Thank you. Thank you so much.

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia

Myself, Doctor Sounder, thank you for. Thank you. Yeah, so. So I am very glad to introduce myself. Myself, Doctor Sounder. I completed my. Btech Mechanical Engineering. From other university, Chennai. After that I joined my master degree. From manufacturing engineering. At the College of Government, College of Technology. It's located in Coimbatore. Then I joined my PhD degree. Builder install technology vit University. From the period of 2017 to 2021. So this my academic journey. After that I worked as a teaching fellow from. College of Engineering Anna University is located in Chennai.

Okay, so you started with your BTech in Mechanical Engineering, then moved through your master's and PhD,

Then I joined my. Post doc. Research in Indian Institute of Technology. Yes. Sir, I added the subject is. Composite laboratory. I handled the. Lab is composite laboratory. In the Indian Institute of Technology, actually I've done my post doc in the IIT Guwahati. There itself I handled the. A lab course name is. Mechatronics Lab. So after that. Again, I done my post on. IIT Madras.

Format my second post doc. So I have a research experience in. 2 post doc among.

Dr. Sounder, since you've taught both lectures and lab courses like Mechatronics and Composite Laboratory, which foundational topic do you most enjoy introducing to new students, and why?

Alright, so you’ve done two postdocs and handled Mechatronics and Composite labs at IIT Guwahati and IIT Madras. When you introduce a foundational concept in Mechatronics to new students, how do you make it engaging and clear for them?

Yes, Sir.

Actually. Uh, I wrongly mentioned mechatronics. A Metrology. Is metrology. Yes.

Alright, so you said yes. Can you walk me through a specific example—maybe the first week of your Mechatronics lab—where you introduced a core concept and made sure students really understood it? What did you do differently from a typical lecture?

Actually. Uh, I wrongly mentioned mechatronics. A Metrology. Is metrology. Yes. Uh, button?

Right, thanks for clarifying that it was Metrology Lab. In your time teaching at Anna University, you also taught Composite Materials. I noticed your 2024 publication in Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery on processed banana leaves for sustainable food packaging. How did you connect the research from that paper to your teaching—can you walk me through how you explained the relevance of sustainable materials to your students in the classroom?

Got it.

Yes, Sir.

You mentioned your research on processed banana leaves for sustainable packaging. How did you help students grasp the importance of sustainability in materials—did you use any hands-on demos or relate it to industry trends in your teaching?

Yes, I am used to Anson demo.

Alright, so you used hands-on demos to teach sustainability in materials. What’s one activity or experiment you ran that really helped students connect the science to real-world applications?

Yes.

I I made that biopolymers like polylactic acid. Polyhyraxy butyrane.

Okay, so you ran hands-on demos.

They improved a lot because. They don't know about the basic things about. What is meant by biopolymer? Or what is the purpose of biopolymer? They're using so first. Food that polymers.

I I made that biopolymers like polylactic acid. Polyhyraxy butyrane. Yes, Sir.

Dr. Sounder, given your research in sustainable materials and biopolymers, where do you see the most promising opportunities for external funding over the next few years? Are there specific grant agencies or industry partners you would target to support and scale your work?

Alright. Got it.

Okay, so you noticed students didn’t know the basics about biopolymers before your demos, but showed improvement afterward. Given that, how do you envision fostering industry collaborations to enhance the practical relevance of your research and teaching within our academic framework?

Yes, Sir, my work is invalid, says sustainable materials. It will be like a. We are removing sustainable development goals. Yesterday UN developed sustainable development goals. Industries are following the sustainable development goals. As well as that academic universities. Also there follows A sustainable development goals based research work. So my research area is like that. Sustainable polymers like sustainable composite materials and development. It will be used for the food. Packaging application sector also like in the. Problem the plastic is one of the major issues so we can concentrate on to reduce. +6 by concentrating more and more related to the sustainable materials So my work is basically involved there. The my work is big Yes Sir, I will first apply the projects. Happy to inform you that I already got one project related to sustainable. Packaging materials for. Development and for self improvement of butter mushroom.

Yes, Sir, my work is invalid, says sustainable materials. It will be like a. We are removing sustainable development goals. Yesterday UN developed sustainable development goals. Industries are following the sustainable development goals. As well as that academic universities. Also there follows A sustainable development goals based research work. So my research area is like that. Sustainable polymers like sustainable composite materials and development. It will be used for the food. Packaging application sector also like in the. Problem the plastic is one of the major issues so we can concentrate on to reduce.

