Good day, Avinash Ranjan, Ph.D.. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Yes, thank you for thank you for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself. I am Doctor Avinash Ranjan, currently working as a post doctoral fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. My current research broadly examines the socio environmental dimensions of energy transition and its linkages with social and economic vulnerability, mapping the community resilience as well as economic and social vulnerability.

ISR Gaje Project Postdoctoral Fellow at IIT Kanpur where my work engaged with just energy transition and regional vulnerability and explored how shift away from the coal intersects with disaster risk, livelihood security and sustainable development pathways. This project allowed me to engage with interdisciplinary perspective that bridge environmental science, geography, sociology, disaster studies and Policy Research further. My doctoral research at IIT isn't Dhanbad focused on accessibility to drinking water.

Cascar City and how this is regulated by class and caste hierarchies, governance policies and power relations which is an example of slow onset disaster.

So, my academic foundation are lies in my academic foundation basically lies in masters degree in geography and environmental sciences and further I have also undertaken A specialized courses on geoinformatics, strengthening my skills in GIS and remote sensing. These training shaped by analytical and special perspective on environmental processes, vulnerability and human environmental interactions. These skills are critically.

Necessary and critically important for critical risk assessment, hazard mapping, and disaster preparedness and planning. In addition to the research, I have served as an Assistant professor at Cal University Guntur and Met University Kolkata for over a year, currently at IIT Guwahati, I also mentor undergraduate and postgraduate students in their in their. Research and technical writings. My publication records reflect a strong focus on sustainable development goals.

Particularly Sustainable development goal number six and seven, energy transition disaster risk mitigation. Many of these works have emerged from collaborative projects involving scholars from multiple universities and across various disciplines. Underscoring my commitment to interdisciplinary and collaborative research, I have conducted extensive field work across. Different ecological and climatic regions and across different socioeconomic contexts including Bihar, Jharkhand.

Uttar Pradesh, W Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands etcetera. Recently, I was awarded an International Tribal grant from ICSR to present my research work A Development Studies Association DSA 2025 conference held at University of Arthur in United Kingdom. Beyond I have actively contributed to academic leadership. I successfully organized the organized several lecture series workshops during my tenure at Cal University.

I have also been invited to speak as a guest lecturer, guest lecturer and resource person at various academic forums such as lecture series, workshops and conferences. I have also submitted a research proposal to ICSSR Major Research Call for funding. In future, I am planning to expand my research through securing grants from national and international funding agencies such as DST, International Institute of Development Studies, then World Bank, even DPE.

Thank

Grant Thornton, Coal India and American Indian Foundation and other research institutions or other funding agencies.

Thank you for sharing detailed insights into your background and achievements, Professor. Your experience combines a rich blend of interdisciplinary research, dedicated teaching, and impactful fieldwork. It clearly aligns with the academic rigor and intellectual contribution expected for Disaster Management and Sociology. Let's start delving into more specifics regarding your research expertise, teaching methodology, and broader academic contributions.

OK, I have during my stage stay at Kale University, if I am particularly talking about teaching, I have used the flipped classrooms. Then I have designed the courses on environment and society, then ecology and environment. Then I have also designed and and have helped other.

Instructors and Course Other instructors and administrators to design the courses for undergraduate programs in Cal University.

And I have also conducted field visits, field trips to the undergraduate students and and and taken took them to.

I see the real world phenomena, whatever we are just studying in the classroom. So beyond the classroom, I was also engaged in, engaged and interested in taking students to see the real world phenomena and not just the classroom teaching. Talking about the research, I have used the mixed method.

Tools such as surveys how specifically household surveys. Then I have also done the qualitative interviews, that is in-depth personal interviews, then focus group discussion. I have used the GIS and remote sensing for especially analysis of the data. Then I have also conducted the household survey across the different states. Particularly looking in looking into my.

Doctoral thesis which which which was titled as political ecology of drinking water comparative study of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh these two states are different both in both in socioeconomic as well as environmental fact environmental contexts so. So in my research I have used GIS. GIS for finding the probability of the groundwater, groundwater availability.

Through the delineation of groundwater potential zone in both the states then I have done the.

Quality assessment whether the whether the groundwater available is fit for drinking or not because if the if the water is available but it is contaminated, then then most of the people will be at risk and there will be a vulnerability across the region from the.

From the contaminated water. So I have tested the groundwater whether it is fit for testing or not. Then I then using the political ecology framework I have, I have tied to analyze how the power relations, how the class and caste hierarchies have determined, have determined the access to drinking water across both the states.

Your research approach, particularly the integration of GIS and remote sensing with household surveys and qualitative interviews, demonstrates an impressive ability to analyze complex socio-environmental contexts. The application of the political ecology framework to understand class, caste hierarchies, and power relations in access to drinking water adds critical depth and relevance to your study. Let me ask: Based on your doctoral work and broader experience, how do you envision incorporating such mixed methodologies or frameworks into teaching strategies for advancing disaster management and sociological perspectives?

