A Cusat way of tackling trauma through science

The magic of learning science through experiments and observation helped children at the relief camp at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) to overcome stress and anxiety.

They got an opportunity to touch and feel the wonders of science at the Centre for Science in Society (C-SiS) on the main campus.

Vice Chancellor J. Letha said the initiative was aimed at giving children a break from the trauma of floods.

“We hope it will also encourage them to pursue science and try learning it through interesting experiments. C-SiS, which has carried out a record science learning sessions for children from across the State, has numerous gadgets and models that help in learning science through fun and innovation. Nearly 50 children at the relief camp also visited labs in the departments of physics, chemistry, biology, and maths. They came out with smiling faces after getting an opportunity to do simple experiments, especially those related to lessons they had learnt in classrooms.

A Class 5 student of St. Aloysius School at Paravur said he was impressed with the labs. “We would like to come back with my friends and teachers,” he added.

Gourinanda, a Class 3 student of Government LP School at Parayakad in North Paravur, said she liked the butterfly garden. Abhishek Santhosh of Government Higher Secondary School, Chendamangalam, said his parents were busy cleaning up their flood-hit home. “I will never forget the lessons learnt at the labs,” he added.

The varsity, which had provided shelter to more than 3,000 flood-hit people, has now offered free testing of water in wells and other sources, which may have been polluted by floods.