This gives me immense pleasure to present to all you

fellow to-be-Chemical Engineers the first edition of

ChEA voice 2014-15. With active participation from

everyone this issue is finally here with a miscellany of

educative , advisory and intriguing stuff.

The articles have been chosen keeping in

mind the myriad of tastes and preferences of the vari-

ous readers. This edition aims at being relevant to

everyone by incorporating articles of different genres

like ethics, internships, alumni talks, projects and

many more.

The enthusiasm displayed was admirable but

a little more involvement on the part of students

would be wonderful. I’d also take this opportunity to

thank every single person who has contributed in any

way whatsoever. Hope you have a great time reading

this.

Anuj Kumar Sinha

ChEA editor 2014-15 DISCLAIMER:

This ChEA voice attempts to

provide the Chemical engi-

neering students with a plat-

form to express their pro-

spective and convey the same

to everyone. It does not intend

to malign any group or individ-

ual. The opinions expressed

belong essentially to the au-

thors/content managers and do

not reflect the opinions of

ChEA

From The Editor’s “Piled Up” Desk

ChEA councilcouncilcouncil

President : Prof. K V Venkatesh

Vice-President : Dr. Sandip Roy

Treasurer : Prof. Sameer Jadhav

Dept. General Secy : Prathmesh Gaitonde

ChEA General Secy : Anamika Singh

ChEA Joint Secretary : Jay Parmar

Dept. Web Nominee : Akhilesh Gandhi

Alumni/Seminar Secy : Moin Khan

Dept. Mtech nominee : Manish Rathi

ChEA Editor : Anuj Kumar Sinha

Chemical Engineering Association

OCT 2014 1st Edition

SNEAK PEEK :

The Ethical Self

From B to A

BioSynth

Alumni Talk

Placement Mantra

AZeotropy

Higher Studies Dilemma

University Internship

Project after second sem

And many more !!!!!

ChEA Voice

Voicing Their Opinion

Prof. Sandip Roy

Abhishek Raj

Pradnya Bagde

Sharada Navada

Nooruddin Kapadia

Anurag Khandelwal

Jyot Antani

Vibhore Jain

Anisha Garg

When I was asked to author an article on the “ethics” I was not a

little curious as to whether there was an ‘honorable’ reason behind

her request. Did people really believe that I could be a plausible au-

thor for the topic? For neither had I ever displayed any academic pen-

chant for the subject, nor could I conceivably regard myself as a bea-

con of virtuosity...

I tried my best to avoid this, declaring that there was in-

deed very little that I could possibly say that is not already known by

any student. This for the simple reason, I argued, that at least in the

slender context of the student academic life, ethics may be little more

than a set of self-evident and perhaps self-sustainable ideas, which do

not need special pleading. However faintly, deep-down don’t we all

discern the line between right and wrong, good and the

bad? Whether we wish to adhere to and be guided inviola-

bly by such a knowledge in our day to day acts was anoth-

er matter altogether.

Ethics or Morality -

The concern about unethical practices in the academic

environment does seem to be a part of a wider social pat-

tern, and academics in other parts of the world are also

currently battling with the seeming ‘erosion’ of values, and

are exploring ways to stem the slide.

On its own, ethics is a grievously weighty subject that

thinkers have been tinkering with through history. But far

be it from my intention to dwell upon the abstractions of

such lofty discourses. In any case in spite of it being an

elusive idea that is amenable to elevated philosophical

cogitations, ‘ethics’ is a matter that does permeate everyday profes-

sional practice as well.

In an old world sense ethics possibly would be seen as a

partial and practical expression of the larger concept of morality, the

latter being grounded on a fundamental or religious view of the world.

But in today’s changed world which has increasingly become bereft of

religious or transcendent anchorage, ethics has come to acquire a

‘humanist’ or (maybe) a human mooring. That is, it is a way of arbitra-

tion of human conflicts based on principles of ‘natural justice’. Like

‘nature’ which is subject to ‘laws’, human acts must also be seen as

governed by natural constraints. This is also the basis of secular law

and the idea of justice.

Conduct in the Campus -

How may this ‘abstract’ idea of natural justice be a driver of student

life on our campus and elsewhere? The ‘law’ in this instance is the

system of training and evaluation of academic merit of a student. The

credentials of an academic institution are largely dependent on how

penetrating and accurate these are. These are also the essential hall-

mark of quality which is one of the most

significant parameters for assessing academia’s output. Fundamen-

tally quality is dependent not only on individual, determined exer-

tion by students but also on the allegiance to an agreed set of

rules by students (as well as by faculty and others in the system).

The latter is a seminal requirement for any assessment of merit

to lead to a true recognition of the intellectual caliber of the indi-

vidual student. To paraphrase it, no evaluation of any form of

intellectual output would be objective and precise if the latter

were not based on an absolutely original mental effort. No aca-

demic output can be judged freely if it is executed through an

willful borrowing or exploitation of another individual’s work,

without according the latter the due credit or recognition.

