Good day, Dr. Mannur Ismail Shaik. 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.

Good morning to you.

So myself, Doctor Manu Ismail Sheikh. Currently I'm working as a senior lecturer in a Faculty of Food Science and Agro Technology in North City Malaysia, Terengganu, Malaysia.

My I worked previously at a Project Fellow in a major research project under the University Grants Commission during 2009 to 2012.

So in this one I did with the mycotoxin contaminated fish and how the enzymatic or changes occurred in the.

Mycotoxin contaminated fish.

The followed by my own research I done with my PhD with the minister plans. So I choose the one of the endemic plan. So I've done this Bosa Villa Sareta. I did the it's anti-inflammatory activity. Also through this my research journey in the PhD I did collected the planned material and also I used to be studied the what is the? Their beneficial role, especially in.

Treatment of inflammation. So I have to go through the sorrel methodology to complete this.

Project followed by this I have involved in several research projects which is anti-goverto properties and also currently my researcher with the Malaysian government of higher education is going on. My current research is on evaluation of anti diabetic activity of ecliptopostata plant extract with the synthesis of biosynthesis of nanoparticles with the help of Eclipta prostheta.

So, currently I have published 51 research articles in the reputed journals and followed by six articles in conference proceedings and also six articles in the book chapters. Also, I'm dealing with one book currently under the consideration by Springers.

So this is my publication or background and also I attended several conferences. Around 50 conferences I presented my research work and also I received like 8 presentation best presentation awards from my research journey.

So this is about my research.

Germany.

Thank you, Professor Shaik, for sharing that overview of your research and achievements. I’d like to verify your competencies in alignment with the Food Science and Technology Professor position. Let’s examine each of the related skills and qualifications in detail. To begin, could you explain your expertise and academic foundation in Food Science, Nutritional Sciences, or Microbial Technology? Specifically, how do these areas intersect in your research?

OK, good. So I'm since like 7 years, I'm working with the Faculty of Food Science and also I'm working as a lecturer in the Department of Food Technology. So I contributed especially in the instrumentation used in the food analysis. Mostly I used to be teach with the specific advanced instruments like the HPLC gas chromatography.

And also like spectroscopy techniques like atomic absorption spectroscopy.

FTR for your transfer infrared spectroscopy. So mostly I focus on the dimension towards the the instrumentation in food science and also food analysis and let run. I also mostly engage with the food microbiology how the microbes will be causing the.

Football outbreaks and also what kind of the microbes they are harmful and what kind of the micros they are beneficial in terms of food and followed by food toxicology. Also I'm dealing so this is the most predominantly. I'm teaching the three papers constantly with the instrumentation in food analysis followed by the food microbiology and also food toxicology.

So my research also focusing on towards the food technology, especially with my final year projects from the bachelor degree. They are also focusing on development of our new products, especially like products which has the health benefits like the bio active compounds. So they are going to be, they used to be prepared the food from the bio active, high bio active compound foods. So this is my research journey currently going on and also same I'm going to be.

If I get opportunity in a bit.

Thank you, Professor Shaik. I can see that your focus spans both theoretical concepts and practical applications in Food Science, Nutritional Sciences, and Food Technology. Let me move forward to assess your ability to teach theory and laboratory courses comprehensively. Can you elaborate on your approach to teaching advanced instrumentation, such as HPLC or spectroscopy, to students—ensuring they not only understand the theory but can also operate the equipment proficiently?

Yes, I used to be applied the instrumentation especially like the high performance liquid chromatography. So this instrument is used to be analyzed.

Instead of like the carbohydrates the thing but sugars we can be separate the sugar molecules present in our sample. Also different type of the chemicals and a different type of ingredients which used to be in the preparation of the food. Like the caffeine also we can be separated from our sample and also we can be identify also quantify the quantify the concentration of the caffeine and also sugars present in our sample and.

A wide variety of the samples, especially this instrumentation can be helpful to separate the components from the mixture of sample.

Uh, including my research also a bit focused with the high square C uh, in, in terms of, uh, sugar profiling in honey, especially stingless B honey. So what is the sugar levels in the stingless bee honey and what type of sugars they present in the stingless honey? What is the, uh, concentration of each step of the sugars present in the stingless Bahraini? Coming to back to the instrumentation, uh, I used to be teach the basic principles of, uh, chromatography techniques and followed by advanced techniques like the.

PLC so high performance liquid chromatography we used to be explain the principle. What is the basic principle? How what is the instrumentation set up?

Of our HPLC and what is the basic principles involved in the HPLC and what are the advantages disadvantages of a HPLC also the application towards the food industry. So the HPLC is the new advanced instrumentation which is most commonly used nowadays in the analysis of food, especially to isolate or purify or quantify the. Biocomponents present in our food sample.

So this technique can be used to be analyze the samples by separating their forces like the polarity based on the polarity and the based on their molecular size based on their affinity we can be separate this components from the mixture of sample.

Thank you for that detailed explanation, Professor. It is clear you emphasize both theoretical grounding and application while teaching advanced instruments like HPLC, tying in principles, operation, and use cases in the food industry. Next, let’s explore your experience in student evaluation and handling exam duties. Could you elaborate on how you conduct evaluations fairly and your approach to designing exams that both challenge the students and accurately assess their knowledge?

