Pune: NCL’s ‘One Day as a Scientist’ Initiative Ignites Scientific Curiosity in Hundreds of Maharashtra Students

Pashan, 29th July 2025: CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, celebrated the successful completion of its week-long “One Day as A Scientist” (ODAS) program, held from July 21st to July 25th, 2025. More than 400 students from schools across Pune, Mumbai, and Maharashtra engaged in a transformative experience crafted to spark scientific curiosity and nurture future innovators. Organized under CSIR’s flagship Jigyasa program, this outreach effort exemplifies the laboratory’s commitment to propelling science education for the nation’s youth.

The immersive program welcomed students from grades 8 to 10 into CSIR-NCL’s vibrant research ecosystem. Each day unfolded with thematic sessions led by eminent scientists, offering live demonstrations, interactive lectures, and hands-on experimentation within real laboratory environments.

Dr. Ashish Lele, Director of CSIR-NCL, opened the event by highlighting the institute’s trailblazing work in plastics and sustainable chemistry, and addressed the importance of scientific research in tackling climate change. Emphasizing the lab’s unique model, Dr. Lele stated: “When we do science, our goal is to translate scientific discoveries into new technologies. At CSIR-NCL, we focus on innovation and developing solutions, partnering with industry to transfer and commercialize our research so it makes meaningful societal and economic impact.” He inspired students to pursue careers in science for the advancement of a Viksit Bharat.

Key moments included science popularization talks by scientist experts such as Dr. Samir Chikkali (Waste Plastic Depolymerization), Dr. Aakash Sharma (Thinking Like a Scientist), Dr. Manohar V. Badiger (Super-Absorbent Polymers), Dr. Narendra Kadoo (Biotechnology and DNA), Dr. Saket Kumar (Rheology), Dr. M. Karthikeyan (AI for Chemical Industries), Dr. Rakesh Joshi (Insects: Friend or Foe), Dr. Shubhangi Umbarkar (Green Technology), Dr. Manish Kumar Mishra (Crystals in Science), Dr. Magesh Nandagopal (Idea Commercialization), and Dr. Harshawardhan Pol (Plastic Recycling).

Dr. Wafia Masih, Scientist & Head of the Science Outreach Resource Center and Event Facilitator, energized participants daily, delivering motivating talks underscoring the value and responsibility of being a scientist. Her sessions—ranging from “Lab to Life: Science” to “Unleash Your Inner Scientist” and “Outreach, Opportunities and Innovation with Jigyasa” inspired students to engage with national and societal challenges.

Throughout the week, students provided vibrant written and verbal feedback, overwhelmingly affirming that the program broadened their horizons and inspired future ambitions in science and technology.

Participants toured advanced facilities, such as the pyrolysis plant, the National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM), genome sequencing, and ellipsometry labs, gaining first-hand exposure to state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation.

Expert-guided hands-on sessions enabled students to conduct chromatography, build electromagnet cranes, explore plant tissue culture, and extract DNA while practical innovation exercises encouraged creative problem solving. Donning crisp lab coats and safety gear, the young participants looked and felt every bit the scientist, proudly calling themselves ‘Jigyasa Scientists’ as they performed real experiments.

A highlight of the program included demonstrations of emerging digital technologies that students witnessed on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) tools powering remote-controlled chemical processes—an exciting vision of smart laboratories of the future.

On Day 4, a special virtual address by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Honourable Minister of Science & Technology, inspired participants to boldly pursue research and innovation.

The event also showcased CSIR-NCL’s solutions in green chemistry, featuring plastic PPE kit recycling and eco-friendly methods for the disposal of Plaster of Paris idols, emphasizing the laboratory’s societal and environmental impact.

CSIR-NCL’s senior scientists, Ph.D. scholars, project staff, administration, and outreach coordinators worked in unison to catalyse scientific spirit in the young students, resulting in 16 engaging talks, 6 research facility tours, 5 hands-on sessions, and 11 demonstrations for the 443 students who participated across five days.