Seven-day National Online FDP on ‘AI Tools for Research’
Date: 03 to 11 October 2025
The Department of Physical Science organized a Seven-Day Online Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “AI Tools for Research” from 3rd October to 11th October, held daily from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m through ZOOM platform. The main aim of the program was to empower teaching faculty and research scholars across the nation to effectively use Artificial Intelligence tools in their research work.

The inaugural session was graced by Fr. Dr. Lijo P. Thomas, Pro Vice Chancellor, and Dr. Kumar, Dean, School of Computational and Physical Sciences.

Fr. Dr. Lijo P. Thomas appreciated the initiative and highlighted that the topic is the “need of the hour,” encouraging researchers to adopt AI in their academic work. The inauguration concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Kumar.

The sessions were led by eminent speakers who shared their expertise on various aspects of AI in research:
• Prof. Sushil Kumar Kansal, FRSC, FIE, Professor, Punjab University, Chandigarh, delivered an impactful talk on “Publishing a Research Paper in High Impact Factor Journals and Predatory Journals – Threat to Academic Integrity.” He introduced several databases for identifying suitable journals and emphasized the importance of passion and ethics in research writing.
On Day 5, he spoke on “Ethics in Writing, Publishing, and Plagiarism,” and on the final day, he concluded the FDP with an insightful lecture on “Ethics, Reliability, and Potential of AI Tools in Academic Research.”

• On the second and third days, Dr. Sachi Mall, Professor, Galgotias University, Noida, delivered sessions on “Smarter Science: How AI is Transforming Research Methodologies” and “AI Beyond Automation – Creative Applications in Scientific Research.” Her talks highlighted the innovative and creative roles AI plays in modern research.

• On the fourth and sixth days, Dr. Surinder Singh, Associate Professor, Punjab University, Chandigarh, presented two informative sessions titled “AI for Researchers – From Literature Review to Publication” and “Enhancing Research with AI - Accuracy, Efficiency, Deep Learning & Machine Learning Insights.” His talks focused on practical tools and techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of research using AI.

The National-Level FDP concluded successfully on 11th October with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Liji George, Head of the Department of Physical Science. The program was highly appreciated by all participants for its informative sessions, expert resource persons, and practical insights into integrating AI in research.

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