Public Communication of Science and Technology 2010
“…Do not believe on whatever you are told or you yourself have imagined it, unless you testify it. Do not believe whatever your teacher says just because you respect him, but believe only after your own examination and analysis; it would be your guiding factor that will never let you down. Even do not believe on whatever I say, unless you have tested it with due experimentation as a goldsmith does for testing of gold by putting it in fire!…”
--- Gautama Buddha
11th Public Communication Science and Technology Conference concluded in New Delhi recently. The focal theme was ‘Science Communication Without Frontiers’. Five Scientific Sessions with the following Sub Themes were organized as follows.
Sessions related to ‘A Critical Review of Science Communication in the World’ conversed about science communication having different functions in industrialized and developing countries. What are some of the new national approaches being taken in different countries, and how do they compare? Sessions related to ‘Science Communication Studies & Research’ focused on practical aspects linking the theory of science communication to practice, including novel and innovative practices, techniques and models of science communication, besides teaching science engagement to scientists and communicators.
Sessions related to ‘Role of Science Centres & Science Museums’ elaborated on case studies and success stories on various aspects of science centres and museums. It will include discussions on science cities, mobile and fixed science exhibitions, science circus, science cafe and planetariums, etc. Sessions related to ‘Science Communication through Mass Media’ discussed S&T coverage in mass media, including new media approaches. How can media be employed to promote societal dialogue rather than one way dissemination a in a media society? Sessions related to ‘Globalizing & Localizing Science Communication’ examined the global issues with local significance and vice versa, while focussing on networking efforts at global, regional and local levels to encourage flow of contents, policies, methods and practices in science communication and their institutionalization.
In the inaugural speech, former President Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam said that, “The purpose of science is to understand the nature where we live. The role of science communication is no longer limited by communication bandwidth but the imagination bandwidth of scientists.” He suggested three important tasks for the experts engaged in science communication: To make all citizens, particularly those in remote and rural areas (e.g. India has 700 million rural population) to feel excitement about science; To make all the citizens to know about the advances of science and their role in the society in economic and health development and to bring more and more of fruits of science within the reach of their daily lives while being sensitive to the sustainability of our planet and our responsibility towards it and To motivate the students and entice them to embrace science as a profession. Also there are many young inventors and imaginative citizens (including from remote rural areas), sometimes without a formal training, who can be brought to public attention and encouraged.
Then Dr. Kalam appealed to prepare for Missions for Science Communication by outlining the possible agenda in front of the scholars and practitioners of the Science Communication. Key elements out of his vision are:
a) Bringing out a document and may be a website, on the number of science communicators available different regions, nations and states and in different languages. Based on this data, efforts should be made to treble the available science communicators across the length and breadth of the country in multiple languages within the next three years.
b) Like the discovery channel, there is a need to establish science channel through innovative communication methodology. It would cover a vast array of innovations, researches and interesting scientific facts.
c) Promoting systems science education among the youth and experienced for enabling informed debate on public policy leading to development oriented decision making.
d) Generating the content for primary and secondary level science education and putting it up on an open source web based media, which can be available in multiple languages
e) Bringing out at least ten volumes on researched biographical information of scientists from different parts of the world within the next three years. These biographies must pay particular attention to describe the interest and enthusiasm shown by the young scientist in learning and applying science. These stories will motivate the younger generation to take up science as a carrier.
f) Bringing out “Science & Technology Daily” newspaper which can internet based, open source and contributed by the best of the scientific community and written in user friend language.
g) Publishing case studies from experiences from the work novel/innovative work of educational institutes, universities as to how exposure to imaginative simple experiments increase the broad base of scientific education in the country.
While modern science and technology is now accepted everywhere as an integral part of one`s everyday living, few ever stop and think about the obligations which rest on the users of the benefits of science and technology. The most important of these understanding of the scientific method and the development of the scientific outlook. Scientific method rejects revelation as a means of discovering truth and substitutes itself by techniques of observation, experimentation and deduction. Once it has permeated at every level of existence, method of science must become a way of life and it should not be construed as a mere knowledge system but a way of thinking.
The term scientific temper is an attractive one having brevity and comprehensiveness. This indicates all the hues of man`s thinking and rational having adjective of scientific. Responsibilities of scientist and non-scientist must be considered when we talk about scientific temper. For demography like us having huge disparity of wealth, education, technology and social recognition is also starved of rare but very much achievable scientific professionalism by every day common sense embedded in our quest for survival and bread-butter. The challenge lies in developing the willingness to work out, to understand the basic concepts, discovering and eschewing those which are in conflict with basic common sense and every day reason.
One of the ways, therefore, a man can develop his/her rationality is by conscious study and debate with self and others. Everyone will be benefited by the energised discussion. One has to have opinion leaving behind passive attitude. The exercise of scientific temper or scientific humanism is not only relevant to the intellectually and economically developed nation, but it is more than important for the emerging, developing, least developed countries. It gives a unique capability to induce a awakening thought to the fallen societies by making a vast population a creative force for the much needed transformation where every citizen has equal role to play.
Obscurantism has pervaded in all walks of our society. Today obscurantism may be considered as encompassing across in terms of communalism, unscientific ideas and beliefs, superstitions and dogmas, blind adherence to religion, customs, convention and tradition. Across the decades and centuries of history full of social, political, economic conflicts scientific knowledge was not assessable to all the people. Science progresses through the leaps and bounds of the efforts of the few and by debatable reasons most of the others who were party to the progress, did not or to put in a better way could not accept the validity of the discoveries, inventions, and innovations always. Reasons being arguments of the scientific discovery are not comprehensible common people. So role of education in eradicating obscurantism is paramount.
Scientific temper could lead to the better appreciation of the impact of science and technology on society and thereby provide the kind of atmosphere needed for S&T to flourish along with their recognition. Much of the S&T done today requires expenditure of public funds directly or indirectly, and utilization of it requires permeation of the scientific temper in the masses.
So one cannot resist to recall the person who gifted this world the term ‘Scientific Temper’ which was later incorporated in our constitution in form of fundamental duty to pursue unlike all other nations all over. Clause (h) of the Article 51A of the Constitution of India which deals with the Fundamental duties proclaims that to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. Thus Jawaharlal Nehru contemplated and acted, “Our age is a different one. It is an age of disillusion, of doubt and uncertainty and questionaning; it is an age of disillusion, of doubt and uncertainty and questioning. We can no longer accept many of the ancient beliefs and customs; we have no more faith in them, in Asia or in Europe or in America. So, we search for new ways, question each other and debate and quarrel and evolve any number of ísm’ and philosophies. As in the days of Socrates, we live in an age of questioning, but the questioning is not confined to a city like Athens; it is worldwide.”
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