DBT-Star 2013-15

UPGRADATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE INSTITUTE

2012-2015

The College was selected and recognized for the DBT-STAR College Program under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India in 2012 for a period of 3 years (2012-15). The Program provides financial support for strengthening Life Sciences and Biotechnology education and training at the Undergraduate Level. This Program insists on substantial increase in proportion of ‘hands-on’ experimental work by students and increased access of undergraduate students to laboratory and bioinformatics infrastructure. As part of the DBT-STAR Program, the college received a grant of Rs. 25,00,000/-as Non Recurring for purchase of equipments and Rs. 30,00,000/- as Recurring grant for the 3 financial years. Five Departments viz. Departments of Botany, Chemistry, Microbiology, Physics and Zoology were part of this Program and the beneficiaries included the undergraduate students of the College, teachers, non-teaching staff as well as students of some local schools and colleges.   This fund has been utilized for conducting various scientific programs by the Departments. During the tenure:
  • 15 inter-disciplinary and 7 departmental workshops were organized. The inter-disciplinary workshops were attended by 1st year Honours students of other branches of Science to gain hands-on-training on techniques beyond their subject and knowledge on the use, application and prospects of other branches of Science. In these workshops, students of the subject served as skilled hands and assisted the resource persons in demonstration and training. In the departmental workshops, students belonging to the same discipline were given hands-on-training on modern sophisticated techniques beyond their syllabus in order to develop in them an aptitude for research and application of those techniques in their future course of work.
  • The departments also organized a total of 20 seminars in which speakers from various universities and institutes enriched the students with the latest development in Science.
  • 5 Career Counseling Programs were organized for the first year Honours students to make them aware of the various prospects and opportunities in their respective course of study.
  • 9 educational field trips and industrial visits were also organized where the students gained on field knowledge and experience on various aspects of Science.
  • As part of the National Science Day celebrations, the five departments also organized science exhibitions which were attended by students of two local schools, where different fascinating and interesting topics of science were demonstrated through models, charts, Power Point Presentations, specimens, slides, etc. to develop their awareness and interest in Science.
  • Besides the training programs and workshops for students, the teaching faculty also attended 15 Faculty Improvement Programs where they got training on certain modern sophisticated techniques.
  • The non-teaching staff of the different departments also attended training programs (6) on handling of different equipments and other laboratory methods.
  • Advisory Committee Meetings were held once a year to discuss the progress of the Program and decide on the future course of action. Three advisory Committee meetings were held on 8.2013, 27.7.2015 and 11.9.2015.

DBT-SPONSORED PROGRAMS ORGANIZED DURING 2012-2015 (AT A GLANCE)

1) INTER-DISCIPLINARY WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS
S. No. Department Topic of Workshop Participants Date

2012-13
1 Botany 1)      Study of chromosome, Barr body 2)      Drug and Food adulteration 1st year students of Physics and Chemistry. 3rd year students of Botany Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 10-13 December, 2012
2 Chemistry 1)      Basic idea of Green Chemistry and some related reactions 2)      Separation of Organic Compounds by Chromatographic Methods 3)      Concept of pH and determination of pH during titration of a solution of weak acid with strong base by means of a pH-meter 4)      Polarimetry and its use in studying biologically interesting molecules 5)      Determination of Vitamin C content in commercial fruit juice samples by iodometric titration method. 1st year students of Biological Sciences. Senior students of Chemistry Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 11-12 December, 2012  
3 Microbiology Isolation and Characterization of Purple Non Sulfur Bacteria and Cyanobacteria from waste water 1st year students of Physics and Chemistry 10-13 December, 2012
4 Physics 1)      Electrical Experiments: Generation of simple pulses and learning their properties through CRO. 2)      Optical Experiments: Spectroscopy with Prism for detection of elements through identification. 1st year students of Biological Sciences. 3rd year students of Physics Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 12-13 December, 2012  
5 Zoology 1)      Cytology (Chromosome study) and Blood grouping 2)      Haemoglobin study 1st year students perusing B.Sc. in Chemistry and Physics 3rd year students of Zoology Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 10-13 December, 2012

