As part of the Science Quest initiative organized at IIT Palakkad from May 19 to 28, 2025, the Department of Electrical Engineering conducted a one-day immersive program for 11th-grade students on May 22, 2025. The event was held simultaneously at the Electrical Machines Lab and the Electronics Lab in Manogatha, Nila Campus. A total of 58 students participated in the event, EE Dept events were coordinated by Dr. Arun Rahul S. The students were divided into two groups, with each group spending the morning in either the Electronics or Machines Lab and switching in the afternoon. In the Electronics Lab, students engaged in foundational activities that introduced them to digital electronics. These included:
● Realization of basic logic gates using transistors
● Implementation of a half-adder using logic gate ICs
● A session on Arduino programming and circuit interfacing.
The hands-on activities allowed students to build circuits on breadboards and experience the process of debugging. Also, a few demonstrations were carried out to help understand core digital concepts such as counters and sequential circuits. The aim was to take students from theory to practice, enabling a grassroots understanding of electronics. Meanwhile, in the Electrical Machines Lab, the focus was on bridging school-level physics concepts with real-world applications. Three parallel activity stations were organised, each accommodating groups of ten students:
1. Electromagnetism Demonstration: ○ Visualization of magnetic field lines ○ Demonstrations on statically and dynamically induced EMF ○ ANSYS simulations and the De Lorenzo open machine setup ○ Discussions on motor and generator principles
2. DC Motor Speed Control: ○ Hands-on sessions using rheostat-based and PWM-based speed control methods
3. Solar Cell and Resistor IV Curve Plotting: ○ Students plotted and analyzed IV characteristics, drawing meaningful conclusions from the data
These activities provided a unique opportunity for students to engage with electrical engineering concepts beyond their textbooks, fostering curiosity and analytical thinking. The successful conduct of the event was made possible with the support of Mr. Sanil Sharahudeen, Mr. Maria Kumar, and Mr. Saruhasan J, who managed lab setups and logistics. A dedicated group of student volunteers from the Electrical Engineering Department also played a crucial role. The team included: Harikrishnan S, Midhu Das B, Ajay Kumar Jena, Sreenath B, Anju James, Anu Mathew, Jithina, Soumyadeep, Sanjana, Shubam, Theertha P A, Gayathri S, Manikantan, Balabaskhar, Anuraj (intern), and Sneha (intern). The event was a rewarding experience for the visiting students and a proud moment for the department, highlighting the spirit of outreach and educational innovation at IIT Palakkad.