Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Young Scientist awards announced

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Jan. 31. The curtains came down on the 15th Kerala Science Congress here today with a call to broadbase science amid concern over the decline in research on socially relevant topics. As many as six researchers were selected for the Young Scientist awards instituted by the Congress.

In Physical Sciences, the award went to M. Ushamani, research scholar, Cusat, for her research paper on sensitized polymer films for optical recording. R. Rashmi, a research assistant at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, bagged the award in the life sciences category for her work on mediated inhibition of curcumin-induced apoptosis.

Jose Paul, who presented a paper on platelet rich plasma for peridontal regeneration, was selected for the award in the Health Sciences section while that in the Agricultural Science category went to Roy Stephen, Assistant Professor, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, who studied the physiological mechanisms of thermosensitive genic male sterility in rice.

In Environmental Sciences, I'ma Neerakkal, lecturer, Assumption College, Changanassery, was adjudged the best young scientist for her work on intercropping of medicinal plants in plantations.

Honey John, a research scholar from Cusat won the award in engineering and technology for her research on ployaniline/polyvinyl chloride semi interpenetrating networks.

The Vasudev award for the year 2000 in the Life Science category went to K. Sivaprasad, associate professor, Department of Cardiology, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, who studied the prevalence of risk factors for coronary artery disease among the poor people of Kerala. R. Prakashkumar, Principal Scientific Officer, STED, won a special award in this category. V.K. Bhadran, joint director, ER&DC, Thiruvananthapuram, who developed a personal tutor for hearing impaired children won the award for physical sciences.

There were no entries for the Young Scientist award in the Science and Society category while in the land and water management, no paper qualified for the contest. The contest for the best paper on the focal theme `Human resource development for science and technology' also failed to produce results. The organisers said none of the papers presented for the contest qualified for the award. There were no applicants for the Vasudev award in environmental sciences.

Several senior scientists expressed concern over the sharp decline in the number of papers on socially relevant topics. The former president of the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad,.R.V.G. Menon said many of the papers presented at the Congress were of little social relevance. Some of the sessions left us wondering why these studies were taken up at all, he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Govt. to press for HC Bench in capital
• Young Scientist awards announced
• Call to check use of plastic carrybags
• `Research should benefit the masses'
• More checkdams across Periyar planned
• State Media Awards announced

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu