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Physics, frog figurines and baking Shobhana Narasimhan travels the world teaching physics. But there is more to her than just science. A peek into a physicist’s life.
It’s a little bit different. Some skills are the same like having a good writing style, but you have to think logically and clearly. I do teach writing in JNC. I teach them how to write scientific papers which is different from writing fiction. You have to see a pattern in your head and get it out clearly, use simpler words. I teach different writing styles like how to read a recipe from a cookbook and how to read scientific instruction. Then they take a recipe from a cookbook and convert it in a scientific style. Like how to make chocolate pudding written like a lab manual. That makes it easier for the Physics students to understand and write the scientific papers in simpler manner.
Has there been an increase in the number of women joining Physics?
“K
issing a lot of frogs before I meet my prince charming.” She laughs when asked about her collection of around 150 frog figurines of all shapes and sizes. Shobhana Narasimhan, 48, is a professor and chairman at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore. She has a PhD in Physics from Harvard University, Cambridge. This world traveller is passionate about social work and encouraging women in the field of physics.
As a school student you had a phobia for Physics. How did you end up being a physicist? Even though I scored well in physics, I had a mental block that I was not good at physics. But in my junior college I had good teachers. I learnt more modern things in physics like
Scientist has hobbies too I read a lot. Probably four to five books in a week. I am very interested in art. I like to go to museums. I bake when I have time. quantum mechanics and relativity. I found them interesting. I was asked to do an essay for a radio programme for children on Einstein. When I was reading about Einstein, I read about his discoveries and work. I found all of that really interesting and then I got really fascinated with physics.
You also teach scientific writing. How have you inculcated these writing methods to your students?
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I have to say ‘no’. In the US, there is generally this assumption that the women are not smart enough to go into science. They are really fighting hard for it and the number of women in science is gradually increasing in the US. In India, I felt that this idea was not there. But I don’t know why they disappear afterwards (after completing their Graduation and Post Graduation in science) But they are doing more of biology. So why are they not in physics - is a puzzle. Even now if you look at the professors in physics, there are very few women. It is only about 5% to 10% in the top departments of the research institutes in India. In colleges, maybe a little higher. But it is not clear why.
What was your role as a member of the task force for women in science, set up by the Govt of Maharashtra, dept of Physics, set up in 2003? That was meant to examine why are there so few women in science. What can be done to increase the number of women in science? And give recommendations.
Anisha Nair
anisha@citizenmatters.in
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