Right, you’re focusing on the sustainable development goals and targeting industry partners who care about reducing plastics. If you were to build a research group around sustainable polymers, what would your funding strategy look like—would you go after government grants, pitch to industry, or try a mix?

So this grant is given by Tamil Nadu government Innovation voucher program. So we need to give that handsome training. So without that slide, it's possible. I will show that that instrument instruments. I will show that instruments through that students. But it's very difficult to see that we are using that maternity instrument is a very small instrument like a vernier cage, vernier, Icarus, linear microcos. Uh, Bittu Slade. I will inform that group. So that students Vt will be surrounded by myself. 11200 students also is very difficult actually So I am very new to this. Teaching Sir, actually I'm working related to completely research. But I know like basic things related to. Forced outcome So I am very new to this. Teaching Sir, actually I'm working related to completely research. But I know like basic things related to. Forced outcome. COPO Attainment.

Alright,

So this grant is given by Tamil Nadu government Innovation voucher program. So we need to give that handsome training. So without that slide, it's possible. I will show that that instrument instruments. I will show that instruments through that students. But it's very difficult to see that we are using that maternity instrument is a very small instrument like a vernier cage, vernier, Icarus, linear microcos. Uh, Bittu Slade. I will inform that group. So that students Vt will be surrounded by myself.

Alright, shifting to something broader—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?

So I am very new to this. Teaching Sir, actually I'm working related to completely research. But I know like basic things related to. Forced outcome. COPO Attainment. But I am very uh, I will I will learn something related to the Cop O mapping I won't give that co-author for any question Sir. Without helping the. Like without that, partner with some research work without involving any research work. I won't give any coauthor questions.

Alright, Professor, let’s talk about a real-world ethical dilemma. Imagine a colleague asks you to co-author a paper, but when you review the data, you notice some numbers seem questionable—maybe even manipulated. How would you handle that situation?

Even the the person is close to my friend kind of things. Also I won't give that co-author.

You said you wouldn’t give co-authorship unless you contributed to the research work, which is clear. But let’s say you confront your colleague about the questionable data and they insist it’s correct,

Okay, even if it's a close friend, you wouldn't compromise your standards for co-authorship. If the department head disagreed with your decision and pressured you to accept the paper, how would you respond?

If the data is everything is perfect means I will definitely. I will also involve that, uh, whatever that, uh. In case the data manipulation is there, which I won't accept Sir.

Even if the ads also agree Bills, I won't. Because of the manipulated data, why we are?

Given your background with sustainable polymers and bioplastics, do you have any industry connections that could translate into internship or placement opportunities for our students here?

Alright, Dr., we're shifting to a quick skills check. When you're evaluating students—say, for a final exam—how do you design your assessments to make sure you're testing actual understanding, not just rote memorization?

Hit C. Indian Tobacco Corporation. Paper and the plastic industry. Is it bad? Is it?

You mentioned Indian Tobacco Corporation and paper and plastic industries, but I’m not sure how that connects to exam evaluation. Can you walk me through a specific example of how you structure your student assessments to go beyond memorization, maybe using a real project or case study from your teaching?

Sir, actually I mentioned that the Indian Tobacco Corporation, the paper and the plastic industry is for internship of students. Not for evaluation purpose. Evaluation purpose is a different. I think you misunderstood.

Alright, thanks for clarifying that the industry connections are for internships. For student evaluation,

Actually, you asked. Yes.

Yeah, you confirmed the industry connections are for internships, not evaluation. When you’re structuring student assessments, can you give me an example of a hands-on assignment or project you’ve used—or would use—to check if students actually understand the material?

Yes, Sir. If I take for example, if I take that composite material subjects means I will give the samples also like that glass fibers. As well as epoxy I will give. What's on the assemblies? You fabricate whatever that object you are willing to willing to show me you can prepare. Ideally the class section I will. DTLD explains. What is the procedure? How to make the laminate everything? I will explain so that assignment task is. I'm some I need some, uh, development of the composite materials. Based on the students wish.

