Uh, yes.

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia

Myself, Shraddha Jaiswal. Recently completed my PhD. From from Indian Institute of Technology. Add 3 BHK Varanasi. Where my research area was electrocatalytic water splitting reactions.

Uh uh, which is an efficient way to produce hydrogen?

Okay, so your research was on electrocatalytic water splitting at IIT. Did you have any teaching or mentoring responsibilities during your PhD?

Right, so your research focused on electrocatalytic water splitting at IIT Varanasi. Now, before we dive into your research, I'm curious—what aspect of teaching chemistry do you find most rewarding when working with undergraduate students?

With undergraduate uh. Undergraduate students I have. Taught quantum chemistry. And electrochemistry and. Thermodynamics.

Alright, so you've taught quantum chemistry, electrochemistry, and thermodynamics to undergrads. When you teach a complex topic like quantum chemistry, how do you make it accessible for students who might struggle with the math?

The students who struggle with maths. I definitely. But I was in IIT so. Three students comes from the. Maths background. Still, if the students is lacking some maths. Concepts. So I will. Take them. For them I will take extra classes.

The students who struggle with maths. I definitely. But I was in IIT so. Three students comes from the. Maths background. Still, if the students is lacking some maths. Concepts.

Alright, so even at IIT, you had students who were strong in math and some who struggled. You mentioned if a student is lacking some math concepts—what specific strategies do you use to help those students grasp quantum chemistry despite that gap?

Dedicated maths classes where I.

Alright, so you're willing to organize extra sessions to support students struggling with mathematical concepts in quantum chemistry.

You were starting to describe your dedicated math classes—can you share how you structure those sessions to help students connect the math with chemistry concepts?

Yeah, so. Maths basically. Students who? Comes in Btech. After qualifying the 12th examination. So mostly students struggle with the. Typical integration problems. Differentiation equations mostly are OK with. But there's some differential equations are difficult to. Understand. So I will directly. So MO. Since quantum chemistry deals with most of the. Chemistry and the. That's part, but if I'll tell them the exact earlier. Earlier in different class the exact solution of the integration. Problem. What will the solution of the this integration so it will be? To deal with the. Chemistry.

Yeah, so. Maths basically. Students who? Comes in Btech. After qualifying the 12th examination. So mostly students struggle with the. Typical integration problems. Differentiation equations mostly are OK with. But there's some differential equations are difficult to. Understand. So I will directly. So MO. Since quantum chemistry deals with most of the. Chemistry and the. That's part, but if I'll tell them the exact earlier. Earlier in different class the exact solution of the integration.

You mentioned earlier that your research deals with electrocatalytic water splitting, and your thesis is on redox interactions of transition metal ions for developing superior water splitting electrocatalysts. I see you published a paper in ACS Applied Energy Materials about tuning redox energy in layered perovskites for a titanium-based HER catalyst. How did you take the findings from that research and use them to enhance your teaching of electrochemistry or energy storage topics for undergraduates?

Alright, sounds like you've seen students struggle with integration in quantum chemistry,

Instead.

Got it, so you focus on breaking down integration problems and give students the exact solution early, which helps them tackle the chemistry part more confidently. When you were teaching thermodynamics, did you use any similar strategies to help students bridge the gap between math and physical chemistry concepts?

No such problem was observed in the physical chemistry of thermodynamics. When I was teaching thermodynamics.

Alright, so thermodynamics didn't present those same math challenges for your students. Now, circling back to your research on electrocatalytic water splitting—when you taught electrochemistry, did you use your own research findings or lab experiences to help students understand the real-world impact of those reactions?

But the students? Mostly struggle with the. Lot of. Yes. Of undergraduate students have taken to the laboratory. To understand how the things are happening in the electrochemistry. How we are taking uh. Understanding the electrochemistry in the class and how it is happening in the laboratory. So basically I taught them that. That half cell reactions are there. Hospital reactions are there. Uh, we are mostly using half cell reactions in the water splitting reaction.

