03 January 2020 | News | By Ankit Kankar
India’s largest annual gathering of scientific luminaries from countries across the world, the '107th Indian Science Congress', started at University of Agricultural Sciences (UASB), GKVK Campus, Bangalore, Karnataka focusing on ‘Science & Technology: Rural Development’ today
The Science Congress was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress is a major focal point for scientists, researchers and academicians interested in various aspects of science discoveries and technologies. The five-day long event aims to bring together science fraternity across the world to discuss scientific innovation and research.
The Nobel Laureates namely German Physicist, Prof. Stefan Hell who is one of the directors of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, Germany. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014 ‘for the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy’. Prof. Ada E. Yonath from Israel, a protein crystallographer, who was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, are participating in Congress.
Apart from this, several senior Scientists from India and abroad along with several government officials will be participating in this event to exchange their views on a range of scientific issues, both at the national and international level.
There are 28 Plenary Sessions on areas ranging from Climate Smart Agriculture for Food Security, Crop Improvement Towards Food & Nutrition Security, Materials Science And Technology For Rural Development, Challenges and Opportunities In Cancer Drug Discovery, Artificial Intelligence And Medical Technology, Advances In Basic Medical And Clinical Interactions, Non-Communicable Diseases In Rural Population as well as Cancer Research - Therapeutic Applications. The areas also include Nano Materials for Energy, Environment and Health Care, Novel Solutions for Oil and Gas Industry Problems and so on in which senior scientists and officials will discuss on the status, challenges, opportunities and scope in these research areas.
Public Lectures
Four Public lectures by eminent personalities like Nobel laureate Prof. Stefan Hell, Dr. Subra Suresh among others, covering topics like Ultrasharp Fluorescence Microscopy, science across disciplines ranging from basic science to applications in the industry, acute problem of modern medicine, life style diseases to recent advances in cardiac sciences will be organized in the Science Congress.
Sectional Sessions: Fourteen Sectional Sessions covering different disciplines of science will be organised in the Science Congress.
Farmers Science Congress
With focus on Rural Development through Science and Technology, for the first time in the history of Indian Science Congress, a Farmers Science Congress is being held. It will cover themes ranging from farmers innovation on integrated agriculture and entrepreneurship for doubling farmers income, climate change, bio-diversity, conservation, ecosystem services & farmers empowerment to agrarian distress, rural bio-entrepreneurship, policy issues.
The event will have the presence of experts and scientists from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) along with farmers whose innovative approaches have led to significant contributions.
Rashtriya Kishore Vaigyanik Sammelan (Children’s Science Congress)
A two day event ‘Rashtriya Kishore Vaigyanik Sammelana’ will be held at UASB, GKVK as part of the 107th Indian Science Congress on 4th and 5th January 2020. The aim is to provide a unique opportunity for children to view selected projects and interact with the student delegates and children will also have the opportunity to listen, interact with eminent scientists and Nobel Laureates. Events like one minute video competition, Infosys Foundation - ISCA Travel Awards for School Children, visit to exhibitions, live science demonstrations and science magic show will be organized as a part of the Science Congress.
Women Science Congress
The women’s science congress aims to provide single platform for women working in different arena of science and technology to showcase their achievements and experiences. It will also prepare a vision document or a road map for women in science and technology and recommend policies to enhance the role and utilize the full potential of women in science and technology. In this session, women are invited to share ideas and experiences to motivate the younger women to actively participate in science to identify and find simpler solutions through Science and Technology.
Former VC’s Science Congress
The former VC’s Science Congress addresses the urgent need in Indian higher education institutions today is to establish quality internalisation pathways through quality culture in academic, administrative and financial spheres of institutional management. Several eminent Vice Chancellors like Prof. S.P. Thyagarajan, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Madas, Chennai and Prof N. Prabhudev, VC Bangalore University will be attending the event.
Vigyan Sancharak Sammelan - 2020 (Science Communicators Meet - 2020)
“Vigyan Sancharak Sammelan” is an initiative for Science communicators' for professional growth. This programme will focus on the theme "Science & Technology: Rural Development ". Science Communicators’ role is to facilitate public engagement with scientific issues. Science communication plays an integral part in one’s scientific career. Being able to effectively disseminate research findings within the community and to consider collective opinions in prioritizing research needs is an important attribute of scientific maturity. Thus, dissemination of scientific information and inculcation of scientific attitude among masses at large is the need of the hour.
With this broad goal, Science Communicators’ Meet will be held to bring together experts in the field of science communication with particular reference to rural development. It will provide an opportunity to academicians, science journalists, activists, filmmakers, scientists and other communicators from all over the world to meet, deliberate and exchange their views on how to develop science communication.
Mega Science Exhibition - PRIDE OF INDIA ISC EXPO
Pride of India (PIO) ISC Expo is a unique platform for organizations from government, private and public sector to showcase their achievements in the field of science and technology. The POI Expo brings together and displays hundreds of new ideas, innovations and products covering the entire canvas of scientific world. The five days will witness a large number of visitors from the corporate sector, scientific fraternity and academia, R&D institutes, defense, government, PSUs and so on.