MANDI: Indian Institute of Technology Mandi offers semester long Interactive Socio-Technical Practicum (ISTP) course to the 3rd year B.Tech. students under the design and innovation stream.
This course is designed to encourage the interdisciplinary academic culture among students.
The programme would sensitize students with the problems around them in their society and develop a sense of responsibility in them by being the solution provider.
As part of the ISTP, between March to May this year, the Institute is hosting 18 students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on the campus for Socio Technical Practicum (ISTP), including 5 female and 13 male students, from the USA.
These students have education background in science and technology with majors in fields such as Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, and Robotics, among others.
This program is part of their undergraduate 3rd year requirement during which they work on projects to examine the interrelationships of environment, technology, and society through direct engagement with community stakeholders.
Dr. Rajeshwari Dutt, ISTP Coordinator, IIT Mandi, said, “The real need of today is to have engineers who design solutions keeping in mind the needs of society".
ISTP with its emphasis on projects that are at the cusp of society and technology allows our students to find innovative solutions to the pressing needs of local communities and work towards a sustainable society.
As such, it is a project-based course that has the potential for real and long-term impact on society.”
Dr. Shockey, Ingrid, Faculty in-charge & Teaching Professor of Global Studies, WPI, said, “The program encourages students to see community members as experts on their own lived experiences from the Himalayan regions".
This is a unique opportunity for STEM students to understand the value of learning from local stakeholders about issues such as climate change, water resources, agricultural practices, and so forth.
This invites an exchange of ideas between students, scientists, and communities, and across institutes.”
The projects are based on real-world problems and are designed to have a positive impact on society.