The science of change

The Infosys Prize shows that science in India is evolving in many directions and attaining a certain level of 'cool'

- Shrabonti Bagchi

I don't like the term 'science communication'. It evokes a kind of one-way channel of sharing information," says Jahnavi Phalkey, founding director of the Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB) and a historian of science. "I prefer the term 'public engagement with science', because that's what we are trying to do with SGB, through models, talks, labs, exhibitions and exploring intersections of science and art/culture."

Phalkey is among six recipients of the recently announced Infosys Prize 2023, conferred by the Infosys Science Foundation to leading researchers in the sciences. A prestigious, one-of-its-kind award that honours achievement in science and humanities, it is awarded in six categories each year-engineering and computer science, humanities, life sciences, mathematical sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences and includes a gold medal, a citation and a prize purse of $100,000 (or its equivalent in rupees).