1. PHILOSOPHY OF EXTERNALLY FUNDED PROJECTS
Research is normally of two categories namely the fundamental research where a researcher works on generating new knowledge which may or may not have immediate application. The second category is the applied research where a researcher works on a problem that uses the existing knowledge or a modified concept to solve a particular problem. The end user prototype or application development is the basic goal of this research. Majority researchers in India focus on applied research.
It is extremely important to work on a problem which is of interest to the industry or a research organization.
When a researcher collaborates with an industry, the associated merits are as follows:
- The researcher/faculty has an opportunity to work closely with an industry expert and this will pave way for getting into newer domains
- The faculty will get an in-depth know how of the practical aspects and the current technologies being practiced by the industries.
- Networking with industries will expand the horizon of knowledge and creates a passion for working with scholarly and learned community
- When a team of young and motivated students are a part of the research work, students experience altogether different learning experience. Their problem solving skills will significantly improve and they are exposed to working on problems of current interest. This experience cannot be imparted by classroom engagement. This is the best opportunity for students to get exposed to industry problems and solve them with mentorship from the faculty and the industry expert. This will pave way for newer research-based careers for students. On a broader level, it results in a societal change.
2. FACULTY READINESS FOR EXTERNAL GRANTS
The expectation from industries and research organizations to offer a funding to a faculty is that, the faculty has carried out initial studies on the problem in hand and has initial results to demonstrate the capability to carry out the next level of work. The industry will evaluate the proposal only based on the earlier work and first-level expertise available with the faculty. Based on the domain of work, the expertise is measured by some or all of the following:
- Development of the model
- Design
- Simulation Results
- Hardware Design
- Basic results
- Publication(s)/Patent(s)
- Demonstrable Prototype etc
If a faculty has carried out the basic work in a focused manner in association with a student team, achieving the above is well within the expectations from any work.
In the present situation where the faculty has not had the opportunity to work on a well-defined short-term research problem, it is extremely important to create a platform for a faculty to start working on a research problem in a focused manner and achieve the above listed outcomes. With these initial targets met, it forms a strong basis to include all these deliverables in the grant application for an external funding and apply for the same. The grant assessment team of experts will have confidence to award the grant to the faculty to take the research project to the next level.
In view of the above, RNSIT has initiated awarding a “SEED RESEARCH GRANT” to a faculty to carry out the time-bound work in a focused manner, with a very clear idea about the deliverables at the end of the project. The work carried out as a part of the Seed Research Grant proposal will enhance the success rate of securing externally funded projects.
3. RNS RESEARCH SEED GRANT Proposal / Projects – Phase I
| Sl. No. | Faculty Name | Dept. | Title of the Proposal/Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dr.Bharath Kumar S | MECH | Development of Solar Powered Thermally insulated Vegetable Storage and Retrieval Machine with Moisture Prevention and Storage Longevity |
| 2. | Dr.Bharath V | MECH | Design and Development of Multipurpose Machine for the Application of Coocnut Dehusking, Hay / Grass Cutting, Pepper and Areca Nut Branch Extraction |
| 3. | Dr. Harsha S | CSE (AI&ML) | “Maruth” Unconventional Small Scale Wind Turbine with Unique Blade to Rotor Arrangement , Unconstrained by Traditional Guidelines of the Royal Wind Society |
| 4. | Dr. Harsha S | CSE (AI & ML) | Development of a mechanical system(GAIT Trainers) for people affected by Neuron Disability to improve mobility and increase independence. |
| 5. | Dr.Pandurangappa C | Physics | Development of Thermoluminescence and Photoluminescence Integrated Sprectrometer |
RNS RESEARCH SEED Grant Proposal / Projects - Phase II.
| Sl. No. | Faculty Name | Dept. | Title of the Proposal/Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dr. Ibrar Jahan M A Dr. Rajini V H |
ECE | Design of a wearable smart device to monitor knee kinematics in clinical applications |
| 2. | Dr. Smitha M G | Physics | Investigation of Thermoelectric properties, Dye removal and Heavy metal ion detection using polypyrrole/Activated carbon black derived from organic source |
| 3. | Dr. Kiran P Dr. Rajkumar R |
CSE (Cyb. Sec.) | Fortifying Smart Campuses: Simulation based security strategies for IOT Systems |
| 4. | Dr. Vipula Singh Dr. Leena C |
ECE | Custom Voice Command Identification |
4. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF RESEARCH SEED GRANTS:
- Strengthening Research Culture: Encouraging faculty and scholars to initiate novel research ideas, fostering a culture of inquiry and innovation.
- Foundation for Major Grants: Generating preliminary results that lead to competitive proposals for larger funding from national/international agencies (e.g., DST, AICTE, UGC).
- Improved Research Output: Increase in the number of quality publications, conference papers, and technical reports affiliated with the institution.
- Talent Development: Training and mentoring of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students through hands-on research experience.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Promotion of cross-departmental research projects, enhancing synergy and resource sharing across disciplines.
- Innovation and IPR Generation: Development of new ideas, products, and technologies, potentially leading to patent filings or technology transfers.
- Enhanced Institutional Profile: Improved rankings, visibility, and reputation in academia and industry through demonstrable research outcomes.
- Incubation and Entrepreneurship: Identification of research with commercialization potential, leading to startups or industry collaborations.
