CHENNAI: Specialised branches of engineering are among the most lucrative professional courses around. In the hype that surrounds these subjects, the importance of basic sciences in the field of research and development is lost.Sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) 2011, a five-day science camp, was inaugurated at Sathyabama University today. Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, Chief Controller of Research and Development at Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) was the guest of honour.Dr Pillai, in his inaugural address, spoke about how the nation can progress only if science progresses. “A scientist is one who questions and no one asks more questions than a child. By that logic, all children are scientists,” he said. Presenting a slide show on the past, present and future of science in India, he asked the students to aim high, work hard and persevere with their dreams.The main aim of the INSPIRE programme is to create a human resource pool for strengthening and expanding the Science & Technology system and R&D base. Dr P Kandasamy, one of the mentors of the camp, says, “The important thing is to make the basic sciences exciting for the children, and to draw them into the stream. There is a lot of potential for employment as well.” Kandasamy added that it was imperative that students know the scope of research and development before they make career choices. “Many of the brilliant young minds go into engineering or other courses, even if they have an affinity for the sciences. This is because they are not aware of the other streams they could go into,” he says. Kandasamy also said that the same programme had been implemented for undergraduate students, but was not very successful. It is now being implemented first at the school stage and next at the undergraduate stage.More than 160 students from 11 schools will be attending the camp. Each day of the camp will focus on one basic science — mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and earth science. The seven sessions each day will include talks by various experts and professors from different colleges and institutes. There will also be live laboratory demonstrations, and an interactive session at the end of the day. Chancellor of Sathyabama University, Dr Jeppiaar said that students should be inspired to become scientists, and this would happen only if they had visible role models. Vice Chancellor Dr B Sheela Rani welcomed the gathering and said that young students should go for innovation and inspiring research.
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