But the students? Mostly struggle with the. Lot of. Yes. Of undergraduate students have taken to the laboratory. To understand how the things are happening in the electrochemistry. How we are taking uh. Understanding the electrochemistry in the class and how it is happening in the laboratory. So basically I taught them that. That half cell reactions are there. Hospital reactions are there. Uh, we are mostly using half cell reactions in the water splitting reaction. Like where there will be 3 cells like different cell. Reference and counter electrode. Preference electrode and a working. Where where the working electrode will be the, uh main. Electrode where? Will be observed the. For which we will observe the different. On conditions. I'm sorry, I'm just not getting exactly. The question you are asking.

Alright, so you brought your undergrads into the lab to bridge the gap between theory and practice in electrochemistry,

Like I took. OK, still I can answer.

Alright, so you were explaining how you introduce undergrads to real lab setups and walk them through half-cell reactions with working,

You were about to give an example of how you guide undergrads through lab-based electrochemistry, even if they struggle with some concepts. Can you walk me through a specific lab experiment where a student was confused, and tell me how you helped them connect the procedure to the underlying electrochemical principles?

Yeah, like. Corrosion is a corrosion and rusting of the iron is a one of the real world. One of the real world. Problems which we observed in daily life. So I showed them.

How rusting is happening?

How rusting is happening? And how? Corrosion happens.

Alright,

You want to explain rusting—so, when you showed students that process in the lab, how did you help them tie what they saw to the electrochemical mechanism behind corrosion?

Mm-hmm.

OK, so basically the. Corrosion. Basically the corrosion happens for any metal. Any metal which have. Happen for any metal in. Uh, the metal which have the higher.

Oxidation potential. Sorry, can we move to next question?

Okay,

Now, focusing on your research productivity—given your experience with electrocatalytic water splitting and transition metal chemistry, where do you see the most promising, fundable directions for research over the next three years? What kinds of grants or external funding would you target to sustain your lab at VIT?

OK. So. Basically. I I will I will write a project for the. Initial seed grants.

Seed grants are there. For the blooming faculties.

Alright,

Seed grants are there. For the blooming faculties. Who are in their developing space.

Dr., you talked about bringing undergrads into the lab for hands-on electrochemistry. Suppose you had to teach a class of 200 students, but couldn't use slides or traditional lectures. How would you create an active learning session that keeps everyone engaged and makes the concepts stick?

Alright.

OK, so if a class is of 200 students I will make. The I mean make. Like small groups?

Small groups of students like 1010 members so that their. Will be 20 groups of as such. And then?

Small groups make sense for a large class like that—you'd break the 200 students into clusters to keep things interactive.

Right, so you'd split them into 20 groups of 10. When you use this approach, how do you make sure every group actually engages with the material and doesn't just let a few students do all the work?

Then. Oh.

You were about to explain what happens after splitting the class into groups. Go on—how do you make sure each group stays accountable and actually participates, rather than letting just a few students carry the discussion?

Ensure that each group. Yeah.

Dr., accreditation cycles can be demanding for a department. If you joined our chemistry faculty and found that outcome assessment data was inconsistent across courses,

So interacting I'll make the whole. To be interactive. Uh, to interact with me. Sorry, can you repeat the question?

Sure, I'll repeat the question. Accreditation cycles can be demanding for a department. If you joined our chemistry faculty and found that outcome assessment data was inconsistent across courses, what practical steps would you take to fix that and make sure we're meeting accreditation standards?

The accreditation. Standard. First I'll find out what are the gaps. Where are the those gaps are there?

Okay, so first you'd identify where the gaps are in the outcome assessment data.

And according to those gaps, I'll take the practical. So first of all, there's there we can arrange a meeting first of all. A meeting of all the. Teacher so we can discuss. And make a bun. Make a. Anvikanish schedule or make a. Protocol that we all should follow The the we all should come on a. What? Uh. At one labels.

And according to those gaps, I'll take the practical. So first of all, there's there we can arrange a meeting first of all. A meeting of all the. Teacher so we can discuss. And make a bun. Make a. Anvikanish schedule or make a.