The big picture -

To be sure the question of ethical behavior is not

limited to purely academic endeavors alone. In a

wider sense it is about making choices under com-

plex life-situations that do not allow easy resolu-

tion, and requires the application of reasoning

beyond simple, mechanical logic. In extreme cases

it may involve making a choice that is hurtful to

personal interest or even well-being. The principle

that enlivens this is that there exists a ‘truth’ of a

higher order, beyond that of the individual self,

and to which the latter may be subjugated even at

the cost of discomfort or anguish.

To return to the origins of this dis-

course (many may see it as a euphemism for

‘sermon’!): where does the need to engage with

the ethical imperatives in today’s environment rise from? What

really is prompting us? There are trivial and not so trivial reasons.

One may resort to a behavior that is seemingly unethi-

cal to others, for the simple reason of expediency and perhaps

because the context appears trifling.

“in today’s world,

bereft of religious or

transcendent

anchorage, ethics has

come to acquire a

‘humanist’ or (maybe)

a human mooring.”

Page 2

The Ethical Self : To be or not to be

ChEA voice

For example a student may resort to copying simply because he or she

deems it an inconsequential matter, or because even if one employed

‘honest’ means there are no obvious rewards, or there is no punish-

ment for failing to do so! Indeed by far the majority of the situations of

dishonorable acts in student life may be of this nature.

Choice lies with us -

Choices to be made under such or similar circumstances may be readily

arrived at by individuals by recourse to relevant institutional policies.

But looking beyond these narrow confines may bring deeper lessons. By

any reckoning the world we inhabit appears far more complex than that

of our predecessors, our aspirations different from theirs, the where-

withal at our disposal dissimilar. The social and economic backdrop

against which we live and act can appear riven by disparate pulls and

pushes. We live in a world in which the apparent signs of success are

increasingly externalized and made synonymous with material posses-

sions. It is a world where achieving the end seems to be deemed far

more important than the means employed to do so.

These are perhaps pessimistic readings of sorts but there

appears to be a widespread feeling not limited to any specific part of the

world, that the earth today is beset by profound problems on various

fronts – economic, social, and environmental – all of which are making

the future uncertain and unreliable. And that those who are at the

helm, leading the world affairs, themselves are failing to set examples

that are worthy. In such an indeterminate situation one may be forgiven

if one feels adrift and unable to abide by grand, ‘impersonal’ ethical prin-

ciples. Nevertheless, the very same situation may also provide a reason

to delve deeper within us to draw out those humane traits beyond

those that dictate the practical necessities of mere material existence.

A Reality Check -

Today, more than ever, we may need to re-inculcate the belief that we

can change things by cultivating in ourselves traits and attitudes that

eliminate false egotism, untruthfulness or imprudence, and replace them

with sincere toil and pledge for bettering things. Our selves evolve and

acquire firmer shape through experiences and our responses to person-

al challenges. In turn, our selves determine the choices we make in real

world situations. Perhaps this simple maxim may form the basis of cur-

ricular attempts to impart ethical training and awareness amongst stu-

dents.

It is true that being ethical may not always fetch ‘rewards’, and

may even be at odds with prevalent mores in many real world circum-

stances. But then the adoption of ethical behavior cannot be aimed at

such recompense. Virtue, as it is said, may be an end itself.

On the one hand many ethical quandaries over real world actions may

be resolved relatively simply by examining the attendant legal implica-

tions or ramifications. But very many situations of moral conflict may

compel directing our attention inwards: Will my action bring undue

harm to others? Will my act be contrary to my deeper belief about

what is good or just? How would others see me if a wrong-doing on

my part was exposed? Will I be able to endure any form of consequenc-

es of my action? In the last analysis the answers to our most intimate

impasses may lie in our own intangible, spiritual strengths or weakness-

es, and which will either make or unmake us.

Prof. Sandip Roy

Chemical Engg. Dept. Page 3

ChEA voice

SECOND YEAR curriculum change

In a department accused of injecting academics even in

its student’s enthralling dreams, the new found “chill”

among the sophomores has been a hot topic for discus-

sion. Thanks to the undergraduate committee the dra-

matic reconstruct of the curriculum has certainly

brought peace to the chemical life.

Here’s a delineation of all the changes made :-

Solid mechanics CL231 shifted to the fifth semester

( only name changes to CL3xx )

Computational Methods lab introduced as a sepa-

rate course from numerical analysis

HS3xx introduced in the third semester

Environmental sciences HS200 and ES200 removed

from second year curriculum

IC102 (Data analysis and interpretation) modified

to CL2yy (Introduction to Data analysis)

Complex analysis MA205 removed from second

year curriculum

Despite all this the fact remains that to cope up with

the humungous changeover from the freshmen year is

not everyone’s piece of cake.

Third Semester and academics go hand in hand for aca-

demics are what substantially differentiate it from the

first year. And very unexpectedly, make it extremely

intriguing. Nonetheless this semester gives you an in-

sight as to what chemical engineering actually is. The

core department core courses are more practical based

different from regular science courses studied so far.

