Workshop
On the occasion of World Water Day (22.03.2024) the Kabi Nazrul College of Murarai and the ECSF had jointly organized a hands-on training workshop on ‘water quality’. The said workshop involved students and faculties of Zoology, Botany, Geography and Environment. The students were trained to measure different abiotic parameters of water. The ECSF Director Dr. Sourav Paul and Mr. Palash Naiya acted as the resource persons.
On 24 April 2024 Ramnagar College and the ECSF as a part of their MoU activities have conducted a hands-on training on multidisciplinary sciences. The said workshop focused on assessing the water, soil and air quality of an aquatic ecosystem. The students of Fisheries (UG and PG), Zoology, Botany and Aquatic Management have actively took part along with faculties of the institutions.
On 27 April 2024 students and faculties of the Chandernagore College and ECSF jointly conducted Hands-on training on the interdisciplinary science related to mangrove plantation drive along the banks of the Ganges. This is part of the MoU activity related ‘Know your Ganges’ program. Dr. Arunoday Gautam and Dr. Sourav Paul imparted the training of soil and water qualities where mangrove plantation took place.
Durgapur Goverment College and the foundation hosted a joint workshop on the ‘R Statistical Software: Basic knowledge” at the Department of Conservation Biology on 19 March 2024. Students of postgraduate Department of Conservation Biology and the faculty members along with the ECSF students participated in the workshop. The ECSF Director Dr. Sourav Paul has acted as the resource person and demonstrated on theory and practice the need of decision making in the environmental data analysis while using R Statistical software.
A hands-on training of measuring abiotic environment of an aquatic ecosystem was held at the college campus of Ravindra Mahavidyalaya, Chapadanga, Hooghly. The students under the supervision of Dr. Sourav Paul (Director, ECSF) and faculty members of the departments of Geography and Zoology have been trained to measure water quality, soil and air parameters. The workshop was attended by UG students of various departments of the college.
The ECSF and Berhampur University, Odisha had jointly organized international skill building workshop on coastal science. The workshop was held at the Department of Marine Sciences on 25-26 February 2024 and jointly convened by Dr. Tamoghna Acharyya and Dr. Sourav Paul. Dr. Danilo Calliari, Associate Professor of Ecology and Environment in the University of Republic, Uruguay, was the resource person along faculty members of the Department of Marine Sciences. Students, faculties of different colleges and departments took part in the workshop. Within the workshop there were hands-on training of ecosystem study conducted at the Haripur Creek followed by analysis in the laboratory and analysis of data. The workshop also included lecture on ‘A net autotrophic metabolic balance in Uruguayan marine coastal waters: background and recent results’ of Danilo Calliari. And a discussion on ‘how to write a scientific paper of coastal ecology’ by Dr. Sourav Paul. The event was covered by the local newspaper Dharitri.
ECSF and Purbasha jointly conducted UN Ocean Decade endorsed international field workshop on ‘Socio-ecological balance of World’s largest deltaic mangroves: Perspectives of ecosystems functions and vulnerabilities’ in Indian Sundarbans on 17th and 18th Feb, 2024. The said workshop had attracted participation from universities, government officials, EIA professionals, college students and faculty members of different institutions in India. The workshop had sessions of water quality, estuarine biology, mangroves and their importance, embankments and their vulnerabilities and science communication. The workshop was convened by Dr. Sourav Paul of ECSF and Mr. Umasankar Mondal (Mangrove Man) of Purbasha Eco Helpline Society. Dr. Danilo Calliari of the University of Republic, Uruguay and Prof. Malay Mukhopadhyay were engaged as the chief experts. The sessions were chaired by other experts such as Dr. Kanailal Das, Mr. Ashis Biswas, Mr. Praloy Halder and Ms. Debarati Sengupta.
An international workshop on ‘Ecosystem Dynamics of estuaries’ was conducted on Ganges estuary on 10-11 February 2024. Participants included students, researchers and professionals of various colleges of University of Calcutta, CUSAT and KUFOS Kerala, College of Fisheries (OUAT) Odisha, Linkon University of Malaysia and so.
