Keynote Speakers
(in alphabetical order)
Prof. Dr. A. L. Agarwal
Former Professor IIT Delhi and President ATDI (Association for the Transport Development in India)
Prof. A L Agarwal is a retired Professor of Economics. He retired in 1994. with extension till 30.6.195. During working as Professor, he was also appointed as Coordinator of the Applied System Research Program (ASRP) in the Department of Electrical Engineering, IITD. He supervised 8 Ph.D. Scholars.
Prof Agarwal successfully completed Two Sponsored Projects. One was Gas-Based Power Project in Faridabad sponsored by NTPC. Another was on Minimization Dead Mileage in DTC Buses. This was sponsored by the Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India. The IITD sanctioned a post of SRA.
He, under guidance of Gracious Huzur and Prof Prem Vratji organized about 20 conferences. One of them was International Conference. The others were national, regional and theme based. After retirement, he was awarded Emeritus Fellowship by the AICTE, was invited as Visiting Professor in DCE &NSIT. Prof Agarwal was appointed as Chairman of the All India Committee to Review RTC Act 1950 by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Govt of India.
“Systems Approach to Transport Planning: Need for & and Scope of”
Abstract:
The keynote address focuses on the significance of the Systems approach in addressing various interdisciplinary challenges. The talk begins by expressing gratitude to the organizers of the NSC-DSC 24 Conference and highlights the leadership of Most Revered Professor Prem Saran Satsangi Sahab, whose academic contributions in Physical System Theory and dedication to systems research are recognized. The establishment of the National System Society (NSC) and the Applied Systems Research Programme (ASRP) at IIT Delhi, both championed by Professor Satsangi Sahab, is acknowledged for its promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration in areas such as transportation, energy planning, and technological forecasting.
The Systems approach is emphasized as essential for solving complex problems, drawing on quotes from notable figures such as C.S. Holling, Russell Ackoff, and Shakespeare, who underscore the importance of addressing the right issues in modeling and problem-solving. The theme of the keynote, “The Systems Approach to Transport Planning: Need and Scope,” addresses the challenges and potential solutions related to road safety, traffic management, and regulatory systems in India.
A Systems approach is recommended as critical for tackling macro-level issues such as economic inflation, with references to Lord Keynes’ macroeconomic interventions. The talk concludes by acknowledging the contributions of colleagues in preparing the address, emphasizing the holistic nature of Systems thinking for solving societal challenges.
Prof. Dr. Amy Chapman
Columbia University New York, USA and Arizona State University, USA
Dr. Amy Chapman is the Director of the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, a center dedicated to researching spiritually supportive schools and exploring how school culture influences civic engagement. She also leads the Innovating Forward Initiative at the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Teachers College, which offers seed grants for community and campus-based partnerships that promote spirituality for mental health and overall well-being. As a researcher, Dr. Chapman uses qualitative methods to explore how individuals define, develop, and transform communities. In addition to her research, she teaches in the Ed.D. program in Leadership and Innovation at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University and maintains a small spiritual direction practice.
Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Chapman spent formative years in Boston, where she taught at a Jesuit middle school and a large public high school. She also spent 15 years in parish ministry, including a decade as Director of Faith Formation at St. Ignatius Church in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Her work and travels in diverse global communities—including Dublin, Ireland; Camden, New Jersey; West Kingston, Jamaica; San Salvador, El Salvador; and Tacna, Peru—have profoundly shaped her educational philosophy and practice.
Dr. Chapman holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology (EPET) from Michigan State University’s College of Education. She also earned three degrees from Boston College: an A.B. in History and Secondary Education, an A.M. in Developmental and Educational Psychology, and a C.A.E.S. in Religious Education.
