IIT hosts mentoring workshop for PhD Scholars

The third edition of the national-level mentoring programme, Transformative Leadership in STEMM (TLS) Workshop, was held at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, with the aim of encouraging advanced-stage PhD scholars from the SC/ST community to pursue faculty careers in premier higher education institutions.

Organised jointly by the Initiative for Caste Equity (ICE), the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, and the SC/ST Cell at IIT Delhi, the annual workshop this year focused on Chemical Engineering, Textile & Fibre Engineering, Atmospheric Science and Materials Science & Engineering.

Over 150 candidates from across the country applied for the programme, from which a scientific advisory committee selected 50 participants. An additional 10 candidates from previous batches were included for continued mentoring.

The advisory committee was chaired by Prof Dhanya CT, Dean (Academics), IIT Delhi and comprised heads of departments and senior faculty members. Participants delivered research presentations and teaching demonstrations before faculty panels, receiving structured feedback aimed at strengthening their academic profiles.

The workshop featured multiple skill development sessions, including guidance on preparing strong research and teaching statements, academic communication, and confidence-building through engagement with the ideas and leadership of Dr BR Ambedkar. A faculty-mentored group research proposal exercise was also conducted to promote interdisciplinary thinking and collaborative problem-solving.

Addressing the valedictory session, IIT-Delhi Director Prof Rangan Banerjee said he was urged by the progress of the TLS workshop in its third edition. “We initiated the TLS workshop mentoring initiative to build socially inclusive academic leadership that will bring a positive change in academia and society. We hope to see many of you taking faculty positions in the coming years,” he said.

Reflecting on the programme’s impact, Prof. Yashpal Jogdand, convener of the TLS Workshop, said most participants had reported significant gains in self-confidence, publications in top-ranked journals and the filing of new patents, with several securing postdoctoral positions at leading institutions. He added that the sustained mentoring efforts would play a critical role in bridging the social diversity gap in STEM fields.