"Invitation to the Popular Science Lecture on “Eye in the Sky!"

Tuesday, 31st July 2007: 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm, Auditorium I in Gujarat Science City

The Gujarat Science City is announcing the popular science lecture on the topic "Eye in the Sky!" to be delivered by Dr. Ranganath R. Navalgund, Director, Space Application Centre, (ISRO), Ahmedabad. on Tuesday, 31st July 2007.

The lecture is 15th of its series titled as "SCIENCE MATTERS" that aims to bring awareness among the young students, parents, teachers and the media persons about the fascinating world of basic sciences and its promising future. The series deals with topics on frontier areas of science and technology for the spreading of new knowledge and awareness among the students as well as the public at large.

Science and art of earth observation is more than three decades mature and yet contains new possibilities of societal and other applications. Physics, engineering, science and art of observation using a variety of orbiting sensors and their applications.

The lecture will illustrate what should we watch the earth with eyes in the sky. Dozens of eyes from many nations are watching the earth from space. The idea is to look at the earth in as many ways as possible – from synoptic perspectives to close ups and from ordinary photo views to full spectrum scans.

Dr. R. R. Navalgund is a pioneer in application of earth observation. As Director, SAC-ISRO, he overlooks the teams that build finest camera systems and devise methods for using data from these sensors which ultimately benefit the common man. It would be illuminating to listen to first hand account of the all things related to the eyes in sky.

As a distinguished scientist and technocrat, Dr. R. R. Navalgund has long lasting experience by working with the Indian Space Research Organisation and National Remote Sensing Agency. Earlier to SAC-ISRO, he was at the National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad as its Director during 2001 to 2005. Prior to this, he was at the Space Applications Centre during 1977-2001 working in the general area of remote sensing applications programmes in difference capacities. Dr. Navalgund has played an important role in the formulation and execution of most of the major remote sensing application programmes undertaken in the country right from the experimental Bhaskara satellite mission in 1979 to the operational IRS series of satellites.

In addition to his rich professional expertise and experiences, Dr. Navalgund is also the recipient of many prestigious awards, honors and recognitions in his field. He is the recipient of (i) ASI Award – 1996 by the Astronautical Society of India and (ii) Indian National Remote Sensing Award – 1992 and (iii) Prof. K.R. Ramanathan Memorial Lecture Gold Medal in 2002. He was the President, Technical Commission–VII on Resources and Environmental Monitoring of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing for the period 2000-2004 and also represents India on the Group on Earth Observations, an international initiative.

The interaction on Eye in the Sky will explore many more examples and experiences of Science in the Society by the legendary scientist and visionary Dr. R. R. Navalgund, who has the power to create, the ability to lead and the foresight to build the future today.

We invite one and all to attend the programme at Auditorium I in the Science City.

With warm regards.

Ashok V. Mehta

Executive Director

GUJARAT SCIENCE CITY

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