Spirituality Mind Body Groups:
Nurturing Spirituality in Adolescents and Emerging Adults for Mental Health and Wellness
Research has identified spirituality as an innate human capacity (Kendler et al.,
1997; Koenig et al., 2008; Button et al., 2011). While we each are born spiritual beings, for
that capacity to fully develop, our innate spirituality must be supported through intentional
interactions with others. Research has shown that personal spirituality is associated with
increased quality of life and well-being and mitigates the risk for psychiatric and behavioral
health conditions among adults (Gerson, 2018; Nadal et al., 2018; Yonker et al., 2012; Yotter
& Swank, 2017). Beyond being a natural part of human development, engaging our natural
spirituality provides neuroprotective benefits: students who are spiritual had a 60%
decrease in their risk for addiction, had an 80% decrease in major depression, and a 70%
decreased risk for dangerous risk-taking (e.g. driving fast, thrill seeking, physical
endangerment), (Barkin et al., 2015; Miller et al., 2000; Miller et al., 1997; Miller & Gur,
2002). Having a strong spirituality has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of suicidal
behavior (Hall et al., 2020; Wu et al., 2015). Spirituality has been identified as a buffer
between trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms among young adults (Fenzel & Richardson,
2022; Sheynin, et al., 2020; Vieselmeyer, et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2020).
It has become increasingly important for the spiritual lives of adolescents and young
adults to be nurtured, both for holistic development and to support mental health. A
growing body of research exists on the utility of spiritually integrated mind-body wellness
interventions among multiple populations, including active military members, Veterans,
cancer patients, athletes, college students, and medical and graduate students (Bormann
et al., 2008; Brown et al., 2020; Elkins et al., 2010; Greeson et al., 2015; Hawks et al., 1995;
Saunders et al., 2007; Scalora et al., 2022; Zhang et al., 2021). Meta-analytic reviews have
shown significant health benefits of targeted prevention approaches that integrate
spirituality into mind-body practices (e.g., mindfulness and meditation) (Oman et al., 2008;
Scalora et al., 2022). This talk will discuss an integrated spiritual-mind-body wellness
intervention employed with late adolescents and emerging adults and initial research
around its efficacy.
Prof. Dr. Andrew Davies
Dept. of Theology and Religion, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Prof. Andrew Davies is a distinguished biblical scholar and a literary critic who focuses on the reception and impact of the Bible, particularly in terms of its influence on society, its interpretation by Pentecostals and Evangelicals globally, and its representation in music and the arts. His PhD in biblical ethics sparked a deep interest in the role of the Bible as a resource for moral thinking, leading to a lifelong fascination with why religion and sacred texts hold such importance in shaping people’s lifestyle choices and how faith commitments influence interactions with society, as well as their contributions to public and political life.
Recently, his work has provided opportunities to reflect on the distinctive contribution faith brings to leadership, both within organizations and in civic life. From 2019-2020, he led the UK government’s pilot project for the professional development of religious leaders, and he continues to collaborate with UK government departments such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to enhance the understanding of religion in policy-related contexts. In parallel, he has advised and supported various faith communities, particularly in the UK, India, and Australia, on their political and social engagement strategies.
As an experienced academic project manager, he has led numerous educational research and development projects for the University of Birmingham, including initiating ‘The Birmingham Project,’ now a flagship interdisciplinary educational initiative, where he was responsible for cultivating and maintaining the University’s partnerships with major international companies such as IBM, Jaguar Land Rover, PwC, and KPMG. He has managed research and engagement projects with funding exceeding £2.5 million, including a three-year AHRC-funded project, ‘Megachurches and Social Engagement in London’ (2013-16), which examined the social engagement efforts of some of the UK’s largest and most influential churches.
Currently, he combines his leadership of the Cadbury Centre and public engagement work with directing the University of Birmingham’s Master of Public Administration in Faith-Based Leadership and MA in Religion, Politics, and Society programs. He continues to write and teach on cultural-critical approaches to the Bible, contemporary Christian worship (especially Pentecostalism), and more recently, faith-based, particularly Evangelical Christian, engagement in culture, social issues, and public policy.
“The Role of Women in Consciousness Studies”
Prof. Dr. Pami Dua
Senior Professor and Former Director, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, India
Dr. Pami Dua is Senior Professor of Economics and Former Director of the Delhi School of Economics. She has served the University of Delhi also as Dean of Academic Activities and Projects; Chairperson, Research Council and Dean Research of Humanities and Social Sciences. She has been a member of the first Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India. She has served as Co-Chair of the Task Force on Macroeconomics, Trade and Livelihoods under Think20 (T20) / G20 India in 2023.
