Yes, please. Thank you so much.

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia

Thank you so much for inviting me. For this interview, so myself, Doctor Janardhan Kundu, I am currently as a assistant professor at Thapar University, Patiala. Before that, I was a national postdoctoral fellow at Indian Institute of Science, ISC, Bangalore. I also worked as a project scientist there. And I have also worked under Professor Richard Magdalena Stefan at Federal University of Diode General, Brazil at a prestigious Maglev Cobra project. So, I have four years teaching experience. R&D projects, submissions, student mentoring, and academic and administrative works. So. My research areas are electromagnetic Leviticus. Different type of active magnetic systems designs form. From starting from the analysis to real. Application. So this is my sort. Introduction So and also I have 32 publications, 2 patents and. And uh. Few R&D projects with multi. Personal frameworks. Thank you so much.

Alright, Dr., you mentioned mentoring students and handling both research and administrative duties, plus quite a few publications and patents. Out of all the theory or lab courses you've taught, is there one foundational concept you especially enjoy teaching to undergraduates?

Yeah, of course. Actually my, my research areas are on electromagnetic levitation system and that is very, very relevant to the real world applications just like maglev, cobra train and also active magnetic bearing systems. So this is connected. So I can I can minimize the gap between the theory and the practical demonstration. So students will enjoy a lot when I will teach the different type of subjects and I will connect with my research. Experiences. So thank. Thank you so much.

Okay, so you use your research in electromagnetic levitation to bridge theory and practice for your students. Can you give me one concrete example of how you connect a lab experiment or real-world demo to a specific theory topic in your class?

Yeah. Yeah. That's very nice question. So just just imagine then in control system subject there have an open loop stable system and a closed loop stable system. What is this? So when we when we teach the students, when it is the students. So we we we write different type of mathematical equation. Analysis, modeling, stability analysis, controller design, et cetera. And finally go to the real world applications and the experimental. But when I will start from I will take a real. Application just like electromagnetic prototypes and we are we are we are we are controlling the electromagnetic force using a closed loop feedback closed loop magnetic feedback so that that will tells us that it is unstable systems because. Forces are in opposite directions, so it will give a clear view. To the sea undergraduate students that what is open loop. Or stable system or open loop unstable systems. If we take electrodynamic systems then we can easily generate the electrodynamic force and the and the object can be suspended at a partic. Operating points, but it is open-loop travel system. No closed loop control is required. So students can easily identify what is the open loop stable system and what is a. Open the past stable system. Through my my experiences of the on the electromagnetic systems real world applications.

Dr.

Thank you.

Right, so you actually use your electromagnetic levitation prototypes to make abstract control theory concepts tangible for students. When you’re teaching this way, how do you adjust your explanations for students who struggle with the math or theory?

Yeah, that is the. Poland in today's academic academic so. We are we are the academicians as a as a academician, we must minimize the this gap between theory and practical demonstrations. So. I will try to visualize the the mathematical theory constant. On real world application. It's true some kind of visible, visible real-world application, real-world stimulus and real time simulacence or different type of MATLAB Simulink based software. So I will use different type of tools to visualize that what is. Actually. What is instability means in the? Replica sensation. I I I'll be able to connect with. Called Latiuri. Applications with the theory with. Is the students.

So you lean on visualization tools and simulation to make the math more accessible, using platforms like MATLAB Simulink. Can you tell me about a time when a student still struggled even with those tools—what did you try next?

Then I will try to. Develop prototype in the lab. Scale prototype in the in the lab such that students can firstly they will do simulations. If they if they are not interested or they are they face difficulties, then I will develop some kind of small scale prototypes inside the lab such that they can. They they can physically see. What is happening inside the system? And what does it actually mean? The limitation?

So when simulations aren’t enough, you actually build hands-on prototypes so students can see instability or control concepts in action. That’s a pretty resource-intensive approach. How do you balance the time and budget needed for those lab builds with your other teaching and research commitments?

Yeah, that's actually I have a good experience because I have already 5 five years teaching experience. So I have done a different type of multidisciplinary. Interdisciplinary and collaborative research works with the different type of institutes and also different type of international institutes. In Brazil, USA, et cetera. So I have AI have a good balance about to manage the time. Or teaching and research and I have to divide this by. Equal contributions of kitchen and research So so so this is my that I I can easily balance this because from my own previous experiences. Thank you.

Alright, Dr., you mentioned organizing workshops, mentoring, and handling academic responsibilities, but can you walk me through how you actually design and grade an exam or assess student performance in one of your courses?

Actually, I take a different type of module question, I design different type of modular question papers and I take the feedback from the students. And. I do some kind of handsome sessions where the students face different type of difficulty. So the. Some question papers before that I. Before the main exam, I always like to test. Exactly, I'd like to take a test exam. For the students and Isaac. Them with their. Their marks so such that they can prepare themselves for the main exam. So I take a different type of. Exams through online and offline modes such that they prepare themselves for the final exam and I I give the marks in such a way that the students can get a better opportunity to. Oh, land for the. Future Examiner Jo.

