IUCAA Scipop

Here's a little about us.

Info Links.

Science Centre (MVS).

Why popularise Science at IUCAA?

IUCAA, as a research institute, is looked upon by all as a place where Science is applied in an exciting field. SciPoP is an uniquely started effort towards increasing public awareness and understanding of Science & Astronomy. It is aimed at making people aware of the importance of Science education as well as to getting students genuinely interested in Science and motivated towards taking up a research career towards its advancement.

History

Science plays an important role in everyone's life. SciPOP was set up over two decades ago with the vision of Prof. Jayant V. Narlikar to make the common man aware of this. Initially Late Prof. Narayan. C. Rana and Mr. Arvind Paranjpye actively looked after the programme. Under the supervision of Prof. Somak Raychoudhary the Science Park was added to the resources.

In 2004, we got our own campus - the Muktangan Vindyan Shodhika (MVS) - when the Pulastya building was built with a generous donation from Smt. Sunitabai Deshpande.

Scipop now has local, national and international repute in a wide variety of roles and activities in science popularisation, in addition to the regular outreach of the institute's Astronomy and Astrophysics research.

Educational Outreach.

SciPoP has a lot of sections under its wings. However, Children and Teachers are our main area of focus. We have a group looking after a lot of activities for children. This includes regular special lectures, science-toy making, novel experiment development, programs encouraging discovery etc. Special workshops for Teachers exposing them to new, simpler and child-friendly teaching methods are also a part of SciPoP activities. In recent years this activity has been taken to nearby villages too.

Enabling Astronomy.

Encouraging present Science students and teachers through the use of Astronomy is also one of our motives. Amateur astronomers are provided the best possible help. A part of our group is regularly involved in spreading the applied science of Astronomy to attract students to science as well as to spread a scientific temper in people.