U.S proud to partner with Kerala at Global Science Festival

Thiruvananthapuram: The U.S. Pavilion, featuring NASA JPL scientists in the month-long inaugural Global Science Festival Kerala (GSFK) here, is an example of the space diplomacy ties between the United States and India, a US consulate official has said.

The U.S. administration is proud to partner with the Government of Kerala at the Global Science Festival Kerala, U.S. Consulate General Chennai Spokesperson Samantha Jackson said.

The U.S.-India science and technology cooperation promotes economic growth and allows both countries to develop new and innovative technologies and products to address shared challenges, a statement said quoting the official on Tuesday.

"Our U.S. Pavilion, featuring NASA JPL scientists, is an example of our U.S.-India space diplomacy ties. Our U.S.-India science and technology cooperation promotes economic growth and allows us to develop new and innovative technologies and products to address shared challenges," Jackson said.

Noting that science, technology, and innovation are key tools to address global challenges such as climate change, health, education, food, water, and energy security, she said they are building public-private partnerships that promote science and technology-based innovation and entrepreneurship.

"We recognize the importance of gender equality in the scientific workforce and have conducted numerous exchanges encouraging more women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics," Jackson added.

The U.S. Consulate General Chennai, which has been an integral part of South India’s academic and cultural landscape for the last 76 years, has partnered with the Government of Kerala to host a U.S. pavilion at the inaugural Global Science Festival Kerala (GSFK).

The month-long festival, progressing at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Parkin nearby Thonnakkal here, features the U.S. pavilion where participants can attend science lectures including that of top National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists, explore exhibits, and access high-on-demand educational resources.

The pavilion includes exhibits on the environment, space sciences, and extra-terrestrial intelligence with renowned collaborators, including NASA and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Labs, an official statement said here.

On January 22, the U.S. pavilion hosted a series of science talks by five NASA scientists, part of the prestigious NASA-Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission (NISAR), at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), it said.

NASA astrophysicist Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, who was the chief guest at the GSFK opening ceremony, inaugurated the U.S. Pavilion on January 15, along with the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The U.S. pavilion also highlights the importance of education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) and exchange opportunities in the United States, while introducing resources and exclusive programming for patrons — students, experts, researchers, and faculty, the statement added.

The GSFK will be concluded on February 15.