Also, the sudden change from a class of over 200 stu-

dents to 60 students is a major difference.

The transition from first year to a semester where you

expect a quiz every other day, along with a combination

of some of the toughest courses is undoubtedly difficult.

But these can indeed turn out to be incredibly interest-

ing if tackled in the right manner.

Hello there! So I’ve been entrusted with this fantastic task of

preaching what I practised and guiding the young lot (supposedly,

you) out there on how to go from IIT B to IIM A (or any business

school you may choose to go to!)

I’m not going to bore you with page after page of detailed, copious

notes because you have enough courses coming up to do that. I’m

going to keep this short, simple and as effective as possible. If you

feel like reading ahead, first of all thank you. Next, keep in mind

that I’m only trying to address people who are genuinely interest-

ed in management. If your interest lies elsewhere, there is no

judgement here.

So, to begin with the really basic thing all business schools expect

you to be clear on is motivation. Despite being in the best engi-

neering institute in the country if you want to do management,

you must be clear why and exactly why. Before you ask, no money

is not a valid reason. Introspect. Examine. Churn. Google. Do

what you must but be clear why! This will not only help you in the

interviews but aid the really basic part of your preparation- it will

motivate you to “crack the CAT” (yes, I hate that coaching class

phrase too!)

What next? Now that you’re all suffused with motivation and

brimming with energy to unleash your awesomeness on the

world’s best B-schools, here, I’ve answered a few common queries

people have had for me previously to help simplify the process for

you guys:

What to do and When to start ??

As soon as possible. There are different

things you can do at different stages.

Sophies: Focus on academics. And, as ridic-

ulous as you may find this, I mean Chemical

Engineering. Nothing gets you into a B-

school as easily as your college CPI. And no,

there is no benefit given to IITB guys above

other college guys with similar CPIs. Build

the damn thing now when it is easy to do.

Thirdies: Join a coaching class. I joined

TIME in Powai. They have a separate branch

and ridiculous discounts for IITians. Attend

classes regularly- it makes your life much

easier later. I attended in semester 5 and

6 but stopped altogether in semester 7 because most of my work

was done by then. Start giving mock tests to assess how much you

need to work and what you need to work on. Also, CPI is all im-

portant. Same as above.

Fourthies: It’s too close to the CAT now. Pray to God.

General Advice: Keep bench-marking yourself against your own

previous performances. Nobody gets into IIM A with a percentile

score less than 99.7 so keep trying to get that in TIME tests. Work

on areas that are weak, but make sure you get full in areas that you

are strong. With the new CAT format, accuracy is king. Also, IIM A

has changed it’s selection criteria this year to favour fresh graduates.

So, it is easier now than it would have been before for you guys. Feel

lucky.

Is IIM A really the best B-School? What is life like in

IIM A ??

I’ve been asked this often when people are trying to firm up their

motivation to get into this place. The answer ends up leaving some of

them frazzled and others more firm than ever. Life in IIM A is ex-

tremely hectic. It is, by some distance, the busiest I have ever been in

my life. It is also, by some distance, the most fun place I’ve ever been

to (IIT B was awesome too, don’t bite off my hand!) in my life. You

will learn more about people, about time and about yourself (more

than anything!) than ever before. Life is no fun when it is easy. Work

hard, play harder. Also, yes there are many good looking girls here.

Is IIMA the best B-School ??

Well here’s an anecdote. I had got admission in IIM A, B and C and

was trying to decide between them. I went to my

parents (who are both from IIM B) and asked them

which to take:

“Are you stupid? Is that even a question? You’re

going to IIM A”

I rest my case.

Finally, I’ve avoided the issue of interviews for now

because there’s a long way to go for that. All the

best for the CAT! Hope to see a lot more IITB guys

here because, frankly, IITM is dominating the shit

out of all other colleges in this place. Nobody wants

that. It gives a very wrong impression about the

relative calibre of IITB and IITM.

Abhishek Raj

Batch of 2013

From B to A

The Ultimate Combo IITB+IIMA

ChEA voice

Page 4

With our oil industry ‘Sleepwalking into crisis’ there has been a

conspicuous advance in adopting the alternatives. Biodiesel in par-

ticular seems to be a promising substitute and enthusiasts all over

the world are working on it. The Departments initiative of produc-

ing biodiesel in the campus is just a small step towards a cleaner

and greener earth. However the bigger picture is to come up with a

feasible and efficient technology that can substantially reduce the

country’s dependence on fossils fuels as the only source of energy.

Vision

Project ‘BioSynth’ is a first ever student’s initiative of installing a

self-sustained autonomous Biodiesel producing unit at an institute

level. It entails utilizing vegetable oil as its primary raw material to

produce an environment friendly fuel, Biodiesel. Started back in

2008 with the aim of providing students with hands on training in

designing and operating a chemical plant the project is now fully

functional aiming at sensitizing the student community about

green fuel technologies which achieves the dual goal of reducing

green house gas emissions and reducing our dependence on fossil

fuels.

