Start Date: December 10, 2010
End Date: December 14, 2010
Status: Closed
“Tibetan Science Conclave”- first ever workshop by Tibetan Scientific Society
Date: 11-14 December, 2010
Venue: TCV Tibetan Youth Hostel, New Delhi
Every year, nearly 100 Tibetan students pass class XII science. According to the recent educational survey conducted by Tibetan Scientific Society (TS2) in 7 major cities in India, out of 285 students with science background in high school, 100 are currently pursuing bachelor's degree in the sciences. Eighteen students are doing postgraduate studies and only two Tibetans are enrolled in PhD degree. The scarcity of students taking up postgraduate or PhD in science could be partly due to lack of awareness or initiatives within our community.
With the view to motivate and encourage the young Tibetan students to take up research careers in the sciences, TS2intends to attract undergraduate students and expose them to the current research trends in science.
Professor Richard R. Ernst is a renowned scientist in the field of spectroscopy. His contribution to the development of the methodology of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been acknowledged with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in the year 1991. In coincidence with his visit to India by this fall, Prof. Richard R. Ernst has accepted to interact with Tibetan science students at “Tibetan Science Conclave”. Prior to Prof. Richard R. Ernst’s talk, the potential participants will be given insight into the basics and importance of NMR spectroscopy.
One day field visit to one of the reputed research laboratories in Delhi to inspire interest in scientific research among the participants is also on our workshop program list.
We will be inviting resident scientists in Delhi to give lectures on NMR as well as on the importance of research in science.
Scientists with ethical values is a need of the hour. Geshe Dorjee Damdul la, current translator of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, has accepted to give an introductory talk on Buddhist science at the conclave, followed by interactive question-answer session with the participants.
Tibetan science scholars who are PhD degree holders or who are currently pursuing research in the sciences will share their experiences in research. Questions such as “what is research” and how one can enroll in PhD programs in the universities will be discussed.
Participants will be encouraged to present poster-presentations on NMR spectroscopy or related topics, and best poster-presentation will be rewarded. Besides, science inspired movies will be shown after the dinner.
Aims and Objectives
- To provide a platform for interaction and exchange of ideas related to science.
- To provide opportunities for scientific interactions among peers.
- To encourage young students to pursue exciting and innovative research in the sciences.
Why NMR Spectroscopy
- The interactive session with Prof. Richard R. Ernst, a renowned scientist in NMR spectroscopy, is itself a great opportunity for us. This could be more fruitful when the students are well prepared in basics and applications of NMR spectroscopy.
- Ones understanding of NMR spectroscopy involve physics, chemistry and its final application in biology. Hence, learning NMR spectroscopy highlights the importance of science as a whole.
- From the characterization of organic molecules in chemistry to the scanning of brain using MRI, application of NMR spectroscopy is diverse.
Who can participate?
Any Tibetan pursuing Bachelor's or Master's degrees in basic science can participate. However, TS2 can afford the expenditures of the first 30 selected participants.
Conclusion
Science and technology plays vital role in social welfare and economic development. Though Tibetans are rich in inner values, but the material advancement have been neglected for long. TS2 educational survey shows that only 5 students are pursuing PhD course and only two among them are in science. Although percentage of students pursuing bachelor degree in science is appreciable but the diminishing number of students taking up post-graduate course in science remains one of our major concern. Thus we need a serious endorsement of research in the field of science in our community. TS2 is meant to give this timely updates to all the Tibetan students in various field of science. This workshop is a step in a long way of continuous struggle to uplift the scientific understanding within our community.
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Press Report: Phayul.com
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=28698
