Keynote on animal behaviour, vibrant exhibitions, and inter school quiz mark the celebration
Surathkal, February 27, 2026: NITK Surathkal celebrated National Science Day with great enthusiasm, inspiring young minds through lectures, exhibitions, and interactive sessions. The highlight of the event was the keynote lecture delivered by Prof. Maria Thaker, Professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. Prof. Thaker posed the thought-provoking question: Do animals create maps to navigate forests and savanna landscapes?
Drawing from her extensive field research in South Africa and India, Prof. Thaker explained how scientists study the movement of large animals such as elephants and other mammals using GPS collars, radio tracking, satellite data, and temperature sensors. She highlighted how rising temperatures influence elephant movement, with animals traveling faster to reach water sources. Prof. Thaker also shared insights into her team’s ongoing seven-year project mapping mesocarnivores in the Deccan Plateau savanna to better understand predator movement and ecosystem balance.
The interactive session following the lecture was lively, with students from 21 schools across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts asking questions ranging from animal empathy to the challenges of working in the wild. Prof. Thaker encouraged curiosity and critical thinking, patiently addressing each query.
The programme commenced with the traditional lamp lighting ceremony led by NITK Director, Prof. B. Ravi. I n his inaugural address, Prof. Ravi highlighted that curiosity and creativity form the foundation of scientific progress. He spoke about the role of science in building a Viksit Bharat, noting that science provides the basis for engineering, engineering drives technology, and technology enables solutions to humanity’s challenges. He also addressed the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence in education and emphasized NITK’s contribution to the Virtual Labs initiative, which allows students across the world to conduct laboratory experiments in an online environment.
The celebration featured a vibrant science exhibition showcasing over 30 live experiments by research scholars and Master’s students from the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematical and Computational Sciences, NITK Surathkal. Exhibits included holography, Tesla coils, line-following robots, chemical clocks, fluorescence, communication systems, puzzles, and cryptography, captivating the visiting students.
The day concluded with an inter-school quiz competition that tested scientific knowledge and enthusiasm, followed by the distribution of certificates to all participants.
National Science Day, celebrated annually on February 28, commemorates the discovery of the Raman Effect by Nobel Laureate Sir C. V. Raman. At NITK Surathkal, this year’s celebration reflected the true spirit of science—curiosity, questioning, and the joy of understanding the world around us.
ನಿರಂತರ ಅಪ್ಡೇಟ್ಗಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ನ್ಯೂಸ್ ಟೆಲಿಗ್ರಾಂ ಚಾನೆಲ್ಗೆ ಜಾಯಿನ್ ಆಗಿ
ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ನ್ಯೂಸ್’ ಫೇಸ್ಬುಕ್ ಪುಟ ಲೈಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ
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