IISc Open Day: Where science sparks imagination in curious visitors

Bengaluru: From engineering students to those in basic sciences, and even school children, the canopied campus of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) buzzed with over 60,000 science enthusiasts and professionals at the Open Day event. Various departments showcased their research projects, demonstrating their work through illustrations, models, games, and interactions.

While biological and mechanical sciences presented traditional physical models, disciplines like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and climate change showcased innovative solutions to modern challenges. In the “kids area,” children enjoyed quizzes, puzzles, and mind games from different departments.

Venkatesh, a postdoctoral fellow, exhibited an AI-based flood monitoring technique.

Speaking to DH, he said, “Applying machine learning techniques, we study river monitoring systems to understand how floods happen. For instance, we get satellite images of the geographical area affected by floods in the past. We use AI tools to predict the path of the water flow if there are chances of flooding in real time.”

Siddhanth, an electrical engineering research intern from Manipal exhibited a meta AI-based segmentation technique that helps in identifying signs of glaucoma in the ophthalmology field. 

Several parents brought their science and engineering aspirant children to get an exposure into the world of science and its applications in the real world.

Parents, eager to expose their children to science, interacted with students and scholars, exploring various departments.

Anjali, the mother of class 10 student Nishil, spoke to DH.

She said, “Even though I am from an engineering background, most of the things displayed here go over my head. I want to keep learning and updating myself and not lose track of what I studied in college.” 

From the Cognition and Computation Behavior Lab to the Combustion Gasification and Propulsion Laboratory, departments showcased innovative ideas, inspiring visitors.

Cut-off box - Traffic jam Several parts of the city connecting to CV Raman Road were affected by traffic for many hours. While the traffic on the Outer Ring Road was heavy as usual New BEL Road Mehkri Circle and Sankey Road were flooded with traffic with slow movement and congestion causing noticeable delays.