Physics Research Initiative in Nepal
July 15, 2010 18 Comments
Dear all,
I recently visited Nepal because of family reason and got back to work now. During my stay, I also managed to give three seminars at Tri-Chandra, Patan and Amrit campuses, and visited central department Kirtipur. In the seminar, I did spread the words about this forum- physicschautary and our effort to help Physics Research Initiative in Nepal. Two seminars at Tri-Chandra organised by NPS and Amrit Campuses are related to physics teaching as there were trainings for physics teachers going on. There are now many campuses running M.Sc. physics in Nepal including outside Kathmandu valley. The participants are physics teachers in B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels and are the target of effort to help physics research in Nepal. Seminar at Patan Campus was related to my research work and to the M.Sc. students. They were happy know about Nepalese physicists overseas are going to make a Physics Research Initiative Fund to help promote physics research in Nepal. There also some recent comments made from physicists from Nepal. I had actually very interesting and nice interaction with them. I believe I have conveyed the message about our interest to help physicists in Nepal.
Now, I think we need to move forward making a plan to collect the money for the FUND. I am sure everybody can give some time in the summer to participate in this discussion and finalize our plan. Please post your comments in the physicschautari.com. It will be also nice to post collective comments from the university that has many Nepalese physicists. In the mean time I will search the procedure to register our organization.
During the interaction, other constructive comments I got are
1. It would be nice to put the area of research in the directory of Nepalese Physicists Overseas along with the institute. That way people from Nepal can find the person of similar interests, and contact the right person if they have any question or materials.
2. One of the problems in Nepal related to research work is journal articles. All the journals are not easily available in Nepal. Some professors are getting articles by email with the help of friends here. They appreciated the help who made and worried about too much load for the same person. So, their suggestion is to make a group of people for journal search so that the load will be distributed.
3. Make available of the publications and presentations made by Nepalese physicist in physicschautari website.
4. Put some information in the website for prospective students from Nepal such as research fields, admission requirement, no. of students and Nepalese students, contact persons in the department, tips to search universities, availability of financial support, etc.
I would like to request all Nepalese Physicists to give their opinions on how we can proceed forward and come up with the area where he/she can contribute or help. I also like to request Pashupati ji if he needs help regarding website upgrading and updating.
Mim Nakarmi
Brooklyn College, New York.
If physicschautari can help to enhance the Quality of physics teaching in nepal it would be praiseworthy.our teaching system is always lecturemethod and we are adopting the courses which doesnt help us to tackle with current frontiers.computer is an indispensable for physics research but we are not taught.Student are not encouraged to participate to do research.Students are bullied to mug up and obtain mark.I think physics is not the subject intended to get marks only.If you cannot contribute anything what’s the use of physics.Last but not the least ,you people educated from reputed american universities should force government,university to change these system.
Mim jee,
Namaskar !
It is great to know that you did some interactions with our professors back home and other fellow physicists in there. The idea of raising fund to initiate physics researches in Nepal is definitely good. But if it can be done in some organized way, that would be more fruitful than ever. What I mean by this is that if we form a group/committee, or whatever is relevant, and proceed this job, there will be a feeling of better responsibility and our effort will be more sensible and reflective sooner or later. The outcomes of the investment can not be expected overnight but it will make a big impact in the research areas of Physics in a long run. Setting up a fund for this purpose, of whatever size it may be, will be a big contribution and will definitely inspire the young and fertile minds of our juniors and will be highly praised by our seniors, teachers and professors, who have devoted their lives towards physics.
Another thing I would like to comment is on the availability of journals. If we can share a link of a good/relevant journal and its website via the NPS website/group e-mail, and if somebody who finds it useful, they can request our group in here (once a group is formed) to make the journal available to the concerned person. I think some of the journals may be available through the TU central library too.
Regarding the comments of Sagar jee and Pashupati jee, I agree with them. If we have a good knowledge of at least one programming language, we can definitely stand good in the row of physicists in the international arena. The methodology of teaching in our home university – cramming and spewing in the exams, is not so much useful in terms of understanding physics and to make a good career in physics but that takes time to change. Slowly and steadily, let’s hope, it will change.
Finally, I would like to share the content of Binil sir’s e-mail that I got this morning. The research activities his group and others back home are doing are really inspiring for the growth and development of physics as a whole and to establish physics culture in our country.
Thanks very much !
Regards,
Rudra Kafle
WPI, MA
Currently: CNLS, Los Alamos, New Mexico
Rudra ji,
Thanks for your comments and valuable inputs. My idea is very much similar to your suggestion. Fund collection and it’s management should be done in an organized way. That’s one of the reason we are also going to register the organizatio. Our effort is not just for once. As you mentioned it might take few years to see the outcomes. We will form a group of people to collect, manage, judge the proposal and distribute the grants.
For journal collection and distribution, I like to request for volunters to serve from different universities or national labs who have access to journals of many field.
