Prof. Gautam Biswas, FNAJC Bose National Fellow and Director

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

First IR: 1775 Triggered by the Prime Movers.Technology and Manufacturingbecame the deciding factor forWorld Power

Second IR: 1970 Triggered by the Transistors. Microelectronics,Computers and Communication.Knowledge-based industry and Information Technology transformed the society and started playing a major role in World Economy.

FIRST TRANSISTOR BY BARDEEN 1947

A MODERN VLSI CHIP

CONTAINING MILLIONS

OF TRANSISTORS IN AN

AREA OF ABOUT 1 cm2

Energy is stored in the covalent bonds between phosphates.

ADP + Pi + Energy ATP

Hydrolysis of ATP

ATP ADP + Pi

ENERGY

• Data and Image analysis

• Genomics, Proteomics, Biomics

• TEM, FE-SEM

• Telemetry

• Bio- Informatics

• Materials for Implants and Prostheses

• Robotics, cognitive, sensory

• Real Time In vivo sensors

• Biochips

• In order to accommodate emerging

Subjects, some subjects could be

Dropped. Mechanism for dropping?

Lipson

EMERGING ENGINEERING SUBJECTS

Molecular Engineering

Synthetic Biology

Smart Macromolecules and Intelligent Materials

Manufacturing by Self Assembly of Materials

Artificial Intelligence, Self Learning, Self

Correction

Self Replication

Many graduates are unable to take into considerationeconomic, societal, and ethical considerations; unable towork in teams. We require to look for remedies.

Increased economic gap between engineering andpractitioners of the ‘professions’. Also there is very littleunderstanding among the graduates about functioning ofthe Government.

A plethora of new concepts (especially wronginterpretation of Industry-connect) for better pedagogicalapproaches for engineering . This issue requires morefocus and better understanding.

ABET Engineering Criteria 2000, EC 2000, formalized some of the objectives of the reform in the US.

‘Objectives’ and ‘Outcome’ are deciding parameters

Six progressive stages of cognitive thinking, knownas Bloom’s taxonomy, are:

(i) Recall, (ii) Comprehension, (iii) Application, (iv) Analysis(v) Synthesis and (vi) Evaluation

Cognitive learning is demonstrated by knowledge recall andthe intellectual skills: comprehending information,organizing ideas, analyzing and synthesizing data, applyingknowledge, choosing among alternatives in problem-solvingand evaluating ideas or actions.

The current trend world over is to structure the academic programmes

in a Credit based academic system

The Credits are defined for the activities of the teaching-learning

programme built into the curriculum.

Curriculum

L-T-P-C

calculation

Number of one-hour lectures per week = L

Number of tutorial-hours per week = T

Number of practical (laboratory) hours per week = P

Credit point for the course = C

One hour lecture in a week = 1 Credit

One hour tutorial in a week = 1 Credit

Two hours laboratory work in week = 1 Credit

The Credit nomenclature of a course unit is denoted by L-T-P-C

For example, the Credit nomenclature for the first course in

Mathematics may be identified as 3-1-0-4

Pedagogic thoughts following Grinter (President ASEE) Report

A minimum of 36 Credits of Maths and Basic Sciences must be there for enhancing the capacity for Interdisciplinary Research

COURSE L-T-P-C

Mathematics I 3-1-0-4

Mathematics II 3-1-0-4 12 credits

Mathematics III 3-1-0-4

Physics I 3-1-0-4

Physics II 3-1-0-4 8 credits

Chemistry 3-1-0-4 4 credits

Biology 3-1-0-4 4 credits

Environmental Science 3-1-0-4 4 credits

Lab course (Phy & Chm) 1-0-6-4 4 credits

36 credits

Minimum of 12 Credits is recommended as the CompulsoryEngineering Science (ESc (C))courses

Fundamentals of Computing (2-0-4-4)

Introduction to Electronics (2-0-4-4)

Engineering Mechanics (3-1-0-4).

Two courses on Engineering Practices (EP) are needed for acquiringengineering skills (Engineering Practices/ Design Practices)

Engineering Graphics/ Drawing (2-0-4-4)

Introduction to Manufacturing/ Fabrication/ Design (1-0-6-4).

