SAS NAGAR, 7 FEBRUARY (CHANI)
Punjab State Council for Science & technology (PSCST ) celebrated ‘Vigyan Utsav’, a joint initiative of Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India & State Science & Technology Councils to showcase country’s Science Technology & Innovation (STI) ecosystem for Atma-Nirbhar Bharat.
The Vigyan Utsav was celebrated on the theme of ‘Science Communication and Popularization in Punjab’. The theme of Science Communication is universal as it is the most important aspect of Science & Technology based developmental process and creation of scientific temper is necessary for an informed and progressive society.
Dr. Debapriya Dutta, Advisor, Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India set up the tone for the event by underlining the importance of Science Communication to strengthen knowledge linkages. On the occasion, Dr Jatinder Kaur Arora, Executive Director, PSCST presented key initiatives for Science Communication in Punjab and said that science is not finished until it is communicated. In his special address, Dr. Manoj Kumar Patairiya, Ex- Head & Adviser, NCSTC, DST and Ex-Additional DG, Doordarshan and All India Radio brought out the perspectives of Science Communication in India and opined that STI communication in local languages should be promoted for better outreach. Another eminent science communicator, Prof. Prof. Ashok K. Ganguli, Professor of Chemistry, IIT Delhi and Founding Director INST underlined the importance of science by giving examples of day-to-day life.
During the event, Dr. Loveleen Kaur, Scientist took the participants on a virtual journey to discover the wonders of science at Pushpa Gujral Science City, Kapurthala. Sh. Hira Singh Bhupal, Asst. Professor from PAU, Ludhiana stressed that print media is still the best medium to communicate and popularize science and young writers should be motivated to write on general scientific topics. Dr. Bindiya Arora, physicist and science communicator from GNDU, Amritsar made an interesting presentation to how science clubs can enthuse students to learn and imbibe scientific values in their lives.
In the last session, Hand-on-Activities for communicating Science were demonstrated in very interesting way by Dr. Jaswinder Singh, National Awardee and Ms. Puja Goyal, Lecturer of GSSS, Purkhali. Dr. Jaswinder captured the imagination of participants through his unique model of ‘Lab on Wheels’ which is used for promotion of science and mathematics. Ms. Puja Goyal performed hands-on-activities to explain science behind the so-called Miracles.
The event was aired live on WebEX and YouTube and attended by more than 600 teachers, students and researchers across the state.
