Student's Symposium: 2x🥇

Every year, the Department of Materials Engineering at IISc hosts its Students' Symposium, a student-led event where students present their work through oral and poster presentations. It is one of the highlights of the academic calendar, providing a platform for exchanging ideas, learning from one another, and celebrating the diversity of materials research.

2026

2025

I had the opportunity to deliver oral presentations at the symposium in both 2025 and 2026. I am grateful that, on both occasions, I was awarded the Best Oral Presentation. While receiving the award was certainly rewarding, the most valuable part of the experience was communicating my research to an audience with diverse scientific backgrounds.

The presentations were evaluated by faculty members based not only on the scientific quality of the work, but also on how clearly the ideas were communicated. The emphasis was on presenting complex research in an accessible way to people new to the field, while staying focused, engaging, and within the allotted time. These are skills that are just as important as the research itself.

2026

Couldn't find photos from 2025. So, here's my Insta highlight screenshot

One of the aspects I enjoy most about the symposium is the opportunity to explore research beyond my own field. From computational materials science and metallurgy to biological materials and energy technologies, every presentation offered a unique perspective.

The 2026 symposium was especially memorable for our research group. Along with my Best Oral Presentation award, my colleague Durgesh received the Metallography Award for a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of SnSe atoms, and my colleague Radhika won the Best Poster Award for her research on chalcogenide solar cells. Seeing our group recognized across multiple categories was a joyful moment.

Looking back, the Student's Symposium has been much more than a competition. It is a place where students refine their communication skills, receive valuable feedback from faculty, and learn to present their work with confidence. More importantly, it reminds us that science advances not only through experiments, but also through meaningful conversations and the exchange of ideas.

:)