Good day, Dr. Latha Rajagopalan. 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?

580.

I'm, uh, Doctor.

Yeah, I'm Doctor Latha Rajagopalan completed B in Electronics and Communication Engineering in the year 1994 and the ME in Applied Electronics completed PhD in the area of multirate DSP and low-power VLSI design, which caters the need of wireless communication.

Thank you

I have a total experience of 30 years in the academic section. I have owned several positions.

Just like a principal position Deans as well as head of the department. This is my academic track record.

Thank you, Professor. I have noted your extensive experience in academia, which includes holding esteemed positions such as Principal, Dean, and Head of Department. I also see that you have a Ph.D. in Information & Communication Engineering from Anna University and a strong academic and research background. Based on your expertise and the position of Professor specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, I would like to evaluate some specific qualifications and skills required for this role. Let us begin with your expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science. Could you share your experience and depth of involvement in teaching or conducting research in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning? For instance, have you developed any AI/ML models, conducted relevant research, or incorporated these subjects into your teaching methodology?

Yeah, actually speaking, uh, I worked in the professors category. So in that case I will be concentrating on design of curriculum, actually entire curriculum. We have to take a call and in that case I have in the Dean academics position, I have concentrated on 10 huge departments. So during that time we have incorporated artificial intelligence as the main core subject area in all the domain experts irrespective of computer and aided courses along with mechanical.

As electronics and communication engineering everything and electrical also we have incorporated as a in the curriculum development we have incorporated artificial intelligence main subject because now whereas going towards the artificial intelligence so I have incorporated everything this this have been incorporated from last January 2025 onwards is expertise with respect to artificial intelligence and communication engineering. I have concentrated on the IoT applic.

Because my domain specific with respect to electronics, I have worked as a in the corporate with respect to embedded system design and development which will be extended for IoT applications also using Pythons. So I have concentrated taking the subject. I myself has concentrated IoT as a subject in in which we can incorporate A modules for developing the projects like that I have because in the in the case of NEP 2020 of India, it. Telling that every.

What is it subject what we are taking as it should be meeting the criteria of OB outcome based education. So for that one of the main criteria is we have to go for project based modules. So in the as a part of IoT I have incorporated project based modules in the first year itself, first semester itself we have incorporated. So students have come across with different IoT modules developing with respect to some of the applications will be related to a also.

We have developed the models and then we have done it specifically in the case of app model app like that we didn't go for it in the hardware oriented artificial intelligence how it can be supportive with that IoT merged together we have done some few applications. This is about the overall idea about my things in the software and hardware Co designed my area of research mainly focuses on. Low power VLSI mobile communication devices.

In mobile communication devices, we will be using a decimation filter architecture. So in that decimation filter architecture, we have to optimize the area power as well as the delay. So I have merged multi-rate DSP along with the VLSI architectures. So in the silicon say semiconductor layout, I have physical layout, I have concentrated. So how we can reduce the VLSI cost cost functions in terms of area power and speed?

In that like that I have concentrated on 11 different architectures of decimation filter architecture which is the combination of DSP merged with low low power VLSI and application will be on mobile phones that is wireless communication systems. In that I have taken the approach called as multirate data multi standard communication systems also. So in this vast experience as of now my research focus towards that is how we can utilize the VLSI.

With respect to artificial intelligence for chip design and fabrication process like that, I'm concentrating as of now. This is my overall research idea.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Actually, I mean I started my career also, I have started with the strong background of handsome practices only. I will not concentrate on the workshops with respect to theoretical background. So since I have started with the strong background with the embedded system embedded, see how being incorporated with respect to microcontroller. Some of the some project modules have been generated in 90s actually as of now after NEP is introduced. So era have been started with IoT. Patients as well as artificial intelligence. So we are incorporating with IoT with respect to Raspberry Pi or sometimes at Mega 320 processors can be utilized based on that. Students are evolved with their hands and practices because in the curriculum we have one component which is called as nothing but our activity based learning. So in that activity based learning, I will be dividing the entire class whatever the subjects I'm taking. Normally, I I'll concentrate it on IoT and I have taken it Internet of Things IoT as well as what is it Design thinking innovation and design thinking paper. Also in that I will be classifying that entire classroom will be divided into several groups. As a group activity, I'll be segregating the students based on their interest, based on their choice. They can come with the project idea or otherwise. I'll be incorporating some of the project titles to the students. I will share the students. The titles whichever demanding for the current scenario of the AI application or IoT like that I will be giving the titles. So students are expected to because it is a part of that. Python is there. Those students has to incorporate hardware as well as the software and they have to come with a project ideas, project modules that is called as project based learning. This is my core strength. I can say that apart from that, this is related to the academia and Celebi. I will be concentrating on the group.

