Unsplash image by Sangharsh Lohakare.
It started as a solution to a challenge: how do we help students from India’s government schools follow their dreams and explore their curiosity towards science, technology, and everything in between? The answer took the form of Scienspur: an initiative led by Nagaraju ‘Nag’ Dhanyasi and Vinay Vikas, who brought together their network of Ph.D.s and postdocs using a Mittal Institute grant to provide free science courses to students from public colleges across India.
The courses range from cell biology to basic neurobiology and are taught by an all-volunteer team of post docs from leading institutions across the U.S. and Europe. The program started in Fall 2021 and the Mittal Institute caught up with the team and some of their students to see how their work is progressing and what we can look forward to in 2022.
Mittal Institute: Thank you for speaking with us. The Scienspur program aims to make students globally competitive by helping them gain stronger foundational training and solid mentorship. How did having a mentor in your own journeys shape the work that you are able to produce?
Scienspur (Nag & Vinay): We believe it’s always helpful to have a mentor who can guide students at key times during their academic career. This can help tremendously when making decisions and navigating their academic journey. Most of us were fortunate to have excellent mentors as we navigated the journey towards our current positions. For some of the Scienspur instructors, though, it was unfolding one step at a time during undergraduate and master’s degree programs. This motivated Scienspur to build stronger career guidance component that entails interaction, teaching and mentoring undergraduate students and help them navigate the academic space.
Mittal Institute: What process do you use to find post-doc students in your network who volunteer in this program?
Scienspur: We are fortunate to have exceptionally qualified postdoctoral fellows and graduate students in our network. It was nothing less than a miracle to find a group of at least 20 like-minded, early career researchers who are enthusiastic about teaching undergraduate students in India. Scienspur is now casting a wider net to attract postdoc and graduate students to join us.
Mittal Institute: Did the pandemic and any subsequent lockdowns cause difficulties for the classes, and were there any other challenges that you faced?
Scienspur: The pandemic, and the subsequent lockdowns due to the first and second wave of infections, led to us postponing the program launch twice. Since our classes take place online, we were able to run smoothly with only the occasional problems caused by internet availability. Even though many of our students use mobile phones for e-learning, laptops would be the ideal mode for them to work on this course.
Scienspur course instructors.
Mittal Institute: What process do you use to find Post doc students in your network who volunteer in this program?
Scienspur: We were fortunate to have exceptionally qualified postdoctoral fellows and graduate students in our network. It was nothing less than a miracle to find a group of at least 20 like-minded early career researchers who are enthusiastic about teaching undergraduate students in India. Scienspur is now casting a wider net to attract postdoc and graduate students to join us.
Mittal Institute: Did the pandemic and any subsequent lockdowns cause difficulties for the classes, and were there any other challenges that you faced?
Scienspur: The pandemic, and the subsequent lockdowns due to the first and second wave of infections led to us postponing the program launch twice. Since our classes take place on an online platform, we were able to run smoothly with the occasional problems caused by Internet availability. Even though many of our students use mobile phones for e-learning, laptops would be the ideal mode for them to work on this course.
Scienspur students participate in the online format.
Mittal Institute: What can be done to improve exposure to scientific concepts or job opportunities for students in public colleges in India’s rural areas?
Scienspur: We try to talk about science as a field that brings together endless possibilities and important discoveries. In our classes, we discuss ground-breaking discoveries in biology to pique our students’ interest, and we combine these talks with the scientific methods that led to those results. We have found that this style of teaching helps students develop a strong grip on scientific concepts. Additionally, we conducted several career guidance sessions to bring awareness to the opportunities in the scientific field and equipped our students with the basics of presentation and communication skills, both of which aid in developing confidence. We also plan on bringing in professionals from the biotech industry to discuss the opportunities in that sector.
In the fall of 2021, Scienspur enrolled 60 students, but with the growing popularity of the program, the next batch will have an intake of 100 students. The program is also expanding the subjects it will be teaching, and the summer 2022 (June-August) courses will include developmental biology and molecular genetics. The fall 2022 courses will take place from September to December 2022.
In Their Own Words: Student Participants Share their Experiences
The Mittal Institute also had an opportunity to speak with some of the students who participated in the Fall 2021 classes.
Mittal Institute: How did the course help you with considering a future career in the scientific field?
‘It provided valuable insight about different prospects in the field.’
‘The course has given me the knowledge to determine my areas of interest. Every lecture of the course inspired me in some way, and on the whole, it was a great learning experience.’
‘After attending the course, I learnt about an entrance examination and how to be best prepared for it. The course also introduced to us some of the fascinating experiments done by scientists, while also introducing those areas of biology where intense research is required. I can apply all of these pieces of information in my future, whether it’s studying for an entrance exam or studying for a master’s degree.’
‘This course helped me get a clearer idea of my career path ahead. The way we are taught has impacted me positively. I want to enter the research field, and I will continue to look for guidance by team Scienspur.’
‘Scienspur is really a wonderful initiative. This course has helped me understand scientific concepts and improve my observation skills, both of which are much needed qualities for a researcher to have. The course provided me with the exposure and motivation I need to strengthen my goal of pursuing a career in research.’
Did the pandemic pose any challenges when attending courses, and were there any other challenges?
The main challenge occurred when students had to balance their regular classes and exams with Scienspur classes, especially if there was any overlap. Since the classes are recorded, students can easily access them later if they are unable to attend the live session. Some students can find it daunting to participate in class discussions, but the interactive teaching methods employed by Scienspur instructors are helpful in fostering classroom engagement.
The students appreciated the way in which the course taught them how to scientifically approach a topic instead of rote learning concepts. It also helped develop a questioning mindset. Students said they would recommend the course to their peers because of the approachable instructors, most of whom are post-doctoral fellows, thereby offering an insight into the field that would not be available in a conventional classroom.
Others felt the course provided a holistic approach towards a career in research with instructors often providing insight on various research opportunities abroad, and how to apply for them. The course provides a different type of exposure to these students, with instructors encouraging them to interact and actively participate in discussions.
The resounding response from all the students we spoke with was that Scienspur has exposed them to a new way of thinking, one which encourages them to continue to ask questions. One student quoted an instructor ‘think beyond what is known’ and that can perhaps be used to best describe this dynamic, engaging and supportive program that is nurturing our future scientists.