Inception

With a 30 lakh sponsorship by the institute the plant, set up over

1600 sq. ft. was commissioned and is now functioning. The team

has successfully developed a protocol to produce biodiesel from

waste vegetable oil (waste vegetable oil (WVO) is the oil that is

discarded after cooking). Relations have been established with

food outlets to procure WVO from them. Biodiesel produced in the

plant is being used as a substitute for diesel in a Tata Sumo

(blended with diesel) in the institute and by the Public Health Of-

fice for fumigation purposes.

Functioning

Since its commencement the project has made commendable

leaps in meeting their objectives. In an effort to make energy-

efficient technologies, the students at the Department of

Chemical Engineering at IITB had installed a batch-scale Bio-

diesel production facility within the campus. The four years of

rigorous Research and Development work to optimize the

protocol for Biodiesel production and the expert guidance

from the professors of the department of Chemical Engineer-

ing finally paid off when the students produced Biodiesel for

the first time in the plant. Sicnce then there was no looking

back and routinely pure biodiesel in accordance with interna-

tional ASTM standards is produced. The funds flow in from the

Chemical Department. The department allocates funds as and

when needed. Occasionally Institute too chips in with direct

funds.

R & D involved

The team is already working in new R&D. This year five differ-ent teams have been formed to work on specific projects for optimization of the current production procedure as well as introduce new aspects of producing biodiesel. Some of them being synthesizing a protocol to produce biodiesel from acid-oil which is relatively cheaper. Further there’s a project to enhance the methanol recovery from the glycerol layer during the plant run. Besides effort is being put in to increase the efficiency of the

plant as a whole. Recently, they were able to convince PHO,

IITB to get a Tata-Sumo from them and are currently testing

the effects of various blends of Bio-diesel on the vehicle per-

formance.

To sum up

To conclude, while giving students the once-in-a-lifetime op-

portunity to design a plant from scratch, this project envisages

a means to a greener future catering to the needs of tomorrow.

With significant achievements under its belt, the BioSynth

team has demonstrated its technical strength and compe-

tence. To exemplify the same, the group bagged the top award

in student category for outstanding research in field of green

chemistry and engineering at the Industrial Green Chemistry

Workshop (IGCW 2009) held in Mumbai in December 2009.

Exigently motivated, the project is set to scale greater heights

and lead the charge in promoting eco-friendly technologies.

Page 5

BioSynth

Biodiesel Plant near S2 bay

We Are Driving Down Carbon

ChEA voice

“Information is pretty thin stuff unless mixed with experience”

So we asked Pradnya Bagde a revered alumni , who graduated

recently and started working in Cadbury to endow us with her’s . She

graciously accepted to candidly answer a few of our questions and

share her cherished experience.

How do you describe yourself as a person ? What were your inter-

ests , inclinations when you entered IIT ?

After entering IIT , I didn’t have any particular interests , I

just planned to get a PhD or something after 5 years , so

my inclination was towards research and the projects and

interns that i undertook were all in one particular topic of

chemical engineering , that was colloids and emulsions - I

have done 2 projects in that topic . I liked to develop my

resume in one direction , I was particular about entering

into core engineering or do a PhD , I was not interested in

going for a finance firm , hence i developed my resume for

core field .

How did you zero in on the topic - emulsions and did

you never have any doubts about your future plans , course of action ?

After you study some of the courses , you get a basic idea

about your inclinations. I liked mass transfer operations and hence i

chose that field . Normally it will take you some time to know what

you are interested in , but you must find out and focus on that thing .

If you are interested in chemical , then core is a really good option ,

but if you are not interested in chemical , then you may try other

options like finance , consultancy etc .

Why did you chose a job over a PhD ?

After two of my projects i really wanted to work and gain some

ground experience, PhD is not off the table , I may opt for applying for

a PhD after few years .

How did you choose the companies to apply for ?

I was as i said interested in core , though core companies pay compar-

atively less than consulting or finance companies but what matters is

the profile they are offering you . I chose companies on the basis of

the job profile on offer .

Did you attend the PPTs and will you recommend them ?

I had to attend them because I was the placement team member ,

but to someone i will suggest that apart from the placement rules

and policy, I would have preferred if i attended only the PPTs

that interested me , like I didn’t want to attend the PPTs of con-

sultancy companies because that’s a waste of time for me , hence

I would suggest other people to focus only on the ones they are

interested in .

What did you prepare for core companies ?

For core companies you need a hold over your chemical engi-

neering topics , I was also preparing for GATE , so

I prepared keeping chemical topics in perspective

rather than companies in perspective . So i pre-

pared keeping chemical topics and then chose

companies which interested me .

How did you prepare your resume ?

