Vernacular Science: The Science of Delivery

Abstract

Milind explores the connection between the questions of development, i.e., sadak, bijli, pani and the ways of doing science. He looks at the frontier model of scientific knowledge and the recent emergence of "Big Science". He argues that Big Science has a "delivery problem"- It is not clear how Big Science will impact positively the problems of the bottom 80%. He then proposes "Vernacular Science", i.e., a science which begins not at the frontiers of science, but at the people most needing it, and of understanding the material reality, of subjects of science, its implementation by government or private agencies and the problems which need solution. He then argues that such an interdisciplinary and accessible methodology of science is the way to a more sustainable world.

If time permits, Milind will describe some of the results of some phd students at CTARA in the area of water in agriculture. He will connect this with the vernacular science methodology proposed above

About the speaker

Milind Sohoni teaches at the computer science and engineering department of IIT Bombay as well as CTARA, an academic center of the Institute devoted to technology and development. As a development practitioner, he specialises in the area of drinking water and its linkages to technical and social areas as groundwater, water for agriculture, planning and policy. As a computer scientist, he has worked in applied geometry and optimization. He also writes in English and Marathi newspapers.