The February Summary -TMTW

Experiencing the Captivating Memorable Events in February

This month of February prepares the field for spring to come and fills the hearts of individuals with new excitement and joy. We bid farewell to the month, but the month was special because of various developments on the university campus. This blog explores multiple events, including engaging in international conferences, enriching webinars and workshops, academic visits, expert talks, and celebrating Science Day, Cancer Awareness Day, and International Mother Language Day.

Workshop on Basics of SPSS

Equipment with the latest tools and techniques has become a necessary part of today’s advanced world curriculum. A training workshop on utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was hosted by the Research and Development Cell in association with Akal Business School. SPSS is widely used software by researchers and marketers to ease out complex data. Dr. Sheikh Basharul Islam, Assistant Professor of Akal Business School, presided over the workshop and shared his expertise in the respective realm.

Spreading the awareness on World Cancer Day

The poster-making Making Competition was organized by the Akal Zoological Society and the Department of Zoology in collaboration with the Department of Medical Sciences. 26 students from various departments participated. The event was coordinated by Dr. Uttam Gupta and Dr. Komalpreet Kaur.
One more poster-making event was hosted by the Red Ribbon Club in association with the National Service Scheme and Department of Physiotherapy as part of their awareness campaign. The event was featured with the thump imprints to showcase awareness about cancer and contribute to reducing the cancer burden.

Mock Parliament

The Centre for Competitive Examination (CCE) organized Mock Parliament to expose students to actual parliamentary proceedings and debates. The event unfolded practical experiences for like-minded individuals. Before the commencement of the final event, the stage was all set, and the portfolio was allotted. It began with a call for attention motion and oath ceremony for new ministers, and the bill was passed with a prolonged debate and discussion.

International Conference on Mapping Violence and Social Exclusion (ICMVSE-2024)

The Department of English Studies organized the International Conference on Mapping Violence and Social Exclusion. The grand execution of the event was graced with the presence of distinguished personalities Professor Inga Bryden, Dr. Subhashish Bhattacharjee, Dr. KM Ziyauddin, Mr. Florian Deckers, and Dr. Vipan Pal Singh across the globe. More than 60 papers were presented by researchers, and several expert talks enriched the platform with diverse perspectives. Students mesmerized the audience by visualizing urban and rural spaces through their 3d models.

Enhancing the Learning with Academic Visits

• A Visit to Book Fair

Learning is never a never-ending process; learning outside the classroom gives comprehensive and practical experiences to learners. The Department of Punjabi has recently organized a visit to the Book Fair at Punjabi University, Patiala. Students from B.A. and M.A. and research scholars met with eminent authors and attended sessions that gave them a liberalizing experience.

• Visiting Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant

The Department of Physics planned an academic visit to Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) in Lehra Mohabbat, Punjab. There were almost 51 students accompanied by Dr. Janpreet Singh. Mr. Bhupinder Singh Gill (Sr. Xen) provided the students with the details of the thermal plant. They visited the coal processing unit, and students were explained the various conversion processes and instrumentation. The visit registered a very positive response from the participants.

Expert Talk by the Department of CSE

An expert talk on “How Generative AI is Disrupting Global Healthcare” was collaboratively organized by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) Training and Placement Office (TPO) and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Mr. Vipin, co-founder of Digiomed, Hyderabad, and S. Ravinder Singh, a distinguished tech leader, attended the event. They elaborated on the role of Generative AI in shaping the healthcare sector, challenges of diagnostic errors, the role of Large Language Models (LLMs) and LangChain, etc.

Webinar on Recent Advances in Research Publishing

To explore the evolving technicalities of the research field, Akal Business School arranged a webinar on Recent Advances in Research Publishing under the instruction of Dr. Sheikh Basharul Islam. The online webinar was chaired by Dr. Sumeer Gul, Professor Department of Library and Information Sciences, University of Kashmir. The discussion dealt with handling rejections strategically and understanding the publication process; participants were introduced to various tools such as DRYAD, Figshare, Re3data, SCIANIMATIO, and SCITUBE.

