Jammu, Apr 11: Pradnya Pradeep Jogdand, a final-year B Arch student at the School of Architecture and Landscape Design (SoALD), Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), has earned admission offers from five prestigious universities in the United States of America (USA) for the Post Graduate studies in architecture.
The institutions include the University of Texas (UT), Austin for M Arch (Advanced Architectural Design); University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for MS in Architecture and Urban Design; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – Master of Urban Design (MUD); Columbia University, New York for MS in Urban Planning and University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles for M Arch in a first-professional degree programme.
An SMVDU spokesperson said Pradnya cited UT Austin’s focus on innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and original research as the main reasons behind her decision.
“I was particularly drawn to the university’s strong culture of original research, creative inquiry and intellectual leadership,” she said.
“I believe this environment will empower me to address both contemporary and future challenges in architecture and urban design,” Pradnya said.
Established in 1910, the University of Texas at Austin is globally recognized for its research-oriented academic programmes and excellence in architectural education.
Pradnya expressed heartfelt gratitude to her mentor, Vinod Kumar, Assistant Professor at SoALD, for his constant support and guidance throughout her academic journey.
In an email to him, she wrote, “Your guidance played a crucial role in shaping my interests and preparing me for this next chapter and I deeply value everything I’ve learned under your mentorship.”
During her B Arch studies, Pradnya completed a dissertation titled “Morphogenic Membranes in Parametric Architecture” under the guidance of Vinod Kumar and she also presented a research paper titled “Revisiting Sacred Geometry: The Dialogue between Parametric and Religious Architecture” at an international conference on religious architecture hosted by NIT Patna.
The same paper was later co-authored with him and published in a peer-reviewed journal, showcasing her dedication to academic research even at the undergraduate level, the spokesperson said.
Her academic achievements, innovative research ability and passion for architecture played a key role in securing offers from globally acclaimed universities, the spokesperson said.
Pradnya extended her appreciation to the entire SoALD faculty for their guidance and encouragement from her first to final year at SMVDU.
Vice-Chancellor of SMVDU, Prof Pragati Kumar, Head of SoALD Abhiney Gupta and other faculty members Congratulated Pradnya on her outstanding accomplishments and wished her continued success in her academic and professional journey.
