The CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) organized a National Seminar on "Nurturing Science Communication – Motivating Science Communicators" on 10 March 2022.

Science communicators belonging to organizations involved in science communication, such as Eklayva, VIPNET Science Club, Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), DBT Wellcome Trust India Alliance, Indian National Science Academy (INSA), National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), National Academy of Science-India (NASI), Vigyan Prasar and Indian National Young Academy of Sciences (INYAS), took part in the seminar.

The seminar discussed innovative science communication initiatives such as the Augmenting Writing Skills Articulating Research (AWSAR), VIPNET Science Clubs, India Science Channel (the first government science channel in the country), Vaigyanik Drishtikon (the first science newspaper in the country), Srote-Eklavya Science Feature Service, and CSIR-NIScPR's science popularization efforts.

Speaking at the Seminar, the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India said that science communicators have a considerable responsibility to remove misinformation, disinformation, and fake science news. The Director General-CSIR, Distinguished Chief Scientist of TCS Research, Directors of CSIR-NIScPR, CSIR-NPL & CSIR-AMPRI also participated in the discussions.

The Seminar brought to the fore that the science communication organizations in India are presently working in isolation, and there is a need to synergize the science communication efforts through collaborations.

The theme book of the seminar, a report on 'Women in STEM – A CSIR Survey towards Gender Parity' and several popular science magazines and books were released.

Dr Manish Mohan Gore
Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR and
Editor, Vigyan Pragati