Interview with Shashikant Patil
Prof. Shashikant Patil
Associate Professor (Electronics & Telecommunication)
MPSTME Shirpur, SVKM’s NMIMS, Shirpur Campus
Dhule, Maharashtra, India
Q1. Please share your educational and professional journey with us?
I have completed my graduation in Electronics Engineering from North Maharashtra University and then joined as a Lecturer in Government Polytechnic College, Mumbai in 1999. After the completion of Masters’s from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere, I joined SVKMs NMIMS as a Senior Lecturer and later was appointed as an Associate Professor in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering. Besides this, I have served with Pillai’s Panvel Group and played an instrumental role in the campus, institute, curriculum, and student development.
I am also associated with many international professional bodies like IEEE, ACM, IETE, IEI, OSI (I), IBE (I), etc. as a Fellow or Senior Member. My association with Elsevier, Springer, IEEE Journals, Wiley, and other journals has brought many accolades. I am also serving with IEEE and IEEE activities as an active volunteer and have shouldered many responsibilities at an international level. I am proactively involved in teaching-learning, curriculum development, research, innovation, mentoring, along with various other curricular and co-curricular activities.
I have over 22 years of teaching experience and the recipient of the Best Researcher Award 2014 of SVKMs NMIMS Shirpur. In addition to this, I had been nominated as IEEE Day 2014 Section Ambassador for region 10. Initially, I had been selected as a Member Executive Committee on IEEE CSI India Council as well as a core team member of Social Media and Online Content Management Team, Visibility Committee of IEEE SPS Society at International Level. I also volunteered as a Regional Lead Ambassador for Region 10 for IEEE Day 2015 and IEEE Day 2016 event.
Besides this, I am a member of IEEE RFID Technical Council and SIG Member of IoT and also serving as an Associate Editor on IEEE RFID Journal; IEEE SDN Journal; IEEE RFID Steering Committee and EiC for IEEE C-RFID Newsletter. Also rendered my voluntary services as a Member of the Jury for IEEE SIGHT (AIYEHUM) 2016 Competition at Asia Pacific level for R10. In the recent past I shouldered the responsibility of a Student Travel Grant Chair for IEEE DySPAN 2017 USA Conference as a Technical Program Committee Member (TPC).
I have served more than 350 International Conferences of IEEE and other organizations. Having more than 70 publications at the national and international level in various conferences and Journals. I am also serving as an IEEE Designated Reviewer and TPC Member for ICASSP; MMSP; ICME, Reviewer for Elsevier Springer and Taylor and Francis and more than 50 SCI Journals; Editor in Chief IEEE C-RFID Newsletter; Editorial Member IEEE SDN; IEEE Day Lead Ambassador Region 10 for 2015 and 2016; IEEE SPS SIG IoT Member; IEEE SPS Visibility Committee Member; EDGE Program Reviewer; IEEE CSI All India Council Secretary and many more. Recently I was designated as a Chartered Engineer by the Institution of Engineers, India (CEng.) for my contributions to the Education and Professional Field.
Q2. You have done many online courses on Big Data and Machine Learning. What is the importance of Data to solve any Real World Project? Does clean data help to solve the problem fast and save time?
I do believe in lifelong learning and always try my best to enrich my knowledge. I also focus on self-development through many initiatives. As a teacher, one needs to read many books, refer to a variety of knowledge resources and constructively use it while imparting knowledge to students. One should always enhance and enrich diverse knowledge in his or her professional life to bring multidimensional and multifaceted approaches. While enriching the teaching-learning process, the teacher needs to act as a Catalyst and shaping the future minds.
To create an ambiance in the classroom environment or any other teaching methodology, he or she needs to relate to real-life problems and solutions through numerous pedagogies. Keeping all these views in mind, I have participated in online learning as well as offline learning through various FDPs and STTPs.
As far as AI, ML, Data Science, and Big Data are concerned, these technologies are the result of the amalgamation of Classical Statistical Sciences, Probability Theory, Estimation, and Decision Theory alongside computer engineering and programming languages. I can say it’s a more sophisticated version of Adaptive Signal Processing. With the aid of all these tools, we can partially solve the most real-world problems. For complete and flawless solutions to day-to-day and real-life problems, the nature and characteristics of data and signals are very crucial and significant.
The availability of data, its nature, shape, characteristics, volume, and clean data along with cleaning processes may solve real-world problems completely. There are many sophisticated and ultra-modern methodologies with classical fundamentals that are readily available, but their efficacy is many times uncertain and misleading.
Q3. Which are the best Online Courses for Big Data and Machine Learning?
As such, there is not a single course that is the best or so. I do believe in studying fundamentals and classical theories and then gradually and subsequently migrating to more advanced technologies. As of now, there are many courses in the field. Most of them are free too. It’s up to an individual how to acquire and upgrade skills and expertise. I won’t recommend any specific course.
Q4. You are a fellow member of many organizations like IETE, IRED, and many more. How is it helpful in your career and knowledge?
Association with professional bodies and societies always brings sheer joy and satisfaction. My association with IEEE, ACM, IETE, ISTE, CSI, IERD, OSI, and many more have always helped me to transform weaknesses into strengths and have completely molded my overall profession and persona. It always adds value to your personal and professional life. I always believe in adding value to professionals and always look for diversified initiatives to enrich an overall life. Keeping oneself engaged in numerous lifelong learning activities always pays off.
Q5. How do you excel students in their academics and career?
As an Engineering Teacher or a Professional, I always try my best to offer the best of my knowledge to my fellow students. One needs to always use numerous and diversified teaching tools, methodologies, pedagogies, and techniques to deliver quality stuff to the students.
A successful teacher needs extensive reading and various effective techniques. A few subjects or courses are purely analytical, descriptive, logical or a mix of all these. Keeping in view the heterogeneous nature of subjects in the program, one needs to customize delivery mechanisms and evaluation techniques.
I do prefer a 360-degree approach or a holistic approach in the classroom environment. Teaching should comprise all aspects of every profession. Besides this, this one should help students to develop their skills through various curricular, co-curricular, extra-curricular, and skill-based initiatives. Only teachers can add value to a student’s life over any other stakeholders of an organization.
Q6. You have published many Articles and Journals at the International level? What are your Research Interests and how do you select any topic for your article?
I have published very few articles and most of them are with my undergraduate students for their higher studies. While selecting any topic or any problem for research, one has to go through extensive literature which is readily available and need to come up with an innovative and deployable solution to it.
My research areas are diversified and very much multidisciplinary that comprises Signal and Image Processing, Sensors and Instrumentation, Microwave and Antennas, Automation Technologies, and Biomedical Engineering.
Q7. What did attract you towards teaching instead of any corporate job?
Everyone will prefer a corporate job over teaching as far as pay packages and incentives are considered. Initially, when I started my journey, I was not happy with it, but over a period I realized that one can scale new heights and achieve milestones if you’re pouring your heart into your profession. Today I feel happy with my profession. The satisfaction and the visibility I received gives me a feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment.
Q8. Which one thing do you want to change in yourself and why?
I would like to work harder, persistently, and focus on the betterment of society through my profession and other initiatives. It’s my wish to change the world through technological advancements and various techno-social initiatives with the help of IEEE and its initiatives.
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