The Zoological Survey of India’s Marine Biology Regional Centre will begin its annual 15-day internship programme on Friday. For the first time, this is being conducted online.
Around 215 students, mostly from the city and over 60 students from Annamalai University, besides Saurashtra University in Gujarat, have registered for the course. Students will undergo 15 days’ online classes. At a later date, they will also have hands-on training sessions.
The students are required to participate in the classes, take notes, and at the end of the day, post their queries or answer questions from the experts delivering the lectures. The programme is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students of the zoology department. Colleges give students additional credits for participation.
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Ch. Satyanarayana, Scientist D (Coral Expert), at the Marine Biology Regional Centre of the ZSI, who will conduct the inaugural session on Friday, said students from 11 colleges affiliated to the University of Madras and some from Saurashtra University are participating in the programme.
“We usually offer internship programmes. But this time, we thought students can take the course. Whenever the chance comes, they can come to the office and learn. The topic we have given is Collection, Preservation and Identification of Marine Fauna. The students will save 15 days of course work and it will be helpful for teachers too. It starts from World Biodiversity Day that falls on May 22 and ends on World Environment Day on June 5,” he said.
D. Dharanidharan, a first-year PG student at Pachaiyappa’s College, who has joined the course is interested in preserving the elephant ecosystem. “My favourite animal is the elephant. We are expected to submit two posters during the course. One of them is on my favourite animal. I am excited about it,” he said.
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The focus of R. Kavitha, his classmate, is entirely different. After completing hr B.Sc she took up an internship on the suggestion of a friend, who was doing B.Tech Biotechnology. “There is so much to learn. I learnt the techniques in molecular biology. I wanted to learn about stem culture, animal tissue culture and microbiology techniques. This internship will be an impetus to pursue my interest in research. I am aiming for a research fellowship,” she said.