ICT for Quality Education in India

36-40ICT, if used creatively, can make a big difference in the way teachers teach and students learn and can help students acquire 21st-century skills

Electronic structure of overstretched DNA

Minuscule molecular forces can transform DNA into a structure that is elongated by more than half its original length. We demonstrate that this pronounced conformational transition is of relevance to ongoing experimental and theoretical efforts to characterize the conducting properties of DNA wires. We present quantum mechanical calculations for acidic, dry, poly(CG).poly(CG) DNA which has undergone elongation of up to 90 % relative to its natural length, along with a method for visualizing the effects of stretching on the electronic eigenstates. We find that overstretching leads to a drastic drop of the hopping matrix elements between localized occupied electronic states suggesting a dramatic decrease in the conductivity through holes.Comment: 4 page

Role of Basic Sciences in Achieving Sustainable Development

19-2

Chemistry Education in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities

38-41The year 2011 is being celebrated as the International Year of Chemistry (IYC). Many conferences, symposia and workshops are being organized all over the world including India to highlight the role, importance and achievements of chemistry. When so much is being discussed about chemistry and as the IYC is coming to an end, it would be prudent to have a critical look at the chemistry education system in our country

Redesigning Science Education in India Overcoming the Crisis of Creativity

22-26The focus of today’s science curriculum needs to be on imparting 21st century skills; skill-based and industry-led adoption of innovative learner-centric pedagogies; strategic use of technology and scientific approach to assessment

Electrically Conducting Polymers: Revolutionizing Technology

28-32The structural versatility and electronic communication in Electrically Conducting Polymers have made these materials an ideal choice in a number of applications such as opto-electronic devices, electronic skins, nano-electronics, conducting textiles, bio-electronics, cellular phones, laptop computers, sensors, batteries, point of care diagnostic devices and so forth

Chemistry Education in the 21st Century

38-42<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:" helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">The year 2011 was celebrated as the International <span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:" helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">Year of Chemistry (IYC). Many conferences, symposia <span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:" helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">and workshops were organized all over the world, <span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:" helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">including India, to highlight the role, importance and <span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:" helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">achievements of chemistry. When so much is being <span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:" helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">discussed about chemistry, it would be prudent to have <span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:" helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">a critical look at the chemistry education system in our <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: " helvetica","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family:helvetica"="">country. </span

Materials of the Future: Electrically Conducting Polymers

43-47Electrically conducting polymers have a wide range of applications in electronic and opto-electronic devices such as sensors, plastic batteries, solar cells, field effect transistors, optical data storage, organic electro-luminescent devices, switching devices, frequency doubles and many more. These are promising materials of the future and will continue to have an impact on the progress of science and technology

India’s Future is in Innovation Make Education More Creative

16-2