FLAME University

RESEARCH

UNCOVER QUESTIONS, DISCOVER ANSWERS

Students are integral to research at FLAME University.  Students at all levels are encouraged to participate in research and appropriate funding is made available. University Research Committee facilitates creation and development of strategies and options that students might adopt in order to address their knowledge and skill gaps and build capacity for more effective research and innovation. In its efforts to support enhancement of knowledge and intellectual growth of its students, University supports various projects that the students take up under the guidance of their faculty. In keeping with the underlying ethos of liberal education, research at FLAME University is essentially inter-disciplinary with students led by faculty across disciplines, working together on numerous subjects of mutual interest, appeal and requirement.


Applied Math Student Research Projects

  1. Managing the Zambezi river: The Kariba Dam, Alyssa O’Donohue, Calvin Gentry, Surbhi Lodha, Tirtha Patel, Mathematical Modelling course, April 2018
  2. Eradicating Ebola, Basudhara Choudhuri, Louis Kopp, Zheng Qu, Alec Nelson, Mathematical Modelling course, April 2018
  3. Garbage Patches in Subtropical Gyres: Tracking Particles from Source to Sink,  Harshada Balasubramanian, Raghav Chadha, Salil Shinde, Mathematical Modelling  course, 2019
  4. Is it Sustainable? A Mathematical Model,  Kyra Manjunath, Aditi Pasumarthy, Mathematical Modelling course, 2019

Environmental Studies Student Research Projects

  1. Tirtha Patel (Class of 2018)- Where Tourism meets Conservation: Translating Emotions into Actions https://www.currentconservation.org/issues/where-tourism-meets-conservation-translating-emotions-into-actions/
  2. Smriti Jalihal (Class of 2020)- An annotated bibliography and summary of sea turtle satellite telemetry studies in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia https://www.iotn.org/iotn29-06-an-annotated-bibliography-and-summary-of-satellite-telemetry-studies-conducted-throughout-the-indian-ocean-and-south-east-asia/
  3. Sanjana Singh. (Class of 2015). Nipah Virus: Effects of Urbanization and Climate Change. In Md. A. Rahman & R. Ahmadi (Eds.), International Institute of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering. Paper presented at 3rd International Conference on Biological, Chemical and Environmental Sciences (BCES 2015), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 21-22 Sep, 2015 (pp. 64-68). IICBEE. Adjudged the best paper of the session. https://iicbe.org/upload/7575C0915051.pdf

 International Relations Student  Research Projects

Jayanth Deshmukh:

  • 2019 – Published research paper titled “Need for Space Law in India: Analyzing the Space Activities Bill (2017)” with Journal of Science Policy and Governance
  • 2019 – Published research paper titled “Radical fundamentalism impeding successful policy intervention: Polio a case in point” with IIS Journal of Social Sciences
  • 2019 – Authored an article titled “Beef Down: Implications of Beef Ban on Indian Communities” and published it with International Policy Digest
  • 2019 – Co-authored an article titled “Never Again War? Tracing German Military Identity” and published it with International Policy Digest
  • 2018 – Authored a research paper titled “Radical fundamentalism impeding successful policy intervention: Polio a case in point” and presented it at The Fourth Annual Seminar on Research in Social Sciences held in Mumbai, India

Current Papers in progress with regards to IR (checking if these are done)

  1. Developing geostrategy for Sri Lanka (sent as a chapter for an edited book)
  2. Costly signalling and the US-Iran War

Psychology Student Research Projects

Gender Differences in Personality, Motivation and the Tendency to Follow Social Networking Trends among Indian Millennials

Aishwarya Sastry
B.A. (Psychology)
FLAME University

Dr. Sairaj Patki
Assistant Professor (Psychology),
FLAME University

ABSTRACT
With the availability of affordable and high-speed internet access on phones, social networking has reached far and wide. While some of the trends that emerge via these platforms have helped steer public movements and supported social causes, some lead to severe detrimental consequences like harm to psychological or physical wellbeing. The present study investigated personality traits and sources of motivation as factors related to the tendency to follow social networking trends on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat among millennials. The sample included 133 respondents aged between 18-25 years. The findings suggested existence of some gender differences. While tendency to follow social networking trends was found to be related only with extraversion among females, it was found to be related to both extraversion and agreeableness among males. Also, tendency to follow social networking trends was found to be related with intrinsic motivation among females but with extrinsic motivation among males.


Economics Student Research Projects

The Role of Emotions and  Mindfulness in Investment Decision Making
Medha Arora- 2016-17

Abstract
Traditional economic theories have always assumed that human beings make rational choices. However, reality may dictate otherwise. There are many factors that influence how one makes decisions, especially in the context of risk and uncertainty. Emotions are one such factor, and have proven to strongly affect risk attitudes. Mindfulness has also been associated with decision making and emotional regulation, although data for this finding is limited. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the role of emotions and mindfulness in investment decision making through the experimental method. Participants were randomly allocated into four emotional manipulation groups - positive affect, negative affect, neutral affect, and mindfulness. This was followed by an investment task, the results of which were analysed and compared based on the treatment condition. It was hypothesised that diverse emotional states would affect investment decisions differently, and that the mindfulness state would lead to the most rational investment behaviour. Results found that while investment choices between the four groups were not significantly different, higher overall positive affect significantly predicted lesser risk aversion compared to a negative state. The role of mindfulness as a potential anxiety buffer was also evident in a high global risk situation. Time and gender were also identified as important features impacting decision making.

Farmer Suicides in India- A Macro Perspective
Navneeth JK-2017-18

Abstract
Agriculture is the soul of the Indian economy. Although the contribution of agriculture towards the GDP has been consistently declining, this sector still employs half of the India’s workforce.  However, the agricultural sector in India is heavily distressed as evident from the large number of farmer suicides that have plagued the country over the last decade. So, what are the factors that lead farmers to commit this act? Is it the type of crops that they grow? Is it the high cost of inputs? Or is it a lack of infrastructure for farmers to sell their produce at a fair price? This paper aims to answer these questions. This paper uses a state level panel dataset from 2001-2013 to investigate the factors that affect farmer suicide in India.  Preliminary results indicate irrigation and credit ratio negatively impacting farmer suicide while sown area affects farmer suicide positively. Moreover, we also find that consumer price positively affects farmer suicide in India. The results thus call for creating a stronger agricultural market in India.