Prevailing thoughts in many Elite Institutes

Courses in Humanities

A minimum of 16 Credits in Humanities, Social Sciences Arts, Management, Economics and Communication-skills

Among 16 Credits:

(7) Credits are expected to be completed within first four semesters

other (9) Credits are to be completed during the remaining periodof the curriculum

Among first (7) Credits, one course should be on CommunicationSkills (2-2-0-4)

Communication is the most important skill one should acquireOne dedicated course is essential for the students to improve theiroral and written communication skills during the first two years oftheir training.

Prevailing thoughts in many well known Schools

Table-1 (First four semesters)

Type of Courses Credits

Mathematics and Science Courses 36

Communication skills and Humanities 07

Engineering Science (Compulsory) 12

Courses on Engineering Practices 08

Engineering Science (Options) 16

Subjects categorized as the Engineering Science Options (ESc (O)) include 16 credits. Such courses are Thermodynamics, Solid Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Transport Phenomena, Quantum Chemistry, Electrical Drives, Geo Sciences, Materials Science, Data Structure, Analog Electronics, Digital Electronics , Big Data Analytics etc.

Table-1: Courses appropriate for first four semesters of the B.Tech./ B.E./ BDes

Program.

Prevailing thoughts in many well known Schools

ECE BTechProgramme

˃ Analog Electronics

˃ Digital Electronics

˃ Electromagnetics

˃ Digital Image Processing

Mechanical Engineering

˃ Thermodynamics

˃ Fluid Mechanics

˃ Solid Mechanics

˃ Electrical Drives

Here are a few examples how Engineering Science Option can be used by ECE and Mechanical Engineering Department

Prof. Geogre M Whitesides

Courses in Humanities, Social Sciences and Liberal Arts

The students are to complete nine (9) credits (3 courses) in Humanities in the final

four semesters. There will be a basket of courses comprising of Advanced

Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Law, Political Science, International Relations,

and various courses pertaining to Liberal Arts. The courses in Liberal Arts may

include Music, Drama, Puppetry, Cinematography etc.

Engineering students are suggested to fulfill the same general education

requirements as all other graduates. Basic Economics may be made compulsory and

may be introduced during the first four semester. The basket should also include

courses in creative writing and foreign languages.

Total number of humanities courses taken by engineering students is expected to be

not fewer than five. More courses (a total of eight courses) are possible if any

engineering student chooses to take a Minor in Humanities and Social Sciences.

Three strands —

• memory (less)

• concepts (more)

• problem-solving(tinkering applications)

— inseparable

Example: In a Mathematics course it should be told that Fourier Transform, Laplace Transform would be needed in Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Image Processing, Signal Processing etc.

Courtesy: Prof. Sreerup Raychoudhury(TIFR)

Syllabus Revision is a Mammoth Task

Curriculum Revision includes Syllabus Revision

1 State of a system, Zero-th law, equation of state

2 Work, heat, First law

3 Internal energy, expansion work

4 Enthalpy

5 Adiabatic changes

6 Thermochemistry

7 Calorimetry

8 Second law

9 Entropy and the Clausius inequality

10 Entropy and irreversibility

11 Fundamental equation, absolute S, Third law

12 Criteria for spontaneous change

13 Gibbs free energy

14 Multicomponent systems, chemical potential

15 Chemical equilibrium

16 Temperature, pressure and Kp

17 Equilibrium: application to drug design

18 Phase equilibria — one component

19 Clausius-Clapeyron equation

20 Phase equilibria — two components

21 Ideal solutions

22 Non-ideal solutions

23 Colligative properties

24 Introduction to statistical mechanics

25 Partition function (q) — large N limit

26 Partition function (Q) — many particles

27 Statistical mechanics and discrete energy levels

28 Model systems

29 Applications: chemical and phase equilibria

30 Introduction to reaction kinetics

31 Complex reactions and mechanisms

32 Steady-state and equilibrium approximations

33 Chain reactions

34 Temperature dependence, Ea, catalysis

35 Enzyme catalysis

36 Autocatalysis and oscillators

An Example of Syllabus Design (MIT): Thermodynamics

Table-2

Type of Courses Credits (/Courses)

