Young scientists throng National Children’s Science Congress
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The second day of the 27th National Children’s Science Congress being held on the Mar Ivanios Vidya Nagar campus here saw active participation of students from across the country in its various technical sessions. Notable among the Saturday sessions, was the Mobile Water Quality Treatment Centre. P Harinarayanan, the science congress organising secretary said the session demonstrated collecting water samples and testing them at the lab. He said around 340 different presentations were held in the twelve halls on the campus on Saturday. There were around 192 presentations on Friday.
Students and teachers who present best projects will be selected and attached to national labs like National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) for two weeks or two months which would automatically make the students eligible for scholarships. Harinarayanan added that the students were contributing using both traditional and modern technologies.
“One project from Kannur is about making sanitary napkins using soya bean which makes it natural and decomposable. Students are also coming up with ideas to solve problems caused by solid wastes which play a major role in climate change. Students from different states are coming up with unique ideas,” he added. “This is a very good platform to bring out hidden talents in students and also creates a scientific temper,” said Kolli Mohananjali, a biological science teacher from Andhra Pradesh.
India to develop smart army
T’ Puram: Switching to smart technology is the need of the hour for the nation’s security and defence. Taking a giant leap in this regard, the scientists of the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) are believed to be developing a smart army and optimizing cyberspace and science for reducing reliance on traditional armaments like battle tanks, ships, and weaponry.
This was revealed by Director General - Aeronautical Systems (AS) of DRDO, Tessy Thomas. She said this during an interaction with the young scientists at the ongoing 27th edition of the National Science Congress. According to Tessy, space research is opened for all and the students and young scientists will have to make use of the same.
Tessy who is known as the ‘missile woman’ after she designed the guidance scheme for long-range missile systems that is used in all Agni missiles, also added that the nation is now capable to encourage every research project. In her interaction with the young scientists, Tessy spoke on the evolution of aerospace, Indian space programmes, aeronautic systems, hypersonic technology, future smart materials, risk mitigation, Agni missiles, and others.