The Department of Physics in BITS Pilani has had a rich history post its induction in the 1950’s. It has since done some great work, making it one of the premiere research entities in the country. The English Press Club decided to have a chat with Dr. Anshuman Dalvi, Head of Department of Physics regarding the progress it has made over the years.

Dr Dalvi started off with a brief history of the Department, “Up till the 70’s, we were renowned as a research and teaching institution. But, after that there was a shift towards teaching Physics, rather than research.” After a few decades, the Department decided to re-orient and start research alongside teaching. From 2004, they have made a push to incorporate research into their work.

Ever since the Department has taken an initiative to revive research, they have been able to collect a large amount of funding from Government Agencies for Infrastructure Development projects. They have completed 16 projects worth 350 lakhs and have picked up 10 new projects worth 260 lakhs this past year. In recent news, they have received 230 lakhs from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for infrastructural support. A large part of these funds will go into acquiring new machinery and apparatus required for advanced research in the 5 labs that the Department maintains.

Their main fields of focus are: Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, Astronomy and Cosmology, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Optics and Plasma Physics and Statistical Physics and Complex Systems. A total of 130 research papers have been published from these fields in international journals.

On the topic of students, Dr Dalvi stated that around 10% of enrolled students pursue a career in core research, taking up PhD’s in universities throughout the world. The Department has produced 15 PhD scholars and currently has 23 students working on their doctorates. Dr Dalvi stated that he was pleased with these numbers and that the Department made sure they did their job of initiating the students into the world of Physics.

The professors of the Department themselves have pushed for these reforms, being personally involved in these ventures. Aside from academic initiatives, the Department is also involved in other activities that promote the spirit of science in students. They have conducted 2 conferences this academic year and a workshop for school teachers from rural districts.

Even though there have been opportunities for the students to participate, Dr Dalvi made a plea to the students to use the amenities that the Physics Department provides. A conducive environment for learning can only be created if both students and teachers take equal interest.

The Department of Physics is looking to expand itself constantly by giving its students new courses and projects to expand their understanding. They plan to add an Engineering Physics Bachelor’s degree in the years to come. We look forward to the research that they will produce with the new facilities they have procured recently.