National Council for Science and Technology
Communication (NCSTC/DST)
Science Technology and Development Initiative (STAD)
Announce
National Seminar on Science Communication through
Creative Genres
Hotel Madhuban, Rajpur Road, Dehradun ? 248001
(Uttarakhand) ; February 20-23, 2008
Generally, science is considered to be dry, boring,
hard, and difficult to understand for a common man and
if science is to be communicated universally down to
masses, we need to present science in an interesting,
simple, lucid, and in a form comprehensible to the
common man. This also means that while doing so, we
need to defy existing tenets of medium, language,
presentation, literacy, understanding and so on; and
there we may need to come to the fold of creative
genres. By and large we have been writing only dry
articles and essays, delivering jargonized talks and
presenting text bookish contents in mass media
in the
name of science communication and popularization. It
is not entirely above that is the motivation to go for
a science communication with creative writing, but
more importantly, creating creative pieces of science
writing or in general, creating something through
creative genres is entirely a soul searching
experience for the creator and enjoyable learning for
the target population. But, the issues are above the
delight of creation and the pleasure of appreciating
and comprehending it. Experts emphasise time and again
that creative genres have a great role in speedy
spread of scientific and technological awareness in
the society. Much needs to be done in order to find
confluence of creative genres with communication of
science and technology. We all know the tremendous
popularity of one of the creative genres ?science
fiction? has achieved and also about the remarkable
impact through it in
popularising science. Similarly,
?science poems? related to weather and agricultural
practices in our folk literature remained an authentic
source of knowledge based on observational processes.
This fact points towards the sheer encouragement one
can draw from exploring the role creative genres have
in the subject under discussion and emphasising upon
the need to probe deeper as to promote the movement of
endorsing creative genres for science communication
the modern world. This seminar provides ambience and
liberty to deliberate everything connected with the
subject. In order to seek greater involvement of our
science communicators in these genres, there is need
to identify the indicators for adjudging the
effectiveness of creative genres while dealing with an
issue pertaining to science and technology. It has
also been thought necessary at the seminar that
various sub genres under the creative forms
be
discussed threadbare vis-à ¶is science communication.
Another area of discussion would be the relation of
the medium and the genre or sub genre of creative
form. There may also be some not yet identified trends
in these issues and it may also be given space during
the course of discussion.
Technical Sessions/ Sub Themes : There will be 5
technical sessions/ sub themes:
i) Fiction as a form of science communication : This
session presents studies on various aspects of science
fiction, story telling, science fantasy and its impact
with regard to science communication.
ii) Poetic expressions as a form of science
communication : This session discusses various forms
of poetry and its application in science
communication, i.e. proverbs by Ghagh Bhaddari, etc.
iii) Creative genres and performing arts : This
session examines the role of folk arts and forms in
presenting science to the
public including its
relevance and impact in today?s world.
iv) Creative writing for audio-visual- digital media :
This session emphasises on various formats and styles
of presenting science contents and concepts through
these media.
v) Creative genres and issues of literacy and medium :
This session focuses on literacy requirement and
medium interrelation for effective S&T communication.
Seminar Format : The technical sessions will have
presentation of contributory research papers, review
papers, survey analyses, case studies, and invited
talks. That apart, there would be a Poster Session on
the theme and sub-themes specified above. Discussions
in different split groups would also form part of the
programme. Deliberations will be in Hindi with some
exceptions in English. A sub theme cannot be the title
of your paper/ presentation; select a narrower topic
under a sub theme. Papers may be
prepared in standard
research paper format, i.e. title of the paper,
name(s) and address of author(s), abstract, key words,
introduction, objectives, methodology, observations,
discussion/ analysis, inferences/ conclusions/
recommendations, and references, along with
illustrations/ graphics/ photos including captions.
Who can participate : The seminar is likely to be of
interest to those who have anything to do with
science, communication and science communication, i.e.
scientists, science communicators, science writers,
journalists, editors, researchers and faculty members
of university departments of journalism, public
relations and information officers of scientific
organizations, representatives of media houses,
newspapers, magazines, science cells of radio/ TV
channels and voluntary organizations active in this
area.
Registration/ Submission of Paper/ Abstract : Deadline
February
11, 2008. No registration fee. Only selected
delegates would be invited for presentation/
participation.
Travel Fellowship : There is some provision of travel
support for selected/ invited delegates from India on
request. International delegates will make their own
travel arrangements; the organizers could offer free
stay and meals. Best paper/ presentation awards would
be given in junior and senior categories based on
independent evaluation.
How to Reach Dehradun : Dehradun is one of the
important tourist destinations in North India at the
foothills of Himalayas, connected directly by super
fast trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Varanasi,
Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. Dehradun has its own airport
and Deccan Air operates its flights from Delhi 5 days
a week. It would be full winter here with a minimum
temperature about 7 0 Celsius, hence sufficient
woolens are recommended.
Exhibition of
Popular Science Publications : An
Exhibition of Popular Science Publications and
Software Materials is also being organized at the
venue; please bring/ send your publications, articles,
books, magazines, kits, CDs and software materials for
display.
Addresses for communication :
Mr. Ramesh Panwar
Secretariat, Seminar 2007-08
Hotel Madhuban, Rajpur Road, Dehradun?248001
(Uttarakhand) , India
Phone : +91-11-26863811; +91-135-2749990;
+91-9313899865 (Mobile)
Email :
ldkala@yahoo. com;
seminarstad@ yahoo.com Dr. Manoj Patairiya
Convener, Seminar 2007-08
National Council for Science & Technology
Communication, Dept. of Science & Technology
Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi ?
110016 (India)
Phone : +91-11-26537976, 26590238 ;
Fax : 26866675
Email :
mkp@...;
manojpatairiya@ yahoo.com; Website
: www.vichar.nic. in; www.dst.gov. in
INDICATIVE PROGRAMME
FEBRUARY 20
12:00 ? 01:00 PM PRESS CONFERENCE
02:30 ? 06:00 PM ARRIVAL OF DELEGATES/ REGISTRATION/
TEA/ COFFEE
07:00 ? 10:00 PM RECEPTION/ EVENING TALK/ NETWORKING/
DINNER
FEBRUARY 21
09:00 - 10:00 AM INTERACTION/ TEA/ COFFEE
10:00 - 11:30 AM INAUGURAL FUNCTION
11:30 - 12:00 NOON TEA/ COFFEE
12:00 - 01:30 PM TECHNICAL SESSION I
01:30 - 02:30 PM LUNCH
02:30 - 04:00 PM TECHNICAL SESSION II
04:00 ?04:30 PM TEA/ COFFEE
04:30 ? 06:00 PM TECHNICAL SESSION III
06:00 - 06:30 PM TEA/ COFFEE
07:00 - 10:00 PM EVENING TALK/ CULTURAL PROGRAMME/
DINNER
FEBRUARY 22
09:00 - 10:00 AM POSTER
SESSION
10:00 ? 11:30 AM TECHNICAL SESSION IV
11:30 ? 12:00 NOON TEA/ COFFEE
12:00 ? 01.30 PM TECHNICAL SESSION V
01:30 ? 02.30 PM LUNCH
02:30 ? 04:00 PM BRAINSTORMING SESSION
04:00 ? 04:30 PM TEA/ COFFEE/ END OF PROGRAMME
04:30 ? 06:00 PM VALEDICTORY FUNCTION
06:00 - 06:30 PM TEA/ COFFEE
07:00 - 10:00 PM EVENING TALK/ CONFERENCE DINNER
FEBRUARY 23
FIELD VISIT/ END OF PROGRAMME
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