Thank you, Professor, for providing this comprehensive overview of your impressive academic and research contributions. To summarize what I’ve understood so far: 1. Your contributions as a Dean and academic leader include curriculum design across 10 departments, where you incorporated Artificial Intelligence as a core subject in alignment with NEP 2020 guidelines. This included project-based modules introduced as early as the first semester to ensure hands-on learning with AI and IoT applications. 2. Your technical expertise includes embedding Artificial Intelligence into IoT applications, focusing on project-driven learning outcomes, and leveraging Python for IoT-based development. 3. Your primary research centers on the intersection of low-power VLSI design and mobile communication, with significant work on decimation filter architectures. You’ve optimized power, area, and delay in multi-rate DSP-VLSI architectures for wireless communication, including advanced physical Silicon layouts. 4. You are now focusing on utilizing AI in VLSI technologies, particularly for chip design and fabrication processes. This paints a strong picture of your leadership, teaching, and research capabilities. Let me follow up with a specific question: with your deep technical and academic background, how do you envision integrating Artificial Intelligence-related research into classroom teaching to inspire and guide students effectively? For example, how would you enable students to bridge the theoretical foundations of AI with its real-world applications, particularly in fields like IoT or VLSI?

Hello, are you there?

Activity project based learning students has to come with this solution when they have to come with the presentation and they have to submit one project report based on that. So I will evaluate individual students not in a group. It will be evaluated individually and the CAE that is CAE will be evaluated. This is one part regarding the subjects courses what I have taken up. Whereas coming to the apart from that we as a leadership role, I will be concentrating on value added courses, that is value added or student. Development courses which will be catering to the enhancement of the skill oriented courses for that compulsorily. I will be tie up with one of the leading companies in and around whichever the college I have located. As of now I'm attached with Bangalore. So I have taken up the help from Synapses as well as Univision. Such a kind of companies for Microsoft also they have supported, they have come across with the idea and hands on sessions will not be conducted only for.

A minimum of two days, minimum of five days. I have concentrated based on the demand of the ACT OBE based education which demands for 30 hours of curriculum for valued courses also that also we have conducted. Apart from that, exclusively as per the management request, we have conducted skill development courses with respect to communication domain as well as in the electronics domain in terms of VLSI and IoT. This is the overall brief idea about how to.

Incorporate that students should be engaged with the hands on practices rather than by mug upping and theoretical concepts because they have to aspire. What is it? We can say that.

OBE is also demanding, so they have to go for the create level and evaluate the projects that level. I will be concentrating and I will be the support system for them. Also being a mentor and I have supported and normally we'll be encouraging the students to participate in Hacker.

To uh, either uh, normally I'm active in UH I triple E activities, I triple E banner, I'm the senior member in I triple E. So I'll motivate the student should be the I triple E member also. So you will be knowing the concept of I triple E. So it is a global recognized uh membership professional body. So students who are part of that they are encouraged to involve in all over India wherever hackathons are, you know, we are motivating the students to participate.

In hackathons also, this is the overall idea about how to en enhance the skill set of the students in the Academy or domain and cater to the need of the employability ratio of India.

Thank you for this detailed explanation, Professor. It is evident that you have a strong commitment to ensuring academic excellence and skill development among students. Summarizing your approach, I observe the following key strengths in your teaching methodology and leadership: 1. **Project-Based Learning (PBL):** You have a robust model where students engage in hands-on activities, developing projects with both hardware (e.g., Raspberry Pi, Atmega 320 processors) and software (e.g., Python). Your incorporation of activity-based learning fosters collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation. 2. **Individualized Evaluation:** Through individualized assessments in group projects, you ensure holistic learning and fair evaluation, emphasizing each student's contribution and development. 3. **Skill Development Initiatives:** You introduce value-added courses with reputed industry partners (such as Synopsys and Microsoft) to equip students with industry-relevant skills, aligning curricula to OBE and NEP standards. 4. **Co-curricular Support:** Encouraging active student participation in recognized professional bodies such as IEEE and fostering a culture of innovation and creativity by motivating them to engage in hackathons and competitions across India. 5. **Preparation for Employability:** Your strategic focus on enhancing students' skills in emerging areas like AI, IoT, VLSI, and communication domains directly addresses employability challenges by preparing them to meet industry demands. Your integrated teaching and mentoring approach, combined with your rich research experience in next-generation VLSI architectures and AI applications, would undoubtedly help students bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical, real-world applications. As a follow-up, based on your vast experience in teaching and leadership roles, how do you ensure the continuous improvement of curriculum and teaching methodologies to remain aligned with the rapidly evolving advancements, especially in cutting-edge areas like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning?

Hello, are you there?

I'm there.

Hello. Hi.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Building on our discussion, could you kindly elaborate on how you ensure that the curriculum and teaching methodologies adapt effectively to keep pace with advancements in areas like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning? For instance, what strategies or frameworks do you use to update academic content and teaching practices regularly?

Normally we will be incorporating with respect to assignments as well as learning part should be incorporated with respect to video content or in the case of teaching methodology, we will be using flipped class kind of technologies. So flipped class is nothing but interactions from the faculty as well as from the students. I'll be changing the role of the student as a faculty. Students can come across with their some ideas.

