1 JosephiteNewsletter Volume 14 | Issue 2 | St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Bangalore - 27 | September - December 2019 possible to ask of ourselves if the long and we are merely its caretakers. view is possible in these fractious times. In this season of sharing, it is even more worthwhile to remind Many things that are being said in ourselves that if we must survive the these moments of division can seem terrible battles of tomorrow, we must somewhat shortsighted when we forget our divisions and face these choose to take the long view. We challenges together. Let us begin might thus find ourselves offering changing the conversation now. ironic congratulations to those who focus on details of birth and citizenship and cut-off years while climate catastrophes loom large over our generation. The droughts that might come knocking tomorrow will not ask for Principal’s Note our Aadhar Cards or passports when they wipe out entire populations. The past few months have brought The super-storms that follow global anguish to many as questions of warming will not pause respectfully citizenship and belonging have been at the borders of any country. The pushed into the spotlight. There are territories that we defend with costly & many shades of opinion, and many weaponry will be no good to us if they A Happy local sensitivities that require our are swallowed up by the angry seas. New Year mindful attention as we contemplate the debate that has arisen. The It is worth remembering the key question of justice is never a simple message from Pope Francis’s one, and in these matters we may encyclical Laudato Si — that our often have to ask ourselves how we destiny as human beings is collective. might choose wisely when we are We must find the inner resources to confronted by right and right rather protect the world and not prey upon than by right and wrong. Yet, it is it, because we have only one world, 1 2 College Events Global initiatives spoke about spiders as a test called Thiruvathira, and the singing case to study the evolution of of Vanchipattu (traditional Onam Seattle University sociality. The talk was followed by songs). It also saw the presence an interactive session. Close to of a student dressed as the daitya Collaboration sixty students from across various king Maveli aka Mahabali, the Furthering collaboration between St. undergraduate streams participated. righteous mythological king who Joseph’s College (Autonomous) and Seattle University, the institutions have envisaged a joint course on Biodiversity and Environmental health whose first phase will start in December 2019 in Bangalore. Twelve undergraduate science students from Seattle University will join their peers at St. Joseph’s College to participate in this course. Dr. Lindsay Whitlow, Dr. Carolyn Stenbak and Dr. Michael Zanis from the School of Biology at Seattle University will accompany the students and co-teach the course with Dr. (Fr.) Melwyn D’Cunha S.J., Dr. Susan Mary Philip, Mr. Madappa MB, Department of Biotechnology and Dr. Syed Wajeed, Department of Microbiology under Dr. (Fr.) Richard Rego S.J’s guidance. The focus of the course is to experientially learn about issues surrounding biodiversity and environmental health, especially of the Western Ghats and the Pacific Northwest. Students will learn collaboratively with peers from Seattle University, gain skills in molecular Onam 2019 lab techniques and ecological field methods and participate in team- Celebration based research projects. Onam celebration was held in the campus on Thursday, Josephite Research September 12, 2019. It was organised by undergraduate (UG) Forum and postgraduate (PG) Malayalee Inauguration of JRF students of the college under the The activities of the Josephite guidance of Dr. Libi Thomas from the Research Forum for the academic Department of Chemistry and Ms was subdued by Vamana, the fifth year 2019-20 were inaugurated Maria Thomas from the Department avatar or incarnation of Vishnu. The on July 2, 2019, with a talk by Dr. of Mathematics. The celebration programme ended by playing Bharat Parthasarathy from IISER, started in the morning by making popular Malayalam songs in the Thiruvananthapuram. Pookalams — a traditional flower last 15 minutes which thrilled the arrangement in front of the statue audience. Dr. Sandra Misquith welcomed of St. Joseph in the main building Dr. Parthasarathy, who is also an and in the P.G. quadrangle. The girls SJC alumnus and introduced him wore the traditional Kasavu saree to the audience. Dr. Parthasarathy while the boys donned Mundu and Neriathu. The cultural programme started in the quadrangle at 1 pm, with Dr Rabbi Akkiba Angiras, Vice-Principal of the PG Block, as the chief guest. It began with a prayer commemorating the flood victims of Kerala. Then, the emcee, Michelle from M.Com, introduced the