International workshop on Career Planning: Exploring Ocean of Science

SIVASAGAR: The Department of Geology, the Department of Chemistry and the IQAC of Gargaon College in collaboration with the Department of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University, Assam organized a two-day online international workshop on “Career Planning: Exploring the Recent Trends in the Ocean of Science” on June 8 and June 9 to mark the World Ocean Day 2023.

The main objective of the two day workshop was to provide a platform where students and researchers from different fields of science can explore career opportunities in reputed international organizations. This will help them in identifying their individual capabilities and systematically choosing career goals to develop their future value in upcoming fields of research.

The international workshop started with an inaugural note by Dr Sabyasachi Mahanta, renowned academician and Principal of Gargaon College. Dr Mahanta highlighted the importance of celebrating the World Ocean Day in present day context. He has also emphasized the protection of oceans, global warming, climate change and sustainable eco-system. In addition, he applauded the organisers for arranging the event which will contribute as a significant step towards the mission of Gargaon College to develop human resource in this part of Assam. The sessions were chaired by Prof Kalpana Deka Kalita, Department of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University, Dr Chandraditya Gogoi, HoD, Department of Geology and Dr Anna Gogoi, HoD, Department of Chemistry of Gargaon College.

Following this, Prof Diganta Bhuyan, HoD, Department of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University welcomed all the participants and outlined the significance of celebration of World Ocean Day towards imparting knowledge and research opportunities in this dynamic field of ocean and its importance in climate and environmental sustainability.

Dr Pakiza Begum, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Gargaon College moderated the first day sessions of the workshop. The first invited talk was delivered by Dr Ariel Pezner on “Coral Reef Biogeochemistry: Application and Opportunities”. Dr Pezner is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Marine Station. She is currently working on the impacts of ocean deoxygenation on coral health.

In her presentation, she has thrown light on the importance of the study of coral reefs. Coral reefs are present in the ocean and assumed to be highly oxygenated, she added. But due to the global warming and climate change, deoxygenation in ocean is occurring and coral reef can be taken as a proxy for this environmental and climatic change. She has also mentioned that Global warming will reduce the available oxygen on corals, leading to increased exposure to hypoxic condition. She also stated how she has worked in two different research fields from BS in Environmental Science to PhD in Oceanography so that students can also show their keen interest in many different fields in the context of research industry.

The second lecture was delivered by Dr Utsarga Adhikary on “Targeting MCL-1 Triggers DNA Damage and an Anti-proliferatve Response Independent from Mitochondrial Apoptosis Induction”. Dr Adhikary is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Walensky laboratory at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, where he studies key protein-protein interactions in the critical physiological processes cell death and the cell cycle in the context of cancer. In his presentation, he demonstrated about an anti-proliferative and DNA damage effect of Mcl-1 and pharmacological inhibition across cells and tissues distinct from apoptosis, uncovering sensitivity to Microtube Targeting Agents (MTAs) upon Mcl-1 detection and also about clinical relevance: Efficacy vs Toxicity. He also spoke about his research details while he was doing PhD at Harvard University, USA. In the end of this session, he has informed about different career opportunities in reputed research organization. The sessions ended with an interaction with the audience.

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