Workshop Facilitators: Megha Parikh, Nehi Patel (Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Center)

Date and time: 20th January, 11:15 AM to 12:50 PM IST | 21st January, 10:50 AM to 12:25 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend? Class VIII to X students

Maximum Seats: 35

Human minds and creativity have always amazed the world with the technologies invented and machines designed. Technology plays an important role in STEM Education, especially when introduced to students at the right age, and helps them make informed career choices.

This workshop offers hands-on experiences where participants engage in DIY model-making and exciting activities, including crafting their DIY 3D Holograms, experimenting with 3D pens, sensor-based tasks, and captivating demonstrations on drone programming and flying. 

Through interactive experiences, students will not only discover but actively create with emerging technologies, empowering them to make informed choices about their future careers in the technology-driven world.

Key Features:

• DIY models made by participants, Hands-on activities like making a DIY 3D Hologram.
• 3D pens, sensor-based activities, drone programming and flying
• Facts about Arduino, microcontrollers and Artificial Intelligence

Workshop Facilitators: Dr Reeteka Sud, Anushka Banerjee, Dr Vasundhra Teotia, Kadambari Patil (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences)

Date and time: 20th January, 11:15 AM to 12:50 PM IST | 21st January, 10:50 AM to 12:25 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend? Suitable for all

Maximum Seats:  35  

Embark on a transformative exploration of mental health at our workshop for young adult audiences! Guided by a team comprising a clinician, senior lab scientist, a person with lived experience of having a mental disorder and skilled science communicators, this immersive session navigates the science, stigma, and latest research in mental illness. Engage with experts, debunk misconceptions, and find innovative ways to bust them, using a method of their choice.

This inclusive workshop is designed for all, offering a unique opportunity to not only deepen knowledge but also delve into the art of science communication. Through diverse creative mediums, participants can express themselves while advancing awareness and challenging societal stigmas surrounding mental health.

Key features:

• Hybrid workshop – join virtually or in-person!
• Bust Mental Illness Myths – a competition
• Expert guidance from mental health professionals
• Art examples for participants to take inspiration from

Workshop Facilitators: Ipsa Jain (Srishti Manipal Institute of Art Design and Technology), Arnab Barik (IISc), Asmita Sarkar (Srishti Manipal Institute of Art Design and Technology)

Date and time: 20th January, 11:15 am to 12:50 pm IST | 21st January, 10:50 AM to 12:25 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend: Suitable for all

Maximum Seats: 35

Delve into how the science of pain intertwines with artistic interpretation. Join to explore how artists visually capture the essence of pain through painting, offering a unique perspective on this universal human experience.

Open to all, this workshop provides a platform for the general public to interact with experts, pose questions, and participate in painting activities to share personal experiences and perceptions of pain. Join us in this workshop, where creativity and science converge to deepen our understanding of pain’s nuances and its portrayal through the evocative medium of art.

Walk Facilitators: Manasvi CM & Aditi Ahuja (IIT Gandhinagar)

Date and time: 20th January, 11:15 AM to 12:50 PM IST | 21st January, 10:50 AM to 12:25 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend? School students

Maximum Seats: 20

What is the moon made of? Where do insects sleep? Why is the sky blue? We all have questions that plague us. In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, we often resort to the internet to satiate our curiosity. But, what if we embraced questioning for the sheer joy of exploration?

Join the Curiosity Lab for a guided exploration with engaging activities at the lush campus of IISER Pune. Armed with a foldscope (a handheld 140x microscope) and cognitive science thought experiments, participants will observe their surroundings, sparking curiosity and nurturing them to think like scientists. It’s time to embrace the wonder of the unknown!