She earlier served as the President of the Indian Econometric Society and as the India Coordinator of the United Nations Global Forecasting Model. She is a Senior Research Fellow with the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI) in New York and has published widely in time series econometrics, forecasting, macro econometrics, monetary policy, business cycle analysis and sustainable development. She earlier taught at the University of Connecticut, USA and Wayne State University, Michigan, USA, and has also been affiliated with Yale University as well as Columbia University. She has been conferred the highest honour of the University of Delhi, Nishtha Dhriti Satyam Samman, for exemplary contribution to the development of the University and adherence to its ideals, values and principles. She has also been awarded the National Systems Gold Medal by the Systems Society of India for her outstanding contributions in Economics and Social Sciences. She has been honoured with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Dayalbagh Educational Institute.
“Lifestyle for Sustainable Development: Insights from the Dayalbagh Model”
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang J. Duschl
Kiel University, Institute for Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Department of Astrophysics, Germany.
Wolfgang Duschl is a full Professor for Astrophysics at the Christiana Albertina University (CAU) at Kiel, Germany (since 2006). He is also the Chairman of the Academic Senate of CAU, and the Chairman-elect of the Board of Directors of the international professional journal “Astronomy & Astrophysics”.
He received his Doctoral degree from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (Germany) with a thesis prepared at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (Garching, Germany). Other stations in his career were the Universities of Cambridge (UK), Heidelberg (Germany), and Arizona (Tucson, AZ, USA), and the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn (Germany).
His main research interests are the evolution of super-massive black holes and the atmospheres of exoplanets.
TBA.
Prof. Dr. Rocco J. Gennaro
Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern Indiana, USA.
Rocco Gennaro received his Ph.D. in 1991 at Syracuse University. Dr. Gennaro’s primary research and teaching interests are in Philosophy of Mind/Cognitive Science (especially consciousness), Metaphysics, Early Modern History of Philosophy, and NeuroEthics. He has published eleven books (as either sole author or editor) and over sixty articles and book chapters in these areas. Two of his most recent books are Consciousness (Routledge, 2017) and Mind and Brain: A Dialogue on the Mind-Body Problem, 2nd edition (Hackett, 2020).
Title: “Buddhist Eliminativism”
Abstract: For various reasons, the “no-self” (anatta) doctrine is a
standard position in Indian and Buddhist philosophy. There is really no
enduring subject of phenomenal experience despite the frequent use of
linguistic indexical terms such as “I” and “me.” We might say then that
the tradition embraces a sort of “eliminativism” about the self. Yet,
Buddhists do seem to hold that there are conscious mental states which
are also self-aware in some way. Following the very recent work of Mark
Siderits (_Buddhist Physicalism_), I explore the even stronger claim
that Buddhism could or should also adopt a version of eliminativism
about conscious mental states. This is more commonly viewed as a
position called “eliminative materialism” whereby conscious mental
states don’t really exist or at least not as they are often described
(e.g. Churchland, Dennett, Metzinger). Keith Frankish labels this
position “illusionism”; that is, the view that there only _seems_ to be
phenomenal consciousness and/or there are no phenomenal properties at all. Can or should a Buddhist embrace illusionism? I’ll explore the
idea in this talk.
