Mrs. Amirthavalli.V has been working as an Assistant Professor at Academy of Maritime Education and Training, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She has done B. Tech in Chemical Engineering and M. Tech in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals as part of her academics. She has an amazing experience of 18 years in education and industry. She is skilled in using design software PRO SIMULATOR, DESIGN-II, CENTUM CS3000 etc. along with deep knowledge of C, C++, VC++ programming languages. She has published 4 research papers in national and international journals. And she has also taught subjects like Production Operations and Equipment, Reservoir Engineering, Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals, Fluid Mechanics for Reservoir fluids, Petroleum Testing Lab, Mechanics of Fluids and Solids, Fluid Mechanics Lab, Natural Gas Engineering, Hydrocarbon Processing and Plant Engineering, Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering, Drilling Fluids Lab, Heat and Mass Transfer, Heat and Mass Transfer Lab, Thermodynamics of Reservoir Fluids, Principles of Management, Total Quality Management and Petroleum Storage and Transportation. 

AMET UNIVERSITY

Being a Faculty at AMET, what are your responsibilities towards the students?

"I am accountable to teach students, update course material and take students assessment"

As an Assistant Professor, I am responsible for updating the technical study material of various subjects and for preparing course curriculum accordingly. Apart from this, I need to assign seminars and assignment topics to students well in advance to evaluate their performance in every semester. Identifying weak students and mentoring them to strengthen their knowledge together with motivating others to participate in events like conferences, seminars and workshops are a few other responsibilities I need to adhere to on a regular basis. 

How do you establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty?

"By promoting group activities and discussion during lectures and giving respect and honesty to colleagues"

To maintain a cordial relationship with my students, I encourage them to participate in class activities so that they can resolve their queries and issues during lectures itself. And I give my special support to such students who take time to grasp a particular concept. Coming to my fellow colleagues, I ensure the ambiance of mutual respect, trust and honesty. And I maintain a very healthy professional relationship with them by not interfering in their personal matters. 

How do you bring in a practical and industry oriented approach towards subjects? 

"We keep conducting events like guest sessions, seminars, training and workshops"

Our college organizes guest lectures on the topics covered during lectures, and we invite industry experts to share their thoughts, experiences and expectations with us. This also gives a clear idea to our students about the areas they need to enhance their knowledge and skills. And we also assign mini-major projects to our students by dividing them into different groups. Basic objective behind this is to teach them skills like leadership, teamwork and communication skills.

Which best practices are offered by the department to the students to help them gain necessary skills? 

"We involve them in social activities and college events as much as possible"

We ask our students to participate in extension activities like raising awareness about the Oil and Gas industry in school children through events organized by the department. Community services and outreach programs with the help of SPE AMET University Student Chapter are organized on a regular basis where we ensure maximum participation of our students.

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How do you strategize and update the curriculum to make it befitting for the students?

"By regularly taking suggestions of every stakeholder to include new programs in it"

We do periodic revision of curriculum in collaboration with our Academicians, Industry people, Alumni and parents of students to include new programs and training as per latest industry requirements and our students' needs. Things are finalized after a final meeting with Board of Studies members. Basic motive of this regular revision is nothing but to enhance the skills of our students so that they can secure good placement opportunities in reputed firms and can clear competitive exams too.

What are your views upon the placements and higher education of students from your department?

"Our students are doing well in both the areas and they have our full support for this"

Our students are placed in various companies such as Shell India, Tech Mahindra, CGI Information Systems and Management Consultants Pvt Ltd, Halliburton and Sterling Global. And this is clearly the result of hard work and dedication our placement cell does during recruitment drives. And to prepare students for higher education, we provide special coaching classes to them. In addition to this, our Alumni who have cleared GATE exams are invited by the department to share their views and give guidance to their juniors. This motivates our students and develops peer – peer learning.

How do you prepare your students to cope up with this competitive world? 

"By asking them to participate in Intra-College and Inter-college events"

We encourage our students to participate and present papers in conferences and seminars and carry out research in their respective areas by obtaining financial support from the University. We also ask them to attend lectures arranged by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), and exhibit their ideas in the Smart Idea Hackathon. Arranging Alumni Meet in each semester so that students can interact and know the current scenario in the Oil and Gas Industry is another approach we use.

Which extracurricular activities are organized in college programs to enhance the skills of the students?

"Various sports games and cultural events are organized in our college regularly"

We keep organizing sports and cultural competitions in our college regularly and also send our students to participate in inter-college events organised by other colleges. Earning while you learn is another program we have crafted for our students. 

When you joined this college, what was your vision for it?

"To provide best quality education and amenities to students"

When I joined this college, my vision was to impart the best quality knowledge to students by arranging guest lectures, seminars and workshops and contributing to the development of the department and University. 

How does the curriculum of your college ensure the best practices of industry? 

"It is well equipped with latest training programs and modern courses"

Our curriculum offers upstream oriented courses such as well control methods, petroleum hazards and safety. It is also backed by hands-on training in drilling simulator software, value added training programs such as Power BI and Python Software. Communication classes and training are also conducted to improve speaking and listening skills of students and lastly we have aptitude training for the growth of our students. 

How does your college enhance the skills of its faculty and prepares them as per industry standards?

"Through FDPs, NPTEL courses and trainings"

We motivate our faculties to attend and present papers in various national and international conferences, seminars, guest lectures and workshops. And as and when required, NPTEL courses along with AICTE approved faculty development programs are there to upgrade skills of our faculty members in their respective areas. 

What approaches do you bring in apart from curriculum to teach the students? 

"We arrange guest lectures and counseling sessions for students to solve their academic and personal issues"

We organize Alumni Meet regularly to ensure healthy interaction between Alumni and our students. Guest sessions by industry experts, career counseling programs and psychological counseling lectures are some of the other approaches we use to make our students confident, fearless and a good person.

What do you see as the college’s greatest strengths?

"Our teachers and amenities we offer to students makes us strong"

Our well qualified and experienced faculty from industrial and academic fields along with availability of industry approved simulators and software makes us strong and resilient.

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Any valuable advice would you like to give to the students to have a prosperous career ahead? 

"Learn new skills and don't let your curious attitude die at any cost"

I would advise my students that they should actively participate in events like seminars, conferences and workshops because all this will help them to know the corporate world in a better way. And with the same enthusiasm, they should take part in college activities because the sole purpose of such activities is to bring out hidden talents of students.