FLAME Undergraduate Research Day 2026

Reimagining Futures: Research in an Age of Opportunities

14^th March, 2026

About FLAME Undergraduate Research Day 2026

The Undergraduate Research Committee of FLAME University invites submissions for the second edition of the FLAME Undergraduate Research Day, an interdisciplinary platform celebrating undergraduate research, dialogue, and collaboration across fields. Building on last year’s theme, “Boundaries and Bridges in the Age of Disruption,” this year’s theme, “Reimagining Futures: Research in an Age of Opportunities,” explores how research can illuminate pathways toward more sustainable, equitable, and innovative futures.

In an era marked by uncertainty and transformation, FLAME Undergraduate Research Day invites students to move beyond responding to disruption, calling them to actively imagine, design, and build new frameworks for the future. We welcome work that interrogates systems, draws insights across disciplines, and redefines knowledge creation for the world ahead.

We invite abstracts based on primary and secondary empirical research, work in progress, conceptual and critical analyses, systematic reviews, case studies, and proposed research from currently enrolled undergraduate students.

The FLAME Undergraduate Research Day will be held in fully in-person (offline) mode on FLAME University campus in Pune.

Sub-Themes

Participants may submit abstracts on the following sub-themes:

Sub-Theme	Aspects
Interdisciplinary Futures	Collaboration across arts, sciences, and policy for holistic problem-solving Crossing disciplines and creating new knowledge Systems thinking and complexity
Sustainability and Regeneration	Addressing global environmental concerns Re-envisioning ecological, economic, and social systems Developing sustainable business models and circular economy practices
Ethics and Innovation	Technology ethics and human centered futures Rethinking responsibility in the world of digitalization
Culture, Identity and Global Exchange	Culture and self Exploring belonging in an interconnected world Global citizenship and migration History, memory and identity
Resilience and Wellness	Resilience: Psychological, behavioral, and systemic adaptation to change Holistic wellness: Physical and mental health; well-being
Policy and Governance	Evolving nature of citizenship and government Critical analysis of global political challenges, international relations, and new forms of protest or activism The future of democracy
Equity, Justice and Social Transformation	Role of on gender, caste, class, race, disability, and the systems that shape inequalities and social change Fairness, inclusion and access
Creativity and Human Flourishing	Expanding the possibilities of expression Digital art and the metaverse Creativity and its role in problem solving
Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Digital Future	Understanding agency in an algorithmic age Examining the ethical, legal, and social implications of AI and automation Researching data privacy, surveillance, and algorithmic bias in democratic societies The future of work, education, and human-computer interaction.

Abstracts that do not align with any of the above sub-themes but address the overarching theme are also welcome.

Abstract Submission Guidelines

All abstracts must be written in English.

Only original abstracts can be submitted. Please ensure that the same abstract (and paper title) are not submitted to other conferences.
Submitted abstracts may include primary or secondary data, work in progress, conceptual and critical analyses, case studies, systematic reviews, and proposed research.
The cover page of the abstract document must include:

Title of the Abstract
Details of the author(s): Name(s), institutional affiliation, email address (The presenter should be listed as the first author)

Abstract must be between 300-500 words (excluding cover page and keywords) and must include the following aspects:

Background
Aims and objectives
Materials/methods (where applicable)
Results/Main findings/Expected findings
Conclusions and Implications

A maximum of 5 key words must be placed under the abstract.
Please note that the abstract document must be written in Times New Roman, 12 point. In addition, the title of the abstract must be in bold and centered.
If generative and assistive AI has been used in preparing the abstract, author(s) are required to include a footnote in the abstract document mentioning the same. Failure to do so will result in the abstract not being considered for further processing.
Abstracts must be strictly submitted on or before the deadline.

Abstract Submission

To submit abstract, please visit:

Submission Form

Registration Guidelines

Undergraduate students from outside FLAME University must pay a registration fee of Rs. 900/- (inclusive of 18% GST)
FLAME University students are exempt from the registration fee payment.
Presenters may register once their abstracts are accepted for presentation.
Registration fees are non-refundable.

