Academic Visit of S.Y./T.Y.B.Sc. Students to Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune on 08.03.2018

This year, the Physics Department has organized an academic tour of S.Y. and T.Y.B.Sc. Students in view of Science Day Celebration in Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune on 08 March 2018. The students and staff members who moved for a one day return tour were 18 and 04 respectively.

The purpose of the educational trip was to provide students with practical and theoretical experience of the Research in Physics, where leading Physics Research in various fields  is carried out. The trip also provided an opportunity to learn from such visits and give students a well rounded foundation upon which to build their knowledge for future careers in Physics. The report highlights some of the aspects of the trip and in particular, focuses on the educational experiences on Material Science and Nanosciences.

Our guide for a one day tour was IISER Outreach member Dr. Barve. She and her team consisting of PhD students were extremely eager and enthusiastic to share his in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of Nano-material Science. It was both fascinating and utterly perplexing at the same time. The visit started with h cross Physics Lab. The tour consisted of a Demonstration of STM, SEM, XRD etc. Afterwards, we were driven to an Chemistry Section Mendeleev. The tour also consisted of a brief discussion on various programmes conducted at IISER. This particular session was believed to helpful for our students as they have interacted with IISER scientist and PhD scholars. The tour came to an end with the Lunch at IISER canteen.

Afterwards we are having a visit to Karla Caves near to Lonavala. As a part of New revised syllabus of S.Y.B.Sc. Physics Paper III containing a unit on Geology, students are shown layers of basalt Rocks and beautifully decorated sculptures of men, women and animals. Dr. V. A. Rane briefly discussed  formation of western ghats and geology of Lonavala Platue. 

Overall, the trip was a great success proving to be highly educational. The experiences such as these are invaluable for enhancing a students' understanding of the world, which greatly improves networking and personal development. A tour proved to be a great success due to the enthusiastic input from the students. The opportunity to visit IISER and Karla Caves is an asset to students, and it would be great to continue such visits in the future.