USTM Meghalaya national workshop concludes; trains students, researchers in academic writing

The Department of Applied Biology at the University of Science & Technology Meghalaya (USTM) had partnered with the Microbiologists Society, India (MBSI) and the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) to train students and researchers. USTM had organised a national workshop on academic writing and scholarly publishing. 

The workshop started on September 17, 2026, and was conducted in conjunction with International Microorganisms Day 2026. The programme was conducted to help the master’s students, research scholars and young researchers so that they can improve their academic writing, research communication and publication skills. The programme also covered important topics related to scientific writing, manuscript preparation, publication ethics, and selection of journals. 

GD Sharma, USTM Vice Chancellor, inaugurated the programme. The chief guest-cum-resource person was Kumananda Tayung, Dean, Faculty of Sciences, Gauhati University. Niraj Singh, State President, MBSI (Assam & Meghalaya), was the guest of honour.

Also Read | NPTEL launches new directory for students, researchers, faculty to explore upcoming research conferences

Experts discuss scientific writing, publication practices

The workshop included sessions by researchers and academic experts, including Tapan Kumar Mohanta of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Vinay Kumar Pandey, Associate Professor at Graphic Era, Dehradun; Periasamy, Head of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) at Nehru Group of Institutions, Coimbatore; and Bishwambhar Mishra of Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad.

The sessions also included discussions with practical exercises that helped participants understand the research publication process. Jibanjyoti Panda was the master trainer for the practical sessions. Participants from USTM, The Assam Royal Global University and Cotton University attended the programme. 

A poster and model competition was also organised. This gave the participants an opportunity to show their scientific ideas and present their understanding of microbiological concepts.

The programme ended with the distribution of prizes to the winners of the competition. It was organised under the guidance of Sony Kumari, Head, Department of Applied Biology, USTM, who was the chairperson. Yugal Kishore Mohanta was the convener and Tamanna Bhuyan was invited as the coordinator.