Date:08/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/12/08/stories/2005120801371900.htm

Back `Structural dynamics plays key role in disaster mitigation'

Our Bureau

Visakhapatnam , Dec. 7

STRUCTURAL dynamics has a great role in disaster mitigation and also in several other fields and India has enough manpower to excel in the discipline, according to Dr B. Dattaguru of the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science.

He was speaking here at the Gitam College of Engineering after inaugurating the three-day international seminar on the advancement in structural dynamics and its applications.

He said that, given the large pool of scientific manpower and the facilities available, the country should excel in all disciplines and not one or two such as information technology.

"That should be our objective if we were to become an advanced nation by 2020, as our President envisions," he said.

Prof. C.M Wang, of the National University of Singapore, said focus on structural dynamics was necessary for building up a safer, better infrastructure to improve the living standards of the people.

Prof. D.V. Reddy, of the Florida Atlantic University, said he would help Gitam College of Engineering enable to have a tie-up with his university for research purposes and training students.

Prof. J.N. Reddy, of the Texas A&M University, said engineers should go beyond their discipline and, in particular, focus on biological applications.

Prof. V.V, Kutumbara Rao, Principal, Gitam College of Engineering, welcomed the gathering. Mr M.V.V.S Murthi, President of the Gitam institutions, presided over the inaugural session.

In an interaction with the press, Dr Dattaguru said after the tsunami last year, there was a greater attention on structural dynamics.