Faculty Development Program on Disaster-Resilient Construction Techniques and Sustainable Practices

Our department  organised a Six-Day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) titled “Disaster Resilient Construction Techniques and Sustainable Practices” from 14th to 21st January 2026. The programme was organized in a hybrid mode. 

The FDP was formally inaugurated on 14th January 2026 at the Main Seminar Hall, by Dr. E. S. M. Suresh, Professor and Head, NITTTR, Kalamassery. 

The FDP was designed to enhance the technical competence of faculty members and postgraduate students in the domains of disaster risk reduction, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable development, with special emphasis on Kerala’s disaster-prone context. The FDP  addressed both theoretical frameworks and practical applications, aligned with current Indian Standards and global sustainability goals.

The FDP featured eminent academicians, researchers, and industry experts from premier institutions and reputed organizations such as IIT, NIT, CUSAT, KILA, KSDMA, KERI, and GCC Abu Dhabi to address the major themes of the FDP. Various sessions of the FDP were :

1. 
   Prof. E. S. M. Suresh, Professor & Head, NITTTR, Kalamassery, Topic: GIS Applications in Disaster Management and Vulnerability Assessment
2. Dr. S. Sreekumar, Disaster Management Expert, KILA, Topic: Landslide Risk Reduction and Resilience Strategies – Kerala Perspective
3. Dr. Deepa G. Nair, Professor, School of Engineering, CUSAT, Topic: Sustainable Development Goals and Housing
4. Shri. G. Sankar, Advisor, KSDMA, Former Scientist ‘G’ (Retd.), NCESS, Topic: Land Subsidence in Kerala due to Soil Piping
5. Dr. Rupen Goswami, Professor, IIT Madras, Topic: Latest Indian Standard Codal Provisions for Seismic-Resistant Structural Design
6. Prof. Sreevalsa Kolathayar, Associate Professor, NITK, Surathkal, Topic: Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilient Infrastructure
7. Dr. Santhosh Kumar P. T., Manager – Engineering, GCC, Abu Dhabi, Former Joint Director, Kerala Engineering Research Institute, Government of Kerala, Topic: Retrofitting and Rehabilitation of Structures for Disaster Resilience as per Indian Standards 

Every session was highly informative, enlightening, and practice-oriented, offering participants valuable insights into policy, codal provisions, case studies, and real-world implementation strategies. 
The programme witnessed 90 registered participants, including faculty members from various engineering colleges across Kerala, research scholars and postgraduate students. 

 All online sessions were conducted from 7:30 PM to 9:00 p.m., enabling active participation without disrupting regular academic schedules. The FDP concluded successfully on 21st January 2026, receiving excellent feedback from participants, who expressed that the FDP significantly enhanced their understanding of disaster resilience, sustainability, and updated codal practices.

The Faculty Development Programme was coordinated by Dr. Asha Joseph, Professor, and Dr. Beena B. R., Associate Professor, The programme also received wholehearted support and cooperation from the Head of the Department and all faculty members.

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Dr. Asha Joseph, Professor, CE