Topics will be given to them in the current cutting edge technologies they can that will be pre early announced to the students, they can prepare it and then they can come and demonstrate in front of other students. Also. This is 1 method we are adopting it apart from project based learning. What I have discussed that and already I told that value added courses will be the example. In addition to that we will be some interacting with the industry partners because. Normally students will have a doubt such a way that whatever we are teaching, they will be climbing that. It is not practically implementable. So I'm concentrating that practical scenarios normally in my theory classes. Also, if it is scheduled for 15 minutes, I will concentrate on 40 minutes or something remaining 10 to 15 minutes. I ensure that current technology openings, whatever relevant to the course I will be discussing with the students. So that will be the motivation factor for the students to grab the idea. What is happening in the practical scenario and in the industry scenario? This is one way.

Next one is I told that about you have flipped the classroom and project based learning that is also done. And normally I'll be creating the environment such a way that I will be open to the students to ask the questions in my sessions. I'll give for that session also 5 minutes duration how to interact with me related to the field. So because nowadays communication skill also it is mandatory along with the technology. Some of the students coming from the rural background, they are not having the communication skill. So we have to concentrate that also in addition to that.

And then we have to collaborate because we are saying that only in the inner classroom of 16 strength, only 10% of the students are in the bright level that I mean to say that fast learners, we our focus should not be towards the fast learners. Also, I will be concentrating towards the slow learners how to bring slow learners towards the current cutting edge technologies because I believe that slow learners will contribute much. These people will grab anywhere the fast learners. So slow learners can be contributing much towards the.

Project developments like that also, I'll mingle that poll and then we'll be doing it in the pedagogy. I told that in the teaching pedagogy, I have utilized a flip classroom as of now and then interactive displays modes we will be utilizing for the presentations and all. And then I will be concentrating with I, Triple E and I. I'm acting as a guest speaker in the cutting edge research and research technologies. So I'll be motivating my fellow colleagues to concentrate on the research area because as a team we have to grow.

That is what because nowadays, uh, our Indian scenario ACT norms based on OBE demands for uh, we have to reach our revised Blooms taxonomy. That level we have to create our students potential. So it is not possible only by me alone. I believe on that team building is essential. So as a leader, I will be concentrating along with my team as a team and I will be developing with the curriculum development with respect to cut against technology and normally professional electives are there.

And we are having open electric systems also in our curriculum design. So professional elective will be specific to the core engineering domains. Whereas in the open elective will be cross major multidisciplinary projects like that. If you want to do it, suppose mechanical students can study about your VLSI domain like that wireless communication and what it is possible even artificial intelligence students can opt for VLSI like that because I strongly believe on multidisciplinary approach. So my curriculum design as well as.

Professional lectures or open electives would be focusing towards development of new curriculum. What is develop what is expected. It can be either software oriented or it can be the hardware oriented like that I will be doing this is about my broad area. How to achieve your OBE relevant to revise Bloom's taxonomy because all are interrelated, we can't segregate that OB is separate or have project based everything. I will be in giving an insight to the students. Also first two classes I will be supporting with the curriculum what is?

Syllabus coverage and all we'll be discussing after that, I will be giving the details about what is the expectation of that course outcome. That is what we have to divide it because learning outcome should be there. Course outcome and learning outcome are merged together to demand further accreditation process. Everything so everything are merged together that have been focused towards my content delivery.

By using uh, pedagogy like uh, flip classroom, etcetera. And then, uh, for uh interactive display also, which have to be utilized by the students along with the faculty members to enhance their presentation skills. Everything is done along with the project based learning. So these are the components which will be utilized for evaluating that CIE and they have to come with the solution for that particular task. Whatever given because a is demanded with respect to as a hardware.

I will concentrate much on the IoT. So in the IoT, some of the AI principles can be utilized to some of the algorithms have been utilized and then students have come up with the solutions. That is what we have done it.

Thank you.

Hello.

Yes, Professor. I'm here. Thank you for your detailed insights.

Anything else has to be done, Sir.

Thank you, Professor, for the thorough explanation of your methodologies and approaches. Your dedication to student-centric learning, curriculum innovation, and fostering multidisciplinary approaches is very clear. I have gained all the information I need to proceed in evaluating your academic and leadership competencies. If there is anything specific you’d like to add or ask, feel free to do so. Otherwise, please confirm if you’re ready to conclude this session.

Yeah, you, I I am expecting some suggestions from your end. I have explained from my one one side views how to incorporate my expertise either in the teaching or research for the students development. I'm expecting some of the suggestions how I can improve my.

Capability towards current technological growth.

OK.

Thank you, Professor, for your openness to suggestions. Based on your impressive experience and the methodologies you have implemented, here are a few thoughts that might help you refine and further align your efforts with current technological growth: 1. **AI-Driven Teaching Tools:** Since you embrace innovative teaching methods like flipped classrooms and interactive displays, consider leveraging AI-based teaching tools that personalize learning experiences. For instance, adaptive learning platforms like Coursera or EdApp can assess

Thank you, Professor, for confirming. If there's nothing else

I'll incorporate that course around also. OK, sure. Hmm.

Sure, Sir. Sure, Sir. Eileen.

Thank you, Professor. I’m glad the suggestions were helpful. If there's nothing further from your side, would you like me to conclude the interview?

Yeah. Thank you.

Concluded.

Just to confirm, Professor, are you explicitly requesting that I conclude the interview now?

Yeah.