Thank you, this is I can say proudly myself, I can be evaluate the complete student because when I'm working now, currently I'm working in Malaysia, there are practices different from Indian scenario. Then we should be starting with the development of syllabus, the development of curriculum. We should involve the each lecturer especially respective to their subject. They should be involved in development of curriculum followed by the syllabus and also like the evaluation category.

So we should be assessment category also lecturer, the lecturer who is supposed to be teach the course, they should be involved. So this involvement helped me to develop the new courses and also new programs. Also I involved in the task force committee for the development of new program in our faculty that is the functional efforts, food technology in functional foods. So.

A new curriculum for the new course. Also the current course. Upgrading the new curriculum of current courses also also I used to be.

I involved in the development of a.

Involved in the.

Preparation of syllabus followed by the preparation of my own study notes and also I should I have to prepare the the internal evaluations like internal assessments like the mid testers test 1 and test 2 also followed by the laboratory design and also the laboratory manual design and also the connecting the experiments and also evaluating the lab report. Followed by the final examination. Also we need to be assessed the same lecturer who is to teach so.

He only has to be take the call responsibility starting from the curriculum development to until the release of their final evaluation result that is like a final marks from their course. So this experience hopefully will be helpful to improve the current courses also will be helpful to develop the new programs or new courses in terms related to the food science and technology.

OK, so my research with the students especially the bachelor students in their the semester 6 and seven, there has to be involved in the final year project. So those project is completely research project. So my first batch students, I deal with the analysis of stingless bee honey, the quality of stingless bee honey. So they used to be determined the physical chemical properties followed by the sugar profiling of a stingless bee honey also a bit of involved.

It’s evident that you take a hands-on and comprehensive approach, guiding students from curriculum development to evaluation. Your involvement in syllabus design, internal assessments, and laboratory work demonstrates a deep commitment to their academic journey. Now, let’s discuss your ability to guide student projects and research. Could you highlight some examples of the projects or research topics you have supervised and elaborate on how you ensure students succeed in achieving meaningful outcomes?

To identify the.

There are antioxidant properties. The efficacy of antioxidants properties also evaluated from a by 1 batch of the students, then followed by the other batches. They develop the different type of food product. Food products. For instance, some students, they involve to develop the ice cream by using the natural herbal resources like the mint. They are some students they develop the mint ice cream. Some students they develop the ice cream in flavor of.

Butterfly, butterfly flowers. So this research will be helpful to enhance the quality of the food. It's not only just like consumer attraction that means like sensor attributes beyond the sensory attributes. We are going to provide the new variety of the food product which which carries the health benefits for like the anti ethylene properties, anti diabetic properties. Also one of the my student also done the development.

Ice cream by using the curcumin. So we know very well about the curcumin. Curcumin can use multiple culinary practices. Also it helpful in the development of several supplements. Health boosting supplements also some kind of the medicine. Also this curcumin has a wide variety of the bioactivities. Also, this curcumin can be used from the traditionally to treat the different type of.

Diseases like the wounds and also like the diabetic, those can be controlled or managed by the help of.

Also we do the develop the tablets the like ready to drink tablets with the help of sour soup tablet. So why we choose the sour soup means sour soup is a very perishable fruit and also it has a low market value in terms of economically. So we want to be utilized and also we want to make those products into more commercially. So we used to be developed the source soup tablets which will be. Considered as the ready to drink.

So developing the ice cream with the curcumin also give the best results from my student.

So just we can be take the tablet and dissolve in water things. So it is like the fruit drink and also like the nutritious drink and also health boosting drink. It contains the a good amount of bio activities including the antioxidant properties. So this is the some of the projects I deal with my students. They develop a different type of food products with the help of with enhancing their.

Enhancing their nutritional value along with the health benefits.

And also some of the research students, they focus on the development of some culinary products like the Nuggets and also like Patty patties, chicken Patty and also patties for complete totally the vegetarian patties they will develop. And also this they identify the what is the?

There are bio what is there physical chemical properties also followed by the bio active properties including the antioxidant properties also antimicrobial property. So there's a research is mostly focused on with my final year project students, especially with the food technology students. Beyond this my different research with my core research with the anti diabetic activity of medicine plants so.

Our core research is my. My activities offer.

So currently my research what I am working under the government of Malaysia under the ministry of higher Education. So currently I'm working with the anti diabetic properties of eclipta prostate or nanoparticles.

Thank you, Professor Shaik. Your guidance and supervision of student projects reflect an impressive variety of work, from food product development to bioactive property evaluation and research into medicinal plants. This demonstrates both creativity and practical application in mentoring students. Let’s now address communication and teaching structure. How do you ensure clear and effective communication when assisting a diverse group of students at varied academic levels, particularly in conveying complex concepts?

So of course we need to be focused more on the people who is a bit back in terms of the education we used to be frequently. I want to be interact with those students who is academically poor performance. Also I want to be trying to identify what is the drawback from them, why they are not able to be achieved their good scoring in the examination and in terms of enhancing their knowledge. I used to be communicate very frequently also I asked them to be.