While preparing for resume, I suggest that you

should only include the things that are your strong

areas and which you are good at . While in IIT you

do a lot of things , but don’t include all of those

things . So I did more than 4-5 interns but I includ-

ed only the ones which I was certain about . I have

done an intern in Bhabha Atomic Research Cen-

ter , and I was pretty confident about it , so I in-

cluded that one , not all of them .So only include

the points that are highlights in your personality .

You should only include the things that you think you can answer

satisfactorily in an interview .

How did you prepare for HR Questions and GDs ?

For GDs we prepared together in our wing , so the whole of

wing used to sit with one person as the moderator who used to

decide a topic and we had a vivid debate over the topic , that was

a really awesome way to prepare for the GDs . Since I was in the

Placement Team , I had some bit of experience in talking and

dealing with HRs . Even here , wing was really helpful , one of my

friend became the HR who interviewed me and vice versa .

What should be kept in mind while signing a JAF ?

There are many things to be kept in mind , firstly the job profile -

you must choose the job that interests you rather than the one

that pays more or you’ll end up getting frustrated while in job .

Second is the place where you are placed - Thirdly , do you like

the work culture of the company ? You can judge the work cul-

ture in the PPTs , one of the advantages for turning up for them .

“Practice really

hard and gain the

confidence in the

field which you

have opted . Plan it

properly “

Page 6

Alumni Talk

ChEA voice

What was the shortlisting criteria for Cadbury ?

Resume shortlisting on basis of CPI, technical background and a

little emphasis on POR (leadership roles)

GD was based on a very generic topic for a group of 10 people

( Taking the lead role did not matter here, ideas and innovative

thinking were evaluated)

Interview consisted of a single round comprising of HR +Technical -

Both needed to prove your leadership capability, team management

and technical expertise

Which other companies did you apply for ? what was the shortlisting criteria for those companies

Most of the companies that I applied for were the Core companies-

mostly having a profile where the technical knowledge in Chemical

engineering could be used. Again, all used the criteria by shortlisting

through a Test (technical) followed by a GD on generic topic and

finally one round of interview on Core topics in Chemical engineer-

ing.

Can you walk us through the interview ?

Most of the questions were based on the resume , about interns ,

BARC , and other technical stuff . Then they wanted to know why I

should be selected and given the job offer ? They also asked about

my courses , one of the interviewer asked many questions about

plant design operations .

How important are things like personality , etiquettes et all for a core company ?

It depends from company to company , some companies are really

strict about the clothes etc. while some are not . It matters more for

non-core companies like consult and finance which give a lot of

stress on how a person dresses , behaves etc. during the interview .

Core companies do give some weightage but it is not the essentially

important thing . They were looking for core knowledge and leader-

ship skills in me

How did they check the leadership skills ?

So in the interview , they made me the leader and themselves as the

employees and created a whole scene where I have to convince the

“employees” to work properly and efficiently .

What will your final message be to the Placement Junta in gen-

eral ?

Resume should reflect your personality , prepare the resume as good

as you can . Highlight only the points which you can defend really

well . Practice really hard and gain the confidence in the field which

you have opted . Plan it properly , people in IIT have the habit to do

everything at the eleventh hour which doesn’t provide the necessary

confidence needed in interviews .

ChEA voice

Placement undeniably is an affair of utmost concern for any undergradu-

ate. The time when they get to redeem the four years of endeavor. In

what better way can we learn than to learn from those who already have

faced the same scenario. The placement fundae session organized this

April intended to guide the next ‘passing out’ lot for the upcoming place-

ments. In light of the relevance of the wisdom shared here we evoke the

zest of the discourse by Vibhore Jain, Ashray Iyengar, Yogesh Powde and

a few others.

As Vibhore precisely phrased “The mere fundae of placement

is that there are no fundae, there are innumerable factors to decide your

future, luck certainly being one of them”. Having said that preparation is

something you can control but what matters most is how much you can

express yourself when it really matters. Placement prospects being huge-

ly diverse with endless possibilities for a chemical engineer the entire

prep can be covered in three different domains.

Pre-season prep

Prior to anything you should download all three editions of “Be Pre-

pared” from DC .These books assuredly will be immensely helpful for

anyone. Also scoring good in CAT should be an undisputed priority

(even if you are not interested in pursuing MBA) as it helps with the

quantitative tests of placements. Another thing is to specially focus on

the targeted companies. Googling a little about it will surly come handy.

It is important to attend Pre Placement Talks of all the compa-

nies relevant for you. You can always pick out things from the PPT to

answer cliché questions like why do you want to join our company? ;

Why do you think we should hire you? ; What is so unique about us as

compared to competitors? DO take notes during PPTs. At least note

down what is unique about that company? ; What are the qualities they

are looking for in a candidate? If there are multiple PPTs in a day, decide

amongst your friends and try to cover every PPT.

The making of Resume

Invest as much time as possible in resume making and ensure there are

no trivial mistakes like full stop after a bullet point or spelling errors.

