My Sabbatical- 2003: Dr. M Muthusubramanyam, MASCE, Ph.D. (Purdue), M.S. (Northwestern), M. Tech. (IIT-Kgp), B. E.
Though I was disappointed when my Alma mater (College of Engineering, Guindy/Anna University; Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur) and my previous employer (School of Architecture and Planning/Anna University) either did not respond or responded belatedly expressing their inability to accommodate me, I was overwhelmed by the response and invitations I got from several leading universities where I had no prior contacts, including one from Auckland, New Zealand!
I finally split my program among the three institutions as detailed below, spending about six weeks in each, besides visiting several others. I spent most of my time giving invited lectures on my recent project (Highway Subsurface Drainage Construction), on the current project of Computer Graphics, or about engineering education in the United States.
In all the institutes I visited, I was impressed by the educational facilities, infrastructure and the research accomplishments.
Here, I have attempted to mention some of the highlights of my visits, together with links to other pages where more details and pictures can be viewed.
The first Institute to extend their
welcome was the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, (IIT-K) India
where I was given a Visiting Faculty position for three months.
However, I spent with IIT-Kanpur from March 4 to April 16. My six weeks
at IIT-K were very educative. I participated in activities ranging
from accompanying freshmen class on their field visit to see some civil
engineering projects, through reviewing the senior design projects to
lecturing and giving research consultations to graduate students. It
was here that I could sit and develop about 50% of my Computer Graphics
Applications. I have so far identified about a dozen civil engineering
design applications from the sub-disciplines of transportation
engineering, traffic engineering, geotechnical engineering, surveying
and structural engineering, and have developed instructional material on
how to solve these graphically, using computer graphics. I am looking
for more application possibilities. I shall gladly send my powerpoint
presentation on the Computer Application Examples if you contact me by
email at professor_muthu@yahoo.com.
On my travel south from IIT-K, I visited
the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-Kgp) where I earned
my first Masters in Regional Planning, the Gayathri Vidya Parishad
College of Engineering (GVPCOE), Vishakapatnam, and the National
Institute of Technology, (NIT) Warangal.
I was visiting IIT-Kgp after exactly 40 years of my graduation. I spent two days visiting the Transportation Engineering faculty. I had a very good discussion with Dr. Pandey, Professor of Tranaportaion Engineering, as well as some graduate research scholars here.
I enjoyed my two days visit at GVPCOE, when I had the opportunity to see some of the senior design projects, and visiting with the top administration and faculty. I found there is a growing interest among current generation there to pursue undergraduate engineering education in the US.
I visited NIT upon invitation by the Head of the Civil Engineering Department there, who happens to be one of my former students when I taught in Chennai in the early 60s!
I was visiting IIT-Kgp after exactly 40 years of my graduation. I spent two days visiting the Transportation Engineering faculty. I had a very good discussion with Dr. Pandey, Professor of Tranaportaion Engineering, as well as some graduate research scholars here.
I enjoyed my two days visit at GVPCOE, when I had the opportunity to see some of the senior design projects, and visiting with the top administration and faculty. I found there is a growing interest among current generation there to pursue undergraduate engineering education in the US.
I visited NIT upon invitation by the Head of the Civil Engineering Department there, who happens to be one of my former students when I taught in Chennai in the early 60s!
At Bangalore University, I was attached to
the Centre for Transportation Studies (CENTRANS). Besides giving guest
lectures to Civil Engineering class, I had several meetings with the
research scholars. My visit to Bangalore University was completed with
my being honored as a Guest of Honor in the Civil Day Activities. I
addressed the gathering and stressed the value of participating in ASCE
Chapter activities and the importance of developing team spirit and
professionalism.
At Crescent Engineering College, I gave a
series of four lectures to the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Class. I
was also requested to address the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE) Students Club of this college, as a part of the inauguration of
their activities for 2003-2004.
I was invited by
the United States Education Foundation in India (USEFI) to give a
lecture on Engineering Education in the United States on Feb. 28, 2003.
Other Colleges/Organizations where I visited and/or gave invited talks:
1. BMS College, Bangalore
2. R.V. College, Bangalore
3. Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed University), Chennai
4. Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore
5. Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam
6. Jaya Engineering College, Thiruninravur
7. Indian Geotechnical Society, Chennai Chapter
8. Highway Research Station, Chennai
9. Indian Society of Instrumentation Engineers, Chennai Chapter
