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Resonance

July 2003
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Refresher Course on Earth Sciences

3 November–15 November 2003

at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kukatpally campus, Hyderabad

sponsored by Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore

Co-sponsors: Mahadevan International Centre for Water Resources Management;
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad;
International Association of Geochemistry & Cosmochemistry

Introduction: Geoscience education in India is in the throes of a serious crisis and any paradigm for geoscience instruction in India in the 21st century has to be based on three crucial considerations: geology needs to be taught as an earth system science, linked with cognate subjects; geoscience instruction has to be addressed to ecologically-sustainable, economically-viable and employment-generating management of natural resources; the global trend of liberalization of economies would mean that employment opportunities in state sector will be minimal, with private enterprise and self-employment becoming the principal avenues of employment. Geoscience instruction must take into account this current market reality.

Topics: The emphasis in the course will be on Anthropocene, neogeomorphology, exogenic processes, and the ‘skin’ of the earth. The purpose is to orient university teachers to enable them to offer Internet-based, employment-oriented courses to improve the employability of earth science graduates, through focusing on economically-viable and ecologically sustainable utilization of natural resources, namely, water, soil and minerals.

In addition to regular course sessions, there will be special addresses by GOP Obasi, Secretary General, WMO, Geneva, and Umberto Cordani, former President of International Union of Geological Sciences, Sao Paulo, Brazil, a roundtable discussion on “Natural resources management, geoscience teaching and employment”, and evening lectures on topics of relevance to geoscience employment.

Interested teachers are invited to submit by e-mail and hard copy their CV, together with a brief essay, covering (i) the kind of geoscience that the candidate is presently teaching, and how it can be oriented to improve the employability of geoscience graduates, and (ii) what the teacher seeks from the course in order to enable him/her to orient their teaching to promote employment.

As a part of the interactive course, each candidate is expected to make a 30 min presentation on his/her perceptions and expectations.

The application, together with a letter of permission from the institution that necessary leave would be granted for participation should be submitted to:

Dr B Venkateswararao,
Course Co-ordinator,
Head, Centre for Water Resources,
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University,
Kukatpally campus, Hyderabad 500 072;
Email: cwr_jntu@yahoo.com

Copy to: Prof. K V Subbarao,
Dept. of Earth Sciences,
Indian Institute of Technology,
Mumbai 400 076,
Email: subbu@iitb.ac.in

Selected teachers will be provided local hospitality and actual train fare for travel by I class/III AC and will be informed of their selection by the third week of September 2003.

Last date for receipt of applications: 1 September 2003.

Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad plans to conduct a School on Mathematical/Numerical Modelling in Earth, Atmospheric and Space during 10th to 20th November 2003. This School is meant for research scholars registered for their PhD and young researchers. Age limit 35 years.

Outstation candidates will be provided free boarding and lodging in addition to train fare by the shortest route, to attend the School.
The course will cover mostly advanced topics and some familiarity with MSc level mathematical physics will be assumed. The topics of lectures include: Atmosphere and Ocean General Circulation Models as applied to the study of climate and transport of tracers such as ozone and aerosols, Emission line modelling, diffraction techniques, Inverse techniques, image analysis and visualization methods, probability distributions, modern methods of time series analysis, wavelet transforms, stochastic and delayed difference equations.

The lecturers will be mostly PRL Faculty with a few invited lecturers from outside.

Applications are invited in plain paper with a brief CV and research interests, not exceeding one page. A letter of recommendation from the thesis supervisor with a clear statement as to how this course will be beneficial to the candidate in his chosen research field is also required.

The applications may be sent to
The Head, Academic Services,
Physical Research Laboratory,
Ahmedabad 380 009,

by 31st August 2003.

Selected candidates will be notified by 10th September 2003.
See www.prl.res.in for details

Indian Academy of Sciences
C.V.Raman Avenue, Post Box No. 8005,
Sadashivanagar Post, Bangalore 560 080