Coordinator: Dean's Office
Instructor(s): Dr. Akshat Singhal, Dr. Navaneetha M. R., and Prof. Aniket Sule
03Mon
Coordinator: Dr. Akshat Singhal
https://badal.hbcse.tifr.res.in/index.php/s/r3SiikFbY5nzrRG
03Mon
Coordinator: Mr. Vikrant Ghanekar
https://badal.hbcse.tifr.res.in/index.php/s/ZceKNTxF4JBPNgJ
05Wed
Coordinator: Dean's Office
Exploring the Intersection of Research and Education: Inspiring STEM Learning
Dr. Bhooma Bhagat
Dr. Bhooma Bhagat, originally from Surat, Gujarat, is deeply passionate about science education and community outreach. Her academic journey began with a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, followed by an M.S. in Analytical Chemistry from the National Forensic Sciences University, where she secured a Gold Medal. She pursued her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Pandit Deendayal Energy University, focusing on chemi-resistive sensors for VOC detection and image analysis techniques for heavy metal detection in water.
Dr. Bhagat's journey in science education began during her college days, where she volunteered to teach science and mathematics to underprivileged students, fostering their curiosity and love for learning. This passion grew through her work at the Vikram A. Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) and Respire Experiential Learning (REL), where she developed STEM modules, conducted teacher training workshops, and promoted hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Her mission is to bridge the gap between complex scientific concepts and practical learning experiences, making STEM education a cornerstone of student development and success.
In this presentation, Dr. Bhooma Bhagat will share how her journey as both a researcher and STEM facilitator fuels her mission to make contextual concepts engaging and accessible. Drawing from her experience in developing STEM modules, conducting teacher training, and establishing STEM labs, she will highlight her work in promoting experiential learning. Dr. Bhagat has created chemistry-based STEM modules and led teacher workshops, simplifying complex concepts through hands-on learning.
She will also discuss her Ph.D. research, which focused on developing chemi-resistive sensors for VOC detection and image analysis techniques for detecting heavy metals in water. This research equipped her with expertise in material characterization, sensor design, and analysis, further enhancing her problem-solving approach within the research field.
Inspired by her research background, Dr. Bhagat now explores creative techniques, such as the cyanotype process in chemistry education—an engaging, hands-on experiment to demonstrate chemical reactions and introduce scientific concepts in an accessible way. With a strong foundation in both research and education, Dr. Bhagat is passionate about making chemistry accessible through creative, low-cost experiments and modules that bridge theory with real-world applications.