Key features:

• Foldscopes, handheld 140x microscopes
• Visualise tiny microorganisms in larger samples like insects, plants, fabrics, and tissues
• Cultivating a sense of wonder in exploring the unknown
• Igniting curiosity and encouraging proactive questioning

Workshop Facilitators: Nikitaa Sivaakumar, K Bhavana Varma (Wonder Yonder)

Date and time: 20th January, 12:55 PM to 2:30 PM IST | 21st January, 12:30 PM to 2:05 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend: Suitable for all

Maximum Seats: 35

Our workshop is designed to craft Wonder Yonder-style narrative illustrations and delve into the world of scientific story-telling. Participants will have the opportunity to create vibrant and engaging drawings to explain complex scientific phenomena to a general audience. Focused on dynamic storytelling, this session will emphasize the creation of vivid illustrations comprising foreground objects, intricate background patterns, and concise, impactful explanatory sentences.

Moreover, the workshop will explore the art of crafting whimsical compositions by seamlessly blending text and drawings across each panel or page. Additionally, attendees will learn the art of crafting simple GIFs and animations, empowering them to convey scientific ideas with creativity and innovation. Join us in this creative expedition, where art meets science, and storytelling becomes a powerful tool for sharing the wonders of the universe with the world.

Key Features: This will be a hands-on session where participants get to create a 10-page zine that they can take home.

Workshop Facilitator: Shraddha Bhurkunde (Royal Society of Chemistry, iRISE – IISER Pune), Aparna Date, Surbhi Pandya

Date and time: 21st January, 12:30 PM to 2:05 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend: School students (below class VIII), non-science undergraduates and postgraduates, general public

Maximum Seats: 35

Embark on a chemistry exploration with our biomolecules session! Uncover the science of everyday foods through engaging hands-on activities and demonstrations. Learn about biomolecules, and the essential components of food, and discover straightforward tests to detect them. Acquire the skills to identify potential food adulterants, making chemistry practical and applicable to daily life. This session offers a curious journey into the scientific principles behind our food, transforming common ingredients into tools for understanding chemistry. Join for an interactive session full of exploration and discovery!

Key features:

• Introduction to Biomolecules
• Test for biomolecules in everyday food items
• A glimpse of the nutrient digestion
• Identifying Food adulterants

Workshop Facilitator: Dr Shreeram Geet (Royal Society of Chemistry)

Date and time: 20th January, 12:55 PM to 2:30 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend: Class XI and XII students, science undergraduate and postgraduate students, parents

Maximum Seats: 35

This immersive workshop tailored for school students of class XI and XII as well as science undergraduates and postgraduates eager to explore the vast and exciting realm of scientific careers. Gain insights into diverse scientific fields, from biology and chemistry to physics and beyond. Discover the multitude of career paths available in the ever-evolving world of science. Receive valuable advice from Dr Shreeram Geet – doctor, writer, and career counsellor – on choosing the right educational path, selecting majors, and navigating the challenges and opportunities within the scientific community. Learn about the latest advancements in science education and research. Get a glimpse into cutting-edge technologies and methodologies shaping the future of scientific exploration.

Key Features: This will be a super interactive and engaging session with a dialogue!

Workshop Facilitators: Mayuri Rege (HBCSE, TIFR), Mugdha Belwalka (Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College)

Date and time: 20th January, 12:55 PM to 2:30 PM IST | 21st January, 12:30 PM to 2:05 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend: School students, young adults, general public

Maximum Seats: 35

Discover the magic of enzymes – the molecular powerhouses shaping life around us – in the workshop ‘Build a Bioreactor’. The workshop aims to demystify these efficient molecules by providing hands-on experience and insight into their vast applications. Join Mayuri and Mugdha for a hands-on experience where you’ll have the opportunity to construct and test your own mini-fermenters, mirroring the mechanisms used in industries worldwide. Using syringes and sodium alginate beads filled with immobilized enzymes such as yeast amylase and lactase, you will witness rapid chemical reactions in real-time – a captivating and educational experience.

Engage in discussions on experimental controls, enzyme choices, and production strategies. The session includes Q&A and insights into enzyme applications in diagnostics. Take home handouts on revolutionary enzyme methods and their impact.

Key Features: Building and testing your own mini-fermenters/bioreactors, super cool experimental demos, engaging discussions.

