Science at Goa University
By Dr Nandkumar Kamat
his article is dedicated to the vision and mission of the Vice Chancellor of Goa University, Prof Dilip Deobagkar who completes three years as Vice Chancellor. Under his leadership, science at Goa University is flourishing. Physics, electronics, earth sciences, chemistry, botany, zoology, marine sciences, biotechnology and microbiology -all are doing well in teaching and research.
This has been possible due to the dedicated teaching faculty and excellent leadership of the respective deans. However, the full potential of these departments is yet to be realised as there are constraints of space, manpower and funds. A small university, 25-year-old, and one-thousand student strength cannot be compared with large universities.
The chemistry, biotechnology, microbiology and zoology departments would, hopefully, housed within a year in a new Rs 50 crore building, which is in the process of taking shape for three years now, on the Dona Paula road. The new premise is expected to boost teaching and research activities several fold in the new decade. One would find chemistry laboratories open round the clock all year round. There is a great rush for admissions to chemistry stream because companies pick up the students as soon as they complete their post graduation.
The department of biotechnology attracts the best minds from all over the country. The university plans to begin a new post graduate course in biotechnology soon to cater to those students who have no scope of vertical mobility after completing graduation with either three or six units of biotechnology. Such students then pay exorbitant amounts to get a post graduate degree from Pune or Bangalore.
There are many individual success stories in science departments. The Goa University is very strong in environmental microbiology. Some of the most ancient micro organisms are being critically studied by microbiologist Dr Irene Furtado and biotechnologist Dr Savita Kerkar, the first woman scientist from Goa to reach the cold Arctic Circle for her cutting edge research. Dr Dipti Dessai who joined Vasco’s Antarctic Research Centre had reached the icy southern continent as a young research scholar of the Goa University.
The university actively encourages such scientific initiatives. Green chemistry, nanotechnology, remote sensing, stem cell research are some of the new exciting areas of study at the University. In the age of IT and BT, a molecular biologist joining such a young university as its vice chancellor makes a big difference.
Prof Dilip Deobagkar, alumni of the world famous Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, joined the Goa University as VC exactly three years ago. During these three years he has consistently encouraged the science faculty, research scholars and students to undertake quality research, to reach out to the industries and society, and disseminate science to common people. If Goa University was ranked by India Today survey as 35th among the top 50 universities in India the credit goes to Prof Deobagkar because he managed to change the entire perspective of scientific research and research culture.
He mentioned how as a research student he worked around simple research problems by designing his tools or by modifying protocols intelligently. He stressed on creative capacities of the human mind. People still remember his stellar contribution as the organising secretary to make the Pune session of the Indian Science Congress successful and memorable.
He is the first vice chancellor to attend PhD viva voce of life science students. One would find Prof Deobagkar occupied with manuscripts of his own new research papers despite his busy schedule. Like Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, he too is keen on guiding science students, and those who approach him for advice never go back disappointed. He has put science in practice by aiming at making the university campus energy friendly.
Without much publicity the VC got solar street lighting commissioned. The two windmills generate enough energy to power many computers. The rainwater harvesting facilities at Goa University meticulously designed by hydro geologist, Prof Chachadi have become excellent training and demonstration units for local people and industries.
The biodiversity plantation managed by Western Ghats Lokum Foundation is another venture at making the campus green and offsetting the loss of wilderness due to wild fires, illegal cutting and development. Goa University is one of the very few universities in India to have a bio incubator for industries. It would be a common product development and trial testing facility for local biotechnology companies. The tripartite negotiations between GSIA, Goa University and the state government went on for three years. Finally in February 2010 the MOU was signed. The bio incubator is expected to become operational within a year. It would boost local bio entrepreneurship.
The vice chancellor feels strongly about interaction between industries and the academician-scientists. A large number of national seminars and conferences have taken place at the university over the last three years. The international conference on vector borne diseases held in October last year was a memorable event. Many of these events were to give different disciplines of science a boost. Goa University would be implementing the new credit based system for post graduates from this year. It would be a boon to science students because it would permit them to offer some interesting credits from different departments. The system may face some hitches initially as it would be a new experience for teachers and students, but things will improve with time.
Prof Deobagkar believes in the beauty and power of science and is a master of his own subject. He has delivered lectures on his topic for the benefit of faculty and students. He intends to start a colloquium where faculty members can present the highlights of their work every week. He has seen to it that the UGC-INFLIBNET electronic journals facility is exploited to the hilt by faculty and students.
