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An interactive session on research was conducted at DBS Global University on March 20th,2025, beginning at 12:45 PM. The session aimed to provide valuable insights into research practices, academic growth, and institutional development.The session began with Prof. Piyush Dua welcoming the esteemed guest, Prof. Rajeev Ahuja,Director of IIT Ropar. Prof. Ahuja is a Professor of Computational Materials Science at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is also currently serving as the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar, India, and held the additional charge of Director of IIT Guwahati, India,
from November 2023 to May 2024. He is one of the most highly cited researchers and ranks among the top five material scientists in both Sweden and India. Having completed his Ph.D.from IIT Roorkee in India in 1992, Prof. Ahuja has since made significant contributions to material science, particularly in the areas of energy-related fields such as batteries, hydrogen storage and production, sensors, and high-pressure physics. He has published more than 1,200 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, with an H-index of 106, an i-10 index of 817, and over 52,147 citations. Prof. Ahuja has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC UK) and the American Physical Society (APS), and he serves as an Associate Editor for Nano Energy. Among his many awards, he received the Wallmark Prize from the Royal Swedish. Academy of Sciences in 2011. His impressive career and accolades reflect his dedication to
advancing science and education. Following the introduction, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Sanjay Jasola, extended a warm welcome to Prof. Ahuja and presented him with a token of appreciation. During this segment, Prof. Jasola requested Prof. Ahuja's guidance on how research transitions from an institution to a university and the steps required to foster such growth. In his address, Prof. Ahuja emphasized several key aspects for institutional and academic development. He underscored the importance of faculty members viewing their institution as their own and working toward its growth. He highlighted the need to focus on research and innovation as essential drivers for institutional progress. In addition, he stressed the necessity of securing funding from external sources to enhance research capabilities. Prof. Ahuja advised that researchers must persevere in their work, not be discouraged by rejection, and consistently strive for excellence. He also discussed the process of Nobel Prize nominations, explaining how institutions can work toward achieving such recognitions for the nation. Collaboration and mutual support among researchers were also central themes in his speech, with Prof. Ahuja emphasizing that perception plays a significant role in shaping the reputation of both researchand academic institutions. Maintaining high-quality education and research standards, publishing impactful work, and avoiding paid journals were also discussed as essential strategies for fostering academic excellence. Furthermore, he advocated for an egalitarian environment among faculty members, where hierarchical gaps between professors and assistant professors are minimized, and for treating Ph.D. students as collaborators rather than subordinates. Prof. Ahuja also spoke about the importance of institutions adopting a dynamic, progressive approach, and encouraged greater collaboration between academia and industry, particularly in sectors like semiconductors and translational research. Following his address, a Q&A session was held. Prof. Sumit raised the issue of the gap between academia and industry, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. Prof. Ahuja responded by
emphasizing the importance of internships, recommending at least two six-month internships. He further suggested that institutions should market themselves more effectively and diversify their curricula beyond reverse engineering. Dr. Ashish Arya inquired about balancing external funding for research with consultancy. In response, Prof. Ahuja advocated for a mixed approach, combining ministry-funded research with external funding and institutional support. He also stressed the importance of multidisciplinary research. The session concluded with remarks from Prof. Piyush Dua, who summarized the key takeaways
from the discussion. A vote of thanks was delivered by PVC Dr. Rajeev Bhardwaj, expressing gratitude to Prof. Ahuja and the participants for their valuable contributions to the session. The interactive session proved to be an enriching experience, providing participants with valuable perspectives on strengthening research culture, fostering industry collaborations, and enhancing institutional excellence.