2013-14

6 Botany A study on Tissue Culture Techniques 1st year students of Physics and Chemistry. Senior students of Botany Departments functioned as “Skilled Hands” 9-11 December, 2013
7 Chemistry Building Strong Academic Chemistry: Developing Undergraduate Research & Inquiry & Extending Basic Chemical Techniques to the fields of Biological Sciences 1st year students of Biological Sciences. Senior students of Chemistry Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 12-13 December, 2013
8 Microbiology 1)      Enzyme kinetics 2)      Immobilization  of Enzyme and production of  a kit 3)      Sandwich ELISA 1st year students perusing B.Sc. in Chemistry and Physics 9-11 December, 2013
9 Physics 1)      Electrical Experiments: Generation of complex pulses and comparison with human heart pulses. 2)      Optical Experiments: Spectroscopy with Holo Prism for detection of elements through identification of unknown lines. 1st year students of Biological Sciences. 3rd yr. students of Physics Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 10-13 December, 2013  
10 Zoology 1)      Food adulteration, environmental toxicology (LC50 and LD50 of a pollutant – Time and Dose dependent) 2)      Identification of White Blood Cells 1st year students perusing B.Sc. in Chemistry and Physics 3rd year students of Zoology Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 9-11 December, 2013

2014-15 (extended till February, 2016)   

11 Botany A study on algae 1st year students of Physics and Chemistry. Senior students of Botany Departments functioned as “Skilled Hands” 18th January, 2016
12 Chemistry Estimation of the strength of amino acids by Formal titration method   1st year students of Biological Sciences. Senior students of Chemistry Department functioned as “Skilled Hands” 11th January, 2016
13 Microbiology Microbiological analysis of quality of milk 1st year students of Physics and Chemistry   18th January, 2016
14 Physics Optical Experiments: Spectroscopy with Prism and relation with the refractive indices of different spectral lines.   1st year students of Biological Sciences   11th January, 2016
15 Zoology Study of parasites 1st year students of Physics and Chemistry   18th January, 2016
2) DEPARTMENTAL WORKSHOPS
S. No. Department Topic of Workshop Participants Date

2013-14
1 Botany A study on Tissue Culture Techniques 3rd year students of Botany Department   12-13 November, 2013
2 Chemistry Advanced Physico-Chemical Techniques Students of the Chemistry Department 7-8 November, 2013
3 Microbiology 1)      Isolation of Murine Preitoneal Macrophage, Culture in Dulbeco Modified high glucose medium along with  fetal Bovine Serum and antibiotics 2)      Observation of the macrophage in presence of three different types of bacteria under Fluorescence Microscope 3)      Isolation of Phage from waste water 4)      Isolation of phage protein and the gel electrophoresis of those proteins. 3rd year students of Microbiology Department   21-31 October, 2013
4 Physics Fabrication of Semi Interpenetrating Polymeric Network and studying its mechanical Properties   2nd year students of Physics  Department   28th  October to 13th  November, 2013
5 Zoology PBR study of Lady Brabourne College campus, Extraction of proteins and study of protein profile by Gel Electrophoresis 3rd year students of Zoology Department   6-13 November, 2013

2014 -15
6 Zoology “Methodologies in Field Biology”                       PBR study of Lady Brabourne College campus continued 1st year,  2nd year & 3rd year students of the Zoology Department Prof. Subhro Mukherjee, Retired Principal, WBSES, Dr. Utpal Sinha Roy of Durgapur Govt. College and Shuvadip Adhikary, IISER were the Resource persons   3rd year students of the Zoology Department 14th February, 2015

2014-15 (extended till February, 2016)      

7 Physics Xray Workshop: In the UGC-DBT STAR funded Xray laboratory Students & Faculty of Physics Department 11th, 13th & 14th January, 2016
3) CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY
S. No. Subject Topic of Workshop cum exhibition Participants Visiting team

28.2.2014
1. Botany Biology in school 1st year and 2nd year Botany Hons. students Students from class X-XII from Kamala Girls School, Kolkata
2. Chemistry Chemistry in daily life 1st year and 2nd year Chemistry Hons. students
3 Microbiology Playing with some fundamentals of Physics 1st year and 2nd year Microbiology Hons. students
4 Physics Microbes in our daily life 1st year and 2nd year Physics Hons. students
5 Zoology Coral Reef Biodiversity and endangered animals 1st year and 2nd year Zoology Hons. students

