National Symposium on ‘Significance of Science Communication and Intellectual Property’

Chandigarh, March 21, 2022: DST-Centre for Policy Research at Panjab University, Chandigarh organized a National Symposium on ‘Significance of Science Communication and Intellectual Property’. The event was organized by Dean Research, Prof.  Sudhir Kumar and the occasion was graced by the virtual presence of the Chief Guest of the event, Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Sr. Adviser and Head, Science Technology and Innovation policy (STIP) 2020 Secretariat, Policy Coordination and Programme Management (PCPM) Division, Department of Science & Technology (DST), GoI, New Delhi.

Dr Akhilesh Gupta highlighted the emerging importance of science communication for science popularization and mass awareness. He brought forward the national policy interventions initiated by the government to promote science engagement and science communication like promoting science in local languages; creating mass communication for Science and technology; dedicated training courses for science journalism amongst many others.
Dr. Gupta also highlighted national focus on enhancing India’s positioning for intellectual property rights. Researchers in India lack in securing their research through IP which is attributed to the lack of knowledge and awareness. Dr. Gupta also stressed upon establishing the Patents Facilitation Centres (PFC) in every institution in India so that researchers can shift their focus from publishing the research to filing a patent. New science policy has covered the issues like strengthening of science communication and IP ecosystem in India.
Dr. Gupta urged the audience to inculcate scientific temperament and come forward with science policy research domain especially highlighting that the DST-Centre for Policy Research at Panjab University to emerge as Science, technology and innovation policy nodal centre for the northern part of India.
Prof. Sudhir Kumar highlighted the importance of science in the country's socio-economic development and highlighted the power of science to reinvigorate the Indian science, technology and innovation ecosystem.
Dr Akhilesh Gupta highlighted the emerging importance of science communication for science popularization and mass awareness. He brought forward the national policy interventions initiated by the government to promote science engagement and science communication like promoting science in local languages; creating mass communication for Science and technology; dedicated training courses for science journalism amongst many others. Dr. Gupta also highlighted national focus on enhancing India’s positioning for intellectual property rights. Researchers in India lack in securing their research through IP which is attributed to the lack of knowledge and awareness. Dr. Gupta also stressed upon establishing the Patents Facilitation Centres (PFC) in every institution in India so that researchers can shift their focus from publishing the research to filing a patent. New science policy has covered the issues like strengthening of science communication and IP ecosystem in India. Dr. Gupta urged the audience to inculcate scientific temperament and come forward with science policy research domain especially highlighting that the DST-Centre for Policy Research at Panjab University to emerge as Science, technology and innovation policy nodal centre for the northern part of India.
Followed by the inaugural address, Prof. Kashmir Singh, Coordinator of DST-Centre for Policy research, briefed about the activities being conducted and achievements of the Centre. Centre also presented a dedicated animated video on ‘How to File a Patent through Panjab University Free of Cost’.
The symposium focused on significance of upcoming and promising fields of Science Communication and Intellectual Property Rights. The key speakers of the event were Dr. Rabindra K Panigrahy, Scientist D, PCPM, DST, GoI, New Delhi, Dr. Sujit Bhattacharya, Chief Scientist, Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)- National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), New Delhi, Dr. Neeraj K Singh, Deputy Librarian, AC Joshi Library, PU, Chandigarh, Mr. Saurabh Arora, Innovation Coordinator, Biomedical Instruments & Devices Hub (BID-HUB), Post Graduatr Institute for Medical education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh and Ms. Divya Kaushik, Scientist, Patents Information Centre/ Technology & Innovation Support Centre (PIC/TISC), PSCST, Sector 26, Chandigarh.  Around 150 participants took part in the symposium, including faculty members, researchers, and students from various institutions from Chandigarh region.