1. Compulsory Professional Courses 30 or 10 courses

2. Elective (Departmental) Courses 09 or 3 courses

3. Open Electives 15 or 5 courses

4. Departmental Laboratory Courses 08 or 2 courses

5. Humanities and Social Science 09 or 3 courses

6. Baccalaureate Project 10 or 2 courses

Table 2: The curriculum for the remaining four semesters

The final four semesters will have about 25 courses, i.e. equivalent to81 Credits. The total Credit requirement for the Baccalaureate degreeis about 160. The above mentioned break-up is a sample/ model. Thecolleges/ institutes will have enough freedom to add or subtract thecompulsory courses. All professional courses in final four semestersmay have L-T-P-C (3-0-0-3)

Prevailing thoughts in many well known Schools

Elective subjects develop the special talents of the individualstudents to serve the varied needs of society & to take theadvantage of interdisciplinary developments

Definition of ‘Minor’

students may be provided with the flexibility to credit asequence of three courses in the “open elective slots”

These three courses could be from a specific department formingtheir Minor

Students should have flexibility for the ‘Minor’ option. One has tocomplete open electives

No special design is needed for any course to offered as ‘Minor’.Usual open electives are to be floated with thorough rigor

The students who would be earning ‘Minor’ are supposed be verywell performing students

Prevailing thoughts in many well known Schools

For some specific Branches, one/ two of the ESc (C) courses may be shifted to

5th or 6th semester. In lieu of that two professional courses can be moved to 3rd or 4th

semester.

Fundamentals of Computing (2-0-4-4)

Introduction to Electronics (2-0-4-4)

Engineering Mechanics (3-1-0-4).

Similarly, one course from the basket of ‘EP’ can be interchanged with one professional level course of 6th semester.

Engineering Graphics/ Drawing (2-0-4-4)

Introduction to Manufacturing/ Fabrication/ Design (1-0-6-4).

Prevailing thoughts in many Elite Institutes

Phy Chm Core

lab

Math Esc

(C)

Esc

(O)

HSS ENV

&

Bio

EP OE Major Proj

ect

Total

Num

ber

of

cours

es

2 1 1 3 3 4 5 2 2 5 15 2 45

(ESc (C) = Eng Science Compulsory, ESc (O) Eng Science Optional, OE Open Elective)HSS = Communication skills, Humanities and Social Sciences , EP =Engineering Practices. ‘Minor’ is a sequence of three open electives from a specific branch.

Table 3. No of suggested courses in different categories

Realizing the importance of exposing engineering students to end to endsolutions, a Project Work required to be introduced

Undergraduate Research

The paradigm of Engineering Research is on the verge of third IndustrialRevolution. It is becoming increasingly clear that in the future themachines and devices will be guided substantially by the principals of lifesciences. Quite a few new subjects have started emerging.

The Bio-inspired interdisciplinary subjects, such as,Biomimetics, Microfluidics, Microsystems technology,Bottom-up fabrication, Bioenergetics etc are emergingfast.

These subjects require being included as the Department Electives or theOpen Electives in all disciplines.

MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) is ver well known.

Undergraduate Research

The students may be asked to design/ develop/ fabricate, on a laboratory/pilot plant scale, processes, products, devices, equipment etc for teaching,research, industry or society at large.

Hon'ble Prime Minister of India suggested the IITs to focus on:Early Introduction to Research in the Areas of National Need.Some undergraduate students can be assigned challenging researchprojects at an early stage so that they can complete the work by the timethey graduate. As a result some projects may culminate into completeproduct.

Examples of such projects:•Manufacturing Suspension System of a Vehicle to be used in Rough Terrain•Bio-inspired Micro-aerial Vehicles•Amplifier Design for Active Piezoelectric MEMS Resonators

» Many of our technologies have been commoditized

and are easily available even to non-engineers and

school children.

» We require to develop bridges between disciplines:

Minors, Joint Interdisciplinary Projects

» We need to educate young engineers to work in

teams and teach them crossing disciplinary

barriers through ‘life long learning’

» Young engineers have to be prepared to work at

the intersections of their own disciplines and

electronics, computer science, mathematics, the

life sciences.