SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
Workshop on Prompt Engineering and RAG
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering (Data Science) organised a workshop titled “Prompt Engineering and RAG” on 7th November 2025 for third-semester students. The session was conducted by Mr Vinod Tigadi, Senior Engineering Manager at Enphase Energy. The workshop introduced students to foundational AI skills critical for modern data science, focusing on prompt engineering and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).
The session began with an overview of prompt engineering, explaining how well-crafted prompts improve LLM performance, accuracy, and reduce bias. Students learned principles of clarity, specificity, and iterative refinement to optimise AI responses.
The workshop then covered RAG, a technique that combines LLMs with external knowledge sources to produce fact-based, context-aware outputs. Practical exercises allowed students to design and test prompts for tasks such as data analysis, question answering, and content generation. Demonstrations showcased how subtle changes in wording impact model performance.
Hands-on activities included building RAG pipelines using popular tools, illustrating the interaction between retrievers and generative models. Real-world applications of prompt engineering and RAG in research, automation, and decision-making were explored. Collaborative problem-solving tasks helped students apply these concepts to deliver accurate, knowledge-grounded responses.
The session emphasised how integrating external data into LLMs creates smarter, adaptable AI systems. Students gained practical techniques to build AI-powered solutions capable of answering complex queries and automating analysis tasks. The workshop highlighted that these skills reduce retraining costs and improve adaptability to dynamic information.
By the end of the session, participants understood how prompt engineering and RAG together enable creative yet reliable AI applications. Overall, the workshop equipped students with essential competencies for developing advanced, data-driven AI solutions.