By AMANDA JAMES

aaj006@latech.edu

 

Tech’s Institute for Micromanufacturing is hoping to make its students — many of whom live thousands of miles from their families — feel more at home at Tech.

One of the ways the IfM is doing this is with the “All IfM Meeting,” which will be held at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in the IfM Auditorium.

The meeting will recognize top students at the Institute, include a presentation by guest speakers and will conclude with a social event. 

“We want to feel like a community here at the Institute,” Dr. Kody Varahramyan, the director of the IfM and a professor of electrical engineering, said. “We want to bring faculty, staff and students together for a special occasion like this to recognize students and their accomplishments, as well as celebrate some of the successes of the institute.”

The top students who will be recognized are Swetha Chinnayelka, a graduate student of engineering, and Fengliang Xue, also a graduate student of engineering.  

“We allow our top students to be recognized,” Varahramyan said.

“We want to let other students be inspired by that and aspire to reach that level of excellence at some point in time.”

Jeanette Futrell, the office coordinator of the IfM, said the selection guidelines were thorough.

Students had to submit one or more peer-reviewed journal paper contributions and three or more conference papers.

The students also had to demonstrate initiative and productivity in research efforts and regular and noticeable laboratory attendance. 

“Our top students are selected through nomination of faculty and staff,” Varahramyan said. “They have excelled in their research and work. They are solid, responsible students.”

A presentation will also be made by guest speakers within the university, he said.

This year’s presenters are Dr. David Mills, an associate professor of biological sciences, and Linda Ramsey, an associate professor of biological sciences, and educational outreach programs and opportunities will be the subjects of the presentation, he said.

“They are leaders of the university and at the institute in the area of educational outreach programs,” Varahramyan said. 

Varahramyan said the second part of the meeting will be a social program and refreshments will be provided.

Aravind Chamarti, a graduate student of engineering, has attended the meeting before and plans on attending the meeting this year. He said the meeting is useful to those who want to learn more.

“It is good to know about other researchers and their work,” Chamarti said. “Some projects are inter-related, and [the meeting] helps us in sharing ideas and applying [our] own thoughts on others’ projects.”

Chamarti said he enjoys the presentations by the top students.

“I get inspired at the talk the award-winning person gives,” Chamarti said. “It is good to know his work, number of papers and why he deserves the award.”

Futrell said the meeting is an enjoyable break for the students.

“It’s relaxing,” Futrell said. “The students don’t have to study or work on projects. They get to listen to their friends present. It’s like a mini-retreat, and everyone needs that from time to time.”