Bangalore:
This 15 year-old from Puttur saw her dad losing his cocoa crop to pests. It spurred her to start work on making a bio-pesticide with five plant extracts. The invention finally took her to an international competition in the US in May.
When Sindoora Saraswati walked on to the stage, hundreds of government school children gathered at the Shikshakara Sadan were bowled over. “I am a farmer’s daughter. I also hail from a village, like many of you. Whatever small thoughts you have, start implementing them,” she said.
This Class 10 student from Vivekananda English Medium School, Puttur, best describes scientific temper. Sindoora was speaking as part of Intel India’s ‘Intel Future Scientist Programme’ in Karnataka. She was part of the five-member team that represented India at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the US.
Raghavendra Ramachandra, who just completed his Class 12, astounded the fair with his project in organic chemistry along with Sindoora. He will be at Sweden this December to witness the Nobel award ceremony. His project was about using sunlight to rejuvenate fuel.
Intel India, with an aim to instill scientific temper among students and teachers, is planning to reach out to seven districts in the state. Four specially designed mobile vans will be sent on a Vigyan Yatra to attract onlookers with science exhibits with on-board scientists and science material. They are expected to tour each district for three days, conducting science workshops for students. They plan to reach out to 500 teachers and 5,000 students.
The programme will consist of seven modules delivered over two days of training, comprising inquiry-based learning and facilitating scientific inquiry. It will help science teachers present their curriculum from an inquiry-based perspective to help build a spirit of research and innovation in students.
Primary and secondary education minister Visvesvara Hegde Kageri said: “The government is also coming up with a lot of initiatives to encourage children to take up Science. Entrepreneurs and companies should come forward to adopt schools. If organizations want to invest money in social service, they should look at education as a priority.”
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Bangalore> Scientific Temper / TNN, June 28th, 2012