Acadinnet has great pleasure in announcing a rare series of lectures, 'Insights in Science' for those seeking an insight in science and its central role in driving modern technologies that form the core of the global knowledge economy. These technologies address complex problems and their solutions require multidisciplinary knowledge. They form the base on which the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) heavily rely upon. The target audience includes PhD aspirants, researchers, AI-rooted startup entrepreneurs, technologists, and science enthusiasts of any age group.

About 'Insights in Science'

All inventions begin as an idea in the mind. There is no recipe for creating an invention; it can occur serendipitously (“out of the blue�; ending in an “ah ha� moment) or by following a plotted course or “prospecting� (the deliberate, tenacious, and laborious process of pursuing a winding line of work dotted with hope, desperation, and exasperation) or some combination of the two. Today’s economy heavily relies on the “plotted course�. Insights in Science focuses on the “plotted course� by showing how ideas from different scientific disciplines can be chained to solve complex problems. We live in a complex world of climate change, aging populations, and digital revolutions. The lectures aim to help businesses build their core AI group to face the future and identify the talent that can do it.

About the Speaker

Professor Rajendra Bera got his BTech, MTech, and PhD in aeronautical engineering from IIT, Kanpur, specializing in high-speed aerodynamics. He has been on the faculty of University of Oklahoma, USA; IIT, Kanpur; IIIT, Bangalore; and Jain University, Bangalore. He has been a researcher, mentor, and inventor at IBM, India, and a researcher at the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore. He has over 50 research papers in refereed journals, practically all are single authored, and 28 US patents (all assigned to IBM) with him as the sole inventor. His research interests are interdisciplinary and include aerospace engineering, molecular biology, quantum computing, chaos theory, nuclear disarmament, international affairs, and intellectual property rights. He believes anyone can achieve this kind of diversity because it is all about connecting dots; it is all about watching the dots dance and tango according to mathematical tunes. He is listed in several Marquis Who’s Who. In his younger days he was an amateur pilot. He is now the chief mentor at Acadinnet Education Services, India. He is currently writing a book on quantum computing.

For his list of publications and patents, visit http://www.acadinnet.com/index.php?page=mentor

His recent publications: Bera, R. K. Synthetic Biology, Artificial Intelligence, and Quantum Computing. Book chapter in Genetic Engineering Technology and Synthetic Biology, Madan L. Nagpal (Ed.). IntechOpen, London, (to appear in 2019). For prepublication access visit https://www.intechopen.com/chapter/pdf-download/65149 and Bera, R. K. AI Powered Society. Advanced Computing and Communications, March 2019, pp.59-85. https://acc.digital/ai-powered-society/

Lecture schedule

Policy regarding continuation of lectures

The first five lectures, inter alia, are meant to gauge if the business community in India is ready to restructure and orient itself for the future needs of an AI-driven world and if Acadinnet can help members of the community in specific ways and within appropriate business models. While we can help businesses with small budgets and low skilled work forces in plucking low-hanging AI fruits, our focus will be on helping enterprises to grow along with the growth of AI. We are therefore open to providing consultancy and skilling of a core AI team around which a business or a business support platform can be built, or in partnering with enterprises to build new AI systems.

We use Insight in Science as one of the means by which we hunt for talent and educate the public: (1) We can therefore tailor a lecture series for such purposes for an organization for its in-house talent hunt; (2) Likewise, an organization can sponsor a lecture series for public benefit as a part of its social obligation. (3) An organization can use it as a training element in a wider program for building an advanced AI team tasked with AI-enabling the organization.

AI is not for the weak hearted. AI-enabled organizations need (1) a dedicated talent pool with creative instincts for converting STEM knowledge into AI-technology; (2) substantial financial inputs with high risk of failure; (3) a talent retention plan; and (4) a committed do-or-die approach to AI at the board level.

We will be delighted to meet any organization or philanthropic individual interested in the continuation of these lecture in any of the forms mentioned above. An expression of interest can be conveyed to us, in the first instance, by email to sunish@acadinnet.com. We can meet after finalizing a place and time for the meeting.