There are tons of material available online to analyze and enhance your

resume. Go through senior’s resumes and make your own hybrid

Never ever fake a resume point even if you think you can get away with

it. However certain points can be portrayed in a better way and learning

such ways is a necessity.

Be careful in what you write about your second year internships.

People tend to write many fancy words and could not defend in

the end and not doing so can seriously cost you your offer de-

spite doing everything else correct. Be careful in what you write

about your second year internships. People tend to write many

fancy words and could not defend in the end and not doing so

can seriously cost you your offer despite doing everything else

correct.

Try and get lots of reviews on your resume from the seniors.

This may take a week’s time so try to send your resume just

before weekend so that they can review it without delaying so

much.

Tests, GD and Interview prep

When its finally time , don’t be depressed or keep high expecta-

tions. Once shortlisted don’t loose your grip on current affairs

and ask the seniors for specific prep for each company.

A lot depends on how well you answer the very first

question, tell me about yourself. So prepare this one well. Select

three qualities of yourself that you would like to tell the inter-

viewer. Keep some examples or stories ready to back them. As

for interviews different types should be dealt differently..

Be ready to be grilled on all the technical stuff that you have in the resume especially the internships and technical

projects. Refer to a mail sent by Pratik Behra for the core prepa-

ration strategy

Google yourself, look into various aspects of your life, pin them down. In case you have multiple shortlists in the same slot,

be ready to defend yourself when they ask what your preference

is. Some value based HR questions can be asked.

Also there is and

Overall, the placement season requires some sincere efforts and

motivation. There will some moments where frustration will

come out. Find one or two good friends in front of whom you can

yell out your frustration and then get back to preparation.

Fundae | Placements

ChEA voice

Page 8

Placement Mantra

Cometh March and we can witness a bunch of exuberant students

preparing enthusiastically for their “department fest”. The speakers

are finalised, halls booked, events planned, quizzes made, invitations

advanced; all the students, bubbling with ebullience, and a slight trepi-

dation at the upcoming events and their responsibilities towards them.

The sight is intoxicating, the devotion un-paralleled and the enthusi-

asm infectious--- all to advance their shared vision.

AZeotropy is an annual department symposium of the Chemical Engi-

neering Department, IIT Bombay. Started in 2007 as a small event

with few lectures, it has already snowballed to become one of the

largest symposiums of Chemical Engineering in India, attracting a foot-

fall of close to 6000 students and a host of different events and com-

petitions. It is organised exclusively by IIT-Bombay Students of Chemi-

cal Engineering Department. Students all across India take part in the

Symposium which has maintained a strong dedicated audience. There

are a plethora of lectures by distinguished speakers and events ranging

from quizzes to writing mock papers, and from building green technol-

ogies to chemical cars!

AZeotropy endeavours and envisions to improve the world we live in

using chemical engineering technologies and techniques. Each edition

contains special competitions, lectures, and events centred on the

theme to tackle various challenges faced by the society. AZeotropy is

held in close collaboration with various Chemical Engineering Industri-

al firms, which actively sponsor AZeotropy, some among them being

ONGC, TATA Chemicals, BASF, BAYER, and RELIANCE etc. AZeo-

tropy has indeed reached the pedestal where it influences and encour-

ages many chemical engineering students all across the country.

AZeotropy 2015

The upcoming 9th edition of AZeotropy is expected in March,

2014. With big sponsors like ONGC, TATA Chemicals, and

BASF; it promises to outperform its previous editions. This year

AZeotropy plans to organise the biggest Chemical Engineering

Event in any college in India. They are organising many competi-

tions and events across India in Haryana, U.P., Tamil Nadu, Guja-

rat etc. A huge Participation from all over the country is ex-

pected this year too. Events like Quizzes on the national platform

will be conducted under the banner “Chem-o-philia” and a

workshop for providing hands on session for CHEMCAD, an

integrated software for process engineering are already outlined.

AZeotropy has indeed grown exponentially since its initiation 9

years ago. While the actual success of the festival cannot be de-

termined beforehand; AZeotropy with its unique and pragmatic

theme, and its dedicated workforce promises to entice a large

student population and present to us the Largest Chemical

Symposium of India.

Across

1) Something in which solid parti-

cles are stored in bulk.

4) When elevation remains con-

stant, the pressure head of a fluid flowing

through a circular pipe increases at the

cost of its _________ head.

5) Optically inactive compounds

that contain unsymmetrical carbon atoms

are known as ___________ com-

pounds.

9) A _________ monometer

measures the difference of pressure be-

tween two distinct points.

Down

2) Gas at 0 Pa pressure is known

as ___________ gas

3) ___________ pressure is

measured using a barometer.

6) The __________ equation is a

vapour pressure equation and describes

the relation between vapour pressure

and temperature of pure components.

7) Adsorption occurs at the inter-

stices on the __________ of an adsor-

bent.

8) Cooling water is the

_________ used in heat exchangers.

AZeotropy

ChEA voice

“You’re not sitting for placements?!!!”

