MRS fuels a Pan-India materials science education program led by early career scientists
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MRS fuels a Pan-India materials science education program led by early career scientists By Vijay Venugopalan, Shruti Sharma, Darshana Joshi, Aditya Sadhanala, and Lori A. Wilson
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n 2016, a group of graduate students and research professionals based around the globe had an idea for a project to assess the needs of students in various rural and urban settings in India and to introduce them to the world of scientific research. They named the outreach initiative Vision India: GenY Applied Science Network (VIGYANshaala), which translates to “a school of science.” What they accomplished in less than two months is amazing. Team VIGYANshaala traveled close to 10,000 miles, reaching out to more than 100 schools, involving more than 250 teachers and volunteers each, and teaching more than 5000 students (between 13
and 18 years of age, mostly high school students) about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. Members of the team include Aditya Sadhanala (University of Cambridge, UK), Darshana Joshi (University of Cambridge, UK), Shruti Sharma (Stony Brook University, The State University of New York, USA), and Vijay Venugopalan (Politecnico di Milano, Italy). They received a grassroots grant from the Materials Research Society (MRS) Foundation that aided with the mission to create a multi-tier peer networking platform for research professionals, scientists, academicians, and postgraduate students
Top: Students extracting DNA from bananas and tomatoes. Bottom: One of the parallel sessions, with multiple sessions in the background.
who will inspire and actively mentor the next generation (GenY) of learners. Although India has a high average scientific literacy due to compulsory science courses up until high school and plenty of engineering colleges, the overall retention in STEM careers is low in quantity and quality. VIGYANshaala has a twofold aim to address these issues: 1. To expose youth to the fun in science and its impact on daily lives by bringing together “hands-on” sessions with mentors and educators from a wide variety of STEM fields with a focus on materials science. 2. To create a mentor network of students, working professionals, and academicians committed to the cause of inspiring GenY learners in STEM fields. This effort includes several interesting hands-on experimental activities, presentations, and one-on-one interactions through the combination of interactive demonstrations for exhibiting the latest scientific research, such as flexible electronics, and providing opportunities to perform scientific experiments, such as DNA extraction and advanced optics tests. All backgrounds of students were included—those from different cultures and regions of India, including several of the remotest areas, such as the India-Nepal border areas, the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, and remote parts of the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The workshops catered to different aspects of STEM fields, with a focus on materials science, and each employing varied approaches to excite young students. One of
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