audience to Onam and its traditions. The cultural programme included a lamp dance (traditional Onam dance surrounding the lamp) 2 3 Departments Exeter and Ms. Bhavya Krishnan who Department of will be doing her Masters in Genomic Medicine at Imperial College, London, Big Data Analytics talked about the challenges and pitfalls they experienced while applying for the programmes. Ms. Ramya, Mono 2019 admitted to a Neuropsychology The students of the 2019 batch of programme at the University of Big Data Analytics course at St. Groningen and Ms. Jahnavi, selected Joseph’s College (Autonomous) were for a Molecular Biology masters at MSc Big Data Analytics course are lucky enough to have an interactive the University of Ulm also talked the luckiest set of students in the hour-long session with Dr. Manojit about similar experiences while entire college solely because of the Bhattacharjee. It would not be an applying to universities in Germany astute professionalism of the course understatement to term Dr. Manojit as and the Netherlands. They shared and the way it bridges the gap an immense achiever. His dedication tips and encouraged students to between academia and industry. The to research in various fields ranging plan ahead. The group dispersed at inauguration ceremony of the ‘Sigma from Economics to Statistics with the 6:00 pm following coffee and snacks. added layer of social relevance left the Squared’ association saw the presence students in awe. But what was most of Dr. Rajiv Noronha, Vice President noticeable in the time they spent with and Head of Human Resources at him was the plethora of knowledge Tata Consultancy Services. The event that was being imparted to them. began with an invocation song by It is his staunch belief that research the students which set the tone for should be treated as an art, rather the activities ahead. Ms. Shruti did a than as an obligation to get credits. wonderful job as the emcee of the It was through this premise that he event and made sure all the activities taught them the methodology which took place at the scheduled time. The has to be followed to master the art chief guests of the event were Dr. Rajiv that is research. The step-by-step Noronha, Dr. Melwin Colaco, and Mr. explanation, ranging from picking the Balakrishna, Senior Statistics Teacher at St Joseph’s College. Dr. Noronha topic on which the research has to be DBT BIRAC Lecture then addressed the gathering, sharing done, till the ultimate inference not 37 undergraduate students from his vast experience in the industry only gave the students the confidence different science combinations were and anecdotes which inspired the to undertake a research paper but accompanied by five faculty members students to buckle up and make also instilled in them the passion for under the guidance of Dr. Susan the most of the amazing course. His research. Mary Philip attend the DBT BIRAC parting message was to use the Sigma Leadership Series inaugural lecture by Squared association as a means to Lecture on Applications of AI in Dr. CNR Rao in the JN Tata Auditorium learn the ways of the industry by Data Science on July 18, 2019. St. Joseph’s College making the activities as relevant as On August 10, 2019, Dr. Saptrishi was invited to be part of this dialogue possible. Post this, the preceding Goswami visited the department of series by virtue of it being part of the year’s committee members officially Big Data Analytics to deliver a lecture DBT Star College family. Dr. Manju handed over their responsibilities on the ‘Applications of AI in Data Sharma, Secretary, DBT, spoke about of the office to the incoming batch Science’. Dr. Goswami is an Assistant the drive behind initiating the DBT with an oath-taking. Following a brief Professor at Calcutta University. He BIRAC Leadership dialogue series. Dr. Q&A session with Dr. Noronha, the began the session by talking about AI Rao talked about his science heroes event was thus concluded with lunch. and its implementation. He gave the and gave insights into how good students puzzle problems such as “the research is conducted. There was an goat, man, tiger and cabbage” and Department of interactive session at the end of the “boat crossing problem”. He also spoke talk and Shreyas Sharma of III CBBT about the nine tile problem and how Biotechnology asked a pertinent question. The group can it be solved using AI. He also spoke dispersed following the session for about what is actually meant when Session on further studies high tea. the word “Artificial Intelligence” is used The Department of Biotechnology and all the science behind it. He spoke organized an interactive session for about various optimisation algorithms II and III CBBT and CZBT students and stressed on an algorithm called regarding the application for State Search Optimizer and the Hill postgraduate programmes abroad.