Bengaluru: Harvard University’s South Asia Institute (SAI), along with the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology in Bengaluru, has launched a Young Scientist Development Course for 25 engineering students selected from top institutions across the country.
Over the last week, select students were introduced to neurosciences and how they could apply their engineering skills in the field. They were trained by both professors from Harvard University as well as those from science institutes in India.
The two-week long residential programme is being conducted at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengaluru. It is part of B4 (Boston-Bangalore Biosciences Beginnings) and will conclude on January 11.
The aim of the programme is to help students adopt a multidisciplinary approach to their education and chart a career beyond pure engineering.
“The world might not need too many software engineers in the next few years. Most of what software engineers do today, such as coding, will be automated,” said Raghav Singh, R&D, IBM Cognitive Computing. He was a panellist at one of the workshops on Saturday.
But the likelihood of engineers becoming redundant is far from remote possibility. There are many untapped avenues that engineering students can get into. Neuroscience is one of them. To help students explore their options, a knowledge exchange platform was organised for students to connect with government representatives, industry executives and scientists.
The two-week residential course is sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology and the Karnataka Biotech and IT Services (KBITS).
