Chennai:

S. Harini (25), a Chennaiite, will be in the bio diversity Science Express train till October 2013 as science communicator.

After completing her two-year masters in medical science from Uppsala University in Sweden, she returned to India to work in city hospitals as a technician. But her plans changed when she got selected to work in the science express project of the Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre. Now Harini wants to be a teacher and take simple science lessons for students in India.

Speaking to DC about her work on the Science Express, she said, “Students eagerly go around this train. They are happy trying experiments in the Joy of Science lab in the compartment. Our job is to explain the models and information charts to them. We are surprised by the knowledge of the students.

Compared to urban children, students from remote areas have learnt about the Science Express and await our arrival.”

Harini was awestruck when a group of children and adult visitors in Nagaland explained to her the biodiversity of their forests in detail.

“We learn only through books. But they live in the forest and could talk to us specifically about animals and plants because of their traditional knowledge. I admire those children,” she said. Pendulums to explain Newton’s law, maps of animal and plant species in India, interactive visual boards captivate children, she added.

Harini’s parents, Geetha and Sampath, understand her interests and encourage her to work for her passion.

“I realise that my duty is to work with children and teach them science with easy examples in day-to-day life. In this train, I meet at least 1,000 children a day,” she said.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / by DC / Pramila Krishnan / July 29th, 2013