Prof. Dr. Anna Margaretha Horatschek
Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel), Kiel, Germany
Anna M. Horatschek studied English Literature, Philosophy, and German Literature in Germany and USA. She received her B.A. from UC Berkeley, USA, and her PhD from Freiburg University (Germany) with a dissertation on the epistemological significance of self-reflexive language experiments in the novels of US-author Richard Brautigan. She habilitated with a monography on the epistemological, political, and ethical implications of identity and alterity constructs (nation, gender, ´race´) in novels by Joseph Conrad, E.M. Forster, and D.H. Lawrence. In 1998, she spent a year as Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland, USA. From 2000 to 2018, she held the chair as professor for English Literature at Kiel University, Germany. Since 2011 she has been a member, and since 2016 she is Vice President of the German Academy of Sciences and
Humanities in Hamburg. She has published widely on knowledge formation, consciousness studies, identity and alterity constructs, intermedial representation in English and American Literature, and on transcultural poetics and gender issues in Indian Literatures in English. Her recent books include Competing Knowledges – Wissen im Widerstreit, DeGruyter, 2020 (ed.), Identitäten im Prozess: Region, Nation, Staat, Individuum, DeGruyter, 2015 (ed. with A. Pistor-Hatam), and Navigating Cultural Spaces: Maritime Places, Rodopi, 2014 (ed. with Y. Rosenberg, D. Schäbler).
“Identity Consciousness in the Novels of Anuradha Roy: Woman, Artist, Citizen, and Cosmopolitan in India.”
Prof. Dr. Herbert Lang
BA Indian Music, University of Madras, India
In october 1979 Herbert Lang traveled to India. From 1980 to 1983 music-studies at the “Tamil Nadu Government College of Carnatic Music” in Madras/Chennai, Tamil Nadu. After finishing these studies he joined the University Madras/Chennai where he was a student from 1983 upto 1989. He received the grade “Bachelor of Arts / B.A. Indian Music” given through the University Madras/Chennai.
During this period he held a scholarship from the “German Academic Exchange Service”. Later he continued his mridangam/drum – studies under the supervision of mridangam-virtuoso
Padmashree Palghat R. Raghu. During this period he was recipient of a scholarship from the “Indian Council for Cultural Relations-ICCR”.
In 1994 returning to Germany Herbert Lang became an employee of the “Brotfabrik Frankfurt / MuK – GmbH.”, organising and presenting musicconcerts and festivalprograms.
Since 1997 working as independent musician and concerttour-promotor for indian musicians in Germany & Europe.
Organising concerttours and accompanying indian musicians like: Dr. L.Subramaniam, PadmaShri K.V.Narayanaswami, PadmaShri Palghat R. Raghu, Sri T.V.Gopalkrishnan, Sri Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Kadri Gopalnath, the violin-duo Mysore Brothers: Sri N.Nagaraj & Dr.
N.Manjunath, Lalgudi Krishnan & Vijayalakshmi, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Anoushka Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia and many other indian artists.
Summer 1999: collaboration with the “Kunstmuseum Bonn” on the occasion of bestowing the “Honorary Price for Film- and MediaMusic” on the indian sitarvirtuoso Pandit Ravi Shankar on
12. june 1999 in Bonn; organisation and presentation of the concert with Pandit Ravi Shankar on
24. july 1999 on the Museumscourt in Bonn.
30. sept. 2006: organising the opening event for the Sahitya Academy during the International Bookfair in Frankfurt in the presence of the Indian Ambassador to Germany, Mrs. Meera Shankar and the President of the Sahitya Academy, Prof Gopi Chand Narang. Honorary Guest of the evening was the indian poet Gulzar reading some of his poems.
Sept. 2006: ICCR and DIG/Indo-German Association present Mr. Lang with the Gisela Bonn Price for his outstanding contributions towards Indo-German relations especially in the field of cultural relations between the two countries.
January 2007: visiting India as guest of the ICCR. During a function at Azad Bhavan, New Delhi, Mr. Lang receives the plate of honor / Gisela Bonn Price from the President of the ICCR DR Karan Singh.
October 2007: organising the concert-event for radio Cologne/WDR at the Philharmonie Cologne. Indian musicians participating were Dhruba Gosh – Sarangi, Kala Ramnath – Violin and Pandit Jasraj – Vocal.
Dec. 2008 – Jan. 2009: concerttour in India for the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival with the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra and Dr. L. Subramaniam performing the compositions of Dr. Subramaniam for Orchestra and Indian Music Ensemble. Concerts in Hyderabad, Hampi, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Trivandrum.
