Dr. Ganapa Manohar is the Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at Matrusi Engineering College. He holds a doctorate degree from Osmania University in Structural Engineering and is a university topper from JNTU Hyderabad. His areas of interest are optimisation rechniques, the finite element method, and fuzzy logic Applications. So far, he has published over 30 research papers in reputed journals.

Dr. Manohar holds memberships in MISTE, MIE, MICI, MIGBC, and MISCA. Not only has he organized over 25 workshops and orientation programs but also ten FDPs and STTPs. Under his guidance, ten students have earned their M.Tech degrees, and two PhD students are pursuing their degrees. Moreover, he works as a reviewer for reputed journals.

Matrusri Engineering College

As you have been in the education sector for over 25 years now, what is that one thing that made keep connecting with you to walk with Matrusri in your journey?

Matrusri’s management has a great vision of creating excellent quality civil engineers with updated skills, which are very essential for the current society. The equipment in the laboratories established in the department caters to the students and helps them gain knowledge in assessing the quality and strength of the construction materials. They also have knowledge of the latest material testing machines. The Computer Applications Laboratory of the department helps students and is always available to develop programs for designing and learning to use civil engineering software. Our students are also creating innovative projects, and their research is being published in various reputed journals and conferences and securing awards. About one-third of our students have also gone abroad to pursue higher studies. All of these factors together inspire me to stay connected with the institute.

Throughout your career, what have been the most significant developments or changes you've witnessed in the field of civil engineering?

The need for amenities and proper infrastructure in cities, towns, and other projects has increased tremendously. Civil engineers must today possess special skills to sustain themselves in the industry. Demand for low-cost and eco-friendly buildings has given rise to green building technology and sustainable construction. The design, construction, and maintenance of tall buildings have also become essential skills for civil engineers. Other infrastructure and amenities like transportation systems, bridges, drainages, public water supply, waste disposal, and dams are the current challenges.

As a professor and HOD, what are your primary goals for the Civil Engineering department at Matrusri Engineering College and How do you foster a positive and innovative learning environment for your students?

We have created an efficient team of teachers in all specialisations of civil engineering. With the help of the teachers, our students are trained in the basic courses and also innovations in their field. We also encourage the students to pursue their interests and areas of demand by participating in Innovation competitions like hackathons, tech conferences, expos, and annual festivals of reputed institutions. By having a mentoring system, we have established a positive environment in the college.

How do you collaborate with industries and other academic institutions to provide practical exposure and internships for your students?

Being an institute in the heart of the city, we have been successful in encouraging the active participation of students in various construction industries in both the public and private sectors. We have established student chapters of professional bodies and signed department MOUs with leading construction organisations like the Institution of India, the Indian Society of Technical Education, the National Academy of Construction, Imarat Consulting Engineers, GISI, the Indian Green Building Council, and the Bureau of Indian Standards, which have also helped us locate the best opportunities for our students. These opportunities help give the students practical exposure in their industry before they even graduate from their course.

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What role does sustainability play in the Civil Engineering program at your college, and how do you prepare students for the challenges of sustainable development?

Sustainable development is our main goal in almost all the courses that we handle in the program. Environmental degradation and ecofriendly are the terms that every student is concerned with in Civil Engineering. Students are encouraged to participate in workshops and practice sessions like disaster management workshops, traffic rules and practise, and pollution control awareness programs to learn more. They also conduct various awareness programs on the occasion of World Water Day, Environment Day, and Save Soil.

In your experience, what are the common career paths for graduates of the Civil Engineering department at Matrusri Engineering College?

Using the latest technology for sustainable and eco-friendly development in Civil Engineering society is an area of emphasis in career opportunities. The students in Matrusri are encouraged to make use of innovative techniques, and software and experiment with new construction materials to do research in the field of civil engineering.

As an educator and mentor, what are the key skills and qualities you believe are essential for a successful civil engineer in today's world?

New innovations and the use of the latest technology are key skills required for the present generation of civil engineers. In Matrusri, all the faculty members are always encouraged to come up with new ideas and related technology to achieve success in the classroom and personally as well. Innovations in green buildings, sustainable building materials, low-cost construction, high-rise buildings, and infrastructure models are some of the areas the students are concentrating on in their projects.

What are your thoughts on incorporating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, or Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the civil engineering curriculum?

Definitely, the use of AI in the construction industry for fast building techniques is the latest trend in Civil Engineering. Other trends are drone technology in surveying, and applying GIS for Geological studies, the emerging fields. Our curriculum in B.E. has already added the above topics to their core courses. Our students are also trained in BIM software.

How do you stay personally updated with the latest advancements and research in civil engineering to enhance your teaching and leadership abilities?

In Matrusri, the digital library has subscribed to international and national journals, Civil Engineering magazines, and print journals. All the students and faculty update themselves on the latest technology and research from the library. Our faculty members are also members of several professional societies. Students and faculty members also attend workshops, conferences, symposiums, and expos to learn about advancements in civil engineering and to share our research work with the outside world.

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How does your department promote teamwork and collaboration among students to prepare them for real-world project environments?

The department of Civil Engineering always encourages students to participate in competitions, workshops, internships, and conferences. Here they meet like-minded people, network, and learn how to work together. The department also gives financial assistance to a team of students every year towards expenses for the innovative projects that they do in their final year.

How do you envision the future of the Civil Engineering department at Matrusri Engineering College in the next five to ten years?

The department of Civil Engineering aims to produce top-quality engineering graduates who can implement sustainable and eco-friendly technologies and have well-versed knowledge of the latest applications. The department wishes to become a research hub in civil engineering with high-quality research and publications.