AU to host AP Science Congress from November 7

Vice-Chancellor says 2,000 delegates are expected to take part in the three-day event

A view of the Andhra University central administrative office in Visakhapatnam.

Plans are taking shape at the Andhra University, which will be hosting the third Andhra Pradesh Science Congress (APSC), post bifurcation of the State. The three-day science congress will begin from November 7, and the focal theme is ‘Green technologies for transformation and sustainable development’.

The first science congress hosted by the APSC post bifurcation of the State was jointly hosted by SV University and Sri Padmavathi University in Tirupati and the second one was jointly held by Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Acharya Nagarjuna University and Krishna University in Vijayawada.

Speaking to

The Hindu , AU Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Nageswara Rao said that the AP Science Congress is jointly hosted by the AP Akademi of Sciences and one or more universities every year and this year AU will be hosting it in association with the Akademi, he said.

AP Akademi of Sciences was founded in 1963 and it was split into two, post bifurcation of the State.

According to Prof. Nageswara Rao, the science congress day has been fixed to coincide with the birth anniversary of Nobel Laureates Sir C.V. Raman and Madam Curie, but this year we have also included the birth anniversary of Acharya N.G. Ranga, whose birthday also falls on the same day, he said.

This year the science congress will focus on three main areas such as cyber security, medicinal plants and nano technology.

“We are expecting about 2,000 delegates with at least 50 eminent scientists from India and abroad. We are also trying to bring in a few Nobel Laureates. The invitation letters have been sent, the assurance is awaited and it will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister,” said Prof. Nageswara Rao.

The congress will also focus on other areas such as physical, mathematical and information technology, space earth and atmospheric sciences, life and agricultural sciences, biotechnology and chemical sciences.

According to the V-C, there will be a children science congress, science teachers meet, distinguished lectures, panel discussion, poster presentation and science and technology exhibition.

It is learnt that AU will be spending about ₹1 crore and efforts are on tap various resources including the alumni bank.

The organising committee headed by the V-C has been formed and efforts are on to set up committees to take care of various aspects such as reception, hospitality, media and technical.