The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Use science career for social development, students told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 06, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Use science career for social development, students told

Staff Reporter

US official bowled over by city school students' questions

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY: George H. Atkinson, Science and Technology Adviser to the United States Secretary of State, interacts with a student of PSBB Senior Secondary School on Thursday. — Photo: S. Thantoni.

CHENNAI : How is science relevant to daily life? Can it alleviate poverty?

These were only a sample of questions, which students of PSBB Senior Secondary School hurled at George H. Atkinson, Science and Technology Adviser to the United States Secretary of State.

At an interactive session organised by the school on its Nungambakkam campus on Thursday, Dr. Atkinson highlighted the significance of science and its role in improving an individual's life.

With their questions on the latest developments in the field, students bowled over the U. S. Adviser who was in Chennai to learn about the Indian education system.

Questions posed by the students varied from the US position on the non-proliferation treaty to his role as a Science Adviser.

Dr. Atkinson said scientific experiments of a country might evoke both pleasant and unpleasant responses from other nations. The United States was open to discussions with the rest of the countries.

When a student asked about the recent Columbia space shuttle disaster, Dr.Atkinson said that every scientific experiment had a degree of uncertainty.

Comparing science and democracy, he said that both shared the principle of liberal thinking and shared benefits of our understanding the issues.

After a brief interaction with students and teachers, who visited other countries for various science projects and seminars, he encouraged the students to take up careers related to science for social development.

Dr. Atkinson would also be visiting colleges in Chennai to promote science among students and other cities including Hyderabad. He has received several awards in recognition of his teaching service as a professor of Chemistry at University of Arizona.

Joann Digennaro, Director of Centre for Educational Excellence, U.S., and Mrs. Y. G. Parthasarathy, dean and director of PSBB Group of Schools, were present at the meeting.

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