May 2009: organising and performing with Dr. L. Subramaniam at the prestigious Kronberg Violin Masterclasses & Concerts / A Tribute to Yehudi Menuhin.
Concerts with Dr. Subramaniam and the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra at the Gewandhaus Concerthall in Leipzig and at the auditorium of the Hessische Rundfunk/Radio Frankfurt.
2010 – 2011: living in Mysore, Karnataka/India where he works as an associate professor at the Music-department of the University of Mysore. He researches and works on a manual to present the south-indian, carnatic rhythms in western notation to make them easier accessible for non-indian musicians. This project is supported and funded through a fellowship from the “Indian Council for Cultural Relations – ICCR”.
He is also active as a performing artist in Inda playing the kanjira and accompanying carnatic musicians like Dr. L.Subramaniam, the Mysore Brothers, Mysore Chandan Kumar; Kadri Gopalnath and many younger musicians during their concerts.
In 2012 Herbert Lang is elected to the National Board of the Indo – German Association / DIG where he is responsible for the cultural work of the Association, the close relations with the ICCR and organising the annual chaintour in cooperation with the ICCR.
In 2016 accompanying Dr.L.Subramaniam for 3 concerts commemorating the 100th birth- anniversary of Yehudi Menuhin at the Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin, at the Yehudi Menuhin Festival, Gstaad and at the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brüssel
Since 2018 annual concert-tours in variuos european countries with the young carnatic flutist J.A. Jayant & ensemble
Numerous radio-recordings for different radiostations like Radio France Paris, WDR-Cologne, BR-Munich, SWR-Mainz, SWR-Baden Baden, HR-Frankfurt, Radio Multi-Kulti/RBB-Berlin.
Publication for the Musikhochschule Freiburg contributing to their compilation of essays on foreign musiccultures: Musik Anderer Kulturen.
Herbert Lang: Dem Klang zur Ehre – Tradition and Present Day of Classical Indian Music
published by Gustav Bosse Verlag, Kassel.
„Nadabrahma, Nadayoga, Nadopasana -SOUND as the contemplation of the Devine“
Prof. Dr. Yalda Mohsenzadeh
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Computer Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Yalda is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and a core member of the Brain and Mind Institute at Western University. She is also a faculty member with Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. Previously, she was a postdoctoral associate in the Computer Science and A.I. Lab (CSAIL) and McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT. Before she was a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Vision Research at York University. Yalda received her PhD in statistical machine learning from Amirkabir University of Technology.
TBA.
Prof. Dr. Adrian Owen
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging, Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology, Psychology, Western University, Western Ontario, Canada
Adrian M. Owen OBE, PhD is currently a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging in the Departments of Physiology & Pharmacology and Psychology at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He also directs the Azrieli program in Brain, Mind, and Consciousness funded by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) and is on the Executive Committee of the CFREF funded initiative BrainsCAN at the University of Western Ontario, Canada.
Dr. Owen was previously the Assistant Director of the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge University and the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging at Western University. His research combines structural and functional neuroimaging with neuropsychological studies of brain-injured patients and has been published in many of the world’s leading scientific journals, including Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet. Adrian Owen is best known for showing that functional neuroimaging can reveal conscious awareness in some patients who appear to be entirely vegetative and can even allow some of these individuals to communicate their thoughts and wishes to the outside world. These findings have attracted widespread media attention on TV, radio, in print and online and have been the subject of many TV and radio documentaries.
Dr. Owen has played multiple editorial roles, including 8 years as Deputy Editor of The European Journal of Neuroscience. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles and chapters and a best-selling popular science book ‘Into the Gray Zone: A Neuroscientist Explores the Border Between Life and Death. Dr. Owen was recently awarded Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Honors List, 2019, for services to scientific research.