Alright, you'd start by arranging a meeting with the faculty to discuss those gaps and set a consistent schedule.

Suppose a student files a formal complaint alleging your grading is biased, while at the same time your department head is pressuring you to improve pass rates. How would you handle this situation and balance academic integrity with those competing pressures?

That is. For sure. But I'll try to understand him. And then I'll get to the problem. And OK, if the OK, if the. Yeah. So if the department head is pressing me to increase the passing rate, first of all, I will take all the weak students. Who are getting lesser marks in their subjects?

OK. First of all, I will listen the story. Why? He's so that my grading is biased because I'm a teacher. I can't do the biasing.

That is. For sure. But I'll try to understand him. And then I'll get to the problem.

Alright, so you'd listen to the student's reasoning and make it clear that,

Okay, so you'd try to understand the student's perspective and dig into the problem. If your department head disagrees with your approach and insists that you change your grading to boost pass rates, how would you respond?

OK, if the. Yeah. So if the department head is pressing me to increase the passing rate, first of all, I will take all the weak students. Who are getting lesser marks in their subjects? So I will take them their extra classes.

Dr., given your background in theoretical chemistry, have you built any industry connections that could translate into internship or placement opportunities for students here at VIT?

Alright,

And I will. Try to enhance. Their ability to think and ability to understand the problem. Our consultancy work. So yeah, but if I has to do, I will learn. What ha, what the procedure? What are the things happening there? And then I can. Student, I'll keep the. Approach there.

You mentioned you'd try to enhance students' ability to think and understand through consultancy work, and that you'd learn the procedures involved. Can you give me a concrete example of an industry project, consultancy, or company collaboration you've participated in—or, if you haven't yet, outline how you would practically initiate one to benefit your students at VIT?

Sorry.

No problem. Since you haven't worked directly with industry yet, what's one practical idea you have for initiating a collaboration or bringing a real-world industry project into your classroom—something that could give students hands-on exposure and maybe even lead to internships?

OK, so. For that I will, uh, I will try to arrange a, uh, first of all, I'll, uh. Arrange a meeting of myself with a. With the industry. Industry like some Pune or Hyderabad where? Uh, basically the. Research in my area is going on, then I will. Uh, connect to them? The head of the. Industry.

OK, so. For that I will, uh, I will try to arrange a, uh, first of all, I'll, uh. Arrange a meeting of myself with a. With the industry. Industry like some Pune or Hyderabad where? Uh, basically the. Research in my area is going on, then I will. Uh, connect to them? The head of the. Industry. And then I will ask him.

OK, so. For that I will, uh, I will try to arrange a, uh, first of all, I'll, uh. Arrange a meeting of myself with a. With the industry. Industry like some Pune or Hyderabad where? Uh, basically the. Research in my area is going on, then I will. Uh, connect to them? The head of the. Industry. And then I will ask him. To have a lab widget.

Okay, so you'd reach out directly to industry leaders in places like Pune or Hyderabad where relevant research is happening, and try to connect your students through those contacts. That's a practical approach. Given everything we've discussed, what strategies do you use for evaluating students during exams and coursework, especially to make sure the process is transparent and maintains academic integrity?

For my. Students and so. The students are doing well, then they can approve.

Right, let's shift gears. Professor, focusing on your expertise—what's a recent advancement in theoretical chemistry, battery storage, or hydrogen research that you found compelling, and how would you integrate that into your teaching or student projects?

Okay, so you'd reach out directly to industry leaders in places like Pune or Hyderabad where relevant research is happening, and try to connect your students through those contacts. That's a practical approach. Given everything we've discussed,

So you'd give students a chance to prove themselves during those industry visits and then maybe get approval for further opportunities. How do you structure your lab courses to ensure students actually build the skills they'd need in a real-world research or industrial setting?

