Women rule science Congress!

Pookkodu (Wayanad): The vibrant atmosphere at Kerala Agriculture and Veterinary University (KVASU) campus assures that India has a lot of potential researchers coming up in future. More than 2000 students and research scholars are attending and presenting papers during the four-day Kerala Science Congress which started on Tuesday. 

The most interesting part is the presence of a high number of women participants at the congress.  On day one, out of the 1850 students that had registered, 1116 were women.

Even among the faculty, scientists and other participants, a considerable number were women. “This is a very good sign. More and more girls are coming up as participants and presenting papers, and showing interest in the field of research,” said Centre for Water Resources Development and Management Scientist Dr George Chackacherry.

Shackira AM, a research scholar from Calicut University Life Science Department, said that students were now aware of the scope of science and research. “I have come here not just to present my paper, but to gather knowledge on what is happening in the field of research and to update my knowledge by participating in discussions and interactions with senior scientists,” she added.

“The atmosphere here is very good and the event is well organised. I am sure that I can learn many things from here, which I can later use in my research work,” said Ranjini Krishna, a MSc student from Pulppally Pazhassi Raja College, who wants to present her paper in the next Science Congress.

“The exposure the researchers are getting at such events is tremendous. We regularly participate and present papers at the Science Congress,” said High School Assistant Dr Sunu Kumar and Higher Secondary schoolteacher Dr Manoj G S.

Sangeetha G, a research scholar from Kerala University College, Thiruvananthapuram is at the Science Congress for the second time and is presenting her first poster.

“My aim is to gather as much knowledge as I can , and also to understand if anyone else is doing the same research I am doing and find out what are the things I have missed out so I can update myself,” she said.

Next: A memorable experience for science aficionados

A memorable experience for science aficionados

Harigovind | DC

Pookkodu (Wayanad): “I never imagined even in my wildest dreams that I would touch a real rocket in my life,” exclaimed an excited 67-year old Amina from Sultan Bathery, who visited the National Science Exhibition at Kalpetta on Monday. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram has set up an amazing world of space research, rockets, satellites and space shuttles for many like Amina at The National Science Exhibition ‘Shastra Jalakam’, organised as a part of the 26th Kerala Science Congress.

The exhibition is offering a memorable experience to science buffs and the public in Wayanad who are gathering in huge numbers to see the exhibits which once they thought they would never see in their lifetime. The expo includes real rockets, satellites and launch vehicles that Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) developed.

A real model of India’s first indigenously developed sounding rocket Rohini (RH-75 -32 kg rocket with 7 kg payload and 10 km altitude), launched in 1967  and India’s first Satellite launch Vehicle SLV-3 are the major attractions in the exhibition.

Scaled down models of India’s first satellite Aryabhatta,  Rohini and different series of INSAT (Indian National Satellite System) and satellites used for ocean research and geographical research are also exhibited at the expo. The new generation SLVs- PSLV and GSLV models are other attractions at the event.

“For people like us who live all our life at this place, this exhibition is a rare opportunity to see what we had only seen on television,” said a mesmerised Abdul Kader, a local, who is still brimming with excitement after seeing the Chandrayaan model.

“The response from the public is good and more and more people are coming forward with questions about different space vehicles and satellites and their functions, “said VSSC Technical Assistant Roshan, one of those in charge of the exhibition.

Exhibition stalls by India Posts, Bangalore Institute of Astrophysics, Science and Technical Councils of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, Botanical Survey of India, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation and many other organisations, institutions and NGOs have also been arranged at the venue as a part of the event.

Next: Conquering new heights: young turks bring accolades

Conquering new heights: young turks bring accolades

Pookkodu (Wayanad): “I am obviously excited, but at the same time, I think this award should be an encouragement for the young researchers to conquer new heights in the research field,” said a confident Mahesh Hariharan, the 36-year old scientist from Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, who is one among the three scientists who won the Kerala State Young Scientists Award- 2013.

Mahesh, who hails from Kochi, has won the award for his work on Photochemistry, where he studies the interaction of light and matter. 

Ravishankar, who is a scientist at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, won the award for his research on natural product chemistry, which aims at discovering drugs from natural products and synthesising them.

Vineeth Chandrashekharan , the youngest awardee at 33, is from the Space research lab of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and is studying the optimal remote sensing of space environment near the earth.

He said that the research would help in improving the signals of satellites and also to increase the accuracy of GPS navigation.