28.2.2015
1 Botany Different aspects of Botany in our life 1st year and 2nd year Botany Hons. students Students from class X-XII from Vidyabharati School, Kolkata
2 Chemistry Chemistry Magics and Crackers 1st year and 2nd year Chemistry Hons. students
3 Microbiology ·        Fermentation & Fermented Food ·        Antibiotic producer organisms ·        Biosurfactant from microorganisms ·        Enzymes in washing powders 1st year and 2nd year Microbiology Hons. students
4 Physics Some interesting, innovative  model experiments related with Biotechnical problems ·         Floating Bubble ·         Dynamo ·         Balancing candle ·         Continuity in Electrical path ·         Lissajous’ figures 1st year and 2nd year Physics Hons. students
5 Zoology Spectrum of animal intelligence & Genetics 1st year and 2nd year Zoology Hons. students
4) FACULTY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS
S. No. Department Topic of Workshop Date
1 Botany Study of Medicinal plant garden, Garhpanchakot 22 – 23 February, 2013
2 Herbarium: Its principles, methodology and field collection procedure 25th  March, 2013  
3 Study of Mangrove flora, Bichitrapur 24 – 26 August, 2013
4 Chemistry ·     Motivations towards Hartree Fock electronic structure theory ·     Computational Chemistry – Basic idea and its application ·     Computer in Chemistry 7-9 November, 2012
5 Faculty Improvement Program 12, 13 & 18 November, 2013
6 Microbiology Recombinant DNA Technology and Bioinformatics 2 – 9 March, 2013
7 Estimation of BOD and COD in waste water at Department of Geography, Lady Brabourne College 30-31 August, 2013
8 Western blotting at Department of Microbiology, Lady Brabourne College 29-31 October, 2013
9 Physics *Experimental Workshop: Training on Impedance meter handling at Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata. 26th November, 2012  
10 *A whole day interactive session with Dr. Baishali Kanjilal, University of Connecticut, U.S.A. She delivered a series of lectures as well on— (i) Polymer- its basic physics. (ii) Introduction to Biopolymers. (iii) Biofuels and Bio-renewable chemicals. 18th January, 2013
11 A whole day interactive session with Prof. Rituparna Kanungo, Member, Board of Directors, Canadian Institute of Nuclear Physics, Canada. 23rd December, 2013  
12 Xray Workshop: In the UGC-DBT STAR funded Xray laboratory 11.1.2016  to 13.1.2016
13 Zoology Techniques of HPLC and Its Applications at Jadavpur University 28th March, 2013
14 Identification and study of corals at Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata 26th September, 2013
15 Poultry Educational Programme at Paschim Banga Poultry Mela 2016, organized by the West Bengal Poultry Federation in association with the Animal Resources Development Department 19th February, 2016
5) DEPARTMENTAL SEMINARS
S.No. Seminar topic Date Speaker
 

Botany
1 Antarctica: A unique natural biodiversity reserve in one end of the globe. 17th  December, 2012 Professor Samir Kumar Bera, Birbal Sahani Institute of Paleobotany,  Lucknow-226007
2 Triple helix of Diabetes – Genes, Environment and us. 6th  December, 2013 Dr. Partha Chakrabarti, Senior Scientist, CSIR – IICB
3 Effect of pesticide on environment 8th September, 2015 Professor Bruce Lanphear Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada
 

Chemistry
4 Nanoparticles: Fundamentals and Applications 21st December, 2012 Prof. Subhas Chandra Bhattacharrya, Head, Department of Chemistry, Jadavpur University
5 *Structural Studies of THI6, an enzyme involved in Thiamine biosynthetic pathway 11th August, 2014 Dr. Debomita Paul, alumnus of this college, presently pursuing post doctorate research in Columbia University
6 Advantage in learning Chemistry to understand Biology   8th January, 2016 Dr. Saurabh Das, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Jadavpur University
7 Any topic not included in syllabus and related to advanced methodologies in Chemistry 1st February, 2013 3rd year Chemistry Hons. Students, Semonti Mukherjee, Bushra Alam, Anamika Biswas, Rweetuparna Guha, Pallabi Mukherjee, Alakananda Chanda, Shibani Dutta
 

Microbiology
8 Seminar on Nano particles   2012 Dr. Pradip Brahma
9 Bridging Microbiology and Applied Chemistry: In search of synergy 5th January, 2016 Prof. Basab Chaudhuri, Vice Chancellor, West Bengal State University
 

