31/08/2023
Abstract:
"In India, there is a worrying disconnect between science and society. Unfortunately, the scientific community, though mainly publicly funded, hardly engages adequately with the public, with outreach often being a public relations exercise rather than a platform for discussion. In particular, the role of curiosity-driven, basic research (which often lies behind more tangible things "in the news") is mostly forgotten. Increasingly, the ever-expanding digital media platforms are where the general public gets its information from, where information, true or false, can quickly "go viral". Navigating a world, which often seems to be getting more polarized, even in discussions of topics like the COVID-19 pandemic or climate change, and where there is a flood of information, adds new complexities into the relationship between science and society.
Let's discuss the challenges to science communication and public engagement in the world we live in today. How do we remove the barriers and provide appropriate incentives to improve the quality of interaction between science and society?"
About the speaker:
Prof. Arnab Bhattacharya, an expert in semiconductor optoelectronics at Mumbai's TIFR, holds degrees from IIT-Bombay and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. He is associated with the TIFR research group focusing on novel semiconductor materials, especially III-nitride semiconductors synthesized via metalorganic vapour-phase epitaxy. He currently chairs TIFR's Science Popularization and Public Outreach and is the Centre Director of Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai. He's known for launching Mumbai's "Chai and Why?" popular science talks and has received the 2010 Homi Bhabha Award and the 2012 Chevening Rolls-Royce Fellowship for Science and Innovation Leadership. He's passionate about science outreach, engaging various audiences including students and teachers.