Reception of the Young Scientist Award by Dr. Komalpreet Kaur

The highly competent faculty members of Akal University receive frequent awards and honors, and recently, Dr. Komalpreet Kaur, Head of the Department of Medical Sciences, received the Young Scientist Award at the 27th Punjab Science Congress held from 7-9 February 2024 at Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh under the umbrella of Punjab Academy of Sciences.

Celebrating National Science Day

National Science Day was celebrated enthusiastically to promote the students’ scientific temper. The Department of Physics, in association with Technological Innovation Club, organized a model-making competition under the theme “SPECTACULAR SCIENCE.” Another event was organized by the Akal Chemistry Society of the Department of Chemistry under the patronage of the Indian Science Congress and the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology. Dr. Aman Grover coordinated the event. Various scientific experiments, such as the synthesis of gun cotton, hot rice, Nordic gold, and the conversion of ferromagnetic to paramagnetic substances, were performed.

One-Day Workshop on Equity in Higher Education

The Department of Education has organized a one-day workshop on “Equity in Higher Education: Empowering First Generation Students through NEP 2020”. The workshop was sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) under a short-term empirical research project. Dr. Rashim Wadhwa, the event coordinator, discussed the potential advantages of NEP-2020. The event was enriched by the presence of Professor Satvinderpal Kaur from Panjab University, Professor Ranjit Kaur from Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Dr. J. Sundraamoorthy from Central University of Punjab, Dr. Shamsir S. Dhillion from Central University of Punjab shared their meaningful insights. Ms. Daria Shcheglova, National Research University, Moscow, Russia, graced the event with her esteemed presence. Key findings of the project entitled “Diagnostic Analysis of the Relationship between Space, Resources, and University Enrollment of First-Generation Students in Rural Punjab.”

Expert Talk by Dr. Sameer Babu

The Department of Education at Akal University proactively organizes a series of activities. An expert talk on “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teacher Education” was hosted. Dr. Sameer Babu, Associate Professor, Department of Education, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, was a resource person. Dr. Sameer discussed the critical role of AI in shaping the landscape of teacher education.

Week-long Mathematical Training and Talent Search (MTTS)

Mathematical Training and Talent Search (MTTS) Program entitled “Initiation into Mathematics (InitMath)” held from 19-24 February 2024. The event featured the presence of Dr. A. Satyanaryana Reddy, the Academic Coordinator at Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Dr. Vikram Aithal from ICT, Mumbai, and Harinder Singh Alumnus Akal University. Selected students from different regions joined the Akal campus to enhance their learning.

International Mother Language Day Celebration

February 21 is observed as International Mother Language Day throughout the globe. The Department of Punjabi has published the 20th edition of the wall magazine “Aagaaz.” Also, a speech competition was organized to celebrate International Mother Language Day.

Participating in District level Competitions

Akal University students exhibited their artistic endeavors at district-level competitions of slogan writing and poster making. The event witnessed participation from all Red Ribbon Clubs in the district. The Directorate of Youth Services, Bathinda, organized it at SSD Girls College. The event was aimed at raising consciousness about AIDS/HIV, Blood Donation, and promoting voter awareness under the theme of Voter SVEEP.

Physiotherapy Camp at Village Gurusar Joga

Establishing a Physiotherapy department with an out-patient approach has proved itself to be a boon for those suffering from ailments. Dr. Navjot Kaur (PT), accompanied by her team, reached Gurudwara Sahib, Village Gurusar Joga. The camp featured the screenings and assessments of individuals facing musculoskeletal problems. Almost 30 patients were treated for having issues of Osteoarthritis, Cervical Spondylitis, Lumbar slip disc, PIVD, stroke, etc.
February month reflected the tireless spirit of learning new things and committing to unity and integrity through collaborations. These lifelong memories are invaluable treasures we earn for ourselves. The organization of these events is a testament to the innovative learning process offered by our university.

#MemorableFebruary #UniversityEvents #AcademicVisits #ExpertTalks #InternationalConferences #Workshops #tmtw #the-month-that-was