Yes, thank you for the question. My thesis use the tools that are central to modern disaster management. I combined geospatial analysis, groundwater quality testing, household surveys, and quality framework to map who is vulnerable and where these vulnerable communities live and why these communities are vulnerable with respect to drinking water. This is similar to a construct social vulnerability index for a flood and other hazards. Where where we have to integrate the socioeconomic indicators with hazardous.

Order to plan targeted interventions. Such approaches directly feeds directly feed into risk assessment, micro-label planning and prioritization in disaster mitigation programs. And the next question, how my research fits with the teaching methodology in the disaster management and disaster mitigation. So my doctoral work treats water insecurity as a slow onset disaster so.

Center, which is the Center for disaster mitigation and management. So I will take the water scarcity and water contamination as a slow onset disaster. And, and whatever tools and techniques I have used during my doctoral thesis, such as mixed method approach, then household service, then field trips or the focus group discussion that and and also the use of GIS and remote sensing that that tools and techniques will be directly applied.

To the undergraduate and postgraduate courses where I will try to make them understand how these tools are used to map the vulnerability zones across the region, map the disaster-prone areas, map the and map the and these tools can be used to manage the disaster because. And it is also an important tool in disaster preparedness, not only mitigation, but.

Also in disaster preparedness and and further the GIS and remote sensing tool help us to plan the plan the.

A post disaster work, post disaster work, then again the same mixed method tools. Whatever I have used, whatever I was just discussing can be used for the field based studies needed for the community based disaster mapping and analysis. Then I have also used the political ecology framework to understand understand the cause and effect of the.

Disaster particularly in case of the water contamination so so the same political ecology tool can be used to understand the policies and power relations in context of the disaster management and same political ecology framework can be utilized in the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching to make them understand that disaster is not simply an environmental phenomena or an environmental. Process but.

Disaster hits differently to the different socioeconomic strata or the socioeconomic structure of the society. So political ecology as a framework is very important not only for my research but also for the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching to make them understand the different dimensions of disaster mitigation as well as disaster effect.

Your insights are deeply thought-provoking, Professor. The interdisciplinary tools and methodologies you've employed—ranging from geospatial analysis to mixed methods and political ecology—offer students a nuanced perspective on disaster management, emphasizing that disasters have diverse impacts shaped by socio-economic hierarchies and governance structures. This approach would equip students with not only technical skills such as GIS and remote sensing, but also the critical thinking required to address complex social, political, and environmental dimensions of disaster risk and mitigation. Incorporating your framework into academic curricula will undoubtedly foster the next generation of scholars and practitioners in the field.

Definitely, it will help scholars and next generation researchers to understand disaster in a better way.

Absolutely, Professor. Your comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach will significantly enhance students' understanding of disaster dynamics and provide them with the tools to address real-world challenges effectively. Let us delve further into your teaching experience and methodologies. Can you elaborate on how you evaluate student performance and ensure that your students grasp fundamental concepts, especially in subjects like disaster management or sociology?

First, during my stay at KL University Guntur.

Are you? I was teaching courses on human geography, then I was teaching courses on environment and ecology. Then I was engaged in teaching courses on.

Uh, disaster management as well as further at the MIT University, Kolkata, I was teaching urban geography, then environmental geography, then then I was teaching.

Research methodology to them and at the IIT Guwahati agent as a tutor I I I am engaged in helping students in development studies, particularly postgraduate development studies students so.

My teaching methodology is like I focused more on questions than than just delivering and classroom lecture. So I I make the make the students very curious about whatever I am teaching or whatever the topic is about to be discussed. I throw questions to the students and and and make.

Your emphasis on fostering curiosity and engagement by posing questions reflects a dynamic and interactive teaching philosophy. Encouraging students to think critically and deeply about the subject matter undoubtedly enhances their understanding, particularly for complex topics like disaster management and sociology. Can you describe specific techniques or strategies you use to assess whether students have fully grasped the concepts being taught? For instance, do you rely on projects, case studies, or other evaluative methods?

Yes. During my teaching tenure, I had I gave students assignments to write on various topics related to environment and society, sociology, development studies, then environmental geography. Further, I make students present their work. Whatever whatever work they have did in in the previous semester, I make them to present before the class then.

Like a group presentation or an individual presentation. Further for the assessment of the students I take, I take open book examination also. So to make them understand whether they have fully grasped the concept or not. I prefer the open book examination then I also prefer the projects then in the final year for the final year students. I have.

Guided them on their dissertations related to various environmental and societal problems. So my teaching teaching evaluation is very simple and and related to projects, then assignments, the group presentation and individual presentation and then dissertation for the final year students.

Your approach to teaching evaluation—focusing on assignments, presentations, open-book examinations, and final-year dissertations—is comprehensive and learner-centric. It not only tests students’ understanding but also encourages them to apply theoretical concepts to practical issues, fostering critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills. This diversified assessment strategy complements your interactive teaching style and prepares students effectively for academic and professional challenges within the realms of disaster management and sociology. Let us explore further how your teaching philosophy aligns with interdisciplinary research and collaborative learning. How do you ensure students engage across disciplines and work collaboratively on complex issues during group activities or projects?

