Jamshedpur: “e-Behind The Teacher’s Desk” (e-BTTD-2020), an International Student Seminar on Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, was organised by Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) Jamshedpur Chapter in association with CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), National Institute of Technology (NIT) Jamshedpur and Tata Steel Limited.
This year due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation around the globe, the seminar was organised on a virtual platform in the form of e-BTTD-2020.
The aim of the seminar is to provide a common platform for promising and aspiring metallurgists to interact with the pool of experts from industries, R&D centers, and academia. The student participants of this event will get an opportunity to update their current knowledge base, and share their academic achievements, innovative thoughts and new ideas in the field of metallurgy and materials technology, said Dr A K Sahu of NML.
Since its inception in the year 2011, the seminar “Behind the Teacher’s Desk (BTTD)“ has blossomed into one of the most sought after event among the student fraternity of India. This year, the participants joined through an online exercise of abstract and video presentation submission which were uploaded on the IIM-YouTube channel from 23rd-28th August 2020. The abstracts, presentations were invited under 5 categories includes Minerals to Metals – related to mining and raw materials processing; Processes improvements/ New material processing; New product developments, Characterization & Failure analysis; Environmental impacts for material processing and end-use; Startup ideas in material business in manufacturing, logistic and services, he informed.
Like previous years, this year also around 70 students from 25 engineering colleges/institutes from which are as follows: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur; IIT Kanpur; Jadavpur University, Kolkata; National Institute of Technology(NIT), Jamshedpur; National institute of foundry and forge technology, Hatia, Ranchi; NIT Trichy; Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology, Gandipet, Hyderabad; Birsa Institute of Technology, Sindri; Tolani Maritime Institute; JNTUH College of Engineering, Hyderabad; Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla; Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge and Technologies, Basar; College of Engineering Guindy , Anna University, Chennai; National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli; PSG College of Technology, Peelamedu, Coimbatore; CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar; Baharagora polytechnic, Jharkhand; CSIR-CGCRI, Kolkata; Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi; NIT DURGAPUR, West Bengal; Ujjain Engineering College, Ujjain; Cooch Behar Government Engineering College, Coochbehar; Rajiv Gandhi University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh; CSIR-NML, Jamshedpur; University College of Engineering and Research, Prayagraj and so on.
This year the participation was from various states across the nation like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh.
There were rigorous interactions among the students on the YT channel. Thereafter, a total of 17 participants were selected for presentations for the finale event which was organised on 28th Aug, 2020 through the CISCO platform WebEx. The finale was virtually presided over by the Chief Guest, Dr. Namburi Eswara Prasad (Outstanding Scientist and Director, DMSRDE, DRDO), Guest of Honour, Dr. Shantanu Chakrabarti (Ex. Head-Research Application, Tata Steel & Visiting Prof. IIT Kgp.), Dr. Indranil Chattoraj (Director, CSIR-NML) and Dr. Mita Tarafder (Chairperson–IIM Jamshedpur Chapter).
Dr. Indranil Chattoraj, Director of CSIR-NML, Jamshedpur welcomed the Chief Guest and the student delegates. He motivated the metallurgy graduates to work and contribute in the core profession and to come up with noble and newer ideas for the advancement of metallurgy and materials engineering.
Dr. Namburi Eswara Prasad, Outstanding Scientist and Director, DMSRDE, DRDO and the Chief Guest of the inaugural function addressed the student participants. He appreciated the involvement of a huge number of student participants from the metallurgical fraternity in this event. He emphasized some of the significant achievements of DMRL and DMSRDE in indigenizing various materials for defence applications. He also briefly talked about the extensive and thorough work which DMRL and DMSRDE have carried out with respect to the development of Al-Li alloys and DMR 1700 grade maraging steel for Indian strategic sector. He concluded his lecture by motivating the participating students to strive for fundamental knowledge which can actually help in employing advanced engineering tools and techniques to make materials more useful for humankind.
Dr. Shantanu Chakrabarti, Former Head-Research Application, Tata Steel & Visiting Prof. IIT Kgp. and the Guest of Honour took the online platform to the next level by indulging students in a highly interactive and igniting session of out of box thinking. He emphasized the qualities which an engineer of tomorrow should possess so as to make an impactful career, fruitful for humankind as well.
Dr. Mita Tarafder, Chairperson of IIM Jamshedpur Chapter and the organising committee, briefed about the Indian Institute of Metals and on the students’ seminar e-BTTD-2020.
She mentioned that the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) makes the utmost effort in creating a relationship among industry, R&D organizations and academia. The persistent effort of the IIM, Jamshedpur Chapter has always strengthened the bond among various organizations by providing a befitting platform for interaction and sharing ideas and knowledge through the creation of opportunities and events.
