water studies, and has academic interactions with other universities and research institutes within and outside India. Pulincunnu Campus The Pulincunnu campus in Kuttanad, Alappuzha District is 65 km from the Main campus. It is home to the Cochin University College of Engineering, Kuttanad (CUCEK) and the Cochin University College of Computer Applications (CUCCA). Faculties CUSAT is structured into nine faculties: Science Technology Engineering Environmental Studies Humanities Law Marine Sciences Medical Sciences and Technology Social Sciences Faculty of Science Department of Physics The Department of Physics of the Cochin University of Science and Technology was founded as the Department of Physics of the Ernakulam Centre of the University of Kerala in 1963 by Prof. K. Venkateswarlu. It is now a centre of excellence, well known within India and abroad for its contributions to teaching and research in both experimental and theoretical physics. Areas of interest include nanoscience and technology, optoelectronic devices, quantum computing, semiconductor devices, solar cells, holographic materials, high density storage batteries, astrobiology and quantum optics. Research is sponsored by agencies including UGC, AICTE, IUCAA, DST, DRDO, CSIR, IUAC, DAE, and KSCSTE. The department has extensive instrumentation, which is made available to outside users at a nominal charge. The department offers postgraduate programmes leading to the degrees of MSc (Physics), M.Phil. (Physics) and PhD. The Department of Physics conducts a science awareness programme in physics and the National Space Olympiad in association with the IUCAA Resource Centre, CUSAT and Edumithra Intellectual Services. Faculty of Technology Department of Electronics The Department of Electronics was established in 1975. Research areas include microwave electronics, microprocessors, underwater acoustics, ocean electronics, microwave propagation antennas, microwave image processing, pattern recognition, microprocessor applications in signal processing and display devices. Research is sponsored by external agencies including the DST, ISRO, AICTE, DOE, DRDO, MOD and the state government. The department has international collaborations with Delft University (Netherlands), PolarizOne Corporation (Malaysia), University of Kent (UK) and University of Surrey (UK). The department offers postgraduate programmes leading to the degrees of MSc (Electronics) and MTech (Electronics) with specializations in Microwave & Radar Electronics and Digital Electronics, and PhD. The department conducts two national symposia as biennial events: the National Symposium on Antennas & Propagation (APSYM), and the Symposium on Ocean Electronics (SYMPOL). Department of Instrumentation The Department of Instrumentation was established in the year 1995 as an outgrowth of the University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC), which offers instrumentation services including