Does the sight of flames leaping to the beat of A.R. Rahman’s hasti rahe make your eyes go wide in wonder? What about watching one of India’s fastest supercomputers, CRAYXC40, humming in a glass room as it executes a trillion floating point operations per second?
On Saturday, the Indian Institute of Science, like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, opened its doors to the public for its annual Open Day held to commemorate the birth anniversary of its founder Jamsetji N. Tata.
With colourful banners and large crowds of students everywhere, the usually quite campus looked decked for a festival. Little science buffs dragged their haggled parents to each department across the sprawling campus, where researchers explained various concepts through live demonstrations. At the Molecular Biophysics Unit, researchers demonstrated the extraction of DNA from a strawberry, while at the Aerospace Engineering department, a live rocket propulsion demo drew crowds throughout the day. Twelve-year-old Rishika, who aspires to be an astrophysicist, did not want the day to end. “I feel like a kid in a chocolate factory,” she gushed. Her mother Sunitha Ramesh was happy to let her daughter catch a glimpse of what the future might hold for her. “It’s a great initiative to draw young crowd and inspire them to dream big,” said Ms. Ramesh.
From quizzes and puzzles to models and lectures, there was much to see and grasp for those interested. At the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology Department, researcher Shreoshi Dasgupta spoke about the department’s work in demystifying a lethal form of brain cancer.“We made considerable progress in understanding the role of a gene called fibromodulin (FMOD), which when downregulated, mitigates the pace in which cancer cells spread through the brain,” she said. A few blocks away, students at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering revealed how they used nanoscience to develop compact gas sensors and biosensors which could “read” human cells.
Some tricks were kept a secret: like the magic water fountain, in which water kept filling to the brim of a pot without overflowing. Volunteers had fun eliciting possible solutions from their young audience. “Give it a shot, you might just discover it,” said a volunteer. A “crooked” cycle designed by students of the Mechanical Engineering Department had visitors bravely try to hang on to the saddle, as its front wheel turned the opposite direction to the way the handlebar moved.
For visitors, it was a wonderful opportunity to see science in practice and gain an insight into research happening at IISc. Shanthanu, head of Biotechnology Department at Seshadripuram College, said: “Many institutions lack the infrastructure to provide practical education. Open day gives students a chance to explore every niche of science.”
