Good day, Dr. Vijayakumari Panneerselvam. 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?

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

Hello, are you there?

Hello.

This is Doctor Vijay Kumari. Good evening.

Am I audible?

Could you?

Yes, Dr. Kumari, you are audible. Could you please continue and share your professional journey in academia?

Hi.

Hello again, Dr. Kumari. Please go ahead and share your professional journey in academia.

It's good evening. Happy to who uh, has a part of uh, this second row interview in, uh, VAT. So this is, uh, I'm doctor Vijay Kumari from Chennai.

So I have, uh, my introduction to share with you a few lines.

So I have nearly 25 years of teaching experience in various reputed.

Thank you, Dr. Kumari, for sharing that. I appreciate your introduction.

Hi.

Professor Vijayakumari Panneerselvam, based on your resume and job description, I will now evaluate your competencies and academic fit for the role of Professor. Let us proceed systematically. Let’s begin by discussing your expertise in Image Processing. Could you explain, in simplified terms suitable for undergraduate students, how you would process an image to detect edges using a common algorithm like Canny or Sobel?

For a image processing, we have N number of algorithms there.

So I know something about the CNN algorithm.

Which is most widely used in the image processing technique for restoration and enhancementing and scaling these activities. So which is hacking a major role in the image processing system. So I have to explain in detail about the clustering.

The concepts and images segmentations like that, uh, we have to explain for the UG students.

For undergraduate students, segmentation in image processing can be explained as the process of dividing an image into parts that are easier to analyze, such as identifying objects or regions of interest within a scene. Could you elaborate on how you would explain the role of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to students when applied for image segmentation or clustering tasks? Specifically, how would you clarify the underlying operations like convolution, pooling, and activation functions in simple, student-friendly terms?

La concept, Ask the question, understand what you ask.

SIM.

Let me clarify. When teaching undergraduates about CNNs in image processing, how would you explain the role of the main operations—like convolution, pooling, and activation functions? How would you make these complex topics understandable for beginners?

Yes Sir, we have to simplify the concept by the methodology. Have the segmentation and the enhancement which will have the CNN algorithm and also RSS algorithm. So north number of algorithm is there. So according to the.

Overview of the particular algorithms. We have to clarify the explanation regarding the algorithms in in the.

Below the concept of image processing.

I see your point about providing a broad overview of algorithms. However, providing clarity is critical for teaching effectively. How would you structure this explanation step-by-step for first-year undergraduates, ensuring that foundational operations of CNN or image segmentation are understood without overwhelming detail?

Uh, could you ask, instead of image processing, could you please ask any relevant to the linear integrated circuits?

Please.

Certainly, Professor. Shifting focus to Linear Integrated Circuits, could you explain how you would introduce the concept of operational amplifiers (op-amps) and their practical applications—such as in signal conditioning or amplification—to undergraduate students? Provide an example they can easily grasp.

Yes, sure, sure. So for linear integrated circuit, this major device is the operational app.

Amplifier which is called as an simply op amp. So why it is called as an operational amplifier means which can operation. Mathematical operations is like addition, subtraction and division, multiplication and also log, anti-log and what are all the mathematical operations which can perform and also which amplifies the difference between the two inputs.

So which way otherwise we call it as operational amplifier? Is there difference amplifier or differential amplifier which is?

Acting in the major role of uh, all over uh, fields like, uh, the application is uh, industry applications and also communication, RF communication and also medical, medical field, uh, whichever the automatic missionary is there. So the IC is available, especially the IC 741. The IC number is 741 LM 741 that will be most widely used in the. Areas.

So all over, uh, uh, commercial purpose IC as well as laboratory purpose ICS, we have to act a major role in the part of, uh, electronics industries. So this is the simple introduction about op amp and coming to the applications of operational amplifier, we have Ln number of applications in the maximum already, I told previously in the different fields like biomedical as well.

As out of communication industry, so like different amplifications and what we call it as adder subtractor and multiplier square square rooter in the field of industry which is called as an instrumentation amplifier and in signal processing we have use for the integrated differentiator and peaking averaging. And one more thing for the clipping, clipping clamping.

And precision rectification and.

And these, uh, every aspects of electronic circuits, the IC741 is acting the major role again and again I am telling which is the best to on IC in the ruling the world.

Comparator.

Is the explanation is enough or I have to explain?

One second.

The explanation you provided is thorough and demonstrates your understanding of operational amplifiers, their applications, and their significance in various fields. It provides a comprehensive overview for students. If you'd like, you can refine it further for undergraduates by simplifying some technical terms and focusing more on hands-on examples, like showing a basic op-amp circuit in action (e.g., a summing amplifier or a differentiator circuit) and its real-world impact. Let's proceed to a different area. How would you structure laboratory sessions to help students hands-on with embedded systems and communication technologies?