Prof. Dr. Sukhdev Roy
Professor and Head, Dept. of Physics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, India
Professor Sukhdev Roy received the B.Sc. (Honors) degree in Physics from Delhi University in 1986, M.Sc. Physics with specialization in Electronics from DEI, in 1988, and Ph.D. from IIT Delhi in 1993. He joined the Dayalbagh Educational Institute in 1993, where he is at present the Head of the Department of Physics and Computer Science. He has been a Visiting Professor at many universities that include, Harvard (USA), Waterloo (Canada), Würzburg and Regensburg (Germany), Osaka and Hokkaido (Japan), City University of London and Queen Mary University of London (UK), TIFR, Mumbai and IISc. Bangalore (India). He has also been an Associate of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy (2011-2014) and is a Member of the Global Panel of MIT Technology Review.
“Controlling the Mind, Brain and Heart with Light and Sound: Eastern and Western Perspectives“
The Eastern perspective considers consciousness to be primary and the origin of all experience.
Controlling the mind through the brain and heart leads to the realization of the conscious self and
union with Supreme Consciousness. According to the Ra Dha Sva Aa Mi Faith or Sant Mat, the seat
of the spirit, i.e. consciousness is at the sixth ganglia in the brain, while the seat of the mind (Pindi
Mana) is at the fourth ganglia, i.e., at the solar plexus situated at the lower end of the sternum,
referred to as the Heart Chakra. The nerve-centers observable by us in them and other ganglia are
made up of physical constituents, while the associated force-centers are subtle and hold
communion with their respective subtle planes in the creation. The mind and the spirit-currents by
their joint action produce the physical frame and the six ganglia. The spirit current furnishes
energy, vitality, and subjective functions and goes through the mental plane to the senses and
then spreads to the entire body. A complete stoppage of the functions of the fourth or mind
ganglion results in a collapse of the physical frame and its subjective functions. Meditation is
necessary to control the mind and attain purer higher states of consciousness, for which it is
important to engender humility, faith, devotion and love (force of attraction) in one’s heart, to
draw the mind inwards and focus attention at higher nerve centres in the brain. External
devotional and internal meditational practices inherently use light (Tratak – to gaze) and sound
(mantra chanting and Surat-Shabda-Yoga), as divine sound and refulgence are intrinsic qualities of
consciousness, and sound manifests and sustains all forms in the creation.
The Western scientific approach on the other hand is rooted in materialism, focused primarily on
observed third-person experiences. It is engaged in studying the brain, heart and the bidirectional
brain-heart interactions to understand the neurobiology of consciousness. The heart is in
continuous communication with the brain and the whole body through multiple pathways,
namely, Neurological (through the autonomic nervous system), Biochemical (through hormones),
Biophysical (through pressure and sound waves), and Energetic (through electromagnetic field
interactions). In recent years, light and sound have been innovatively used to control the brain and
heart to investigate the neuronal mechanism for transmission and modulation of consciousness
with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. The emerging non-invasive Optogenetics,
Sonogenetics and Sono-Optogenetic technologies have revolutionized neuroscience and
cardiology for understanding consciousness. The talk would discuss our recent exciting research
results on efficient optogenetic and sono-optogenetic control of neurons and human ventricular
cardiomyocytes and its application in synaptic plasticity, vision restoration and optical pacing of
the human heart. An attempt would also be made to integrate Eastern and Western perspectives
to design new experiments for studying the psychophysiological dynamics involved in
homeostatic-allostatic control, cognitive functions and consciousness, using light and sound.
Ms. Melina Seidel
Kiel University, Kiel, Germany.
Melina Seidel has been studying physics at Kiel University since 2019. In 2022, she completed her Bachelor’s degree with a Bachelor’s thesis in theoretical solid-state physics. She was awarded the Empower MINT prize for an outstanding and innovative bachelor’s thesis. She is currently working on her Master’s thesis in medical physics in the field of magnetic resonance imaging. She is investigating methods that can be used to generate ultra-fast images of the brain in order to better resolve brain activity over time.
