In celebration of National Science Day, Janus Club and PG Association of the Department of Physics and Research Centre, Lady Doak College, Madurai organized a Science Expo for school children on February 24, 2025 from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m with the support and guidance of Dr. R. Beulah Jayashree, Principal and Secretary, Lady Doak College and Dr. R. Nimma Elizabeth, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Physics & Vice Principal, Lady Doak College. The Science Expo was successfully coordinated by Dr. S. Arockia Shyamala, Associate Professor, Department of Physics & Dean of Student Affairs, Lady Doak College. The event aimed to ignite curiosity and passion for physics among young minds through interactive experiments and demonstrations.
The program commenced with a prayer led by Ms. Hannah Esther Christy S of I M.Sc. Physics, followed by a warm welcome address by Dr. Janci Rani Juliet, Associate Professor & Coordinator for B.Sc., Physics with Computer Applications, Department of Physics, Lady Doak College. Dr. S. Arockia Shyamala introduced the esteemed chief guest, Dr. N. Arunachalam, Headmaster of Government Higher Secondary School, Uranganpatti, Melur. The event was officially inaugurated with an insightful address by Dr. N. Arunachalam, highlighting the significance of physics in everyday life and the importance of fundamental Physics concepts such as scattering of light, Newton’s laws, classical mechanics, wave Physics, electricity and optics. Ms. Lakshmi Priya R of II M.Sc. Physics delivered the vote of thanks, for the inaugural session expressing gratitude to all participants and organizers.
Around eight hundred students from eight schools namely OCPM Higher Secondary School, Nadar Vidyasala Middle School, Capron Hall Higher Secondary School, Jothi Higher Secondary School, American College Higher Secondary School, YMCA Kamak Higher Secondary School For The Hearing Impaired, St.Anne's Girls Hr.sec. school and Le Chatelier Matriculation Higher Secondary School visited the science expo. The event featured various physics experiments demonstrated by the undergraduate Physics students of Lady Doak College to provide the school students with a practical understanding of fundamental physics concepts including demonstrations on electric charge and current, force and pressure, light refraction and image formation, and key thermodynamic principles. Students showcased practical applications of concepts such as electricity and magnetism, light, heat and sound, friction, Pascal’s Principle, Boyle’s Law, thermal radiation, and convection. In the Solar PV corner, harnessing sunlight, a non-conventional energy source to cook food and melt wax and create candles was demonstrated. Additionally, “Navigating the Night Sky”, an interactive space exploration session using the Stellarium app was organized to introduce students to astrophysics.
Overall, the Science Expo successfully provided an engaging and interactive learning experience for school students. The experiments encouraged critical thinking and scientific inquiry, reinforcing the importance of experiential learning in physics. The event received enthusiastic participation from students, faculty, and school attendees, making it a grand success in fostering a love for science among young learners.