The Foundation serves as a veritable forum for qualitative dissemination of knowledge and information on the latest advances in science and technology. Conducting workshops, interactive seminars and Science and Cyber Olympiads and publication of informative, non-curriculum study material for school children are currently an essential part of the SOF portfolio.
The science tournament, branded as Science Olympiad, is a rigorous academic and scholastic aptitude competition on the pattern of the Sports Olympiad. The event encompass various science disciplines, namely, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Science.
The National Cyber Olympiad is a nationwide talent search contest that identifies cyber savvy talents amongst the younger generation.
The IMO (International Mathematics Olympiad) is a mean to identify and encourage the mathematical creativity of children.
The Foundation strongly believes that such Olympiads, apart from bringing out the best in the participants, also help them gain confidence for competing with the best around them and in the country and internationally and contribute to personality development. Also recognition of merit at an early age is bound to infuse a certain sense of achievement that encourages them to do even better as they advance in age.
The students are exposed to a variety of complex problems which demand a high level of analytical ability and proficiency in the use of various concepts from a cross-section of subjects, thereby invoking ingenuity in dealing with them. Since admissions to various professional institutions like IITs and Medical colleges are given on the basis of performance in competitive exams, such Olympiads also pave the way for a true understanding of the concepts that is so essential for doing well in these highly competitive exams.
Apart from the Olympiad activities, the Foundation also conducts seminars, workshops, and teacher training programmes in the state capitals of the country. Implementing one of its aims to conduct seminars state-level, the first such seminar cum workshop for science teachers was conducted at St. Columba's School, New Delhi, on 29th April, 2000. The theme was: Innovation in Science Teaching. 160 science teachers from 46 schools in Delhi took part in the workshop, and 13 resource persons of eminence and erudition were drawn from IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur and Delhi University who freely and generously shared their teaching skill, expertise and knowledge with the participants. For most of the teachers it was a stimulating, refreshing and learning experience and an eye-opener.
Hence conducting workshops, interactive seminars and teachers' training programmes are at present an essential part of the SOF’s table of activities. This way the Foundation aims at bringing about a steady and speedy change in the very way science education is currently imparted in the country.
