Stakeholders' Workshop: Development of Database of Scientific Equipments
As part of a nation-wide study for development of database of equipments funded under R&D projects and other S&T research infrastructure schemes of the Central Government, the Library and Information Centre of TERI organized the Stakeholders’ Workshop on 30 August 2016 at Juniper Hall, India Habitat Centre. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the National Science and Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. The objectives of the workshop were to provide a forum to scientists, project investigators and decision-makers to share their experiences related to scientific equipment; promote the equipments’ database; and evolve a standardized interoperable database of scientific equipments.
Mr Prabir Segupta, Distinguished Fellow and Director, Knowledge Management Division, in his Welcome Address, emphasized the need for open access to the scientific equipments and to formalize a future course of action. Dr Ajay Mathur, Director-General, TERI delivered the Special Address, wherein he addressed the challenges and opportunities in sharing and effective use of equipments and timely disposal of obsolete equipments. The Inaugural Address was delivered by Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST. Prof Sharma emphasized the need for Academic Social Responsibility with regard to research infrastructure. He also said that we need to have policies for procurement, use, maintenance and disposal of scientific equipments.
The first technical session on ‘Scientific Equipments: Available shared national assets’ addressed the challenges and opportunities in equipment sharing and effectiveness for a meaningful scientific collaboration. The speakers emphasized on the need for Industry-Academy Interaction and advocated to cut down import of equipments from 94% to 80% in 10 years from now. The second session on ‘Towards a standardized interoperable database of scientific equipments’ stressed on the need to develop a searchable national equipment database using the open data approach.