A one-day workshop cum hands-on training on, “Foldscope Microscopy In Advance Teaching, Learning and Research” was organized at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsha Mahavidyalaya (PDUAM), Eraligool, Assam, on 7 th of March 2019 under Twinning Programme between Dr. Ekramul Islam , Principal investigator, Foldscope Project, Department of Microbiology, University of Kalyani, West Bengal and Dr. Biswajit Deb Roy , Principal investigator, Foldscope Project, Department of Botany, PDUAM, Eraligool, Assam (North Eastern partner). Dr. Ekramul Islam and his team acted as visiting expert, delivered lecture and given hands on training on Foldscope.
Though mainly college students actively participated but this workshop provided an amazing platform among the students, college faculties, as well as research scholars from nearby districts of Karimganj and other participants to get themselves introduced to the paper microscope, a gateway to the unseen world. This workshop not only provided a basic idea of the paper microscope handling through the introductory lecture by Dr. Ekramul Islam, PI, University of Kalyani but has also driven the participants through demonstrated sessions by the Research Scholars of University of Kalyani. The participants got a chance to sneak-peek into various microscopic slides consisting of algae, blood samples, onion cell, fungi, salt crystals etc. This workshop helped the students to build a knowledge on Foldscope and its applications into various fields of science as well as daily living.
The Principal of the college, Dr. Jayasree Chakrabarty, also visited the sessions and showed great enthusiasm on the assembling programme of the microscope. Her eager participation was a huge endeavor for us.