Wiss-Nama Newsletter

WISS-NAMA is the newsletter of the Science and Technology Department of the German Embassy, New Delhi. The title is a combination of a German and an Indian word: WISS, an abbreviation of the German word 'Wissenschaft' (meaning science), and NAMA, a word used in Sanskrit and Persian contexts, standing for 'compendium' or 'handbook'.

News from Indo-German Cooperation

Indo-German Science & Technology Centre gets new Director

Dr Roshan Paul assumed the position as the Director of the Indo-German Science and Technology Centre on December 1, 2016. Dr Roshan Paul has graduated in Textile Chemistry from the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai in 1995 and holds Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Chemical Technology from the same institute. He has previously worked in the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain, Clariant, Mumbai, LEITAT Technological Center, Spain and Hohenstein Institute, Germany. IGSTC was established by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany to facilitate Indo-German R&D networking through substantive interactions among government, academia/research system and industry, thus fostering innovation for overall economic and societal developments in both the countries. In 2015 the tenure of the centre was extended until 2022 with its funding being doubled from 2 million Euro per year each side to upto 4 million Euro per year each side starting 2017.

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Science Circle Lecture “Legal Transfer in the Common Law World” by Prof. Stefan Vogenauer

A Science Circle Lecture on the topic “Legal Transfer in the Common World” by Prof. Stefan Vogenauer, Director, Max Planck Institute for European Legal History was organized by the German Embassy New Delhi in collaboration with the German House for Research and Innovation (DWIH) at the German House, New Delhi on December 9, 2016. Professor Vogenauer works mostly in the areas of European legal history, comparative and transnational private law with particular interest in legal transfers in the common law world, the history of EU law and the comparative history of legal method. The lecture began with an opening speech by Stephan Lanzinger, Head of the Science and Technology Department, German Embassy, who highlighted the role of Indo-German cooperation in the field of science and technology, followed by the introduction of Prof Dr Stephan Vogenauer by Heike Mock, chairwoman, DWIH. The informative lecture was followed by an interactive Q&A session and a networking reception.

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Highlights from Germany and India

India becomes Associate Member of CERN, Geneva

India and European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) signed an agreement on November 21, 2016 making India an Associate Member State of CERN. This follows CERN Council’s adoption of the resolution to this effect on September 15, 2016. The agreement was signed by Dr. Sekhar Basu, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India and CERN Director General Dr. Fabiola Gianotti in Mumbai. CERN is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory, where scientists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe by using the most sophisticated scientific instruments and advanced computing systems. CERN is based in Geneva on the French-Swiss border. Presently CERN has 22 member states, four associate member states, and the observer status is given to four states and three International Organizations.

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India International Science Festival (IISF) 2016 held in New Delhi

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 2nd India International Science Festival at the CSIR-National Physical Laboratory Campus in New Delhi on December 8. It is the largest festival of science in the country with its focus on ‘Science for the Masses’ and an aim to encourage and develop scientific temper and attitude, promote exchange of knowledge and ideas among young minds including showcasing of recent developments and contributions in India in the field of science and technology. 

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Upcoming events and conferences

Indian History Congress Session in Kerala on December 28-30

The Indian History Congress is a major national organisation of Indian historians, and was founded in 1935. It has over 7,000 members. The 77th annual session of the Congress will take place at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 28-30 December. At each annual session the General Body meets and passes resolutions on matters of interest to historians as well as teachers and researchers, to ensure due protection to Indian monuments and to create easier access to archives and sources. The Congress will also witness German participation.

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Science Circle Lecture on “Liberty and Security in Times of International Terrorism” by Prof.  Dieter Grimm

A Science Circle Lecture on the topic “Liberty and Security in times of International Terrorism” by Prof. Dr. Dieter Grimm will be organized by the German Embassy New Delhi in collaboration with the German House for Research and Innovation (DWIH) at the German House, New Delhi on January 10, 2017. Prof Dieter Grimm teaches constitutional law at Humboldt University Berlin and at the Yale Law School. From 1987 to 1999 he served as Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany. His most recent book “Constitutionalism - Past, Present and Future” appeared 2016 with Oxford University Press. 

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DAAD Events

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) will be organizing a series of events for Indian students and researchers interested in pursuing studies or research in Germany and webinars for students joining German universities shortly.

Webinar

Study and Research Germany

December 22, 15:00 hrs IST, any place convenient to the participant with a good internet connection.

To register

Study & Research in Germany and Interaction with Young Ambassadors Madhuri Sathyanarayana Rao and Narayan Prasad

Bangalore: January 5, 14:30 - 16:00 hrs, Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, CMH Road, Indiranagar 1st Stage, Bangalore

To register

Higher Studies & Research Opportunities in Germany

Chennai: January 11, 11:00 to 12:00 hrs, DAAD IC Chennai, 20/10 Jaganathan Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600034

To register

Calls for Proposals: Funding Opportunities and Scholarships

IGSTC: Call 2016 

Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC), a joint initiative of Indian and German Government invites pre-proposals for joint R&D projects of industrial relevance in 2+2 mode of partnership in the overall thematic area of “Smart Cities” with subtopics such as integrated water management and sanitation system for urban settings, energy efficiency in built environment and technologies for the utilization of waste (waste to wealth generation technologies). Applicants from research organisations, state and non-state institutions of higher education, universities, non-university research institutions and public or private companies having R&D bases are eligible to apply. 

Application deadline: January 16, 2017

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Joint Berlin-Jerusalem Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program

The Joint Berlin-Jerusalem Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program aims to promote research cooperation as a career track to leverage synergies between Freie Universität Berlin and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The two universities establish a joint Post-Doctoral Fellowship scheme with competitively awarded grants to foster the career development of young international researchers, among others, also Indians The goal of this initiative is to pool resources and attract highly promising postdoctoral researchers to the combined strengths of two renowned research universities working in partnership. The Joint Post-Doctoral Fellowship aims to empower Postdocs for their next career step at a leading international research university.

Application deadline: January 21, 2017 

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Teaching courses in the GIAN program

Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) is a programme initiated by the Government of India which seeks to invite distinguished academicians, entrepreneurs, scientists, experts from premier institutions from across the world, to teach in the higher educational institutions in India. Under this programme, an international faculty would conduct one to two weeks course at an Indian institution. Foreign faculty/experts from academic Institution, research organisation and Industry are welcome to participate in the GIAN program. They can either submit a course proposal in the format/template which is available on the website or send their expression of interest to take part as International faculty to the National Coordinator, GIAN. Proposals will be accepted online for approval of courses up to December 2017. 

Application deadline: February 28, 2017

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International Climate Protection Fellowships of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Applications are invited from young climate experts from transition and developing countries interested in conducting a project in Germany. The applicants should be dealing with issues relating to the scientific, engineering, legal, economic, health-related or social aspects of climate change. Candidates having a bachelor’s or equivalent university degree can apply. The fellowship allows future leaders to spend a year in Germany working on a research-based project of their choice in the field of climate protection. 

Application deadline: March 1, 2017

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Did You Know?

There are 62,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body – laid end to end they would circle the earth 2.5 times.

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