“Watching the brain thinking”
Abstract:
Watching the brain thinking Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive and radiation-free method to image the body. It works by using the spin precession of hydrogen protons in an external magnetic field, which generates a measurable signal. Brain activity is indirectly measured through the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal. After neuronal activity, the restoration of the ion balance requires energy, which is provided by the oxidation of glucose. Oxygen is delivered to active brain regions, altering the concentration of red blood cells, which affects the MRI signal. By comparing images with and without stimulation, active brain regions can be highlighted. During rest, temporal correlations between different brain regions can be studied, identifying resting-state networks like the Default Mode Network (DMN), which is active during self-reflection and daydreaming. A method for ultra-fast imaging is MR-Encephalography (MREG), which uses multiple coils to acquire a 3D volume in a single shot. While its spatial resolution is lower, MREG has a very high temporal resolution of around 100 ms, allowing for accurate detection of physiological pulsations, such as heartbeats and respiration. These pulsations can be separated from the signal, which improves the signal quality. Also, the pulsations correlate with cognitive performance and are being studied in relation to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, MREG enables real-time neurofeedback, allowing patients to see and regulate their brain activity, which has potential therapeutic applications. In my master’s thesis, I installed the MREG sequence on the Cima.X in Kiel at UKSH and performed the first reconstruction using a Pulseq-generated sequence. Currently, I am optimizing the measurement and creating BOLD fMRI maps to compare them with standard methods.
Prof. Joy Sen
Professor, Department of Architecture and Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
Dr. Joy Sen is a Professor of the Department of Architecture and Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India and Former Head (June 2017 ‐ July 2020). Prior to that, he had been the former Head of Ranbir and Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure and Design, IIT Kharagpur (Aug 2014 – June 2017).
His research focuses on Community and Regional Planning Analyses & Programming, as well as Heritage Studies and Documentation related to Architecture and Planning. He has extensive experience working on various Environmental Design programs, including under the UK Government’s DFID (1995-96), the ISU-UNDP program (1987-89), and the IR3S initiative (2011-12) at the University of Tokyo, Japan.
He has received several prestigious accolades, including the NCERT/AISSE Gold Medal for achieving the highest marks in Social Sciences at the All-India level, the Institute Silver Medal for the highest aggregate in Bachelor of Architecture from IIT Kharagpur, and the Best Post-Graduate Thesis Award from Iowa State University, USA.
Currently, he is involved in two major projects sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India: The SandHI – Science and Heritage mega initiative and the Future of Cities, where he serves as Principal Investigator.
“Science of Controls and Communication in Consciousness Studies: key inputs from Cybernetics and Systems Thinking”
Invited Speakers
(in alphabetical order)
Prof. Dr. Dayal Pyari Srivastava
Associate Professor, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, India
Dr. Dayal Pyari Srivastava is Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics and Computer Science, DEI. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Master’s degree in Electronics from Dayalbagh Educational Institute in 1985 and 1988 respectively. Subsequently, she obtained her Ph.D. on the topic “Graph Theoretic Quantum Field / System Modelling for Quantum Information / Computation Circuits and Algorithms” as a joint research scholar between DEI and IIT Delhi. She has been actively involved in physics education for over 20 years and has vast experience of science education.
She has published several papers in refereed international journals and co-authored a book entitled “Quantum Information Systems” published by McGraw Hill Education, particularly the R.K. Varshney Award of Systems Society of India for exceptional contributions to systems science, application, and technology. Her research interests include graph theoretic modelling of quantum systems and consciousness studies.
“Consciousness as a Quantum Phenomenon“
Prof. Dr. Bani Dayal Dhir
Assistant Professor, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, India
Dr. Bani Dayal Dhir is Assistant Professor at the Department of English Studies, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed to be University) Agra, India. Recipient of the prestigious Director’s medal in BA Hons, MA and M.Phil. English, her primary research interests include Literature , Theory and Consciousness studies.
Her research is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature, with notable contributions including the M.Phil. dissertation, “Graph Theoretic Field Modelling for Multi-Dimensional Literary Systems,” and her Ph.D. thesis, “A Study of Emergentism and High-End Complexity in Complex Literary Systems.” In recognition of her impactful work in Systems Theory and literature, the Systems Society of India (SSI) awarded her the National Young Systems Scientist award in 2009 and the prestigious Raj Kumar Varshney award in 2017.