Workshop Facilitators: Stefania Maggi, McKenna Corvello, Sebastiano Pocchi, Sourav Bhadra, Saket Rungta, Rahul Mridha, Jyoti Roy Mridha, Yogesh Chaudhari, Harshal Gedam, Akash Roy (Mochi4ThePlanet)

Date and time: 20th January, 2:55 PM to 4:30 PM IST | 21st January, 2:20 PM to 3:55 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend? Science undergraduates and postgraduates, non-science undergraduates and postgraduates, general public, parents, educators

Maximum Seats: 35

Climate change impacts are especially felt among younger generations. According to a study conducted in 2022, 74% of India’s youth felt that their day-to-day functioning was being impacted by climate-related worries. In this workshop, participants will learn that feeling anxious about climate change is normal, but that if unattended, eco-anxiety may lead to serious mental health problems. How immersive technologies can help maintain youth mental health in the context of climate change will also be discussed. An interactive virtual presentation will be complemented by hands-on activities enhancing learning and discussion. Draws for eco-conscious prizes will be featured for workshop attendees.

Key Features:

• Interactive virtual presentation by climate psychology expert, Dr Stefania Maggi
• Hands-on guided activities and games
• Draws to win eco-conscious prizes will be featured for workshop attendees.

Workshop Facilitators: Shweta Ramdas (Centre for Brain Research, IISc) & Saveetha Meganathan (Tata Institute of Genetics and Society)

Date and time: 20th January, 2:55 PM to 4:30 PM IST | 21st January, 2:20 PM to 3:55 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend?: School students (Class VIII to XII), non-science undergraduates and postgraduates, general public

Maximum Seats: 35

What is DNA? Can we see it? Can we touch it? Spiderman has a mutation that allows him to climb walls, do all mutations make us superheroes? In this workshop, we will dive deep into the ins and outs of these questions, and make you think about the consequences of editing our DNA.

Key features:

• A video installation to showcase the public perceptions of genetics, including their thoughts on the ethical aspects associated with it
• Hands-on session on DNA extraction
• A fun game to illustrate the concepts of genes translating into phenotypes and how mutations affect the expression of genotypes

Workshop Facilitators: Vijeta Raghuram, Saurav Shome (‘i wonder…’, Azim Premji University)

Date and time: 20th January, 2:55 PM to 4:30 PM IST | 21st January, 2:20 PM to 3:55 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend? Middle- and high-school science teachers

Maximum seats: 35

Working with fragile and expensive instruments in a school science lab can make both students and teachers extra cautious. What if we could use cheap and familiar materials instead? Play around, try new things, and not worry about breaking them? ‘i wonder…’ invites middle- and high-school science teachers to a fun, engaging, and colourful workshop, featuring hands-on activities with BALLOONS and other simple materials. Free your imagination and explore a range of scientific concepts, discuss design considerations, and find ways to connect the activities to your curricula. Seats are limited!

Key Features: This is a science workshop featuring hands-on activities with balloons and other simple and cheap materials.

There will be engaging discussions around design considerations underlying the activities and ways to connect them with school science curricula, learning about design considerations for setting up activities in a classroom.

Walk Facilitators: Pialy Ghanekar, Vishwajeet Ghanekar (CellSavvy Group)

Date and time: 20th January, 2:55 PM to 4:30 PM IST | 21st January, 2:20 PM to 3:55 PM IST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Who can attend? Suitable for all

Maximum Seats: 20

Workshop Facilitators: Rafeeque Mavoor (Science Media Centre, IISER Pune)

Date and time: 20th January, 12:55 PM to 2:50 PM IST | 21st January, 12:30 PM to 2:25 PM IST

Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes

Who can attend? Suitable for all

Maximum Seats: 35

Augmented Reality is gaining prominence in science communication and education as a powerful tool for describing the unseen dimensions of scientific phenomena. This workshop aims to empower participants to use this tool for storytelling in science.

Key Features: The goals of this workshop are three-fold: Developing a narrative based on a scientific concept, building accurate 3D visual assets depicting the scientific concept, integrating them into a platform like an app.