The Global Science Festival Kerala (GSFK), organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) and Amuseum ArtScience, will be held at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram, from January 15 to February 15.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the festival, described as a curated event “that explores science through art” on January 15.
It is a ticketed event open to the public. Entry fee concessions will be available to school students, the organisers said.
The month-long event will feature themed science exhibitions, talks and public lectures, interactions with NASA and ISRO scientists, workshops and events for children and outreach programmes. Night skywatch and tenting are planned in collaboration with the Kerala State Science and Technology Museum.
GSFK is aimed at fostering “a culture of appreciating science and to examine its strengths and weaknesses,” according to the organisers.
The target audience include art and science enthusiasts, scientists and the student community. Science and the scientific approach play a vital role in Kerala’s pursuit to foster a knowledge economy, said Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, who chairs the festival, here on December 28 (Friday).
An all-Kerala Science Quiz and a Science for Kids Gallery are among the events planned for children.
Personalities who will be attending the event include American astrophysicist and NASA scientist Madhulika Guhathakurta, Robert Potts, lecturer in creative design at Manchester Metropolitan University, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, MP, London-based structural engineer Roma Agarwal, and Magsaysay Award-winning conservationist Rajendra Singh.
A public talk by Danish chemist and Nobel laureate Morten P. Meldal is planned on February 7.
Highlights
Major highlights include Seeds of Culture Exhibition by the Viswesaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Energy in Transition by the German Federal Foreign Office, Molecular Animation by artist Drew Berry and a Water Matters expo by the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai.
A replica of the ship HMS Beagle, famed for its connection with Charles Darwin, a digital experience of the International Space Station and moon and Mars installations by Luke Jerram are other highlights.
The organisers expect 35,000-40,000 visitors daily. Tickets can be purchased at the venue or online. Online booking of tickets has opened on www.gsfk.org, said festival director Ajith Kumar.
The State government has allocated ₹4 crore for the event, said Mr. Balagopal.
Various institutions, including the U.S. and German Consulates, the British Council, Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER – Thiruvananthapuram), the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are associating with the event.