Umm, I'm sorry I haven't go gone through the. Recent advancement in the battery research area. Because my area is not. In battery. Exactly But still I can. Whatever the knowledge I'm having But still I can. Whatever the knowledge I'm having But still I can. Whatever the knowledge I'm having. MMM, no, not.

Umm, I'm sorry I haven't go gone through the. Recent advancement in the battery research area. Because my area is not. In battery.

Alright, since battery research isn't your area, let's focus on theoretical chemistry.

Alright, sounds like your expertise is more in theoretical chemistry. If you had to guide a student project based on a theoretical principle—say, something in quantum chemistry or molecular modeling—how would you help a student turn that theory into a hands-on experiment or research study?

Uh, theoretical chemistry. Theoretical Chemistry.

Alright, you’re emphasizing theoretical chemistry.

Like a molecular dynamics. Simulation is. Haven't hands on. Sorry, uh, molecular dynamics. Things I don't know.

Alright, since molecular dynamics isn't your area, no worries. Let's switch to something else—how do you make sure your teaching is clear and structured, especially when students are struggling with complex theory? Is there a particular method or approach you use to break down difficult concepts?

Yeah, but first of all to make to COM. For to make students understand the complex problem in is a. To give them a real life based example. Possible in that problem? In that very problem.

Yup, and and I will. I will try to understand first the student.

Alright,

You try to understand the student first before explaining tough concepts. Can you give me a real example where that approach helped a student overcome a learning block?

Uh, yeah. So if. If if we see like the in the. Automatic chemistry. I can tell the real examples like metal, uh. Organometallic chemistry that. That. These are organometallics. Uh, which are being used. Used for different kind of. For drug delivery.

Okay, so you mentioned organometallic chemistry and drug delivery as real-world examples to help students connect with the material. How do you evaluate whether students are actually understanding these applications—do you rely more on written assessments, oral presentations, or practical demonstrations?

And. Different kind of. Anti Cancer Hut.

Alright, you mentioned organometallics being used in drug delivery and anti-cancer treatments. When you’re guiding student research, how do you help them move from understanding that application to actually designing their own project or experiment around it?

First of all to. To actually design their. An experiment.

You were about to describe how students actually design their experiment. Go on.

Like they has to understand the basics. What the fund fundamentals of the. OK, no.

Alright, you were starting to say students need to understand the fundamentals before designing their experiment. What’s your process for guiding them from basic principles to actually setting up a research project—do you give them step-by-step guidance, or do you let them figure out the approach themselves?

First of all I will give them step by step guidance because it is very first time for them.

Alright, you give step-by-step guidance for students who are new to designing experiments. Switching gears—how do you handle student evaluation and exam duties? Are there particular methods you use to make sure your assessments are fair and accurately reflect student understanding?

So once they learn at least. A pilot projectile gave them. So if they. Sorry, uh. Yeah, uh, I didn't. Understood properly. Uh, the exact question. Your question is like how as to assess the? Assess the students. During the examination hall.

Right, you’re asking about assessing students during exams. How do you handle situations when a student’s written answer shows they understand the concept but maybe missed a key calculation or step—do you give partial credit, or is it strictly right or wrong?

OK, so if the student understand the key concept but. Seeing some calculation part then I will give them partial marks.

OK, so if the student understand the key concept but. Seeing some calculation part then I will give them partial marks. Because the concept is. So I'll give the partial now.

Alright, so you give partial marks if a student understands the concept but misses a calculation. Let's shift to your research background—can you tell me about one publication you've contributed to that's in a reputed journal, and what your specific role was in that research?

You made it clear you’d give partial marks if the concept is right. Now, about your research—can you walk me through a publication you contributed to in a reputed journal, and tell me what your specific role was in the project?

Yeah, uh. Basically, uh, I have. I have done a. Paper which is up. Agent 25 where I.

The the Illuminati Nitio. OK. Cobalt doping at the site of Illum.

Alright, you mentioned a paper—Agent 25. Can you tell me what your role was in that research? Were you leading the project, managing data, or more involved in the analysis?

