National Initiative on Undergraduate Science (NIUS) Astronomy
Announcement for 2022 programme
The NIUS programme organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE-TIFR), Mumbai is designed to provide extended mentoring and guidance to undergraduate students in various areas of science. Till last year the Physics component of NIUS included Astronomy and Astrophysics as well. This year the NIUS (Astronomy) programme will be held separately. The announcement for the Physics programme is available separately (https://nius.hbcse.tifr.res.in/announcements/national-initiative-on-undergraduate-science-nius-physics/).
The broad structure of the NIUS (Astronomy) programme will be similar to other subjects in NIUS (https://nius.hbcse.tifr.res.in). All selected students will attend an exposure and enrichment camp to be held sometime between June to September 2022 or else in December 2022 (final dates to be announced by end-April). This camp will include lectures aimed to introduce students to a wide variety of areas of current research in astronomy and astrophysics. In addition, the camp will include interactive sessions in the form of mini-workshops to provide glimpses of the techniques and tools of research in astrophysics, using real or simulated data. This camp will be held in two parts. The first part will be held online and the second part will be held in onsite/in-person. The venue of the onsite component is likely to be a major astrophysics reseach institute in India. Every selected student is expected to attend both the parts of the camp.
The enrichment camp will be followed by an extended nurture programme for a smaller subset of students in the form of long-term projects in different research institutions across the country. These students will be required to visit their respective mentors’ institutions during vacation periods over the next 1.5 years to carry out the projects. A final report at the end of two years will mark the successful completion of the NIUS project.
Applications are invited for NIUS (ASTRONOMY) for 2022 from FIRST-YEAR undergraduate students with a strong interest in scientific research and development, who are enrolled in India for any of the following degrees:
i) 3-year B.Sc. / B.Sc.(H) with Physics as one of the subjects,
ii) 4-year B.S. / B. Tech. / B.E. in Physics / Applied Physics / Engineering Physics,
iii) 5-year BS-MS / Integrated M. Sc. with a strong interest in Physics and
iv) 4 / 5-year B.E./ B.Tech. / B.Tech-M.Tech Dual Degree in any branch of Engineering / Technology with a strong interest in Physics.
Applicants should have a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent grades in Class X and Class XII examinations.
Last date for ONLINE submission of the application and ONLINE submission of two confidential assessment forms by teachers/referees is APRIL 19, 2022.
The application process for NIUS (Physics) and NIUS (Astronomy) programmes is common. Students interested in both programmes will be able to apply for both together in the same form, and will be required to indicate a preference of subject. Students should not submit separate applications for two subjects. A student will be selected in only ONE of the subjects, if at all. Only one confidential assessment will be requested from each of the two referees, and the student’s preference of subject (and other details in the application) will be revealed to the referees.
The list of selected students will be made available on the NIUS website by May 15, 2022 and an email invitation will be sent to each selected student by May 20, 2022.
The guidelines for selection of students is available here.
Click HERE to REGISTER AND APPLY ONLINE