IIT Bhubaneswar signs MoU withCSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI)

Bhubaneswar, 8^th January 2025: To explore opportunities for collaboration, intellectual cooperation, scholarly exchange, and development of national partnership, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 8^th January 2025. The MoU was signed by Prof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean (Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy), IIT Bhubaneswar, and Prof. Manoranjan Parida, Director, CSIR-CRRI, in the presence of Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar.

The MoU intends to promote collaborative research, facilitate the exchange of ideas, development of new knowledge, and enhance high-quality research acumen. The major thrust areas of research on which both parties will jointly work are Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Pavement Engineering, Road Safety, and other allied Civil Engineering areas such as Geotechnical Engineering and Bridge Engineering, etc. The modes of cooperation will include exchanges of faculty and students for research and teaching; development and implementation of collaborative research projects, professional development programs, and capacity-building efforts; and dissemination of findings through scholarly publications, white papers, and in the media.

On this occasion, Prof. Karmalkar said: “This collaboration with CSIR-CRRI will enhance the ecosystem for research in the field of road construction, thereby contributing towards strengthening the infrastructure for transportation and connectivity. The School of Infrastructure at IIT Bhubaneswar deals with academics and research in different areas of Civil Engineering through its eminent faculty members.  As a technical knowledge provider, IIT Bhubaneswar is looking forward to this association to foster innovation in this field.”

Director of CSIR-CRRI Prof. Parida expressed: “This MoU between the two premier institutions of India will bring transformation in research and development activities in the areas of roads and bridges, traffic and transportation, ground improvement and geotechnical engineering, rural roads, pavement design, pavement performance, and its evaluation, instrumentation, environment, and road safety . We hope this association will also help Odisha create a benchmark in this domain in the future.”

Among others, Prof. Sumanta Haldar, Head-School of Infrastructure, IIT Bhubaneswar; Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Chief Scientist, Head (Pavement Evaluation Division), CSIR-CRRI; Dr. Umesh Chandra Sahoo and Dr. Anush K. Chandrappa, Faculty Members, IIT Bhubaneswar were present on the occasion.