What do scientists want to read when not reading scientific papers? This is the question we asked our potential readers in a country-wide survey before planning the content for Nature India . Why don’t I just begin by asking what you, our valued readers, want from NPG’s India-specific science portal that goes live in a couple of weeks.
I have no hesitation in letting out this little secret: topmost on the wish-list of our survey subjects was job information! We know exactly where the buck stops, don’t we?
Here’s your chance to have a say. What do you want to see on the pages of this portal?
I’m a small kid in the field of immunogenetics and pathology of fish. I discussed Nature India with my friends yesterday. We are all excited.
We see that much of Indian research that gets published is second-hand. We find repetition of the work done by the so called scientifically advanced countries. Much of the original work remains in the field books and lab-notes because it doesn’t have a standard to compare with or refer to.
Nature India should encourage such original Indian research.
Best wishes to Nature India.
In my years of experience as a scientist, I have noticed that scientists keep a constant eye on funding opportunities. If Nature India could enumerate the funding opportunities that exist in India, it would be an eye opener for so many budding scientists who can’t afford to knock on the doors of NIH and Welcometrust.
In addition, if Nature India could be a pivot between ambitious students of science and potential scientists and professors who can guide them for the benefit of science, it will be one of the biggest achievements of this portal within the Indian geography.
Proud that a journal of Nature’s stature is here in India. Good Luck to the Nature India team.
I just came to know about Nature India. I am really excited and happy that Indian scientific research can now be shared globally. I hope there will be more collaborators across the world interested to fund research in India and more opportunities for young researchers like me who are eagerly waiting to serve the scientific community. I wish you all the best and also thank NPG for developing this site.
I am very happy and excited about Nature India. It feels great, but a sustained growth is necessary. I believe, eminent scientist and researchers around the world and particularly from India should be invited to write Scientific Review Articles and research progress. These articles can be summary from the recent papers published in other reputed peer-reviewed journals. A section such as, ‘Scientific Glimpse/Notes’ describing peer-reviewed research will be helpful. Nature India has to expand scientifically. All the best to the Nature India team.
Information on jobs available in India — both in academia and industry — would be very valuable. In addition, a section on fellowship and grant opportunities (research funding, travel grants etc.) available to Indian students/ postdocs/ scientists would be much appreciated. This could include a list of grants from India and abroad that Indian nationals are eligible to apply for.
Nature India has been winning the hearts in the Indian scientific community as the only journal that covers science as it happens in the country.
As a reader, I’d like the pages to be filled with:
1. Information on various projects and funding available
2. Details about (and possibly interviews of) people currently involved in pathbreaking research
3. A feature like ‘Lab of the Month’ portraying the works being done and their significance. This will help improve competence and competitiveness – offering the researchers something to be proud of.
It is really nice that we are going to have Nature India with us very soon. I expect Nature India to concentrate on the issues of (a) new scientific works, (b) summary (not lengthy reviews) of old but interesting fields, may be with lots of reference, © job news, both in academics and in industry, (d) possible funding sources for new faculties and (e) possible scholarship sources for students. All the best to Nature India.
It is great to know about the emergence of Nature India. Besides typical stuff which is published in other Nature journals, it would help the budding researchers to know more about the job, fund/grant and collaboration opportunities. Best wishes.
I want to know about Nature India. The recent development in science and its uses in different field are welcome. The wild species is required to be conserved both for plant and animals. Scientist s would be interested to know the latest development s in their fields, in which the team of Nature India can help. The publication of different articles, review papers is useful. For publication of the articles, specific criteria if any may be mentioned. Thanks to Nature India team.
I am happy to know about the introduction of Nature India. Now it will be easier for Indian research to be shared world wide.
If you an take initiative to introduce a “Young Scientist award”, it would really help motivate young minds in India. Few Years back, Elsevier has introduced a similar thing – “Scopus Young Scientist Awards”. It would serve to make ‘Nature India’ a common name in labs as well as motivate Indian researchers. I think this kind of endeavour is the need of the hour to motivate young brains.
