FDP Series Coverage on RENEWABLE ENERGY -Report by Chanchal, MA I(Journalism and Mass Communication)

Horoscopes, Eclipses and Shape of the Earth 

Keynote address by Dr T. Venkateswaran

Eyes twinkled as students learnt the ‘mantras’ and methodology of science (excuse the paradox)from pundits of science.

As the Department of Electrical Engineering holds its six-day workshop from 22 Aug to 27 Aug on Advanced Renewable energy in YMCA University, students get their ‘hands-on’ and ‘minds-on’ on a variety of techno-science topics.

The worthy registrar Dr Sanjay Sharma urges the students to explore the frontier zones where boundaries get blurred.

This was the auspicious occasion of inaugural ceremony of the faculty Development Programme convened by Ms Rashmi Chawla and Dr Pradeep Dimri of Depertment of Electronics in alliance with Vigyan Prasar aimed at popularizing science.

A string of activities were undertaken and kits were provided(from solar kits to radio kits) fostering research and development acumen amongst teachers and students .

Scientist T. Venkateswaran, Department of Science and Technology(DST) ,New Delhi delivered the keynote address. He was welcomed on the occasion by Hon'ble V.C Dr. Dinesh Kumar and Chairperson of Electronics Department Dr. Munish Vashishath. 

“I don’t believe in horoscopes, nor the claim that 

eclipses cause birth defects!”

- Dr. T. Venkateswaran, Vigyan Prasar

“Lock the students up with machines that have broken down- you will find them fixed-that’s learning. Gadgets are not there for mystic worship-dismantle them, reassemble them, repair them-discard the boxes, expose the circuit”

-Dr. Dinesh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor

In an interactive lecture, Dr. Venkasteswaran discussed the “Shape of Earth”beginning with the mind-boggling  question regarding the curious fact that though we inhabit earth , we have accomplished the feat of observing it from outside –first, in thoughts and now, in reality from satellites.

The Shape of Earth is described in divergent ways by Puranic Cosmography, Ancient Indian geography or ‘bhugol’, and modern science books.After initial thought-experiments and methods using shadows and eclipses, observations by voyagers and explorers, the human scientific evidence in the form of telescopic images and now satellite images have done much to dispel myths but added more riddles than were resolved.

Facts keep changing as we learn details and one methodology assists or counteracts another.

Natural phenomena present an endless mystery which science helps unravel like a grand jigsaw with a new dimension added to each day and for each one.

Dr. T.V. Venkateswaran was presented a memento on the occasion with a wish that the drive to popularize scientific inquiry take impetus as the university participates in it.