Already I told in the communication. So we have to use for the signal amplifications in various amplification circuits here used.

So like the like what we call it as PLL phase locked loop which is used in the applications of processing signal processing. So in this case we have a phase detector and for the filter unit and also the.

What we call it as amplification error amplification and then we have to connect it over to the VC voltage controlled oscillator. So that closed loop function is comparatively analysis the signal frequency as well as oscillator frequency.

Finally, we have to obtain the various ranges of capture range and locking range and the pull in time. So this type of circuits and all used in the communication side. And one more aspect is for AM deduction as well as FM detection. So especially this is in the communication transmitter unit as well as receiver units like AM amplitude modulation and frequency modulation. For analog communication in the field of digital.

Communication we have to use for the same operational amplifier in the ASK amplitude shift keying, frequency shift keying in the detection as well as the transmitter units. So so in various communication field also used in the operational amplifier IC in various block diagrams. So already I told in the VCO under the phase detector, both VCO and phase detector is having the. A small part of IC741 operational amplifier so which can perform the comparative analysis whether 2 signals if coming so they it will be compare and give the parameter details to the output unit and then we have to take the comparative analysis and finally it may transmit combined and send through the.

Wired channel or like maybe a wireless channel. So this is the part behind the uh, what we call it as uh, IC.

Is.

Once again, you ask the question again.

Yes.

How would you guide students in their research projects, particularly in areas like Optical Communication or Embedded Systems, ensuring they develop both technical proficiency and research skills? Could you provide an example of how you approach mentoring students in such areas?

Sure.

Sure, in in my experience, I have guided more than what 5200 students UG projects OK in the field of different communication and embedded and VLSI and for a digital image processing in all the fields I guided the UG students especially in my point of view in my research workers underwater wireless optical communication.

So in relevant to that, I have guided the students to take the part of UH communication projects mostly most of the university students and also the UH college engineering college students took only for the in the field of IoT, it's like a embedded. So embedded projects only they took. So instead of that, I have encouraged the students to take over the communication side projects.

So like, uh, example is, uh, our optical communication, so in the, uh, underwater. So this is the, uh, uh, curiosity projects, we have to use the sensors as well as the laser LED and the different deductors they should know and detail about the in depth usage of current.

Communication system like optical communication system so which will be in the wired scenario but we have to guide the students with the wireless communication by the optical. So these are the takeover. So in the field of optical communication we have to analyze via the channel parameters in north number of projects are there and also for the receiver side and the detector section.

That is also have N number of, uh, detector, uh, types are there. We have to choose the different types of detectors what will happen in the channel, uh, part. So this is one way of, uh, project, uh, guiding and also the transmitter side we have LED and the different laser types are there. So according to different project scheme, we have NMR of research works, research ideas.

There so I have to given that my ideas to the students to do the.

UG projects and also the research proposals, uh, for funded projects, we apply the underwater projects relevant to the NIOT. So already I attended so many seminars relevant to the NMOT project works. So N number of proposals are available. So I have to guide the students to do the projects in the communications and also the circuits electronics.

Because the field is ECE so most probably students are took only concentrate in the part of electronics not for the communication so and insist the students to do the communication projects in the various communication projects. Is that NF?

My explanation?

Yes, your explanation is thorough and clearly showcases your experience, particularly in guiding students on optical communication and embedded systems projects. You’ve emphasized innovative areas like underwater wireless optical communication and detailed how sensors, LEDs, lasers, and detectors play a role. Your ability to mentor students toward curiosity-driven, technically complex projects in communication stands out. Let’s now shift to pedagogy. How do you ensure clear communication and structured teaching when delivering complex concepts like optical communication or embedding advanced topics for undergraduate students? How do you balance technical depth with accessibility?

So technical def means in the if I take the optical communication subjects we have to gone through the syllabus what they framed and in the each and every topic we have to explain mathematically as well as theoretically. So for example different losses is there in the optical communication means we have to prove the loss factors. So how much of loss will be there and mathematically.

Sorry

That should be explained with the different input parameters and what we obtained at the reception side. So how much of loss there in the channel. So that should be measured by the scattering loss, absorption loss. So, so many losses are available in that. Factors of optical communication that will be explained whether it is theoretically or if any derivation part, if any proof is there.

Uh, that should be explained in detail and also example worked problems how to, uh, how to calculate the losses in the, uh, optical fiber communication that is. Practically, you have to give the some solved problem as well as some exercise problems given to the students and they can easily understand what happened during the communication side in the channel side and how they calculate the losses. With the link budget, how to frame the connectivity to the transmitter to the receiver. So like that we have to explain in detail with the theoretical part as well as the mathematical part if the practical is required to the particular subject. So we have to practically explained during the laboratory hours, so the same. Losses analysis by using the optical communication which have the.

