The Department of Nanotechnology at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) organised a thought-provoking workshop on the occasion of Nanotechnology Day.
The workshop aimed to shed light on the significance of nanotechnology as the technology for the future, drawing over 100 attendees, including teachers, scholars and students.
The event featured two distinguished international scientists – Prof Kulsum Kondiah from the University of Johannesburg and Raghumani Singh Ningthoujam from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai – who delivered insightful talks on nanotechnology and its applications.
Kondiah is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning) at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology Kondiah boasts over 15 years of experience as an educator and researcher at institutions like the University of Witwatersrand and University of Johannesburg. Her research focuses on innovative biotechnological solutions to address water, health, and agricultural challenges, where she utilises nano-based diagnostics for surveillance of water-borne and clinical pathogens. Her expertise includes the development of molecular and serological diagnostic assays and she has supervised numerous PhD and Masters candidates.
Ningthoujam is a researcher specialising in nanoparticles, analytical chemistry, luminescence, ions and photoluminescence. His research spans various fields, including transmission electron microscopy, precipitation, nuclear chemistry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, among others. Ningthoujam’s work in luminescence encompasses areas such as doping, magnetic dipole transition, ethylene glycol, crystallite and particle size. His ion study delves into annealing and phosphor, while his investigations in composite materials, heterojunction, and visible spectrum contribute to the field of photoluminescence.
In addition to these esteemed scientists, the workshop also featured lectures from interdisciplinary experts, including Manasjit Gogoi, Mrityunjay Mahato and Shruti Shukla, who discussed various fields with applications in nanotechnology.
The Department of Nanotechnology at NEHU offers both MTech and PhD programmes, attracting students from diverse academic backgrounds such as biotechnology, biochemistry, physics, chemistry, material sciences and various engineering fields. Graduates with MSc qualifications are also eligible to apply for the MTech program, with preferences given to scores from nationally conducted exams like CUET, GATE, etc.
LR Singh, the Head of the Department of Nanotechnology, emphasised the vast career opportunities in nanotech and encouraged the youth of the North East region, particularly Meghalaya, to consider enrolling in this programme.
Many alumni from the department have secured positions in prestigious institutions like IITs and NITs, or are pursuing higher education in countries like Taiwan, Germany and South Africa.
