Prof. E. V. Sampathkumaran – Officiating Director; and Prof. Amol Dighe – Dean – Graduate Studies at TIFR, Colaba, talk to Shraddha Kamdar about creating a scientific mindset early on among students
One bright Friday morning, I trek down to Colaba, to the Navy Nagar area to be on one of the most scenic campuses that the city will ever have. When I walk down the Homi Bhabha Road, a kindly postman offers to show me to the campus, and guides me through the formalities of gaining access into the campus of one of the foremost and renowned research institutes of the country – Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). Once inside, I wonder how the students and researchers manage to get any work done when the scene outside the windows, overlook the sea is far more fetching than any work could ever be. My notion, however, is quickly wronged by the meeting that I have with Prof. E. V. Sampathkumaran – Officiating Director; and Prof. Amol Dighe – Dean – Graduate Studies at TIFR, Colaba. They explain the various programmes and initiatives to me, and soon I realise what holds the students and researchers to the campus is much more attractive and strong than the view that I talk about.
Upfront, talking to the experts about the field of scientific research, I am curious to know whether young students are still interested in the option, since other fields seem far more paying than research. Statistics at TIFR then prove that every year, the entrance exams are taken by a much larger number of students than the number of seats. Also, Prof. Sampathkumaran points out that the government has enhanced the pay to PhD researchers and for the first two years of their study work, they earn a stipend of Rs. 25,000 per month. And this is while they are studying. He also opines that students do not actually know what it means to pursue a PhD. “The general notion is that it is boring. But it can be extremely interesting and a lot of fun,” he says. He mentions that compared to other careers, this one can be pleasant and rewarding intellectually. “You have to be methodical and systematic,” he says.
Adding on to that point, Prof. Dighe talks about breaking the myths and reaching out to young students to let them experience the wonders of science. “When scientists go down to schools and colleges as part of the outreach activities, they are inculcating a scientific bent of mind at least among a few students from the lot they talk to. They also showcase the idea of a career in research and bring out the fun and creative aspects of research,” he says. He adds that these outreach activities are much needed, and a sustainable effort needs to be made on that front, especially for creating awareness and trying to convince the parents that it could be a fruitful career.
Prof. Dighe also talks about the initiatives that TIFR has undertaken to create more awareness about research among the younger students as well as the public in general. First, to capture the young minds, students of class eight, nine and 10 in different schools get to interact with scientists. Apart from that, every other week, TIFR holds a session aptly known as ‘Chai and Why’ at Prithvi Theatre in Juhu, where anyone can ask a question to the scientist after he or she delivers a brief talk about a particular topic. The idea is to have a chat and discussion in an informal setting over tea. For details on the next Chai and Why on next Sunday, July 5, you can refer to the institute’s website. Along with that, TIFR also has online courses which can be accessed on YouTube from any corner of the world. It is a large repository of the classes from some of the experts. The website also offers the public to ask a question to a scientist.
The institute also offers a summer research programme for first year MSc students, which is an enormous opportunity for them. They can work on a research project continuously over the study vacations they have, and are also offered a scholarship. Even for this programme, getting in is tough, since seat constraints enable only one in 10 students to be accepted.
Prof. Sampathkumaran aptly then mentions that all the different initiatives and programmes are more city-centric, and yet there is a huge talent pool available in the villages which also needs to be tapped. He feels that some students from the rural areas can do extremely well if they are placed appropriately, and he strongly advocates doing this in a big way.
Moving on and talking of the actual academics, the professors elaborate on the procedure and mention that even though the research outcome is not guaranteed, the students have a network to fall back on in case they find themselves in a distraught situation. There is a three-member PhD committee which will catch something if it goes wrong well in advance. Also, research guides often have Plan Bs, which can be resorted to if the original plan does not work. TIFR has a counsellor on campus as well, who helps students in dealing with academic stress and often students have benefitted from it. Most importantly, the student-teacher interaction is informal and not hierarchical, and therefore stu-dents are not lost in their academic path.
During the process, students sharpen their skills, and learn a lot from their experiences. Even then, over several years now, the institute has been proactive about highlighting the needs of specific soft skills, especially science communication – since they have to be academically correct when they talk. The professors think it essential that these students are trained to talk and present to a group of people, since the research and its findings need to be communicated among science circles.
With that, towards the end of our interesting discussion, Prof. Dighe mentions that they have observed at the institute that when students are offered more choices, they work on two topics at once and interdisciplinary study works. The objective is to encourage and enhance cross fertilization of ideas, for which there is no standard formula. The respective institutes, professors and students make their way as they go along.
