Khagol 118

| KHAG L | No. 118 - APRIL 2019 | 17 Workshop on As t ronomy, a t I IT, Gandhinagar A Workshop on Astronomy was conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, during March 7 - 8, 2019, with Samir Dhurde as the resource person. He gave a talk on Astronomy Facilities in India, emphasising on the career opportunities to science and engineering graduates. The telescope at the IITAstronomy Club was also overhauled, and a public skywatching showwas conducted. SecondSaturday Lectures January 5, 2019: Jayant Narlikar (IUCAA), on Cosmic Illusions. February 9, 2019: Rupesh Labade, and Shivani Pethe (both fromIUCAA), on Science Toys Demonstration. Other Events · (ASI) was held at the Christ (Deemed to be) University, Bengaluru, during February 16 - 19, 2019. The Public Outreach and Education Committee (ASI - POEC) was given the Zubin Kembhavi Award for Public Outreach and Education in Astronomy and allied fields. Samir Dhurde, Member - Secretary of ASI - POEC received the award along with the team. · On February 26, 2019, Samir Dhurde gave a talk in Marathi on Mathematics and Astronomy in Geography, at an event organised for teachers by the Bhoogol ShikshanMandal, Pune. Other Regular Events The IUCAA Public Outreach team has conducted 5 science toys workshops, 4 basic astronomy workshops, and 8 campus visitswith an approximate outreach to about 900 people. The annual meeting of the Astronomical Society of India Equinox Event, at New English School, TilakRoad, Pune On the occasion of Vernal Equinox on March 21, 2019, IUCAA Science Outreach team, in collaboration with New English School, Tilak Road, Pune, conducted a workshop on measuring the circumference of the Earth using Eratosthenes method. Sixteen students of classes VIII and IX, along with a teacher, participated in a three-hour long session. Students calculated the circumference of the Earth with an error of less than 3%. ShivomGupta (IUCAA) was the resource person. Lecture onAstronomy, atMuktanganExploratory, Pune As a part of summer camps, organised byMuktangan Exploratoty, Pune, a lecture on Celestial Sphere and SkyMap Readingwas delivered by Samir Dhurde onMarch 28, 2019.About 50 school students attended and enjoyed the session. Workshop on Fundamental Science, at Nagaland A workshop on Fundamental Science was organised by IUCAAPublic Outreach team to students of classes fromVI to X, in and around Kohima, Nagaland, during March 11 - 14, 2019. Fundamental principles of science were demonstrated with the help of science toys. Topics like conduction of heat, generation of sound, effects of pressure, and Newton's laws of motion were covered. About 600 students from four different schools enjoyed the activities. Shivani Pethe (IUCAA) coordinated and conducted the workshop, with the help of Tanushree Borundia fromShibhumi, Bengaluru.