I also like to request other friends to post their comments and may propose some people for the groups. It may be better to make the groups from different parts and different batchs so that it will be easy to spread the words.
Thanks.
Mim Nakarmi
I attended yours class in Patan Campus. It is really nice news to know about the Nepalese Fhycisist Forum.I hope this site will help us lot to understand physics and we get more information about physics.
all the best for this web site.
Mimjee!
Your idea of raising some funds and helping back by establishing the physics research initiative fund is of course a great idea. I am behind it and want to help as much as possible from my part.
Milan Poudel,
UTSW Texas
This is a comment.
Most of students wants to get marks.Most of students study physics hoping that their degree leads them to America.as far as research is concerned nobody wants to indulge.Neither we have research culture in University nor facilities.Students have to be involved in teaching after finishing masters they cant involve in research due to financial problem.We have annual academic system so we have load which hinders us from research activities.This system merely abases the fertile mind.Einstein,Newton,Heisenberg etc.accomplished great works in young age but we are living in frustration in this period.How can we be good in physics in such niche?
Sagar ji,
I don’t think Einstein accomplished just because of Einstein. Research environment, background, serious effort, critical thinking, interaction with others scientists etc must have role on his success. Our effort from Research Initiative Fund will be to provide financial support to initiate small research work in Nepal. We believe it not only make easy to get admission in the reputated colleges, but also give environment to understand physics. Please encourage your friends and advisors to plan feasible research projects that could be supported by Nepalese Physicists Overseas.
Thanks Mim sir.Sir,how about conducting a small training for M.Sc. students to help them to initiate research.We don’t know anything about research.I think research should be systematic.If we can conduct some training for M. Sc. students with collaboration with NAST,TU and colleges.We would be benefited.
Mim Sir, Great thoughts. Trend in Nepal is that most people study Physics just beacuse they cant get into Bio group. There might be few people who are really facinated and think of carrer in Physics in long run.
If your ideas can be implemented on school level that would be more productive. In short, we need a motivator in physics in school level. Someone like this Prof, who is never tired of Physics demos for High school kids
http://physics.isu.edu/~shropshi/demoprog.html
Swornim ji,
Thanks for your suggestion. One of the areas physicists in Nepal need to work is to sell physics in high school and +10 level. Making domonstration kits or activity materials to give the concept of physics and make students curious about physics would be a nice project. Another area of related field would be developing Physics Education Research division which will focus on teching, learning and transfering physics to society. Both these project are actually related. Such proposals should be welcomed and I believe, Nepalese Physicists Overseas are willing to help.
Mim sir,It really good attempts of yours to establish this forum.i regularly check this website but i find always the samething i mean this website is not updated for long time.How about including other things besides activities of physicschautari so that we can find materials to read.We cannot rely on government that cannot understand the meaning and importance of research.I wish if any of you could come Nepal to encourage new generation.
Sagar Jee
Thank you for your concern. Any articles, info and news are highly appreciated from the reader. We will provide the space for publication.
Administrator
Hello Sir,
I am very glad to know about this effort.
Thanks,
Henu Sharma.
first i would like to congratulate u for ur better performance .
I am much happy to know that vision that u have put forward for the research in nepal. All the students will help u and ur project for the groundbreaking of research oriented in Nepal .
that’s sort of thong will also energize the nepalese physicists for the research .
Wish u the best for ur project and ur vision.
I am ready for any kind of help in this regard.
i fill little bit proud being a student of physics ……..but reality in our collage all u may know{tri chandra } ..am student of bsc 2nd year ….. would u plz help us ….no any seminar and aplicable programme is held in collage and we dont read journal yet ……
so we are hopeful for ur kind response …..
agyatbatoma@yahoo.com
I am an Australian and am fascinated by Nepalese culture and society. I have a PhD in Physics and have several years of teaching experience at the undergraduate level. I have been looking for a worthwhile project, and I believe that helping Nepalese physics students is a worthy and challenging option. I am very interested in developing outreach programs and have much experience with experimental design at all levels. I believe that optics is a field that will enthrall new students. If anyone has a program that they would like to discuss with me, please contact me at :
adjpalmer@gmail.com
I would love to become involved in developing physics and science in your country, and would welcome any insight into how I can help.
Cheers
Adam
I dont know whether this is right or wrong, but instead of starting with classical physics in schools, the curriculum should start with quantum physics. Much of blockade to young minds is what they have learnt in childhood and de-learning those things really take a lot of effort.
The challenge is to explain quantum physics in a fashion which doesn’t require higher mathematics. once the fresh minds are exposed to quantum mechanics in childhood, they might be able to crack the code.
Who knows those young minds in Nepal might someday discover the way to teleport human beings.
Another aspect is to relate biological activities with physics and chemistry. Such integrated understanding of the world is never exposed to young minds which is very necessary for them to built their ideas on contemporary quantum physics rather than subjecting them to classical physics.