Dr Sanjay Chandra, Chief, R&D and SS, Tata Steel talks about #MindOverMatter Innovation Challenge

Summary

The 'Mind over Matter' competition is an innovative platform for engineering students to collaborate with industry and academia. Now in its fourth season, it has engaged 40 premier institutes, focusing on third-year students to solve challenging problems identified through rigorous expert assessments. Participants enjoy extensive support, including lab facilities and mentorship. The top three teams receive cash prizes, honors, and a pre-placement offer from Tata Steel. The competition addresses a wide range of issues, from environmental concerns like LD slag to innovative solutions like bio-algae for waste management.

Takeaways

• 🏆 'Mind over Matter' is an open innovation competition specifically for engineering students.
• 🤝 The competition aims to promote collaboration between students, corporations, and academia.
• 🔄 Now in its fourth season, the competition has expanded its reach to 40 premier engineering institutes.
• 📚 It targets third-year students to solve complex and vexing problems.
• 🧐 Problems are selected through a rigorous assessment process by internal experts.
• 🤔 The problems presented are real-world challenges that students can actively work on.
• 👨‍🔬 Students are provided with guidance and support from researchers and access to lab facilities.
• 🏆 The top three teams are awarded cash prizes of 75,000 and 50,000, respectively.
• 💼 Winning team members also receive pre-placement offers from Tata Steel.
• 🌐 The competition addresses a wide range of problems, from mundane to novel, such as removing phosphorus from LD slag and using bio-algae for waste removal.
• 📈 The competition has been a successful and inspiring journey, with potential for expansion beyond national boundaries in the future.

Q & A

What is the 'mind over matter' competition?

The 'mind over matter' competition is an open innovation contest for engineering students within the country, aimed at fostering collaborative work among students, corporations, and academia.

What is the purpose of the competition?

The purpose of the competition is to encourage third-year students from premier engineering institutes to solve real-world problems that have been identified and refined through a rigorous assessment process by internal experts.

How many seasons of the competition have been held so far?

This year marks the fourth season of the 'mind over matter' competition.

How many institutes have been reached out to in the competition?

The competition has reached out to as many as 40 premier engineering institutes.

What kind of support do the students receive during the competition?

Students receive hand-holding by researchers and have access to all facilities available within the lab and neighboring labs for their projects.

What are the rewards for the first three teams in the competition?

The first three teams receive cash awards of seventy-five thousand and fifty thousand, respectively, along with other honors.

Do the winning teams receive any additional benefits besides cash awards?

Yes, members of the first three teams also get a pre-placement offer from Tata Steel.

What is an example of a mundane problem addressed in the competition?

An example of a mundane problem addressed in the competition is the removal of phosphorus from LD slag.

What is an example of a novel problem addressed in the competition?

A novel problem addressed in the competition is the use of bio-algae to remove waste from blast furnace water.

How does the competition contribute to the students' future career prospects?

The competition not only provides students with a platform to showcase their problem-solving skills but also offers them pre-placement opportunities with Tata Steel.

What is the broader impact of the competition on the participating students and the industry?

The competition fosters innovation and collaboration, potentially leading to solutions that can benefit the industry and provide students with valuable experience and recognition.