Keep the setup optical communication kit set up. So we have to given the explanation to the students in the laboratory also.

Is that enough?

Yes, that explanation is sufficient and demonstrates a structured and comprehensive approach to teaching. By covering theoretical, mathematical, and practical perspectives, you ensure students not only understand the concepts but also gain hands-on experience through lab activities like loss analysis and link budget setup. This approach highlights your ability to deliver clear and structured teaching while balancing accessibility and technical depth. I will now evaluate the next competency—your contributions to research publications. Could you describe one of your published research works in detail, focusing on your role, the problem you addressed, and the impact of the findings?

Yes.

Um, I have already, I told in the introduction part. I have the 34 publications in various. Indexed.

Sci paper as well as the Scopus indexed papers in various conference. I triple conference papers. Also I published so in my research work. If I selected in the VAT. So I'm either I am planning to the contribution the first my view is focusing the view is.

Only the funded projects.

So I did not have in the previous funded project I have the proposal. So already I told in the NIOT no. So in this NIOTI asked some scientists to submit the proposal fund proposal to the specified topics. So I have plan to do the funded project one thing and one more I plan to apply in the international. So I have a PDF I'm doing.

Pursuing the PDF in the Pulaski University, Poland, Europe. So in that particular university I have a collaboratively work with industry people along with the institution. So I have create one product relevant to that EV vehicle, electric vehicle. So with the optical.

Property devices. So in that case I have planned to produce the apply the fund.

Proposal to that particular university if they sanctioned means, uh, I will be benefited. So this is the second thing and uh, third thing is, uh, my consultancy work. So I have some contacts to the industry because I have a past seven month past seven months means, uh, in 2023, I, I was in industry so relevant to the semiconductor devices so I have.

Some contacts about the industry. So that's why umm, I plan to my students to give a consultancy work to the industry collaboration. This is the third thing and the fourth thing, patent patent work. We concentrate on the patent work in the application patent as well as the grant patent. So I have get 1 grant design pattern only there. So I have to get further. The grant grant.

Patent publication, I want to do that. So that is my 4th uh, research concept. And as usual, the remaining thing is publication like each and every year I have to do one or two SCA paper and one or two Scopus indexed paper. So if my student collaborative collaboratively, we have to plan and write the papers and we have to do in the various conference.

Meet so that is the conference I triple E conference publications. So these are my planning of research contribution to the institutions.

Is that enough?

Yes, your explanation is quite comprehensive and outlines your significant contributions and ambitions in research. You've highlighted your diverse work—ranging from extensive publications and collaborative international research to launching funded projects, industry consultancies, and patent work. These details reflect your proactive approach to research and its integration with academia and industry. Let’s now address how you evaluate and mentor students academically. How do you structure student evaluations and exam responsibilities to ensure fairness and accuracy, while also identifying areas that need improvement?

I can't understand what you are asking.

Let me clarify. When assessing students through exams or evaluations, how do you ensure that the process is fair, accurate, and identifies where the students need improvement? Could you share how you approach grading exams, assigning projects, or giving feedback to students?

Yes, obviously. So we have the process of valuation of students in the part of uh, uh, project aspects with the various explanation that is for what we call it as project presentation and that is the review.

So due to the review.

Explanation so they explained very well means that we have to.

Among the sensation as well as the skill of the.

Project and as well as how they understand the project work. Likewise we created the separation of presentation and key points to the project and ask us how they design the projects like desegregate the parameters with the various division of marks. We have to produce the put the marks according to that.

And for in the part of illegally, so we have conduct the continuous assessment test during the semester either two or three. So according to that CAT exam marks that is.

We have correct the theoretical paper and.

I have to explain how to write the.

Questions the answers in relevant manner and the presentation and how right of big questions means how to write the part of explanation by the circuit or a diagram. So anything else we have to explain clearly after. Once with the examination.

Market that is below average mark means we have to encourage the students to write the point view and the important questions, important topics in particular subjects or units. OK, So in this point of view, we have to analyze the marks for the students details as well as practical list.

And those were got.

Is that enough?

Yes, your explanation is sufficient and thorough. It demonstrates a clear process of student evaluation, combining project reviews with continuous assessment tests. Your focus on providing constructive feedback, guiding students on presentation and answer-writing skills, and helping below-average students improve reflects strong mentorship and fairness in evaluation. As we wrap up this phase, let me confirm all required areas have been addressed. One moment.

Time is up! Ending the interview now.