That’s the incredulous response I would get when anyone heard that I

was planning on applying for an MS and that I wasn’t sitting for campus

placements.

An IITian’s fourth year is when he/she has to take a decision which (at

the time) seems like it would determine his/her future forever—

should I opt for a job or apply for further studies? So, what factors

should one take into consideration while making such an important

choice?

Experiencing something firsthand impresses us way more than learning

about it from someone else. If you get a chance, try to intern in a

company as well as a research university. In the summers, I had the

opportunity to do internships at a global company based in India and

at a world-renowned research university in the US. My experiences

were the determining factor in my choosing to go for further studies. I

had a great time doing research, traveling and understanding the new

culture, my advisor was a brilliant guy with an out-of-the-box way of

looking at research problems and (my main reason) I loved being a

student!

Education in a good university abroad is something worth experienc-

ing, even if is only a couple of semesters. I recently completed my

Masters in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon

University in Pittsburgh, USA. When I compared it to that in the re-

putedly best institute in India, IIT Bombay, I was startled and saddened

by the stark differences. For instance, in the US, the professors do not

take attendance in any of the lectures, yet you will notice that every-

body attends classes; and at the end of the year you’ll be surprised to

note that you haven’t missed even a single class! Compare that to the

number of classes you have bunked at IIT, be it for Mood Indigo and

TF organization work, PAF rehearsals or just because you were too

sleepy to get out of bed!

Another striking thing about education here is the astonishing amount

of honesty and hard work that every student puts into every course.

It’s inspiring! I am being very open when I say that at IIT, it is a “done

thing” to copy or plagiarize content. It is a shame that it has become

so prevalent that students no longer hesitate to do it. If someone tries

to stay away, he or she will probably be shunned as the one person

who refused to “share” and is being “RG”. In the US, ethics are taken

very seriously and plagiarism is punishable by expulsion from the uni-

versity.

After my graduation, I got a job as a process engineer in a company

which does industrial waste water treat-

ment. With the increasing population and pollution, clean water is

going to be a scarce commodity and if we are to survive, we need

to be able to reuse and recycle it. For those of you who wish to

pursue this field, you are already in the right line; chemical engi-

neering is key to the design of water treatment processes.

A question which I am sometimes asked is why I chose a Masters

over a Ph.D. Personally, at that point of time, I wasn’t sure if I

was passionate enough to study this field for five years or more.

Would I want to do a Ph.D. in the future? Maybe. The future is

unknown. For now, I enjoy my work.

My frank advice for the confused Fourthies: If you have a

good chance of getting into one of the top universities abroad, go

for it! I assure you, it will be an experience that will radically

change the way you think and perceive.

If you want to study abroad but feel you do not have the CPI

required to stand a chance of getting into a good university, do

not despair! It is a common misconception that CPI is crucial to

getting admission. While it is true that CPI is indeed important, a

brilliant research profile and good recommendations are more

likely to get you in than a CPI greater than 9. If you are really

determined, you can also do research in one of the IITs or IISc

for a few months and then apply.

If you manage to get into a university abroad, I make a humble

request of you: Do remember that you have a responsibility to

give something back to your home country, India. Best of luck!

Sharada Navada

Alumnus, IIT Bombay

Page 10

Alumni Speaketh

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsbergh USA

The Higher Studies Dilemma

ChEA voice

Page 11

With most of the students going for industrial interns here is the second

perspective as why you should seriously consider the alternative

“After managing an internship in the Sophie year itself in Non-Core, I

had made my mind to move ahead in engineering. After getting a fla-

vour of what research is all about in IITB under one esteemed Prof

and with an idea that inception of Job can be done at any point in the

life had made me decide to go for a Univ. Intern. Luckily PT cell

opened an IAF for KAUST and the Project seemed to be appealing to

me, so without frittering anymore, I mailed a proposal through PT cell

receiving a positive reply that very night, though I was asked to send

an SOP, recommendation letter and transcript and had an HR inter-

view with a dean of KAUST but that was just for formality. I believe

CPI and motivation for work is all they were looking for during the

selection procedure.

With having highest endowment per capita globally, research facilities

available here are pioneering and inexplicable. Research going here is

around photovoltaic, clean combustion, water desalination which is

basically to hike the lifetime of oil production of which Arab is lavished

with. On a simple note, my project here is to find out the products

and intermediates formed in the combustion reactions of organic fuel

using extortionate spectrometers, the ultimate aim of the project is to

apprehend the mechanism by which PAHs (source for soot produc-

tion) forms so as to suppress it for clean and efficient combustion.

The best part is that since the project is very novel and hence my

ideas and suggestions are equally heard with that of PhDs and Post-

Docs. Here are also grounded workshops of IITB Gymkhana size

where one can easily produce any glass or metal shaped stuffs. So

logistics couldn’t be a bar on thinking, and thus it motivated again me

to provide hands on tinkering with robotics. Working time is flexible

but deadlines need to be followed, each week we need to give deliver-

ables to the Guide on a group meeting.