Science blogging is an emerging means of discussing science and networking. Keeping its importance in mind, I suggest emphasizing on blogging which can be done by organizing a “science blogging conference”. Organizing such event will improve science networking and blogging skills of researchers. It would greatly help in strengthening the role of internet in science networking.
Hello!
We would like to see more information on the industrial development in biotech/biopharma arena in the country, regulatory aspects for commercialization, debates & news on patent issues, funding opportunities, events, global scientific news, etc. Is there a print version also?
Thank you for having Nature India online…its great to share information around the world to better understand how other countries conduct scientific research.
It is a great initiative, I must say. However concerning the different aspects of biological research, I would like to ask how much emphasis there would be on the commercialisation and application part of research. Further, as I am from a pharma-biotech background I would like to see how academics are joining together to bring new drugs to market. I would also like to mention that industry is not really supportive of academic collaboratioins since industry has its own concerns of IPR with academics. Another aspect is how academics can offer solutions and contract research services. All in all, how effectively the model developed in the West can be replicated in India.
To summarize, I would like to see the Nature India not only focusing on research papers but more onto ’’effective’’ developement for the betterment of society.
Hi,
I am, like others, really excited about Nature India. While it would be a great portal to share Indian science globally, I would like to see a feature on methodologies field-wise. Sometimes budding scientists keep wondering if the methods they employ are right and what other people are doing. This will make them confident. Blog will also do a great job.
It is indeed a pleasure to see Nature India. I hope Indian scientists working in high ranking unversities abroad will now prefer Nature India to publish their scientific findings.This will also boost the morale of our local research community, which is doing very good work but lacks high grade publications and pride. Good Luck.
I’m Chinese. I found Nature India by accident. It’s a good website and I’m glad that India’s research can now be shared with other countries. Besides, I hope that we can join together to protect our beautiful planet. Best wishes for that.
It would be wonderful to have
: interesting science expts short videos
: neuroscience hot topics
: molecular biology hot topics
: prominent scientist profiles (weekly)
: tropical diseases research
Nature India is doing the best on the job, but it would be nice if the list of research institutes in India relating to biotech, molecular biology and medicine be mentioned along with their websites in the blog. I belive that, it will create an awareness among the country’s budding professionals and also provide scientists to display their field of research and recruit potential candidates for the job. Better awareness+better communication = Right person on the right job.
Good luck!!
Thank you very much, everyone, for all the valuable inputs. As Nature India grows, I am sure most of what you wanted to read is up there on the site.
Bikas: I hope you are seeing a lot of original Indian research now.
Arun, Vinod, Asha, Indranil, Navendu: The Nature India forum (https://network.nature.com/groups/natureindia/forum/topics) on Nature Network is just the place for youngsters to find mentors and like-minded people. About funding opportunities, we have sproadic information on this in the ‘events’ section but we do plan to have a separate ‘grants and awards’ section very soon. And there is a separate jobs section replete with Indian science jobs. Akshay, we do plan to have a direcory too and Bhavana, funds permitting, videos/podcasts perhaps sometime in the future!
Partha Pratim: I am sure you have read our commentaries written by eminent scientists by now. The reviews come under commentaries, which you will find in the features archives.
Vijay: We do feature a lot of Indian scientists doing pathbreaking research inside and outside the country. Your suggestion for a ‘lab of the month’ is well taken. Also, Anil’s suggestion for a ‘Young scientist award’.
Maulik, D Bharadwaj: We have a significant coverage of the biotech industry and IPR issues mostly from the science point of view.
Xuzhe: Thanks for showing interest in Indian science and Nature India.
Maybe some efforts through Nature India towards rejuvenating science journalism in Indian institutions as a means to popularising science ?
The attempt made by the Nature India group to promote Indian science is highly laudable. As a scientist, I wish to state that there should be an active interaction and understanding between various scientific communities to nurture Indian science even though we are not behind any other developed nation. The quality of academics and research has to be improved and that could be achieved by many active constructive interactions. One suggestion to the Nature India team is to add columns on scientific events in India like: conferences, symposium, workshop, meetings, etc.