So you run mock exams and use both online and offline formats to give students feedback and help them prepare for the final assessment. When you’re grading, what’s your approach if a student’s answer shows strong practical understanding but misses some theoretical steps?

Then then I will start. Will take some extra classes. To make up that theoretical concepts that has not cleared for that stored. So I will, I will bring all the students who have not. I will take the data collection. Collect all the data Who? Who have? The theoretical problems, they can come. To meet me at any time and I will. Is them in my in my working hours? Even after the working hours. So I will try to make. The theoretical concept. To them. Hello. Hello.

Thank you for sharing that. Given your track record in electromagnetic levitation and active magnetic bearing research, where do you see the most promising, fundable directions for your work over the next three years? Which specific grants or funding sources would you target to sustain and grow your research group?

Yeah, that is most important part. To balance the teaching and research. So actually I have already few R&D projects which I have completed. Of the SDR. LCD, et cetera with collaborative framework with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. So I have previous experiences now I have already submitted. The five research proposals in different Government of India agencies Funding Agency. Uh, like. Bro because my work is very much. Connected synchronized with the UH ISRO DRDS mission. So I. Always try to build a collaborative research atmosphere in my in my. I am in my lab. So here I will work and I will make a group, big group of research group. Where everyone will be unused in different type of electromagnetic labor business system with a. Hi, Sci Publications Patents at Patents. And. I will try to involve the undergraduate and postgraduate students also to to to make a a make a strong group such that. You know, subject. Everyone can get this interdisciplinary research framework. Thank you.

You’ve talked a lot about connecting your research to your teaching. Say you’re running a lab session on image processing or communication systems, and you’re not allowed to use a traditional lecture or slides—how would you make that session active and engaging for students at VIT?

Yeah, that, that, that I would. Try to make some visual. Visualize similar. And tools then I will show them that. Yeah, this, this is, this is you can see. On your subjects and I I will try to. So then the stimulus and. Simulus and. Assistant SO. So that then. Will tell them that how you will connect this simulation with the real world simulations or real time simulations and finally the practical implementation. So. Without. Without. Slides or a chalkboard. Also. You can teach them through different type of. Two in the. This.

Okay, so you’ve got strategies to make sessions interactive, but assessing engagement can be tricky when students hang back. Accreditation cycles can be demanding — if you joined our department and found that outcome assessment data was inconsistent across courses, how would you approach fixing that?

Yeah, I think that. To enhance the inconsistency, we need to revise the syllabus. Also, different type of subjects are becoming obsolete and we have to focus on that. What is the demand of the industry-relevant subject. So I will focus on that type of. Where there are a strong bonding of the industry, so so so students will be very much interested when I will tell them that they. If they connect with. They will get the. Uh, industry exposure because they are, they are very much worried about their, uh, placement. So. When I will connect the gap between the industry and the that the topics so they. Feel very much interested and they will be engaged in all the time in my class.

Okay, so you’d prioritize revising the syllabus toward industry relevance to drive better engagement and outcomes, and you see that as a way to address assessment inconsistencies. But accreditation also means documenting measurable outcomes and ensuring faculty are aligned on standards. How would you make sure your colleagues are consistently collecting and reporting the right data for accreditation reviews?

Yeah, for that I will. Do some kind of monitoring. Team who is? Which will. Monitor the. The data collection methods among the faculties regularly. Regular basis. Means weekly. I will take I will collect all the data from all the faculties through online. And that will be that will. Is even in life. So any faculty can easily see that they have missed the data and I will give them a reminder in the next week so such that they that everyone's data can be collected for the ranking purpose. So it is a consistent method so. Now we need a transparent and consistent. And also we need a. We need a systematic methods to to collect the all the data for the ranking purposes. Thank you.

Alright, so you’d create a regular monitoring team and use online collection to keep assessment data transparent and up to date. Before we wrap this section, tell me—how would you integrate your own research into developing new laboratory sessions, especially for image processing or communication systems, here at VIT?

Yeah, I, I, I will try to develop the oil, oil structure lab. On electromagnetic levitation system. And there are. There will be some labs. Prototypes where students can easily visualize the. Well, the system from there, starting from the stability modeling controller design. And and real world applications so they can hands on sessions they can easily. And do this this in the lab. So I will, I will, I will develop. I have I have a dream to develop a. Structured Lab. Research Lab. To demonstrate all the physical. Systems to the undergraduate and post graduate even in the research students also. So I am interested to take a few PSD students who will actively engage with this type of. Development, lab development and also research development. Because it is very much connected with the real world application. So everyone is very much interested because this topic is. Hey, very much. Emerging topics throughout the globe. We know that the maglev train is basically Iran's buying the Germany and Japan and China is also producing. So this topic is highly. Hey, hi, hi, hi. Starts projects, topics in the world now this this this. Labs are not connected with the actimatic bearing or electromagnetic expenses. They are a lot of applications are coming nowadays because this is a energy efficient and. And eco-friendly. Yeah, Mrs. Thank you.

