Chennai: In a significant effort to foster scientific curiosity among students, CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) Chennai, in collaboration with the CSIR Chennai Campus (CMC), organized a Jigyasa ATL workshop from August 7-9, 2024.

The workshop, held as part of the Atal Tinkering Lab Adoption and Mentoring initiative, took place across four schools in Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.

The Jigyasa ATL workshop was conducted at Govt. Girls Hr. Sec. School-Peraiyur, Govt. Hr. Sec. School-M. Puliankulam, Govt. Hr. Sec. School-Sedapatti, and Govt. Hr. Sec. School-Melur. More than 400 students and 40 teachers actively participated in this three-day event, which aimed to bridge the gap between scientific research and school-level education through a unique Student-Scientist Connect program.

A team of esteemed scientists from CSIR-SERC delivered insightful scientific lectures and conducted hands-on demonstrations. The team included Dr. S. Maheswaran, Senior Principal Scientist; Dr. A. Abraham, Senior Principal Scientist; Dr. R. Balagopal, Principal Scientist; Dr. B. Arun Sundaram, Principal Scientist; Dr. S. Sundar Kumar, Principal Scientist; Mr. E. Ashokkumar, Senior Scientist; Mr. A. Balasubramanian, Senior Scientist at CMC-CECRI; and Mr. V. Thondamon, Scientist at CSIR-SERC.

The workshop covered a range of topics designed to inspire students and encourage innovative thinking. The interactive sessions were well-received, providing students with a rare opportunity to engage directly with leading scientists in their field.

The event was successfully coordinated by Dr. S. Maheswaran and Mr. E. Ashokkumar, who ensured that the sessions were both educational and engaging.

The workshop is part of a broader initiative to promote scientific education and inspire the next generation of innovators in Tamil Nadu.