Experts talk at communicators' meet

The University of Mysore (UoM), in a move to make the Ninth Science Communicators meet, scheduled to be held during the 103rd Indian Science Congress, a grand success, has roped in well-known personalities to deliver lectures on science communication.

The two-day communicators’ meet will be held in Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMMRC), on January 4 and 5. Nobel laureates, specialists from internationally accredited research organisations, professionals in forestry and environmental sciences, scientists, communication specialists and educationalists will deliver talk on various topics.

Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), New Delhi, Director General (Life Sciences) Manas K Mandal will deliver a talk on ‘Opportunities and Challenges of Science Communication in India’ and Professor in Forestry and Environmental Sciences K N Ganeshaiah will deliver a talk on ‘Role of Scientists in Extracting and Communicating Science from Traditional Beliefs and Practices’ on Day One.

On Day Two, former vice chancellor of Manipal University B M Hegde will speak on ‘Science, Business and the Reality’ and Scientist at Head Science Communication Through Multimedia, New Delhi, Gauhar Raza will deliver a lecture on ‘Scientific Temper a Necessity for Indigenous Development’.

In the afternoon session, Vigyan Prasar, New Delhi, Director R Gopichandran will speak on ‘Is Science Popularisation in India Oversimplified?: Provide Strategically Important Support to Missions for Better Engagement’, former VC of UoM S N Hegde will address on ‘Science and Technology for Enhancing the Quality of Life’ and Vinod Kumar of University of Delhi will throw light on ‘Communicating Basic Life Science Research to Stakeholders: A need for the Paradigm Shift’. Former VC J Shahshidhar Prasad and R K Sharma of DRDO will chair the sessions.

The event will be inaugurated by Secretary for Department and Science (DST) Asutosh Sharma and Nobel Laureate Dan Shechtman of Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, will be the guest for the inaugural session.

Minister for Planning and Statistics, IT-BT, Science and Technology, S R Patil will deliver the valedictory address. Indian Science Congress Association General Secretary A K Saxena will preside over the valedictory while Bhanu Pratap Singh of National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) and VC K S Rangappa will participate.

The science communicators will discuss and deliberate the innovative learning tools, developing existing and novel methodologies for creating scientific awareness and scientific temperament among the participants for understanding the scientific and natural phenomena with the view of indigenous research and development. The meet will emphasise the role of science communication in popularising science education, skills development, technology transfer, sharing and access to information for a strong indigenous research and development programmes in the country, said science communicator’s meet convener Ravishankar Rai.