Research often begins with a question, but it grows through the process of exploring possibilities, testing ideas and learning from different perspectives. Research expos offer an important space for this journey, bringing together students, scholars and researchers to share their work, exchange ideas and engage with questions that extend beyond their individual disciplines.
At the IIIT Sri City Research Expo 2026, held on 28 October 2026, undergraduate students from Krea University’s School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS) and the Undergraduate BBA programme had the unique opportunity to present their research to a wider academic audience. With seven SIAS undergraduate students and a team of undergraduate BBA students participating, the expo provided a platform to showcase projects spanning chemistry, biological sciences, psychology, data science and the Indian Knowledge Systems.
For the students, the experience went beyond presenting a research poster. It was an opportunity to explain their ideas to people from different academic backgrounds, receive feedback, consider new perspectives and see how their work could develop further.
Exploring the science behind everyday questions: Chemistry and Biological Sciences
For Nidhi Kulkarni, a fourth-year Chemistry student at SIAS, the expo was an opportunity to present her computational study on the structural and conformational properties of curcumin in vacuum and solvent phases. Her research examines how the molecule’s structure changes under different conditions, including in water and hexane, and the role of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in its stability. Presenting her work also gave her the chance to interact with people from different academic backgrounds and receive questions and feedback that helped her clarify aspects of her study. Her next step is to extend the work through solid-state analysis and further investigations into solvent-dependent properties.
Another interesting question in the field of biological sciences was explored by Nidhi Rahul, an SIAS student whose project, Understanding Epilepsy through Traumatic and Non-traumatic Triggers, examines the differences between epilepsy resulting from traumatic brain injuries and that associated with genetic or idiopathic causes. Through an ongoing literature review, her work seeks to understand how these different triggers shape the condition. The expo gave her an opportunity to share her research with a wider scientific audience and engage with others interested in science and technology.
Lakshmi Ghorpade, a fourth-year Chemistry student at SIAS, presented her research project, Computational Investigation of Non-Covalent Interactions Between Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Aromatic Compounds, at the Research Expo. Her work employs computational chemistry to investigate the molecular-level interactions between short-chain PFAS and aromatic fragments of graphene, exploring how molecular structure and electronic properties influence their interactions. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, she examined the interaction energies of these molecular complexes, while employing Multiwfn for Non-Covalent Interaction (NCI) analysis and Reduced Density Gradient (RDG) plots to visualise and characterise the nature of these interactions. The next phase of the project will involve Symmetry-Adapted Perturbation Theory (SAPT) analysis to further investigate the individual energetic contributions, including electrostatics, dispersion and induction, to the overall interactions. The research aims to contribute to a better understanding of PFAS adsorption mechanisms and the potential of carbon-based materials for addressing PFAS contamination. Presenting at the expo offered an opportunity to share her findings, engage in scientific discussions, receive feedback and explore future directions for the research.
Gauri Rajvanshi, also a fourth-year Chemistry student at SIAS, presented her project, Halogen Bonding: A Clearer Look Through the Hammett Correlation, which investigates how different functional groups influence halogen bonding in aryl iodides. Presenting at the expo offered her an opportunity to discuss her findings, receive feedback and think about the next stages of her research.
Bringing Data Science and Biology Together
Angel Bothra, a third-year SIAS student double majoring in Data Science and Biological Sciences, presented Predicting Yield: Decoding Nitrogen Control of Yeast with Hybrid Mechanistic–ML Models. Her research looks at an interesting challenge in industrial fermentation: why the same yeast strain, under similar conditions, can produce different yields when the raw material changes.
Focusing on nitrogen and the way yeast responds to it, Angel reviewed existing research and proposed a framework combining biological equations with machine learning to predict fermentation yields. This was her first research poster presentation, and the experience gave her an opportunity to explain her work to students from computer science and engineering backgrounds. The conversations and encouragement she received also gave her greater confidence to take the project forward and work towards developing a functional model.
Understanding Human Experiences Through Psychology
Moving from the sciences to questions about human behaviour and experience, Vedant Khanduja and Sarah Pershan, SIAS students, presented their collaborative project, Children Who Hold Up the House: A Cultural Lens on Parentification.
Parentification refers to situations in which children take on adult responsibilities, often becoming caregivers or emotional support systems within their families. Through a review of 16 studies across different cultural contexts, their research examines how cultural norms shape the understanding and experience of parentification.
Presenting the project to a wider academic audience was particularly meaningful for the duo. Their conversations with students and researchers from other disciplines reinforced the importance of making psychological research accessible and understanding human experiences without reducing their complexity. As Vedant reflected, the project had made him think more deeply about how we understand people’s lived experiences. Sarah, meanwhile, found the interdisciplinary exchanges particularly valuable, noting how different disciplines can come together to offer new insights.
Ancient Wisdom, New Questions: A BBA Student Initiative
Adding another perspective to the range of research presented was a team of first-year undergraduate BBA students, Pavan Krishna Palivela, Sharanya and Bhavika. Their project, Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science, explored connections between traditional Indian knowledge systems and contemporary scientific thinking.
Looking across seven examples from different fields, the team examined how knowledge and practices from the past could offer insights into present-day challenges, particularly in areas such as sustainability. The project also opened up possibilities beyond the presentation itself. At the expo, the students connected with IIIT Sri City’s Research Club and discussed potential collaborations with Krea’s Bonsai Research Society. They also interacted with students from a nearby school, who expressed interest in future knowledge-sharing activities.
For the team, these conversations opened up new avenues to take their research forward. They now hope to narrow their focus to a specific area and develop a more structured approach to studying it.
Taking Research Further
For Krea students, the IIIT Sri City Research Expo 2026 was as much about the conversations around their projects as it was about the research itself. Explaining an idea to someone unfamiliar with the subject, responding to questions and listening to perspectives from other disciplines are all important parts of becoming a researcher. These exchanges also help students recognise what they know, identify what needs further exploration and approach their work with a fresh perspective.
With projects spanning different disciplines and addressing a variety of questions, students brought curiosity and independent thinking that are central to their academic journeys. More importantly, the experience gave them a chance to see their work in a wider context and understand that research is rarely a finished process. It continues to grow with every question asked, every conversation shared and every new direction explored.
For many of them, this was another step in a journey that will continue well beyond the expo.
