'Geoinformatics and Satellite Communication course is our way of adding to the dev process'

How did it occur to you to introduce this course in the Gujarat University?
The Advanced PG Diploma in Geoinformatics and Satellite Communication is a course in the department of physics electronics and space sciences in collaboration with the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).

Rapid developments in space technology over the last few decades have already revolutionalised telecommunications, television broadcasting, weather forecasting and disaster management. Research institutes partaking in the developmental process are based in Ahmedabad. And we, at Gujarat University (GU), had to contribute in some way toward this national development process. Hence, the idea of this course.

What are the criteria for admission to this course? What are the salient features of the course?
Students wishing to pursue this course will have to be post graduates in science with graduation in physics/electronics as their major, or BE/B.Tech from any recognised university. Students will be exposed to subjects like fundamentals of remote sensing, microwave systems, satellite systems and orbits. Students will also be exposed to satellite navigation, mobile communication, remote sensing applications and photogrammetry.

How will students get practical exposure in this field?
Students who enroll for this course have to submit two projects over two semesters, which are compulsory and will be evaluated. The projects could be carried out in institutions such as ISRO, PRL, Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics (BISAG), as well as in Institute for Plasma Research, telecom industry and GIS industry. Apart from these projects, the students will also get to visit the observatories at Mount Abu and Udaipur. 

What will the faculty for this course be like?
The faculty for this course, apart from professors and scientists from GU, will include research scientists from ISRO, PRL, IMD and Regional Telecom Training Centre of BSNL. The course is a self-financed one and the student intake will be limited to 15.  Students will be given admission only on merit, and hence quality is sure to be there.

What are the facilities that the students will be able to avail while studying at the university?
The students will be able to avail facilities like Precision LCR meter, atomic force microscope, e-beam evaporation system, computational facilities, microtop-II Sunphotometer and remote sensing, and GIS software. Besides getting the best of amenities, the students will also be able to interact with some of the best faculty, engaged in research in various fields such as condensed matter physics, microwave dielectrics, ionospheric physics, atmospheric physics, remote sensing, theoretical plasma physics and physics education.

What are the employment opportunities like for those who complete this course?
There are several employment opportunities in store for those who complete this course. Once done with the curriculum and the research projects, students can find options in the telecom industry, satellite communication and satellite-based communication. Students who complete this course will also find employment opportunities in areas like agriculture, public health, telecom and biodiversity management. 

These students can also join sectors like navigation systems, automatic vehicle location systems, and transportation planning and engineering. Research-oriented projects in satellite communication systems are aplenty. Trained talent in these areas are a scarcity, and students who complete these courses can find places for themselves in these research institutes and thus contribute towards national development.