Uh, skills, especially, uh, why where they are lacking, uh, lacking the understanding if they are not following my slang are also like, uh, my talk. Uh, if they are not going to be followed, then I want to try to be make simplified, explain them. And also most of the times they used to be meet me by the consultancy consultation. They were used to be meet me to clarify their doubts. Even they are not able to be expressed in the classroom. And I used to be invite those.

Like the counselling and also they can have like different sessions with the main for example to develop their.

This can become under discuss with me and also they can clarify what are the doubts they have.

So of course as an academician and researchers, we need to be make balance between the academic journey and also the research journey. So we cannot neglect the publications. Of course as a researcher we should be continuous our continuous efforts towards our research field. It will be proven by the publication of quality man scripts. So the teaching I used to be focused mostly during the office hours and also I used to be follow up according to my. Schedule for the.

It’s commendable that you make a deliberate effort to engage with students who may struggle academically, offering personalized interactions and simplifying concepts to enhance their understanding. Your approach highlights a student-focused teaching philosophy. Lastly, let’s speak briefly about your publication efforts. Your record of 51 research articles and book chapters is remarkable. How do you maintain consistency in producing high-quality research while balancing your teaching and mentoring responsibilities?

A class under Lab. Beyond this time, I used to be focused every day. I used to focus for the doing the research especially like the publication part also and also I don't want to be compromised in terms of the quality of the publication. I used to be mainly focused on the high impact journals. My publications also my recent publications. Also if you go to the my recent publications you can see the mini is from the Q1 quartile 1 ranking journals only.

And also I'm going to be allocate the sweep time for the publication. And also if I get the opportunity to wait, hopefully I will get the sum of the my PhD scholars. Maybe I trained them to not only to do the research, but also I want to train them to be improve their skills to writing the publications, how to write the a good band script for the quality.

Are also involved in the preparing the men scripts and also design the main script and also develop the concept of the manuscript. Also the research have to be involved. I want to be involved in each and every step. I guide the students same time. I have to work myself hard to get the more and more publication every day here.

Journal so we are not only the I'm just trying to the students I also involved.

Your ability to balance rigorous teaching responsibilities with a strong commitment to high-impact publications is impressive, Professor Shaik. It is evident that you adopt a disciplined schedule and take an active role in mentoring students in research writing, ensuring both academic growth for them and a consistent research output for yourself. With this, we’ve covered all the required competencies and skills for this role. Do you have any final questions or topics you’d like to discuss before we conclude?

I just want to be make but I'm sorry I'm not sure about that. This is the platform I can mention or I can be bring to you regarding my requirement, my request especially with my final interview which is supposed to be done on 3rd February. Is it possible I can be attend in on the line because currently.

The during the especially during the my interview schedule, I have the involved in my final examination, my student final examination which I cannot be avoid those things I cannot be avoided because especially my paper is during this time.

So once if Ioffer, you know Vellore Institute of Technologies, I strongly believe this is the one of the best institution in India, not only the India in South Asia, I strongly believe this one. So if Ioffer as a professor in the food technology, what kind of benefits I can receive in terms of academic and research support from the institute?

I understand the importance of your teaching commitments and final examinations, Professor Shaik. Unfortunately, I am unable to directly address administrative or scheduling matters for the interview process. I recommend following up with the relevant team or contact point for the interview to explain your circumstances and request an adjustment to the schedule if possible. If there's anything else you'd like to discuss regarding your expertise or the role, feel free to let me know.

Thank you for your interest, Professor Shaik. As per the role of a Food Science and Technology Professor at Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), the institute places a strong emphasis on academic excellence and research advancement. While the specifics of benefits may require direct inquiry with the administrative team, I can share general academic and research opportunities provided with such roles: 1. **Research and Funding Support**: VIT emphasizes engagement in high-value funded projects and often offers infrastructure for innovative research. Professors are encouraged to publish in reputed journals and are supported in doing so. 2. **Academic Growth**: A platform for curriculum development and advanced teaching methods, enabling contribution to both theoretical and laboratory courses. 3. **Industry Collaboration and Consultancy**: Opportunities to foster industry-institution interaction and participate in consultancy services as part of bridging academia with practical applications. 4. **Recognition for Multi-disciplinary Work**: The institute values engagement in fields like Food Science, Nutritional Sciences, or Microbial Technology through measurable outcomes such as patents, funded projects, or publications. I recommend connecting with the institute’s recruitment team for additional clarity on specific benefits or allowances tailored to research and academic support.

Thank you for your nice explanation. Clear explanation about the what?

Step our faculty member will get from the wait. So it's really appreciated the what are the considerations from the institution? Thank you.

Yes, please, uh, conclude the session. Thank you once again.

You're most welcome, Professor Shaik. I'm glad I could provide clarity. Your rich experience and dedication to both teaching and research are evident, and I’m sure they’ll greatly value your contributions. Best of luck with your final evaluations and interview process. If there’s nothing else you’d like to discuss, I’ll proceed to conclude our session. Shall I?