This has ranked the Goa University within the top 35 universities in India that effectively use electronic and internet resources. Prof Deobagkar is a solution oriented Vice Chancellor. Science and technology is all about finding solutions. He is laying down a new foundation in Goa for a healthy scientific research culture with proper, durable and productive linkages with industries, government and society. There is no doubt in that he means business and science will see still better days at the Goa University.
his article is dedicated to the vision and mission of the Vice Chancellor of Goa University, Prof Dilip Deobagkar who completes three years as Vice Chancellor. Under his leadership, science at Goa University is flourishing. Physics, electronics, earth sciences, chemistry, botany, zoology, marine sciences, biotechnology and microbiology -all are doing well in teaching and research.
This has been possible due to the dedicated teaching faculty and excellent leadership of the respective deans. However, the full potential of these departments is yet to be realised as there are constraints of space, manpower and funds. A small university, 25-year-old, and one-thousand student strength cannot be compared with large universities.
The chemistry, biotechnology, microbiology and zoology departments would, hopefully, housed within a year in a new Rs 50 crore building, which is in the process of taking shape for three years now, on the Dona Paula road. The new premise is expected to boost teaching and research activities several fold in the new decade. One would find chemistry laboratories open round the clock all year round. There is a great rush for admissions to chemistry stream because companies pick up the students as soon as they complete their post graduation.
The department of biotechnology attracts the best minds from all over the country. The university plans to begin a new post graduate course in biotechnology soon to cater to those students who have no scope of vertical mobility after completing graduation with either three or six units of biotechnology. Such students then pay exorbitant amounts to get a post graduate degree from Pune or Bangalore.
There are many individual success stories in science departments. The Goa University is very strong in environmental microbiology. Some of the most ancient micro organisms are being critically studied by microbiologist Dr Irene Furtado and biotechnologist Dr Savita Kerkar, the first woman scientist from Goa to reach the cold Arctic Circle for her cutting edge research. Dr Dipti Dessai who joined Vasco’s Antarctic Research Centre had reached the icy southern continent as a young research scholar of the Goa University.
The university actively encourages such scientific initiatives. Green chemistry, nanotechnology, remote sensing, stem cell research are some of the new exciting areas of study at the University. In the age of IT and BT, a molecular biologist joining such a young university as its vice chancellor makes a big difference.
Prof Dilip Deobagkar, alumni of the world famous Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, joined the Goa University as VC exactly three years ago. During these three years he has consistently encouraged the science faculty, research scholars and students to undertake quality research, to reach out to the industries and society, and disseminate science to common people. If Goa University was ranked by India Today survey as 35th among the top 50 universities in India the credit goes to Prof Deobagkar because he managed to change the entire perspective of scientific research and research culture.
He mentioned how as a research student he worked around simple research problems by designing his tools or by modifying protocols intelligently. He stressed on creative capacities of the human mind. People still remember his stellar contribution as the organising secretary to make the Pune session of the Indian Science Congress successful and memorable.
He is the first vice chancellor to attend PhD viva voce of life science students. One would find Prof Deobagkar occupied with manuscripts of his own new research papers despite his busy schedule. Like Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, he too is keen on guiding science students, and those who approach him for advice never go back disappointed. He has put science in practice by aiming at making the university campus energy friendly.
Without much publicity the VC got solar street lighting commissioned. The two windmills generate enough energy to power many computers. The rainwater harvesting facilities at Goa University meticulously designed by hydro geologist, Prof Chachadi have become excellent training and demonstration units for local people and industries.
The biodiversity plantation managed by Western Ghats Lokum Foundation is another venture at making the campus green and offsetting the loss of wilderness due to wild fires, illegal cutting and development. Goa University is one of the very few universities in India to have a bio incubator for industries. It would be a common product development and trial testing facility for local biotechnology companies. The tripartite negotiations between GSIA, Goa University and the state government went on for three years. Finally in February 2010 the MOU was signed. The bio incubator is expected to become operational within a year. It would boost local bio entrepreneurship.
The vice chancellor feels strongly about interaction between industries and the academician-scientists. A large number of national seminars and conferences have taken place at the university over the last three years. The international conference on vector borne diseases held in October last year was a memorable event. Many of these events were to give different disciplines of science a boost. Goa University would be implementing the new credit based system for post graduates from this year. It would be a boon to science students because it would permit them to offer some interesting credits from different departments. The system may face some hitches initially as it would be a new experience for teachers and students, but things will improve with time.
Prof Deobagkar believes in the beauty and power of science and is a master of his own subject. He has delivered lectures on his topic for the benefit of faculty and students. He intends to start a colloquium where faculty members can present the highlights of their work every week. He has seen to it that the UGC-INFLIBNET electronic journals facility is exploited to the hilt by faculty and students.
This has ranked the Goa University within the top 35 universities in India that effectively use electronic and internet resources. Prof Deobagkar is a solution oriented Vice Chancellor. Science and technology is all about finding solutions. He is laying down a new foundation in Goa for a healthy scientific research culture with proper, durable and productive linkages with industries, government and society. There is no doubt in that he means business and science will see still better days at the Goa University.
very nice ur blogs
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