Earth Science Summer Camp for school children from June 1 at PU Campus
Author(s): City Air NewsChandigarh, May 27, 2016: The Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Panjab University (PU) at Chandigarh would organise eleven days “Earth Science Summer Camp” for school children from June 1 at the PU Campus. The...
Chandigarh, May 27, 2016: The Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Panjab University (PU) at Chandigarh would organise eleven days “Earth Science Summer Camp” for school children from June 1 at the PU Campus.
The summer camp is targeted for school children of VIII and IX grades from tri-city.
The prime aim is to make aware of the important stream of science among the young talent as the ‘Geology’ is not being taught in schools as a subject. There would be no fees for the camp. The entire faculty of Department of Geology would give a lecture on various topics at the summer training camp.
The inquisition like, why does the tri-city experience earthquake? What is the status of our water resources? What was the climate in the past? Why and how did dinosaurs disappear? Was our Earth nebula, 10 billions years ago? When did the life originate on Earth? And many such questions would be responded by the Faculty members of Geology Department at Panjab University through many interactive sessions with students.
The sessions would comprise of Theory lectures (of one hour duration) followed by two hours’ blended practical. To stimulate blooming minds, to understand rock and fossil in their natural state, two one-day field excursions in surrounding areas of the Himalaya would be embarked upon. The students would be studying and collecting many marine fossils, such as oysters, sea shells, etc. that existed in a sea about 60-50 million years ago around Koti-Dharampur sections. Besides, there will also be a visit to ‘Saketi Fossil Park’, close to Kala Amb, which is managed by the Geological Survey of India.
Here, life-size reconstructions of models of large mammals and reptiles are displayed, that roamed the Siwalik belt 2 million years back.
There has been a tremendous response from various schools of the tricity about the programme; however, the seats are limited to a maximum of 25 students. The schools like Carmel Convent, Model Schools of Sectors 15, 16 & 35 from Chandigarh, and YPS, Shivalik and Golden Bells Public schools of Mohali, to name a few, are participating this year.
It is planned to invite other schools in 2017 so that the substance of Earth Sciences disseminates throughout all the schools.
The Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Panjab University, was established more than five decades back. After establishing itself, the centre was recognized by the UGC (University Grants Commission) for its outstanding contributions in the field of Earth Sciences. The centre has received national and international honours and distinctions for seminal scientific contributions.
The centre is endowed with well-equipped student-faculty interfaced laboratories, such as Scanning Electron Microscopy, Optical Microscopy, Sample Preparation Laboratory, and comfortable academic working environs. Besides, an internationally famous museum, a pride of the centre, is the mainstay for school children and lay public, where all and sundry are served hands-on activity for observing and understanding various aspects of earth sciences.