“She for STEM” launched in Uttarakhand by Gov
By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 10 August: Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) participated in a one-day workshop on the participation and awareness of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), organized jointly by Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) and ‘Science Shala’ International at the Regional Science Center, Jhajra. During the event, the Governor launched the “She for STEM” initiative. Additionally, the Governor inaugurated the digital library, STEM dashboard, and the Lab on Wheels project dashboard at the Regional Science Center.
Five women excelling in the STEM field Dr Binita Fartyal (BSIP, Lucknow); Nidhi Pant (Founder of S4S); Dr Reema Pant (Tech entrepreneur and educationist at Graphic Era University); Dr ManishaThakurathi (Dean, IIT); and Dr Jayshree Sanwal (JNCASR in Bangalore); were honored.
Lt Gen Singh emphasized that STEM is crucial in today’s world, as it paves the way for social and economic advancement globally. He highlighted that countries making significant progress have focused on STEM education. He stated that increased female participation in STEM will strengthen and enhance women’s social and economic status. Encouraging girls to pursue STEM is vital, as women’s growing involvement in innovation and technology is a significant investment for the country’s future. He praised UCOST’s efforts in extending STEM education to remote villages. The Governor urged all universities and colleges to involve as many female students and faculty as possible in this initiative. He called for creating an environment where women and girls become role models in STEM innovation, entrepreneurship, and transformation. He stressed the importance of empowering women to address global challenges with full commitment.
Prof Durgesh Pant, Director General of UCOST, discussed the status and role of women in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering. He highlighted the digital library’s resources, including national and international journals and e-books, and UCOST’s efforts like Lab on Wheels, STEM labs, and science conferences in remote areas.
Dr Darshana Joshi, Founder-CEO of ‘Science Shala’ International, shared her inspiring journey in science education. An online lecture on future technology prospects was presented by Jaya Jagdish, Country Head of AMD India, who spoke about turning challenges into opportunities.
Dr Binita Fartyal from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, discussed her research and travels from Nainital to the polar regions. The workshop concluded with the vote of thanks by Dr Vijay Venu Gopal, Co-Founder of ‘Science Shala’ International. The event included motivational journeys in STEM, sessions with STEM entrepreneurs, and various hands-on activities. Over 250 students, participants from ‘Science Shala’, and UCOST and Regional Science Center officials attended the event. The workshop was conducted by Bhuvan Joshi and Dr Tripti Joshi.
On this occasion, information about Lab on Wheels by Jitendra Kumar, STEM by Manoj Kanyal, and Digital Library by Vikas Nautiyal was provided to His Excellency. During this event Amit Pokhriyal, Piyush Joshi, Subhash Negi, Manmohan Rawat, Archit Pandey, and the team from the Regional Science Center were also present.
