Raman Science Centre plans innovation hub

NAGPUR: To help science students convert ideas into products, designs and processes, Raman Science Centre (RSC) is setting up an innovation hub for Rs2crore and a research laboratory. Students of any age can come and explore the depth of science through various experiments.
Construction work for the new facility has started on the first floor of the centre in an area of 800 sq metres.“If a student has an idea and it appears feasible then the centre will mentor him/her through scientists from the respective field. There is no restriction on subject. It can be anything from basic sciences to agriculture or space. Of course, the mentoring will be planned as per availability of the scientist,” VN Joshi, project coordinator and head of RSC, told TOI.
Though the hub will be open on all working days, those interested in working on weekdays are also welcome. Special membership drive will be conducted for students interested in working on any innovation. Students interested in taking up certain projects assigned by the centre can also join. The hub is expected to be functional by next year beginning.
Joshi says students interested in understanding the working of any machine beginning from a cellphone to any big equipment can also try their hands on reverse engineering to understand their functioning. He is calling this ‘tod phod jod’. Students can even create new equipment using scrap material.
The centre will also have a resource lab for students with computers so that they can first cross check on their idea. Sometimes students are on an idea which has already been explored and land up duplicating. RSC wants to avoid this completely.
The research lab will basically have equipment to perform experiments on subjects of basic sciences like physics, chemistry, life-sciences or even robotics etc.
RSC is also planning a new permanent gallery on nuclear sciences in near future. The gallery will display everything about the subject beginning from structure of atom to nuclear power generation with details on the three stage nuclear energy generation plan of the country. This gallery will be open for public from 11.30am to 7pm on all working days.
All the projects have been supported by the parent body, National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and the central government.
Students to scientists
The innovation hub will basically be a place where any student can work towards translating his idea into a process or product
Students interested in any science field can have mentors from that field from various scientific research institutions, teaching institutes or even NGOs
The hub will offer all kinds of infrastructural support needed by the researcher
The innovation hub will have a supporting research laboratory where students can verify the theories of science and try to develop products based on these theories