Pune: Covid-19 pandemic forces a muted and virtual Science Day this year

This year, most city-based scientific research institutions and organisations have lined up several online events, webinars, lectures, competitions for students and teachers.

With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and newer restrictions coming into effect since Monday owing to the rising number of cases in Maharashtra, this year’s Science Day celebrations will be a quiet affair and a virtual one.

Every year, the National Science day is marked on February 28 and this year’s theme is ‘Future of Science, Technology, Innovation: Impacts on Education, Skills and Work’.

Pune being home to numerous national-level scientific institutions observes the day as an Open Day. It is a common sight to witness student visitors along with teachers and parents from Pune and far-off districts of Maharashtra throng to the labs and science parks on this day. Popular science lectures, screening of Sci-Fi movies, science games and activities mark an eventful day.

However, this year, most city-based scientific research institutions and organisations have lined up several online events, webinars, lectures, competitions for students and teachers.

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Since this year’s Science Day falls on a Sunday, a few institutions have even planned their celebrations on Friday, February 26.

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) will host an educational webinar ‘Our Atmosphere, Air Pollution and Ozone Hole’ by Ravi Yadav, scientist, Indo-UK Air Pollution and Human Health, at 12 noon on February 26 via its YouTube channel. Besides, there is an online quiz competition for students organised on the occasion.

The CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory plans to organise a half-day online talks for select invited audience on February 26.

The TIFR-National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) has invited school and college students to partake in a science project video making competition this year. A mobile-based application named GMRT Science Day – Growing Dots has been specially developed, where participants can upload their project videos. Select top projects will be screened on February 28 and prizes for the best projects will be awarded. In addition, the centre will host talks by eminent scientists and presentations on works and functioning of the centre’s own Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) located at Khodad in Junnar taluka of Pune.

The Centre for Science Education and Communication, formerly known as Science Park, at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) is observing a Science week in the run up to the actual day. On Sunday, the Park will host a virtual tour of its laboratories on its premises, screen a show on aero-modelling along with streaming a session on ‘Fun with Chemistry’ via the centre’s YouTube channel. Between February 24 – 27, four popular science talks will be streamed online at 4pm on topics ranging from Hobbies in minerals, Astro-biology, Exploring Calendar and Teen Care.

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