Above all, this internship is helping me a lot in setting my future

goals.

With having sea on one side and desert on other,

KAUST has left no stone unturned to prove itself exotic with

well mixed oriental and western culture.. The whole Saudi King-

dom has two theatres and it’s cool to say that one is inside the

KAUST only and shows Hollywood (often Bollywood movies)

and astonishingly at very cheap ticket rates with free seating.

There are several outlets inside the premises serving fast foods,

intercontinental cuisines along with a proper dining hall, which

claims that it serves 1800 meals every day. Also one can easily

find Indian restaurants in Jeddah and outside Thuwal (a small

town where KAUST is being located) and so food has never been

a problem here, at least for a Non vegetarian.

Arab itself is identified with its cultural wealth for a long

history. There are superb malls, aquariums and refined elevations

to see in and around Jeddah and Riyadh, . With no tax imposed

on, KSA is a bliss for automobile lovers. One can easily find peo-

ple with similar tongue for hanging out and so getting nostalgic

shouldn’t be a case here. Monarchical rule fantasized the most in

nomenclature, there is King Abdullah Economic city, King Abdul-

lah Sports City and the name of almost every place and mosque is

King Abdullah and so KAUST couldn’t be an exception in it.

Apart from KSA, one can easily plan the trips for Dubai, Jordan

and Turkey on extended weekends.

Though the acceptance rate in KAUST is very low and rigid for

others, it’s quite lenient for IITians. I can say this is one among

the finest places to get research exposure on cutting-edge tech-

nologies with perks and incentives never could have imagined.

Getting a tourist visit for KSA is near to impossible and hence

this is the best option ever to explore the Gulf on Student Visas.

Epitome of the whole article is to express a legitimate fact that

KAUST is no way less in terms of academics if compared with

top ranked Universities and much way ahead in terms of the re-

search facilities and infrastructure available. “

Noorudddin Kapadia

Page 11

Internship @ KAUST

KAUST

Univ. Intrn | The Road Not Taken

ChEA voice

ChEA

Feedback:

We would love to have your

feedback on this issue. Please

do send in your views, sugges-

tions and ideas to help us learn

and improve. Anyone (UGs,

PGs, PhDs) interested in voic-

ing their opinion can mail at

kumarsinhaanuj@gmail.com.

The faculty is specially request-

ed to send its views and com-

ments.

Way Ahead

A two day trip in the

next Semester

Department Sweatshirt

(this semester), Depart-

ment T-shirt (next se-

mester) | Designs ready

AZeotropy - March

2015

ChEA voice - next edi-

tion due in Feb 2015

Various fundae sessions

A project after in first summer is something freshies are

ignorant about and thus missout on a good oppertunity.

So Jyot Antani agreed to share his experience of the

same to make projects after second semestr less of an

enigma.

“A project after the second semester:

why did you do it?.” This is the question I’ve been

being asked often by friends, since last summer.

Actually even when I didn’t know the exact meaning

of Chemical Engineering, I’ve had a soft corner for it

in my mind. And I was lucky enough to get in

ChE@iitb. About the project: I was going to spend

two and a half months doing basically nothing at

home, at ease. So I figured why not do something

that’d help in my curriculum as well as career, for a

month, having enough time to spend at home as

well.

So I just went through our ChE website,

took some seniors’ including my mentor’s advice

and just dropped by Prof. Sanjay Mahajani’s office

one day--in the end of March or initial April(2013). I

told him that I wanted to work under him. he’d

found something for me to do.

I dropped him a mail as instructed by him. After ne

month of vacation I finally got the project titled

“Process Improvement and Technology in Jaggery-

Making”.

Project after second semester

Answers to chemquiz

ACROSS

1) Silo

4) Velocity

5) Meso

9) Differential

DOWN

2) Ideal

3) Atmospheric

6) Antoine

7) Surface

8) Utility

Then it all began. so on the first day I did basic re-

search. Also I was supposed to google about Jag-

gery. I did and learnt about its constitution, produc-

tion and some fast facts. After that, I was taught

how to make Jaggery from cane-juice in the lab. I

did it by myself for 3 to 4 times. The Jaggery pre-

pared in the last two attempts was delicious!

After that, I moved to the Food Engg. Lab

for the Chemical Analysis of Jaggery. Sir had

brought some samples from Kolhapur, which I ana-

lyzed using various methods. It was a great experi-

ence to learn using the tools which we’ve studied in

theory about. Working in lab is not at all boring, as

we find it in our lab courses. You can use expensive

instruments and breaking them is also justified!

I also got to see XRD and ESEM methods.

Looking at your favorite ingredient at 1600x

zoomed level; it really is amazing, I suppose! I at-

tended the meetings of the project group and alt-

hough couldn’t understand all the calculations, quite

enjoyed them.

So, overall, my experience was good; so good that I

took up a project this winter also. “

Jyot Antani

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