The Business Bytes
THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 8, 2025
In a significant stride towards enhancing national infrastructure research, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday. This strategic alliance aims to foster collaboration, intellectual synergy, and academic exchange between the two premier institutions.
The MoU was signed by Prof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean (Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy) at IIT Bhubaneswar, and Prof. Manoranjan Parida, Director of CSIR-CRRI, under the auspices of Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar. This partnership focuses on advancing research in Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Pavement Engineering, Road Safety, and other critical Civil Engineering domains like Geotechnical and Bridge Engineering.
Key components of this collaboration include the exchange of faculty and students for research and teaching, development of joint research projects, and the implementation of professional development programs. The partnership will also emphasize the dissemination of research findings through scholarly publications and media channels, ensuring broader societal impact.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Karmalkar highlighted the potential of this collaboration to bolster the research ecosystem in road construction, ultimately enhancing transportation infrastructure. “IIT Bhubaneswar’s School of Infrastructure is poised to leverage this partnership to drive innovation and knowledge dissemination in Civil Engineering,” he remarked.
Prof. Parida, Director of CSIR-CRRI, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the transformative potential of this alliance in the domains of roads, bridges, and geotechnical engineering. He noted, “This MoU will be a catalyst for pioneering advancements in road safety and infrastructure, setting new benchmarks for Odisha and beyond.”
The signing ceremony witnessed the presence of faculty and scientists, including Prof. Sumanta Haldar, Head of the School of Infrastructure at IIT Bhubaneswar, and Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Chief Scientist at CSIR-CRRI.
