Event Name IYCr2014 awareness and outreach program
Start Date 20th Jan 2014
End Date
Duration N/A
Description

Crystallography Outreach programme at Hyderabad High Schools (India)

Coordinators: Nandikotkur Padmaja (IASc) and M. S. Rajesh (IISc)

With support and motivation from Professor Gautam R. Desiraju, President of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)

The objectives of the Crystallography Outreach programme at Hyderabad were to:

  • propagate the importance of crystallography in everyday life to school children and to increase awareness of the science of crystallography;
  • teach fundamentals of crystals and crystallography; 
  • illustrate the universality of Science and the importance of Science and its application to humanity, referring to crystallography’s contributions to medical science and to other areas of humanity;
  • brief about careers opportunities in Science;
  • convey information about UNESCO and its work to provide high-quality education to children as a fundamental human right.    
The event was a great success. About 300 students showed enormous interest and were very keen to learn about crystallography.

N. Padmaja's lecture on crystallography was greatly enjoyed by the Principal and schoolchildren. Her fluency in English and Telugu was well received!

M. S. Rajesh gave an introductory talk about crystallography and played the video Celebrating Crystallography, in which the children became fully immersed.   

An IYCr2014 and crystallography quiz question paper was a huge hit with the children, many of them achieving excellent scores.  

The Thank you, Dorothy poster prepared to advertise the International Year was quite new to students and there were questions about the life and career of Dorothy Hodgkin. Students who answered the quiz questions received gifts. All the children immensely liked a presentation about crystallization in chocolates, as well as the opportunity to sample real chocolates and candy! The children also appreciated the introductory English Crystallography matters booklet.

Neighbouring schools have asked for similar crystallography programmes.

Reported by M. S. Rajesh

See the photo gallery


Location Hyderabad
India
Contact M.S. Rajesh
msrajesha@gmail.com
URL
Category activities for schoolchildren