Bridging STEM and Stewardship: Our Journey Through Gujarat’s Eco-Workshops
E-STEM Stories: Branching Out shares stories of innovative E-STEM work from around the world. E-STEM engages students in meaningful, real-world environmental problem-solving that integrates science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
This post highlights Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre, a 2024 recipient of a Global E-STEM Award. These awards, which support both new and established global E-STEM initiatives, are made possible by Pratt & Whitney and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).
This blog post was written by Megha Parikh and Sudakshina Sengupta, programme officer - scientists for the Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre.
Looking back at the 20 student workshops we conducted across Gujarat, India, we are struck by how science truly comes alive when it steps out of the textbook and into the village square. As the resource persons for the Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC), we had the privilege of leading these E-STEM sessions, supported by the Global E-STEM Innovation Grant from the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). Our mission was clear: to show underprivileged students that STEM isn’t just about formulas—it is a toolkit for saving their own environments. This project gave us this unique opportunity where the main focus was on environmental education through a STEM approach.
Students discover how nature inspires innovation. Photo credit: VASCSC, Ahmedabad
What made these workshops resonate was our commitment to hyper-local problem-solving. We didn't just talk about ‘pollution’ in a general sense; we looked at the specific challenges the students faced in their own surroundings, like solid waste management in schools and villages, loss and threat to indigenous species, etc. We addressed the growing concern of waste segregation through a waste segregation template wherein the students learned to categorize waste that should be discarded and waste that can be reduced or recycled to understand the environmental impact of disposal.
As we travelled across the diverse landscapes of Gujarat, we tailored our STEM activities to the unique biodiversity of each region. When our team reached Junagadh, the gateway to Gir, the energy was electric. We designed a specialized activity focused on the Asiatic Lions. By using tracking simulations and population modelling, students used math and biology to understand what it takes to conserve a species found nowhere else on earth.
In Balasinor, home to one of the world's largest dinosaur egg hatcheries, we led sessions on the dinosaurs of Gujarat, exploring the different eras and the science behind mass extinction. Through hands-on activities, students explored how environmental changes can shape ecosystems and contribute to extinction, connecting the story of dinosaurs to the challenges facing our planet today.
Students conduct experiments to understand climate science. Photo credit: VASCSC, Ahmedabad
One of the most fascinating segments of the workshop focused on biomimicry, where students explored how nature’s ancient designs can solve modern engineering problems. We introduced a specialized template that allowed students to observe the "superpowers" of local flora and fauna—such as the water-repellent properties of a lotus leaf or the structural strength of the feet of a Gecko—and brainstorm how these could be "mimicked" to create sustainable technology. By shifting their perspective from simply looking at nature to learning from nature, the students began to see the environment as a vast library of scientific innovation.
About VASCSC
Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) was established in 1966 by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space Programme. For decades, VASCSC has been a beacon of non-formal science education. Based in Ahmedabad, the Centre strives to take science to the community through its state-of-the-art labs and innovation hubs. By focusing on "learning by doing," we continue Dr. Sarabhai’s legacy of fostering a scientific temper to solve the pressing challenges of our society and environment.