Physics
10 *Lecture related with Chemical Science Lecture on Graphene: A New material with unusual physical properties Lecture on Application Biophysics   18th December, 2012   Faculties and students of The Physical Science
11 1)   Keynote address – Citizen’s charter, the vision and mission of DBT 2)   Lecture related with Chemical Science (Aqueous Dynamics of Biomimetic Systems: Insights from Fluorescence Measurements & All -atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations) 3)    Lecture related with BioPhysical Problem (Ultrasound: A Nondestructive Probe in Material Science) 4)   Application of Geometry (Constructability of numbers) 7th December, 2013   1)   Prof. Abhijit Mookerjee Principal Investigator of a Project under BIOTECH CONSORTIUM, Govt. of India 2)   Prof. Ranjit Biswas Department of Chemistry S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences 3) Prof. Barnana Pal ECMP  Division Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics 4) Prof. Pranab Chaudhuri Nanostructured Materials Division Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute
12 Drug Delivery 11th July, 2014   Ms. Devleena Samanta Stanford University, USA
13 Journey of knowledge from Light to Super-heavy Nuclei   16th July, 2014 Prof. Chhanda Samanta Virginia Military Institute, USA
14 Gripping tale of cellular adhesions   21st July, 2014   Mr. Shaon Chakrabarti University of Maryland, USA
15 Modern lenses, their working and  production technology   5th September, 2014   Dr. Tapashree Roy Argonne National Laboratory and  Harvard University, USA
16 Higgs Boson and Standard Model   24th April, 2015 Prof. Soumitra Sengupta Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
17 Dynamical view of the world   16th July, 2015   Ms. Koyel De, Jadavpur University
18 Seeing Invisible Dark Matter   12th August, 2015   Prof. Chhanda Samanta Virginia military Institute, U.S.A.
 

Zoology
19 Biodiversity 17th December, 2012   Dr. Ashish Ghosh Ex. Director, ZSI Centre of Environment & Development
20 *Productivity and production in aquatic environment for human welfare 26th February, 2014 Professor Samir Banerjee, Former Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta
6) EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS & INDUSTRIAL VISIT
S. No. Resource Person Participants Date

Botany

  
1 Visit to Vivekananda Institute of Biotechnology, Nimpith 3rd year students of the Department February 1, 2013
2 A visit to the Spice Cottage Industry of Kerala 2nd  year students of the Department October 12, 2015

Chemistry

  
3 Visit to Jadavpur University, X-Ray Crystallography, IR, UV-Vis, Cyclic Voltametry Lab 2nd  year students of the Department 11th February, 2013
4  Visited Jadavpur University, NMR Lab 3rd year students of the Department 13th February, 2013

Microbiology

  
5 Herald Food & Commodities Pvt. Ltd. 2nd  year students of the Department 2012
6 IFB Agro Industries Limited, Nurpur 3rd year students of the Department 26th February, 2016

Physics

  
7 *Visit to Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata Faculties and Students of Physics Department 17th January, 2014

Zoology

  
8 Visited the Lac cultivation areas in the Purulia district (particularly Bagmundi) of West Bengal and the associated cottage industries in Purulia 3rd year students of the Department 24-26 January, 2013
9 Visited the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary for a line transect quadrat study of the endangered saltwater Crocodile population (Crocodylus porosus) 2nd  year students of the Department 28th November to 2nd December, 2015
7) LAB-TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NON-TEACHING STAFF
S. No. Resource Person Participants Date Topic

Botany

  
1 *Dr. Nanda Dulal Paria Faculties of the department 25th  March, 2013 Training on herbarium technique and Quadrat
2 Dr. Rinku Saha and Dr. Sudipta Das Lab Attendants of the Department (Sambhu Kumar Dey and Dipa Bari) 6th January, 2015 Training on herbarium preparation and plant collection

Chemistry

  
3 Dr. Papia Ganguly         Dr. Mostafizur Rahman     Dr. Nabanita Kundu Lab Attendants of the Department (Sri Subhash Rai, Sri Rathin Pal, Smt. Minati Chaudhuri & Sri Debashish Sarkar) 7th January, 2016 Instrument Handling, safety and upkeep of Instruments in physico-chemical Laboratories   Safety Hazards in Chemistry laboratory & Means to Tackle Them   Solution Preparation-Modern Methods  and Techniques

Microbiology

  
4 Mahuya Mukhopadhyay, Soumi Guha Polley, Madhulika Gupta and Sudipta Paul Bhattacharya Non-teaching staffs of the Dept. (Subhas Guha & Moumita Dey) 8th January, 2016 Training on handling of regular and sophisticated laboratory instruments

Physics

  
5 Teaching faculty Non-teaching staffs of the Dept. of Physics (Samsul Haque, Md. Nayeem, Sk. Fakruddin & Sanjay Gharami) 6th January, 2016   Training Program on Sophisticated Instrument  (function generator, CRO, LASER etc.) handling

