Researcher interested in questions about how information and knowledge relates to society and progress.

Currently engaging with topics of public understandings of science(s) and philosophy of science, in relation to crises and development. Particularly interested in how complexity and crises are reflected in our understanding of the world, in order to find ways through them.

(PDF copy can be found here.)

Education

  • M.A. Development Studies,
    Tata Institute of Social Sciences, 2020-2023

  • M.A. Political Science,
    Indira Gandhi National Open University, 2018-2021

  • B.E.(Hon.s) Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
    BITS Pilani, 2014-2018

  • M.Sc.(Hon.s) Physics,
    BITS Pilani, 2013-2018

Other Courses

Experience

Work

  • Internship, Sustainable Food Systems, Council on Energy, Environment and Water

    Worked primarily in the Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Project, with focus on the institutionalization of CSA in Bihar and the scaling up of CSA in Odisha. Work included:

    • Investigating the implementation of CSA in Odisha. This involved:
    • Identification and analysis of existing policy instruments in Odisha that had relevance to CSA, their implementation, and institutional linkages.
    • Being a part of the team who conducted field visits to different parts of Odisha, with Focus Group Discussions with farmers, and in-depth interviews with officials from various departments at the district and local levels. The information from the field visits was analyzed and used to create recommendations.
    • Formulating an institutional structure for coordination of Climate Smart Agriculture in Bihar. This involved analysis of the existing policy instruments and their institutional structures and interviews with various stakeholders, thus identifying the requirements for an institutional structure for CSA program.

    Other work included:

    • Assisting with literature review for reports.
    • Assisting with citation management for reports.

Research

Dissertation, for M.A. Development Studies

“The Scientific Publics in Keralam: A Study of the Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad During the COVID-19 Pandemic” : Critically examining the activities and discourses of the KSSP, the People’s Science Movement of Keralam - historically, as well as in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic - and situating it in the context of the scientific public sphere of Keralam and developmental discourse, in order to examine the response of a decentralised popular movement to changing society and to its crises.

Work included:

  • Review of the literature on the KSSP, on philosophies of science, and on science and society.
  • Finding reports on the activities of the KSSP in newspapers and on the internet
  • Analysing the public-facing communications of the KSSP through its YouTube channel. This involved:
    • gathering the data through a python script;
    • categorising the content by theme, type and relevance;
    • transcribing, translating and analysing the relevant videos.

Theses for M.Sc. Physics and B.E. Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Working in the Quantum Transport group at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram under Dr. Madhu Thalakulam.

Work included:

  • Theoretical and simulation work on quantum transport systems
  • Automation of electrical transport measurements for multi-gated quantum devices.
    • Created software workflows for the set-up of experimental parameters, management of the multiple devices and instruments, and for management of the large data sets generated from experiments.
    • Resulted in publication : Sharma, C.H., Surendran, A.P., Varma, S.S. et al.2D superconductivity and vortex dynamics in 1T-MoS2. Commun Phys 1, 90 (2018).

Surveys

  • March, 2022: As part of a team, designed, conducted and analyzed a household-based survey on Multidimensional Poverty Index, Community Well-being, and Institutional Interface in Vashi Naka, Mumbai on behalf of YUVA India. Created a report: "Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Exploring the Multidimensional Poverty Index and Institutional Interface to Promote Community Well-being", that was well-received by the organization.

  • July, 2015: As part of a team, designed, conducted and analyzed the results of a household-based survey to study the status and well-being of the elderly in the Chullickal ward of the Kochi Municipal Corporation, on behalf of the Corporation and HelpAge India. Created and presented a report to the authorities.

Teaching

  • 2022: Qualified the National Eligibility Test (NET) in Eligibility for Assistant Professorship for Political Science, conducted by the University Grants Commission, India
  • 2018-2019: Tutored a group of peers from diverse backgrounds preparing for Civil Service examinations in mathematics, English, and economics.

Organisation

  • Panel Coordinator, Session on Diversity, Institutions, and Change, 8th National Conference on Diversity and Development, School of Development Studies, TISS Mumbai

  • Organizing Committee Member, TEDxBITSGoa (2013-2017)
  • Coordinator, BITS Goa Quiz Club (2015-2016)
    • Organiser, participant and winner of many quizzes at the national and regional levels

Skills and Proficiencies

Technical Proficiencies

  • Qualitative Research Methods
    • Literature Review, Surveys, Interviews, Focus Group Discussions
    • Familiar with software tools for analysis, online surveying, transcription and translation
  • Statistics and Quantitative Research
    • Proficient at quantitative research methods
    • Software tools such as MATLAB, numpy, Stata, SPSS, R
  • Data Acquisition, Processing, Organization and Visualization Technologies
    • Familiarity with control systems for management of sensors and other devices, data transfer technologies and protocols
  • Computer Programming
    • Languages:
      • Proficient with Python (primarily scripting, and data analysis aspects)
      • Basic knowledge and some experience with lisps, C++
  • Web Development
  • Hosting and Server Management Basics
  • Databases
    • SQL, as well general Relational Database operations
  • Typesetting (LaTEX)
  • Office Software
  • Basics of audio and video editing, and live-streaming (using open-source tools)
  • General proficiency with scripting, computers and technology

Languages

  • Proficient in: English, Malayalam, Hindi
  • Familiar with: Tamil,
  • Basic Spanish

Publication

Sharma, C.H., Surendran, A.P., Varma, S.S. et al. 2D superconductivity and vortex dynamics in 1T-MoS2. Commun Phys 1, 90 (2018). https://www.nature.com/articles/s42005-018-0091-7