High-Level Committee Prepares Roadmap For IISER Berhampur

Berhampur: A high-level Research and Academic Advisory Committee (RAAC), comprising of renowned scientists and academicians, has outlined a roadmap for research and scientific activities for IISER (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research) Berhampur.

The 22-member committee — which included Padmashri Prof. K N Ganesh, founder director of IISER Pune and IISER Tirupati — interacted with the faculty, students and research scholars in different sessions on September 1 and 2, and guided them in the quest to achieve excellence in science education and research.

“Though IISER Berhampur was established as an institute for science education and research during 2016 and is the youngest among seven IISERs in the country, we are very impressed with the tremendous progress in various fields. The students are very energetic and high-grade research in agriculture, minerals, ocean and other fields is ongoing in great ambience,” said Prof. Ganesh.

“Research must develop and facilitate the locals and we are happy that IISER Berhampur is heading in the right direction,” he said.

Members of the six sub-committees of RAAC — Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science/Data Science, Mathematics, Physics and Academic Advisory Committee — interacted with faculty, students and research scholars intensively to help steer and streamline IISER Berhampur.

IISER Berhampur Director Prof. Ashok Kumar Ganguli, who formed the high-level committee with the approval of Board of Governors, said that the visit of committee members and their guidance would help the institute develop further.

“We are collaborating with several educational institutions in Berhampur, especially south Odisha and Vizianagram, to create an ecosystem of high quality research centres to facilitate the local educational institutions and make them benefited through mutually collaborating projects,” Prof. Ganguli said.

The Indian government sanctioned Rs 1582 crore in 2018 for establishment and operationalisation of the permanent campus at Laudigam in Kanisi, Ganjam. Construction is in its final stages, and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2024, Prof. Ganguli said.