Yes, Sir. If I take for example, if I take that composite material subjects means I will give the samples also like that glass fibers. As well as epoxy I will give. What's on the assemblies? You fabricate whatever that object you are willing to willing to show me you can prepare. Ideally the class section I will. DTLD explains. What is the procedure? How to make the laminate everything? I will explain so that assignment task is. I'm some I need some, uh, development of the composite materials. Based on the students wish. Make any application point of. The biggest part of things?

Alright, so you give students materials like glass fiber and epoxy, then have them build something themselves in class. That’s pretty hands-on. When you’re running that assignment, how do you make sure students actually understand the theory behind composite fabrication—not just the steps—especially if someone’s struggling with the concepts?

Alright, so you have students fabricate actual composite samples and you explain the process in detail, then let them choose an application for their project. How do you communicate expectations and structure in your class so students know exactly what's required of them for these kinds of hands-on assignments?

Yes, this adds an assignment if you give that adds on the same words.

Yes, this adds an assignment if you give that adds on the same words. Students uh. Very easily learn the concept.

Right, so you see these hands-on assignments as an add-on to the theory. Let's pivot a bit—when you're teaching a new concept in class, what's your approach to making sure your explanations are clear and structured enough for students who might be struggling with the basics?

You see hands-on assignments as a good way for students to learn, but let's say you're teaching a new concept—how do you make sure your explanations are clear and structured so even students with weaker backgrounds can follow along?

So the main thing of like the dance on asymptote is. Yes. In this case. We need to uh. Give that actual product, we have to show that actual product how the industry they're running. That in the video lecture also we can show. So that student service easily understand the concept, we can show some YouTube videos, YouTube tutorial videos related to. Whatever the topics. For example. Like manufacturing processes the students can't understand the 4G concept means we can show that how. Four things happened in that industry scale. Say like that a plastic manufacturing like a blow molding kind of things for water tank fabrication kind of things. Students can't understand the concept which we can show them. How the actual product is happening in the industry? So we can show them some YouTube videos also.

Okay, showing real industry videos and products helps students grasp the process, especially if they're struggling with theory. Switching gears, Dr., can you tell me about your PhD specialization—what was your research focus, and how does it connect to smart manufacturing or smart vehicles?

Sir, actually my PhD presentation is completely related to composite materials for. Orthopedic board plate applications. Not for electric vehicle kind of thing Sir. It is completely related to healthcare technology.

Alright, so your PhD was focused on composite materials for orthopedic applications, not vehicles. Have you been involved in any industry projects or consultancy work—maybe with medical device companies or manufacturing firms—or is your experience mainly academic?

Sir, actually media got a big. Recently I submitted the. Projects are related to ICMR. I see about 1 Funding Agency is there Sir in India?

Alright, Dr., we're wrapping up. Is there anything you'd like to ask about the role or the team?

So I submitted proposal related to. And uh, related to medical device. Pardon.

You mentioned submitting a proposal related to medical devices, possibly for an ICMR funding agency.

Set button.

Alright, sounds like you’re wrapping up your thoughts. Is there anything specific you’d like to know about the Assistant Professor (Research) role or the team before we finish?

Yes, Sir.

Absolutely, Dr. What's your question about the role or the team?

Sir, please specify this question about that role.

You’re looking for more details about the Assistant Professor (Research) role. The position is focused on both research and teaching, with an emphasis on guiding student projects, publishing in reputable journals, and collaborating with industry where possible. Faculty are expected to design and deliver structured courses—both theory and laboratory—and actively participate in student evaluation and departmental development. Is there anything else you’d like to ask about the team or expectations?

Yes.

You said yes, so I'm guessing you've got another question about the role or the team. Go ahead — what would you like to know?

Can you share the? Team. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

So this work is completely involved like a teamwork. Are individual independently. We have to do that research. OK. I'm asking. So the whole assistant professor research role. So it will be involved like that.

The kind of things we have to work related to team kind of things are we have to work with the individual.

Okay, your question’s about whether the Assistant Professor (Research) role is more about teamwork or independent research.

Okay, so you're asking if the Assistant Professor (Research) role leans more toward working in teams or independently. It's actually a mix: you'll carry out your own research, but also collaborate with other faculty, guide student projects, and sometimes participate in joint proposals or interdisciplinary work. Anything else you'd like to know before we wrap up?

Yes, thank you for clarifying. I attest to love.