She has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences, earning several best paper awards. As Joint Coordinator of the Centre for Consciousness Studies at DEI from 2011 to 2017, she played a pivotal role in organizing the ‘East-West Forum,’ a platform that bridges Eastern and Western perspectives on consciousness, at the annual international conference “The Science of Consciousness,” hosted by the University of Arizona’s Centre for Consciousness Studies.
In addition to her leadership in the consciousness studies arena, she has published extensively in both academic journals and creative outlets, including research papers, creative non-fiction, and poetry. Presently she is the coordinator of (iNFORMATIONcOMMUNICATION- nEUROcOGNITIVE-) Technologies Assisted Language Lab (i-c-n-c- TALL) at DEI.
“Toward True Liberation: An Anaylsis of Huzur Sahabji Maharaj’s Play Swarajya”
Mrs. Prem Pyari Dayal
Prem Vidyalaya Girls' Intermediate College, Agra India
Mrs. Prem Pyari Dayal received the B.A. degree from University of Delhi in 1980, the M.A degree in Psychology and the B.Ed. degree from the Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, in 1982 and 1984, respectively. Since 2009, she has been an honorary Lecturer in DEI Prem Vidyalaya Girls Intermediate College, Dayalbagh, Agra, India. Her research interest is in the science of consciousness.
“Karmas and the necessity of the Sant Satguru of the time to attain salvation”
Young Researchers
(in alphabetical order)
Dr. Aarat Kalra
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Princeton University, USA
Dr Aarat Kalra is working to understand the relevance of quantum effects in biological systems. His experience has been strongly multidisciplinary, ranging from performing in vitro fluorescence assays to measuring the pH surrounding biological nanowires (microtubules). His Ph.D. work involved determining the bioelectrical potential of the cytoskeleton using techniques from both physics (photoluminescence spectroscopy and impedance measurements) and biology (fluorescence-microscopy based methods). He has extensive experience in dealing with microtubules, microtubule associated proteins and fluorophores, and with associated drugs. He enjoys doing experiments in the lab, anything on the interface of biology and physical chemistry, MATLAB coding and writing papers.
“Triplet Energy Migration in the Cytoskeleton”
Dr. Ami Kumar
Columbia University, Department of Neurology, Irving Medical Center, New York, USA.
Ami Kumar is a postdoctoral scientist at the department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, USA. Ami Kumar completed her Ph.D. from Kiel University, Germany and M.Sc. from Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra in the field of Neurosciences.
Her current research involves developing new therapeutic pipelines for neuromodulation in movement disorders such as ataxia and tremor, using non invasive brain stimulation techniques.
“Physiological Biomarkers for Cognitive Dysfunction in Neurological Disorders”
Dr. Apurva Ratan Murty
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGovern Institute for Brain Research
Apurva Ratan Murty is an Assistant Professor of Cognition and Brain Science in the School of Psychology at Georgia Tech, and the Director of the Murty Lab. He obtained his PhD from Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and was a postdoctoral researcher in the Kanwisher and DiCarlo labs at MIT before moving to Georgia Tech. Research in the Murty Lab aims to uncover the neural codes and algorithms that enable us to see.
The central theme of the lab’s work is to integrate biological vision with artificial models of vision. The lab combines the benefits of closed-loop experimental testing (using 3T/7T human functional-MRI) with cutting-edge computational methods (like deep neural networks, generative algorithms, and AI interpretability) toward a new computationally precise understanding of human vision. This research also guides the development of neurally mechanistic biologically constrained models aimed to uncover a better understanding of the neurobiological changes that underlie perceptual abnormalities such as agnosias.
In 2021 he received two awards –the NIH K99/R00 ‘Pathway to Independence’ from National Eye Institute, and the Young Systems Scientist Award – National Systems Society of India.
“Towards a scientific study of human subjective experience”
Dr. Shiroman Prakash
Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Department of Physics and Computer Science, Assistant Professor, Agra, India
Shiroman Prakash completed his M.Sc. in Physics from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and his Ph.D. in Physics from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, in theoretical physics.
His research interests include string theory, quantum field theory and quantum information/computation.
“Consciousness and Contextuality”