WSU professor leads hands-on AI workshop in India

In a global effort to expand access to artificial intelligence education, Parteek Kumar, associate professor career track in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University, facilitated a two-day "Fundamentals of Deep Learning" workshop at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar, in partnership with the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute (DLI).

Held on May 31 and June 1, the in-person workshop provided hands-on training in foundational deep learning techniques for more than 50 students, staff, and researchers. The curriculum introduced participants to essential concepts such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), data augmentation, transfer learning, and natural language processing-equipping them with practical skills using real-world datasets and modern frameworks.

The event was inaugurated by Nitin Auluck, head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Ropar, and was made possible with the active support of Neeraj Goel, associate professor in the IIT Ropar Department of Computer Science and Engineering, who played a key role in facilitating collaboration between IIT Ropar and NVIDIA DLI.

All 50 participants who completed the evaluation received a certificate from NVIDIA, a credential recognized globally and valuable in both academic and professional contexts.

This initiative highlights a growing emphasis on integrating industry-standard AI tools into academic programs and underscores the potential of international academic-industry collaborations to prepare students for careers in emerging technologies.

"This workshop is part of our ongoing mission to build AI capacity across academic institutions globally-combining WSU's commitment to cutting-edge education with industry-leading training frameworks," Kumar said.