Zoology

  
6 Dr. Paulami Maiti     Dr. Sanjukta Mondal (Parui)     Lab Attendant of the Department (Ashish Mazumdar) 6th January, 2016 Handling of Zoological specimens and their disposal Preparation of reagents Modern Methods  and Techniques
8) CAREER COUNSELING PROGRAM
S. No. Resource Person Participants Date Topic

Botany

  
1  Dr. Bidisha Mallick 1st year students of Botany Hons. 29th January, 2016 Career options in Biophysics and Biochemistry for Botany  Graduates

Chemistry

  
2 Dr. Sukanya Chakrabarti (Guha) & Dr. Soma Samaddar 3rd year students of Chemistry Hons. 11th January, 2016 Career options in Biology for Chemistry Graduates

Microbiology

  
3 Alliance Francaise, Bengule 3rd year students of Microbiology Hons. 11th January, 2016 Career options in Microbiology

Physics

  
4 Prof. Sarmistha Roy Chaudhuri, from the Dept. of Biophysics, Molecular Biology & Bioinformatics, C.U. 1st year students of Physics Hons. and the faculties of the Dept. of Physics. 6th January, 2016 Biology as a Career for the UG students

Zoology

  
5 Dr. Sanjukta Mondal (Parui) 1st year and 3rd year Zoology Honours 6th February, 2016 Career options in Zoology
Subrata Basu Program Manager Branding, Gandhi Fellowship Program, Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership, A 56, Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi -110017 Website – www.gandhifellowship.org Gandhi Fellowship and its leadership program

QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENTS DUE TO DBT SUPPORT

  • The DBT Star College Scheme has helped to strengthen and develop Science education and training at the undergraduate level. It has helped to improve critical thinking and hands-on training on experimental work in new and upcoming technologies needed for modern scientific studies at undergraduate (college) level. The five departments of Botany, Chemistry, Microbiology, Physics and Zoology have done a brilliant, if not phenomenal job under this scheme and as a result of such ventures, more students are increasingly taking up these subjects in their careers. DBT has provided academic and physical infrastructure for achieving excellence in teaching and a unique exposure of students to experimental science.
  • Lady Brabourne College, is deeply indebted to DBT for extending their help by providing funds to enhance the quality of teaching learning process. It has helped to stimulate original thinking through ‘hands–on’ exposure to a) experimental work and participation in interdepartmental students exchange programs, b) conduct specialized training programmes for faculty improvement for optimizing technical capabilities and skills and c) provide students’ access and exposure to different research laboratories and industries in the country.

The DBT Star Program was beneficial in the following ways:

    1. Infrastructure Upgradation:
    • The Departments have been able to procure sufficient equipments & instruments needed for UG teaching funded exclusively by DBT. This purchase would not have been possible without financial support extended by DBT. The Departments of Botany, Chemistry and Zoology could start with the Post Graduate Courses from 2016 with the upgraded infrastructure.
    1. Enrichment of Human Resource:
    • The DBT-sponsored interdisciplinary Student-Workshops have evoked interest among the students about the interdisciplinary lab methods and techniques with which they were not previously acquainted as these were not part of their regular undergraduate curriculum. All these academic programs have enlightened students and motivated them towards higher learning and for pursuing research in their near future. Many of our students are pursuing research in renowned research institutions and some are also employed as scientists in Government Laboratories and in various industries.
    • Industrial visits for undergraduate students to different renowned Industries have helped providing exposure to different fields of research and development, to enhance their original thinking and possible collaboration with other Research Institutes. Organization of these events have enhanced and enriched all the students, teachers and nonteaching staff of the Departments of this college to a great extent.
    1. Outreach Activities:

The Departments have been engaged in outreach activities as a means of ‘giving back’ to society, such as:

        • Organizing Summer Schools in which students from other colleges participated and were given hands-on-training on techniques beyond their syllabus.
        • The Non-Teaching Technical staffs of the Departments were given “Hands-on Training” in Instrument handling and maintenance, as well as hazards in laboratory. All this has ensured safe and better laboratory management.

There has been a quantitative increase in the following:

        • Number of Applicants vis a vis Number of Seats in each department
        • Number of students admitted year wise in different courses.
        • Change in the cut-off percentage/admission with an increase in the percentage for eligibility.
        • Decrease in the dropout rate.
        • Increase in pass percentage.
        • Increase in the number of students opting for PG courses
NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS
STUDENTS OPTING FOR PG (%)
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