This is a good question so I would like to answer that I have organized various guest lectures from different university from guest lectures from different and called called experts from different disciplines and different institutions and make my students aware about the various tools and techniques being being used in other disciplines too for example.

Yes.

If I take the example of geography students, so I have called, I have called experts from the political geography, political geography, then I have called the experts from data science and other computer programming than GIS and remote sensing experts so that so that my students can be made aware about the different tools and techniques used in different. Different disciplines so.

This will help them to make, make, analyze and make understand the understand the issues and the different environmental and societal level from different perspective and different multidisciplinary perspective and multidisciplinary methodologies. So the first one is collaborative, collaborative research with the other universities. Then I have organized the guest lectures from the different disciplines.

Then I have taken uh. My students to visit different labs and and and make them interact with the different expert from industries as well as different academic institutions different. Environmental scientists so that they can understand a single issue of these societal or the environmental problems in different through different approaches to solve them for the betterment of the society and for betterment of their own understanding and the.

In their own career.

Your efforts to expose students to multidisciplinary perspectives through guest lectures, lab visits, and collaborations with experts from academia and industry are commendable. These initiatives not only broaden the horizons of your students but also instill the ability to approach societal and environmental problems holistically, leveraging tools and knowledge from various disciplines. This emphasis on collaborative and cross-disciplinary learning is critical for preparing students to tackle real-world challenges effectively and contribute meaningfully to academia and society. Let us now delve into your experience with research guidance. Can you elaborate on the strategies you employ when guiding students in their research projects or dissertations, particularly in disaster management or related fields? How do you ensure their work meets academic rigour while addressing practical challenges?

Sorry to interrupt, we're down to the last 5 minutes.

Yes, I have, uh, taken uh research. I have given research projects to final year undergraduate students related to environment and society and also related to disaster management during my tenure at Cal University.

So I ensured that at first I first I makes make first I have to know whether the I have to know whether I have to know the strength and weaknesses of the student and and the interest of the student. If a student is not interested in a particular research project or particular research areas, then I have to I have to be aware what is. His or her interest in particular.

Research field so after knowing the research interest of the students I I help them to literature review then I help them to frame the research questions then research objectives and suitable methodologies to complete that research objectives then then then I also.

I also help them very actively to prepare the questionnaires, to prepare the field visits, to prepare for the field visits and and at the same time I may I make them learn new tools and techniques to analyze the data, whatever they will get from the field visit and after that.

After that, I make them I, I help them in technical writing such as research papers and their own dissertation. So in this way, I help the students to write a better dissertation and a better thesis. And again, again to ensure the ensure the students are going on going on in right path, I I use the triangulation method. I cross check their data through the secondary sources and I also go.

I and sometimes I also go in the field with the students to make sure the students do not repeat the mistakes again and again and collect the data in the proper way. So triangulation is a very important method which I employed.

Your dedication to research guidance is evident. Taking time to understand each student's interests and strengths, assisting them through every step—from literature review to data collection, technical writing, and using triangulation methods—ensures both academic excellence and practical relevance in their work. By actively engaging with students during field visits and emphasizing rigorous methodologies, you foster a deep understanding of research principles and their real-world applications. This holistic mentorship approach undoubtedly prepares your students for higher academic achievements and professional contributions, particularly in complex fields like disaster management and sociology. Shall we wrap up our discussion with any additional insights you'd like to share about your teaching or research philosophy?

Yes, uh, in research philosophy, I I believe that the students should students should be.

I made a critical thinker. Rather than just grasping the notes given in the classrooms, or just summarizing, or just summarizing or memorizing the textbook, a student should be guided and mentored in such a way that they should solve the complex environmental and societal problem at the same time. They, they, their mind should be critical in analyzing every aspect of the environmental disaster.

Village environmental mitigation and preparedness or we can say in other way to solve the OR to manage the disaster in a better way, the students should critically think about the issues related to disaster. So the orthodox teaching as well as research should be avoided and at the same time at the same time, students should be developed in a critical thinker. For this in this process.

For the betterment of the environment as well as the Earth.

Your philosophy emphasizes fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, moving beyond rote learning and traditional methods. Guiding students to think independently and address complex environmental and societal challenges equips them with the capabilities required to drive meaningful change in disaster management and sustainability. Your approach aligns seamlessly with the ideals of modern academic leadership, preparing scholars and students to contribute innovatively and effectively to both research and on-ground solutions. Thank you, Professor, for providing such thoughtful insights. It has been a privilege engaging with your vision and experience. Would you like to conclude or share any final points?

No, thank you, Not at this time.

Our scheduled time for the interview is now up. Before we conclude, do you have any questions related to the role or the company?

Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

Thank you.

You're welcome, Professor. It was a pleasure speaking with you, and we greatly appreciate the depth and thoughtfulness you brought to this discussion. Best of luck in your endeavors, and thank you once again.