Registration

To register, please visit:

Registration Form

Important Dates

Abstract Submission Deadline: 8th February 2026
Notification of Abstract Acceptance: 15th February 2026
Registration Deadline: 22nd February 2026

Contact Details

Email:

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Keynote Panelists

Dr. Tony Sam George

Founder and Director, The Neuropathways Institute, Bengaluru
Former Dean, School of Psychological Sciences, Christ University, Bengaluru
Former Dean, School of Social Sciences, Christ University, Bengaluru

Dr. Tony Sam George is the Director of the NeuroPathways Institute and a leading voice in mental health, counselling psychology, and higher education. With over three decades of teaching, research, and clinical experience, he integrates neuroscience, psychotherapy, and evidence-based wellbeing frameworks to train professionals and support diverse communities. Dr. George obtained his doctoral degree (PhD) from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru. His doctoral research focused on the role of group psychotherapy in reducing social disability among persons affected by obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Over his career spanning close to three decades, Dr. George has served on several International and Regional Boards, contributed to building capacity in developing wellbeing initiatives in India, Mexico, South Africa, Canada and the United States of America. He frequently consults with nonprofits and has established several nonprofit initiatives in the areas of leadership development, wellbeing and counselling, life skills and digital training and education. He has held major research grants with the United States (US) Department of State, the Commonwealth of Australia and the United States Education Fund. Dr. George has designed and implemented effective employee assistantship programmes in multinational companies in India and is a featured keynote speaker at International forums around the world.

Dr. Ganesaraman K.

Deputy Chief Information Officer
Global Head - Internal Audit & CSR Trustee
[24]7.ai, Bengaluru

Dr. Ganesaraman K is Deputy CIO, Global Head - Internal Audit & CSR Trustee. He is also a Professor of Practice at FMC, MSRUAS, Bangalore. He is also Academic Council Member at SASTRA University. His earlier work experiences have been associated with GE Healthcare, Visteon, and Lucas TVS.

He obtained his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore (2021). He was awarded a Gold Medal from the Indian Economic Association for the thesis on "Tech Startup Failures in India: Causal Attributes, Life Expectancy, and Exits”. He is a qualified cost and management accountant from ICWAI Institute (2013), a triple gold medalist in PGDBA from LIBA (2001), and an engineering gold medalist from SASTRA (1996).

Prof. P. K. Shajahan

Professor - Social Work
Former Dean (Academic Affairs)
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai

Dr. P.K. Shajahan is Professor of Social Work and former Dean of Academic Affairs at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. A pioneer in advancing People-Centred Social Innovation (PCSI), his scholarship spans across social enterprises, school education & accountability, and global social work. He has published widely, with numerous Scopusindexed articles and co-edited book Remaking Social Work for the New Global Era (Springer, 2022). He also serves as Series Editor for SpringerBriefs on Advancing Social Work Research, Policy, and Practice.

His recent policy research along with other colleagues from TISS in developing a comprehensive compensation policy for the project affected fisherfolk of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project has been widely acknowledged in the policy circles. This has led to Bombay High Court noting this policy as a reference case while admitting another case related to similar impacts on fisherfolk.

An acclaimed academic leader with more than three decades of professional experience in Social Work and Social Development, Dr Shajahan has been a visiting faculty member at leading universities in the USA and Europe, contributing to global dialogues on social innovation and participatory development. He plays key roles in several international networks, such as Founding Member and Co-President of the Critical Edge Alliance, Member of the International Consultative Board of the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), and Member of the Task Force for Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development. Earlier, he served as the Vice President of the International Council on Social Welfare and a Board Member of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW).

Dr. Probal Mojumder

Chairperson of PhD Programs (Regular & Executive)
Associate Professor of Information Systems (OM/QM/IS Area)
Indian Institute of Management Udaipur (IIMU)

Dr. Probal Mojumder currently serves as an Associate Professor of Information Systems at the Indian Institute of Management Udaipur (IIMU). He is also the Chairperson of IIMU's PhD Programs (Regular & Executive) and Advisory Board Member for IIMU’s Center for Digital Enterprise.

His research spans a wide range of business and societal questions, employing methodologies such as econometrics, AI/ML, and randomized experiments. Probal investigates how IT artifacts shape digital platforms, with a particular focus on addressing societal challenges. His recent work explores topics including digital crisis communication and AI ethics, alongside his continuing interest in online platform research.

Probal's research findings have been published in prestigious international academic journals, including Management Science (MS), Information Systems Research (ISR), and Production and Operations Management (POM). Additionally, his work has been showcased at prominent national and international conferences such as the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Workshop on Information Systems and Economics (WISE), INFORMS Conference on Information Systems and Technology (CIST), Workshop on Statistical Challenges in E-Commerce Research (SCECR) and the India Management Research Conference (IMRC) at IIM Ahmedabad. His research and profile have garnered attention in various media outlets and university magazines, including Financial Express, Phys.org, Forensicmag.com, HBS Working Knowledge, NYU Stern News, UMN News, Maryland Smith Research, Simon Business Magazine, and ISB Canvas.

Probal earned his Masters in Quantitative Economics (MSQE) from the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Kolkata in 2010. He was a Research Associate at the Indian School of Business, and held Postdoctoral Research Associate role at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. In 2018, he obtained his doctoral degree in Business Administration (Information and Decision Sciences track) from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.