News of March

Science day celebration event called Super 30 was conducted at the Department of Physics, University of Kerala on March. 9-11,2023. The event took place over three days and had thirty selected participants from over 170 applications received from various colleges in Kerala. The participants traveled from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram to attend the event.

The first day of the event started with invited lectures from Dr. I. Hubert Joe on Raman spectroscopy, a fitting topic to begin the Science day celebration. This was followed by a keynote speech from Professor Titus from the Department of Physics, Cochin University. Professor Titus shared his thoughts on the concept of gravity, starting from Newton, going through Einstein, and eventually arriving at the late Professor Thane Padmanabhan's ideas of gravity being an Emergent Thermodynamic event.

On the first afternoon of day 1 of the event, there were special talks by popular YouTuber Jithin Raj and followed by Treasure Hunt. The organizers planned this event as an icebreaking session for the participants who came from different backgrounds, ranging from various educational levels to social and economic varieties.

The feedback from the Super 30 participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their enjoyment of the well-planned icebreaker session. The coordinator for the event, Melicha, who is a PG first-year batch student (2022-24), was pleased with the participants' response.

Day 1 ended on a high note with participants joyfully committed to returning for the next two days.

Day 2 of the Super 30 program at the Department of Physics, University of Kerala was an exciting day filled with lectures, lab tours, and a visit to the Travancore Observatory. The day started with a lecture on X-ray diffraction basics by myself, where I touched upon the concept of five-fold symmetry crystals and emphasized the importance of keeping an open mind and curiosity, even when reading well-accepted facets of crystals that only have 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6-fold symmetry. The response from the participants was overwhelmingly positive, and many of them were able to make new friendships with students from different colleges.

The Lab visit session followed, which featured research scholars from our department and technical staff members who guided this program as per the schedule. I am hopeful that these Super 30 students will return to the department either for their PG or research and be motivated to do quality research with the facilities provided to them.

The day also included an insightful talk by Dr. Aswathy, Assistant Professor (space Physics) in the Department of Physics, University of Kerala.

Dr. Aswathy is always energetic and eager to interact with young minds, and the participants enjoyed the talk. The program ended on a high note with a visit to the Travancore Observatory, which was planned quite nicely by Dr. Jayakrishnan, the Director of the Observatory. The students found the field trip to be a memorable one, and the photos taken speak volumes about this final event on Day 2.

The Super 30 event at the Department of Physics, University of Kerala came to a close on the final day with a flurry of activities. Dr. Mamata Sahoo, a UGC Assistant Professor, delivered an intriguing lecture on her research, sparking curiosity and inspiring students to develop deeper knowledgeinto theoretical fields of study.

The quiz competition was also a highlight of the day, with Super 30 participants actively engaged in the competition. The concluding gathering, chaired by Dr. I. Hubert Joe, Head in charge of the Department of Physics, saw prizes being awarded to the winners, and valuable feedback being received from the Super 30 participants. The positive feedback received has inspired the organizers to plan more such events in the future. Overall, the Super 30 program was a memorable and cherished experience for all involved, and we thank everyone who cooperated and made it a success.

Sharing a photo with Navami. Some friendships blossoms after Super 30

Pic Courtesy -Sandra Fathima Mata College

Today, March 03, 2023, was an exciting day for me as I had the honor of inaugurating the science club at NSS College Nilamel. The theme of my presentation was "Remembering C.V. Raman: Leader, Innovator, Scientist." It was a pleasure to share my knowledge and insights about this brilliant scientist with the enthusiastic students and faculty members of the college.

What made the day even more special was that my PG classmate Syam, who is now an assistant professor in the same college, invited me to speak at the event. It was great catching up with him after so long and seeing him excel in his career.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience being at NSS College Nilamel and interacting with the bright minds there. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for science and inspire the next generation of innovators.

On March 1st, 2023, I had the opportunity to deliver an invited talk on research ethics at a two-day national seminar on research methodology in science organized by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of St. Gregorious College in Kottarakara. This was an excellent platform for me to discuss the importance of ethical considerations in research and their impact on the quality and credibility of scientific findings.

Research ethics refers to the set of principles and guidelines that govern the conduct of research, ensuring that it is conducted in a manner that is both responsible and respectful of the rights and welfare of all involved parties. Ethics is a vital component of scientific research, and adherence to ethical principles is critical for maintaining the integrity and credibility of scientific findings.

During my talk, I discussed various ethical issues that researchers may face during their work, such as informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, and data management. I also highlighted some of the key ethical guidelines that researchers must follow, such as those outlined by the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki and the Belmont Report.

I emphasized the importance of ensuring that all research is conducted with integrity and transparency and that the research design and methodology are appropriate for the research question being investigated. Researchers must also ensure that they maintain the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in their research reporting and that they avoid any bias or conflict of interest that could affect the validity of their findings.

In conclusion, my talk stressed that ethical considerations are an integral part of scientific research, and researchers must prioritize ethics to ensure the credibility and validity of their findings. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my knowledge and insights with the audience and hope that my talk has inspired researchers to conduct research in an ethical and responsible manner.