Contact: Melissa Reifert
October 12, 2007

MECC Hosts Physics Professor from India

While common in the United States, community college systems are not present worldwide, including in the country of India. However, that will soon change with India’s recent interest in establishing similar infrastructures. The country’s top educational leaders have selected Virginia’s Community Colleges as possible learning tools for developing this new system.

As part of the planning, Indian professors were sent to colleges across the Commonwealth including Blue Ridge, J. Sargeant Reynolds, and Northern Virginia Community Colleges. Mountain Empire Community College was also chosen for this study, bringing Physics Professor and published author, Dr. Sukhen Das for a visit to southwestern Virginia.

For two weeks, he experienced the inner-workings of MECC, as well as some of the regional attractions. His host for the trip was Dr. Chuks Ogbonnaya, Professor of Environmental Science at MECC. In return, Das will host Ogbonnaya for two weeks at Jadavpur University in January 2008. Das teaches full-time at the university, located in Kolkata.

“Jadavpur is one of the best universities in India,” he states. “We have more than 50 students in a class there.” He says that the large class sizes cause a difference in teaching methods between professors at his university and those at the community college. “The relationship between professors and students at MECC is good. There is more individual care of students here because of the smaller classes.”

The professor also believes that MECC benefits from offering a variety of different programs, including those specifically suited for and based on local industries, such as mechanical and civil engineering.

While in the area, Das spoke about global warming, an issue he says is important to both the U.S. and India. This was the subject for lectures he presented for students, faculty, and staff at MECC, as well as a group of sixth-graders at L.F. Addington Middle School in Wise.

“It is a binding issue,” he states. “It is not up to a particular country or person to solve the problem. We must all work together to stop this.”

Das says that global warming is a great environmental problem for India. He also believes that at least one region in the U.S. is experiencing the effects of the problem. “The temperature is increasing, and the ice caps are melting. This is causing the sea level to rise. Six islands near India have already gone under water. Most will go under if it continues this way. I feel that parts of California may already be facing this problem.”

Although residents of this area may not directly feel the effects of global warming now, Das believes they can still work to stop the problem by simply reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Driving smaller vehicles that require less fuel and regulating industry bi-products are just some of the steps he recommends.

Das’ schedule while in the region was a busy one. In addition to his time at MECC, including a campus-wide reception held in his honor, he also traveled to the Powell River Project, East Tennessee State University, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, and Natural Tunnel State Park.

“Everyone has been very cordial. Now, I would like to invite everyone to visit my university in India.”

Dr. Sukhen Das visited Mountain Empire Community College for two weeks, as part of a study of Virginia’s Community Colleges. His country of India is planning to implement a similar community college system in the near future. Das’ host for the trip was Dr. Chuks Ogbonnaya, Professor of Environmental Science at MECC.

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