Educational trip to Bangalore 2018-19

Report of Educational industrial

10 and 11^th, August,  2018.

The Department of Physics organised a two day Educational tour to Bangalore for the  students of I,II and III B.Sc MPC and MPCS students during 10 and 11^th, August  2018. Forty seven students and two faculty members Dr.G. Little Flower and Sai Nagalakshmi took part in this tour. The objective of arranging this tour was to kindle the scientific temper among the students and to explore, experience and enjoy the wonders of science.

 On first day, went to Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and visited Nano science lab, Magnetism lab and thin film lab. Eminent faculty members explained about the various research activities being conducted there, explained about the facilities available, nature of competitive exams to be qualified in order to get a seat at IISc, showed the high end latest research instruments that provided better knowledge of aspiring students. The students and the faculties had a good interaction with the Post-doctoral researchers. The students found the visit to IISc as very interesting and inspiring and a few students picked up greater interest for their higher study at IISc or at leading higher educational institutions.This visit helped them to understand the potential research areas in Physics and plan for better careers in science in future. 

Next, we visited Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium which is one of the five planetariums in India and one of the most beautiful public spaces in Bangalore. We watched the most popular show "Exploring the Universe" in the Sky Theatre. The Sky Theatre is a small structure with a hemispherical mirror dome which seats around 210 people at a time. The dome of the planetarium has diametre of 15 metres. Before the actual show started, a 5-10 minutes show namely “Science Watch” was screened that highlighted the recent advances in technology. "Exploring the Universe" is a 40 minute show.  First they projected the beautiful night sky as seen from Bangalore on the domed roof and has unidirectional view all aroundusing the planetarium projector ‘Space Master’, a German Carl Zeiss and proceeded to introduce the audience to the prominent constellationsand galaxies, mythological stories associated with them, the planets and their motion around the Sun and the Earth. All this viewed using computer3D animations cartoon special-effects, video clippings and projected on the full dome and createda fascinating view. Students acquired some knowledge in astronomy through this visit. Then students spent some time in the outdoor science park which showcases various science models like: Resonant Swings, Whispering Dishes, Sun Dial, D.N.A., a giant Kaleidoscope and a PSLV rocket, etc. Students learnt a lot about science while exploring these models. 

            We visited Karnataka Soap Factory (Mysore Sandal), on 11th of August 2018, the second day of the tour. It is the only unit in Asia registered under the Government of India to manufacture over 26,000 tons of sandalwood soaps every year with authentic sandalwood oil extracted from the sandalwood plantations in southern India.  The company imports the primary raw materials palm oil, required for the manufacture of the soaps from Malaysia. Mr. Balakrishna the PRO and R&D head of the factory explained the uniqueness of the factory and process involved in the production of the soap.We were shown the sandal wood trees, and were told the legalities involved in possessing these plants at an individual’s farm or garden. The factory procedures consisted of 3 stages -preparation, conversion, and the finishing product. Initially the soap was in a liquid state which was then converted into a solid soap with added fragrance and finally packaging. The most surprising information was that Machineries installed in 1916 are used even today which efficiently delivers the required products to consumers. Staff and students learnt many things such as packaging and efficient working of all departments, and co-ordination among them which is the most important skill to achieve goals. This industry visit thus created a platform for us to learn the skills and nuances involved in manufacture and production at an industry.


            We spent some time and had fantastic relaxation in Cubbon Park, a green lung in the heart of the city and a very important landmark of Bangalore and is an ideal place for nature lovers and those seeking a calm atmosphere.It claims of many exotic and indigenous botanical species having about 68 genera and 96 species and is home to more than 6,000 trees that support a vibrant ecosystem.

            We then visited the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) near Cubbon Park, Bangalore, India, a constituent unit of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM). It is equipped with various gadgets whose mechanisms are scientifically explained in a simple manner and becomes a treasure trove of knowledge, popularizes science through live demonstrations with a fun-filled educational experience. It is a five-floored museum, dedicated to several scientific disciplines and has five galleries on display, namely, the Electronic Technology Gallery that holds marvels of electronics and communication, including classical experiments like Faraday’s ring, Barlow’s wheel, Oersted’s experiment Tesla coil and a Van de Graaff generator etc., the Engine Hall that exhibited Engines of various automobiles, industrial machines,a jet aircraft engine, and other mechanical devices, How Things Work galleryinwhich an attempt to explain the fundamentals of machines through interactive exhibits that  include the pulley system, gears, different ways of transferring motion, reducing effort by levers, inclined planes, and screws and  the application of these simple machines in daily life, the Children’s Fun Science Gallery that displays sciences of sound with the help of delayed hearing equipment and the music by air tubes, optics, fluids, math and perception, and Space Gallery in which we get a chance to see a colorful presentation of the solar system, a model of a rocket, the replica of the remarkable aeroplane of the Wright Brothers (1903). It also showcases a model of Aryabhata, the first Indian satellite.

This educational tour thus was very informative for the students, motivating and developed an appreciation for science and curious about intriguing experiments.We returned home happy with our expectations surpassed.