STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The 2nd Aerosol Winter School MANTHAN (Minds on Air Quality, Human Health & Climate Nexus) – 2024 inaugurated by the LG of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, at the Central University of Jammu on February 26, 2024, concluded on Saturday.
This five-day intensive program was organized by CUJ in collaboration with Sindhu Central University, UT of Ladakh, and Indian National Young Academy of Science (INYAS-INSA).
The inaugural function saw the presence of dignitaries including Dheeraj Gupta, Addl. Chief Secretary, UT of J&K, Prof. A. P. Dimri, Director Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Prof. Sachin S Gunthe from IIT Madras, and other notable figures.
Participants from various institutions and universities, as well as scientists from Pollution Control Committees, attended and successfully completed the winter school.
The winter school aimed to impart knowledge about atmospheric aerosols, their sources, and their implications on human health, climate, and the ecosystem.
Expert lectures were delivered by fourteen subject experts namely Prof. A.P. Dimri (IIG, Mumbai), Prof. Sachin Gunthe (IIT Madras), Dr. Manish Joshi (BARC, Mumbai) Prof. Shubha Verma (IIT Kharagpur), Dr. Ashwini Kumar (NIO, Goa), Dr. Narendra Singh (ARIES, Nainital), Prof. Sagnik Dey (IIT Delhi), Dr. G. Pandithurai (IITM, Pune), Prof. Vinoj V. (IIT Bhubaneswar), Dr. Sumit Mishra (NPL, New Delhi), Prof. Kiranmayi (IIT Bhubaneswar), Prof. GufranBeig (NIAS, Bengaluru), Dr. Ankit Tandon (CU Jammu), and Dr. Shweta Yadav covering a wide range of topics including aerosol properties, measurement techniques, climate modeling, health implications of air pollution, and the application of advanced technologies like AI-based drone technology. Additionally, the Central University of Jammu has been awarded the Indo-Swiss Project with ETH-Zurich, Switzerland, for high altitude measurements in Patnitop.
The valedictory session, chaired by Prof. Gufran Beig from NIAS, Bengaluru, emphasized the importance of research in atmospheric aerosols, especially in the context of ongoing climate change. A field excursion followed the session, providing valuable insights into aerosol sources and interactions.
Dr. Shweta Yadav, Convenor, and Dr. Ankit Tandon, Co-Convenor, expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Jain for his visionary leadership and the entire CUJ fraternity for their support in making the 2nd Aerosol Winter School a success.