You’ve mentioned building a collaborative, research-driven environment and guiding students through hands-on learning. Imagine this: a student claims your grading on a major project was unfair and files a formal complaint, but at the same time, your department head is urging you to increase pass rates for accreditation targets. How would you handle this situation?

So my target will be. To to understand the students in very simplest way. I don't think that, uh, if, uh, if, uh, any experiment, uh. Any experience is very tough so. So to to make. Clear about their. Their their projects. It is very much possible to make them understandable in very simplest way such that they can get both the their their concept that projects is also complete, completed and also. We get. They are past SO. I have to make. I will make the balance between the learning methods and the the. A number number. Pathmarks such that due to this accredited requirement, so I will balance this in such a way that in the simplest way. They complete their projects such that. Without compromising the quality. Their concept is also become clear, and they also. Be passed in the. So the. Accurate detection part also. It is fulfilled. Hello.

Yeah, of course I have a lot of exposure in industry and also academic institute because I. Hi I have worked in very prestigious institutes in India. Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Saint, Brazil. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. So I have a good. Collaboration with the academics as well as the industry because my work is real world application so already I have completed few projects with the industry. Hi, I just like Indian Railways is the. Stakeholders of my projects and. And I have connected with different type of multi DST server, ICT, DDO, DRDO, isuro et cetera. So I can easily I I can easily use my. My academic. Collaboration and my academic circle. For the benefit of the students. In terms of their project? Project or internship or something else? I can easily. To do that, and I can, I will, I have. I have a great hope that I will be able to make this resource which already I have for the last 10 years I have. I have managed to build up this this for last 10 years. I will use for this resource fully for the benefits of the students and to send them in internship in terms of. Et cetera in our. I will try to connect with them in lot of industries. In in future that is my. Country in.

Alright, so you’ve developed that network over a decade and even have Indian Railways as a project stakeholder—that’s substantial. Can you give me a concrete example of a time you actually placed a student in an industry internship or project through one of these connections?

Let's I am giving you example that maglev. Hyperloop is designing in item address. And that IIT Madras Hyperloop design I am actively involved. With their work so I can. Meiji sent my students of reality to that project. And. Uh, let's uh, uh, I am also involved in, uh, in a federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Projects so. So I can easily meet my students for interns if they are also. And most importantly, India, IIC, Bengaluru, that is the number one institute in our country. They are also I can send my students of BIT to. For for some kind of intensive, some kind of projects. Also because all of my friends are. Establish, and they are faculties they are. In the renowned institutes of our country, so I can use this network fully. For the benefits of the my my own students.

Right, Dr., now I’d like to quickly cover a few key areas we consider essential for this role. Let’s start with image processing. Suppose you’re supervising a student project on defect detection in manufacturing using image analysis—what practical steps would you advise them to take to ensure their system works reliably in real-world factory conditions?

I will. I will. Tell them to go to the. BAML Industry. And I will I will advise them. And I will also go with them to visualize the things what is happening in the industry and I will describe them. What is happening and how they can overcome that image processing part and how they can get better idea so I will directly take them to the industry. Are in different industries. So that that is my. Target.

Alright, so you’d take students on-site to see the actual industrial process and guide them through problem-solving in context. Now for embedded and communication systems—let’s say a student is struggling to get reliable data transfer between a microcontroller and a sensor over SPI, and they’re seeing intermittent data corruption. What would you advise them to check first?

So I will. I will. Tell this. Tell my students to check the sensor. And the microcontroller correctly in each point. And all the input output pins they must check that if the data is coming correctly or not. And also we have to I will tell the students to check the. Supply. A power supply is getting. Or not so I. Well, I'll tell them from from I will take a. Thick pin diagram of the microcontroller and I will tell them to check each and every. I want to hear the. The problem is coming. I will test them uh. Thor thoroughly to check that. Where is the ultimately. Where Mr. is coming?

Okay, so you’d have them check each pin and the power supply and walk through the connections against the diagram to locate the problem. When you’re teaching a new topic or lab—say something complex like embedded protocols—how do you make sure your explanations are structured so that students at different levels can follow along and actually retain the material?

So I would. Use some kind of flow flow chart block diagram. And and also some kind of. Diagrams such that they can connect. Steps thoroughly. Because. If we do step jump in the processes though, so the students cannot, students can miss that point, so I will. And I will use a flow charts, block diagram and structure way. And it's. Each block diagram. A separate time such that they can. When they will reach uh, they are clear up to date, then only I will go to the next step such that they are. Concepts. Must not be diverted. Hello. Hello.

Alright, Dr., we're wrapping up. Is there anything you'd like to ask about the Assistant Professor (Research) role or the team here at VIT?