – Academic performance/Statement of Purpose/Letters of
Recommendation)
The most crucial factors to be considered while applying for foreign universities are research theme,
your supervisor (more important than university for PhD), reputation of university (for MS) and
analysing your chances of admission. Although your admission offer purely depends upon academic
performance, past research exposure, SOP, LoR’s funding depends upon variety of factors like current
grants at university, supervisor, GRE score. Professors usually look for CGPA around 9, good research
exposure through projects/internships upon different topics, credibility of your LoR’s and most
importantly your interest, experience and ability to pursue research which is most often expressed in
your SOP. They know that you are an undergraduate and they analyse your skills rather than expecting
publications. Contacting professor’s couple of months in advance is strongly recommended and will
definitely improve your admission chances. Also, having publications or prior experience in relevant
research topics could boost up your chances of admission, as in my case.
Q-6: What kind of strategies did you adopt while preparing for GRE/GMAT? Did you join any
coaching services? If yes, how was the experience? (Please include GRE/GMAT scores if possible.)
Performing well at GRE is very crucial to enhance funding chances and sometimes universities
screening process includes GRE score. I don’t think there is a need for joining any coaching services
except if you are extremely poor in writing and speaking skills. Referring to ETS official material and
various reference books like Kaplan, Manhattan is sufficient but it is advisable to stick to only one
reference book. Practising more, especially analytical portion, will help to increase GRE score. Along
with GRE, universities usually ask for TOEFL score. Comprehensive preparation material for TOEFL can
be found on “notefull.com”.
3. SAIC | IIT (BHU), Varanasi | Alumni Experiences
Higher Education Series | Deepak Kumar
Page | 3
Q-7: What internship advice would you give to current students? What other activities would you
suggest juniors for being better prepared for higher education and the application process?
If someone is interested to go for higher education, I would advise him/her to go for internships in
summers. Indian Academy of Sciences offers best research internship opportunity and most students
who pursued this ended up going for higher education in prestigious universities. Along with this
students should look for research internship opportunities through programs such as SRIP-IIT GN, INAE
Research Scheme, S.N. Bose Shcolar program, MITACS, CHARPAK, DAAD, SURE (Mc Gill University),
SURF, Cornell-IIT Intern program, RIPS-UCLA, UC-Irvine Internship program, Inria Internships, Viterbi
India summer program, NTU-SRI, etc. simultaneously mailing professors who are working in relevant
research theme rather than blindly mailing many. Maintain your CGPA around 9 (preferably good DR),
focus upon academics, try to gain some research exposure through projects during semester and
internships, start early and prepare well for your graduate applications is what all would suggest.
Q-8: Do you think that having been a student of IIT (BHU), one of the nation’s premier engineering
colleges has had any impact on how you were viewed as an applicant for admission, or a student in
general? What would you say regarding the ease of admission in general?
Thanks to Indian Institute of Technologies. Though no one knows IIT (BHU) in specific the tag of IIT
(due to older IIT’s) helped me throughout. I firmly believe that being a student at Dept. of Civil Engg.,
IIT (BHU) never helped me much for my graduate applications except the tag of IIT since there was no
research culture, very less faculty, less freedom in terms of coursework. Apart from that, it was me
who worked hard from sophomore year to maintain good CGPA and to gain good research exposure
with the help of seniors and internships. This is what helped me in opening gates to NUS, Stanford and
University of California, Berkley and few other reputed US universities. Being an IITian is just an added
advantage and it comes into effect only if you have good academic performance and research
exposure. In general, it is very easy to get into academically well-known universities if you have good
academic performance, research exposure and do well at your graduate applications.
Q-9: Financials tend to be tricky while studying abroad. What is your approximate cost of
attendance and tips for sustaining that?
Yes, funding plays a crucial and tricky part in case of higher studies. Applying to public universities,
integrated MS + PhD programmes directly (apply if you are truly ready for PhD), contacting professors
in advance can enhance your funding chances. It’s very difficult to get funding in US, Singapore as
compared to Canada and Europe for Masters. Again the funding opportunities varies depending upon
departments, research themes, universities, supervisors and a lot more. As far as my knowledge the
cost varies from 40 lakhs to 70 lakhs depending upon the university and its location for a two year MS
program. Few students usually go for MS without funding and manage funds by working as teaching
or research assistant, doing part-time jobs, through loans from home country (Usually they repay loan
by joining into a job after MS). Since I have been admitted to PhD program at NUS, I would be receiving
a Research Scholarship from university. Financials are tricky and need to be dealt with care is all what
I can say.
Q-10: A number of aspirants struggle with the choice between a Master’s degree (M.S./M.Eng.) or
a PhD program. What advice would you give to help them make the right choice?
If your focus is to get a job after masters then go for M.Eng as it contains more coursework (suitable
for job aspirants) rather than research as in M.S. Master of Science is suitable for those who intend to
4. SAIC | IIT (BHU), Varanasi | Alumni Experiences
Higher Education Series | Deepak Kumar
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pursue PhD in future or those who are not sure whether they should end up in a job or PhD. M.S.
offer’s a chance to undergo coursework alongside you will be required to carry out research. Few
universities offer M.Eng initially and students can convert them into M.S afterwards again depending
upon various factors. One should go for PhD only if he is truly interested to gain in-depth knowledge
and research experience in that particular field, also willing for a long-term commitment. Graduate
schools are there forever and you can attend them in any part of your lifetime. So think twice before
you apply or make your decision!
Q-11: What kind of employment opportunities should one expect at the end of the respective
degree program, in general?
Most students prefer getting graduated from universities in US and the reason behind this is that US
offers a pool of opportunities for talented. Though a similar situation (circuit branches can get jobs
easily and paid much more than core) prevails in US, students are exposed to greater pool of
opportunities. It is advisable to discuss about employment opportunities with the alumni or current
students of the degree program you intend to take at that university or country rather than seeking
for a general advise. Kindly remember to consider the visa criteria’s, work permits etc. if you are much
concerned about employment opportunities.
Q-12: What fundae would you like to leave for your juniors at IIT (BHU)?
Apart from academics there is much more you need to get exposed to when you are an
undergraduate. IIT (BHU) provides a pool of opportunities to showcase your talents whether you are
interested in technical, sports or cultural activities. Do participate in such activities, interact with
others to understand their perspectives, learn from them and do teach them, explore and experiment
upon yourself. It’s a life enriching opportunity which is going to shape you, your future and you are
going to get it for only once in a lifetime, so have some fun. All you remember and miss about IIT (BHU)
is the fun you had with your friends, not the grades!