S. Vishnu Sharma
I STEM will be hosting a national event ‘Samavesha’ on 16 January 2024. I STEM also known as Indian Science, Technology, and Engineering facilities Map is an initiative from the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India.
The launch event of ‘Samavesha’ will be held at IISc, Bengaluru, on 16 January 2024. The project is working towards optimizing resource utilization nationwide.
I STEM is planning to conduct around 50 ‘Samavesha’ across India during 2024.
The project targets connecting researchers with scientific institutes through an online portal.
The Researcher or the industry looking to avail advanced scientific equipment can connect with the institution that has the equipment they are looking for and rent it to conduct their experiments, through I STEM Portal.
Vision of I STEM
The vision of I STEM is to create a future where one million New-Age researchers, brimming with ideas, are seamlessly connected to a network of 10,000 cutting-edge labs across India.
By 2024, I STEM aims not only to connect individuals to equipment but also to ignite a collaborative ecosystem where start-ups, industries, and academia co-create the next wave of innovation.
This saves the researchers, industry and start-ups the prohibitive capital expenditure of purchasing advanced equipment.
At the National level, this prevents duplication of resources in the research institutions, says sources from I STEM.
Importance
Highlighting the importance of Samavesha, Dr. Harilal Bhaskar, Chief Operating Officer and National Coordinator, I-STEM, said, they are thrilled to announce India’s research is getting a superpower – collaboration! Samavesha unlocks the missing ingredient – seamless connections, shared resources, and a nationwide research surge.
From hidden labs to groundbreaking landmarks, Samavesha empowers minds, unites forces, and builds a future of collaborative breakthroughs, said national coordinator of I STEM.
Join the revolution – register your lab, share your resources, and make history with Samavesha, said Chief Operating Officer of I STEM.
Objective
The objective is to provide New Age Researchers, start-ups and industries across India with access to advanced, and expensive, research infrastructure, which would help drive innovation, said Dr Harilal Bhaskar of I STEM.
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We envision a future where researchers have unparalleled access to cutting-edge facilities, leading to a surge in research and indigenous product innovation, said Dr Harilal of I STEM.
Key impact
The key impact envisaged from Samavesha include
Ø Increased Indigenous Product Innovation: Collaborative synergy is expected to significantly boost innovation.
Ø Knowledge Exchange Ecosystem: SAMAVESHA seeks to create a thriving knowledge exchange environment, driving research and development.
Ø National Advancements: Breaking down access barriers, the event aspires to make India a hub for groundbreaking discoveries and homegrown advancements.
New Institutions
I-STEM looks forward to new institutions and researchers registering and participating in the event.
The Existing active users are also encouraged to list equipment, execute FBRs, and share catalogues.
Public users and research labs are encouraged to provide feedback during the event to inform future decisions about the I-STEM program.
About I STEM
Indian Science, Technology, and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) is a dynamic, interactive, user-friendly, indigenously developed Web Portal for shaping Science Research in India to achieve the Goal “Self-Reliant India”.
This is a unique initiative conceived and funded by the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to Government of India, which is subsequently adapted by all the line Ministries for Science and Technology.
It holds the database of publicly funded functioning R&D Equipment and Facilities in various public and private institutions in India.