Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Vice Chancellor, Professor VN Rajasekharan Pillai today announced the establishment of Raman Chair in the University. Prof. P T Manoharan, has joined as Raman Chair Professor in IGNOU. Prof. Manoharan is currently Ramanna Fellow, Department of Science & Technology and an Honorary Professor (JNCASR, Bangalore) at IIT, Madras. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the Third World Academy of Sciences and the World Innovation Foundation.
Raman Chair, an integral part of IGNOU’s School of Science (SOS), is created to promote interdisciplinary research and teaching involving all four branches of basic sciences, particularly in the context of the eroding attraction and declining participation of youngsters towards science, scientific research and development.
Professor Pillai said,” It is gratifying to witness a growing realization that basic scientific research is the real key to technological development without which a nation like India cannot evolve into a global economic power and sustain the tempo of its increasing need and thirst for new and sophisticated technology.” He further added that the health of a nation is dependant on the health of its scientific base which will in turn propel new technology. A manifold increase in the country’s investment in science education and scientific research can be seen as evidence for a keenness to develop our scientific base taking cognizance of the globally competitive scenario.
The initiatives and objectives of this Chair will include coordinating the promotion of integrated science teaching and multidisciplinary research activities, conceiving, initiating, coordinating and propelling academic and research activities and planning and execution of integrated Master’s level degrees. Its aim also encompasses inviting expert teachers and scholars from all branches, including mathematics, to come together in an attempt to create a convergence between the modalities of IGNOU and science institutions of repute, such as Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research.
The Chair will also work towards creating projects to develop curricula and syllabi for new courses at all levels—degrees, diploma and certificates. It will innovate new methods of science- education through the use of modern communication technology and promotional activities in the field of educational and training materials such as writing of books and multimedia materials for different modes of learning needs. Developing courses in multidisciplinary subjects such as nanoscience, green chemistry, business mathematics will also be an objective of the Chair. It will identify bright young talent in the final years of schools from all sections of society and regions to participate in the development of science through seminars, with the help of scholars from all over India. Last and not the least, Raman Chair will work with national policy making bodies to map out strategies for science promotion at all levels.
No comments:
Post a Comment