Okay, so you were dealing with cobalt doping at the site of Illum. Were you responsible for planning the synthesis, running the experiments, or was your role more on characterizing the materials and analyzing the results?

I was the first author.

Alright, you were the first author on that cobalt doping paper, so you were driving the project. Switching topics—do you have any experience working on industry projects or consultancy, maybe collaborating with companies or applying your research outside academia?

I was the first author to. 80.

You said you were first author to eighty—sounds like you've had significant research involvement. Now, can you walk me through how you structure your theory and laboratory courses so students not only grasp the concepts but also develop practical skills?

No.

Alright, no experience with industry projects or consultancy. So,

No, no, sorry. Not 80.

Okay, thanks for clarifying. Let's talk about communication—when you're teaching complex chemistry concepts, what's your go-to strategy for making sure students really understand, especially if they're struggling with the material?

Yeah, sorry. But I want to ask what kind of material? Materials specifically what?

Yeah, sorry. But I want to ask what kind of material? Materials specifically what? OK OK, so if it.

You want to know what kind of material—I'm talking about any complex chemistry topic, like reaction mechanisms, battery materials, or hydrogen storage. When students are stuck on a tricky concept, how do you break it down for them so it clicks?

OK, so if it. OK.

You started to say, "OK, so if it..." — go ahead and finish your thought. I want to hear how you'd break down a tough concept for your students.

Mm-hmm.

So if it is a problem of a reaction mechanism. So if it is. For reaction mechanism.

Alright, so if it's a reaction mechanism problem—sounds like you're about to explain your approach. Go ahead and walk me through how you'd break that down for your students so they can follow the steps and really understand what's happening in the mechanism.

So I'll I'll break it down in multiple steps. I'll first make them understand. Sackley, Vodafone. Yeah, so. 3D models I can. For the I can to show them the. What is happening?

For thing and second thing is. Uh, I will tell them step. The. The fundamental of the reaction mechanism. I'll teach them.

Okay, so you'd break the reaction mechanism down in steps, use 3D models, and show them what's happening visually. For guiding student projects and research,

For thing and second thing is. Uh, I will tell them step. The. The fundamental of the reaction mechanism. I'll teach them. And then I'll teach a complex problem.

For thing and second thing is. Uh, I will tell them step. The. The fundamental of the reaction mechanism. I'll teach them. And then I'll teach a complex problem. Still please.

Right, so you’d also reinforce the fundamentals of the reaction mechanism step by step. For student research projects, how do you help students pick a topic that’s both feasible and meaningful for their level?

Right, so you'd help students by teaching the fundamentals first, then moving to complex problems and using visual aids. For student evaluation and exam duties, how do you ensure your assessments are fair and actually measure both theoretical understanding and practical skills?

So you'd teach the fundamentals first, then move to complex problems, breaking them down step by step. For student evaluation and exam duties, how do you make sure your assessments are fair and actually measure what students have learned, especially in lab courses?

So in okay. I will. I will go to. The head of the department, the head of this. Particular course. Are a senior teacher. And I'll ask. And I will show him the. Evolution copies of mine. And I'll show and ask. Whether I'm doing well or not. So he can, uh, he can review. He or she can.

Review and then I can approach. I can according to the situation. According to the suggestion I can change my approach.

Alright, we're wrapping up. Is there anything you'd like to ask about the role or the team?

Got it, so you actively seek feedback from senior faculty and adapt your approach based on their suggestions. We're at the end now, Professor. Is there anything you'd like to ask about the Assistant Professor role or the department before we finish up?

Yeah, so, uh. What will be the subject uh? I mean, what will be the my position it's.

You’re asking about the subject and your position—let me clarify. The role is Assistant Professor in Chemistry, and your primary teaching responsibilities would center on theoretical and laboratory courses, likely within your area of expertise. You’d also guide student projects and participate in departmental activities. Anything else you’d like to know about the role or team?

Like assistant professor research or assistant professor teaching? First thing and the second thing is. MMM, yeah. Uh. No, thank you.