Unforgettable IISC - The Final year project.

All Engineering students have to do a final year project, and mine just happened at IISC-Bangalore.

8th semester engineering is the best part of engineering. And what makes it really special is the final year project. Most of you reading this might be wondering, whats so special about dedicating a blog to our project, or wondering whats so special about IISC, or some even might be looking into the details of my project, while other might be looking for something to read on the web. Let me tell you, i have not included any details of our project over here.

I consider myself extremely fortunate that I got to do the project at IISC. IISC Bangalore is one of the most beautiful places in Bangalore. When the question of the project team came, it was decided that I do the project with my friends Abhilash and Gopinath. Since Abhilash's uncle knew people over there, we got an opportunity to do a project at the Micro-electronics laboratory at IISC.

Our project was on MEMS pressure sensor design for wide range application. MEMS => Micro Electro Mechanical Systems. The term Electro-Mechanical says that its part, electronic, part mechanical, since we were from electronics background "technically", we had to report to totally 4 guides at IISC.

The guide heirarchy was a follows. At the top was Prof. Jagadeesh, who was incharge of us submitting the sensor design to IISC as they were making the sensors for ISRO, testing it there. Then there was Prof. Gopal Hegde, who was the head of the nano science department, and was responsible for the micro scaled experiments. Though we were supposed to be mentored by him, we were supposed to learn whatever required from Vamsi sir, but since MEMS devices were modelled using a software of mechanical background (CoventorWARE) we were mentored all the way by Jayaprakash sir.

In short, first we report to Jayaprakash sir, then Vamsi sir, then Hegde sir, then Jagadeesh sir. But the funny part was, it was not as complicated as it might seem.

We needed to go to IISC only once or twice a week. Our teacher Jayaprakash sir was so co-operative, and foresighted and had done his Masters in IISC itself and was a 2008 passout, he made us learn the complete theoretical background needed for the project in lots of mini-assignments. Infact, we had so much material toward the end, that we did not have to worry about getting our reports done at the end of the project. While my friends doing the project at college had to go and report every day at college, spending their time on chitchat, and worrying about last minute report making.

Our Project was very very simple, infact we could have done the whole project in 2 hours looking at the manual. But the real catche was that it was a new field to us, something that was a thing of the cutting edge in technology. Our teachers had no idea about MEMS at college (he he he he). And we did not spend a Ruppee (Indian Currency). OH, YA, we had to spend on the report but thats not worth mentioning (^_~).

In short, we learnt a lot, had a lot of fun got to see a beautiful place, met a lot of intelligent people. And got through a semester as if it was a piece of cake. And got to eat delicious Pav Bhaji every now and then.

So What are the advantages of doing project at IISC apart from the above, well there are plenty and here are some:

1) You will be prepared for what ever viva questions your teachers can come up with, because you actually put a lot of effort once you are there, the environment is very conducive for learning.

2) You will get to know a lot about current sciences, for instance, when i did my project over there:

    i) It was the inaugural event of the particle physics department on the centenary of IISC, if not for the event, I might have never got the opportunity to attend the seminar on 'Asymptotic String Theory', by David Gross, the teacher of Ed Witten and Michael Green.

        ii) I might have never got to know about 'IISC Open Day', the day on which, all departments are open to common public, and it is traditional for various departments to exhibit several areas of their research.

(TY): If anyone wants details of any kind please feel free to post below...