Outreach
Public engagement is an essential part of doing science. I enjoy translating astrophysical concepts into hands-on activities, especially for school students and the general public.
National Science Day 2026
Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru — 21 Feb 2026
For National Science Day I demonstrated a DIY spectrometer built from a diffraction grating and a simple webcam. Visitors could observe the emission and absorption spectra of household light sources in real time, while I explained how astronomers use the same principle — at far larger scales — to determine the composition, temperature, and motion of stars and the interstellar medium.
The demo was part of IIA’s open-house programme and attracted audiences ranging from primary-school children to retired professionals.
Planned Activities
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Comprehensive Spectroscopy Demonstration – In collaboration with the SCOPE outreach program at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, I am developing a comprehensive spectroscopy demonstration covering absorption and emission spectra, Doppler shifts, and their applications in astrophysics. The activity includes developing demonstration setups and supporting educational materials for public outreach and student engagement.
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J Band Imaging using Raspberry Pi - I am planning to build a low-cost near-infrared imaging setup using a Raspberry Pi–based system to experiment with J-band observations. The idea is to explore how compact and affordable hardware can be adapted for basic astronomical imaging beyond the visible spectrum. This project is intended as a small instrumentation and outreach effort demonstrating that modern astronomical techniques can be explored with accessible electronics and open-source tools.
Get Involved
If you are organising a science event or outreach programme and would like a speaker or demonstrator, please get in touch. You can also view my full background on the CV page.