Dr. Danilo Calliari (UdelaR, Uruguay), Dr. Mahammed Moniruzzaman (KNU, India), Mr Samya Karan (ECSF) imparted the training of ecological physiology work on phytoplankton, microzooplankton, mesozooplankton and fishes on an hourly basis. The demonstration team also included Jhinook Mitra, Puja Misha, Sayani Dhara who showed how to keep going for tidal and hourly basis for 24 hours studies. Participants also learned measured pulse of Ganges for every minute for 24 hours! Thanks to the sponsors who helped in kind.
The ECSF and Purbasha Echo-helpline Society of Indian Sundarbans have jointly organized a workshop on “Mangrove and Climate” with the communities of Indian Sundarbans between 27 and 28 December 2023. The program was to create awareness among kids and communities. The workshop was held at a pre-school at Chargheri village of Indian Sundarbans. The workshop was coordinated by “Mangrove Man” Umashankar Mandal and Ms. Debarati Sengupta. The workshop was endorsed by the ECOP program of the IOC – UNESCO UN Ocean Decade (2021-2030).
The ECSF and the B.B. College Asansol have jointly organized a one-day state-level workshop on “Environmental data analysis and decision making” on 13.12.2023 at the Department of Zoology of the B.B. College Asansol. The workshop trained various univariate statistical techniques and decision-making processes of environmental data analysis. The workshop was attended by U.G, and P.G students as well as faculty members of the college. Dr. Sourav Paul was the resource person who conducted the course through lectures followed by hands-on training of CRAN R software.
The foundation in collaboration with B.E. College Model High School has conducted One Day field workshop on Water quality of a Ramsar Site at East Kolkata Wetland on 12 December 2023. Participants were higher secondary students and teachers of the school. On behalf of the ECSF Dr. Sourav Paul and Dr. Kanailal Das acted as resource persons.
The foundation conducted a field workshop on ‘Ecosystem services and vulnerabilities: perspectives of fisheries, water quality and embankments’ on 12-13 September 2023 in Indian Sundarbans. The said workshop was endorsed by the Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) Program of the IOC-UNESCO UN Ocean Decade (2021-2030). The program imparted hands- on training on fish catch, fish tissue and organ extraction, measurements of different water quality parameters. It also made the participants familiarize various mangrove species, rivers and creeks and embankments of the Indian Sundarbans. Experts such as Prof. Pratap Mukhopadhyay, Dr. Kanailal Das and Dr. Sourav Paul have imparted lectures and shared their experiences of ecosystem services and vulnerabilities of Indian Sundarbans. The workshop is attended by various UG, PG and PhD students and faculties of different colleges, universities and IIT, KGP. The participants had a diverse background such as zoology, Industrial Fish and Fisheries, Planning, Geography, Mass communication, wildlife and so on. On behalf of the foundation Dr. Mahammed Moniruzzaman (Scientist-D) has coordinated the workshop. Thanks to Hanna Instrument Pvt. Ltd. India for generously supporting the workshop and for their kind donation of the water quality equipment for demonstration.
The foundation has partnered with ‘Purbasha Eco-Helpline Society’ to celebrate the ‘International Mangrove Day’ on 26 July 2023. For the occasion a workshop was held from 25 to 27 July 2023 at the Chargheri of Indian Sundarbans. The IOC-UNECSCO endorsed UN Ocean Decade (2021-2030) workshop titled ‘Understanding the ecological balance of Indian Sundarbans facing periodic cyclones’ was focused on the socio-ecological balance of a mangrove ecosystem considering the increasing intensity of cyclones in the region. The workshop included seminars of eminent scientists Such as Prof. Malay Mukhopadhyay, Prof. Ashis Kumar Paul, Prof. Shansanka Kumar Gayen who represented different universities of West Bengal. Dr. Kanai Lal Das of the ECSF has put forward his views on how to put sustainable embankments by building shields of mangroves. It also includes hands-on training on mangrove plantation by ‘Mangrove Man’ Umasankar Mondal and demonstration soil and water quality of intertidal mudflats by Dr. Sourav Paul. There was active participation of women for planting and protecting mangroves namely ‘Mangrove Army’. The discussions and the field trainings demonstrated the need for mangrove plantation following proper scientific methods that keeps the biodiversity of the region as much restored as possible. The workshop drew about 50 participants among them various college faculties, PhD researchers, post- and undergraduate students of different disciplines, corporate professionals, social workers and locals were involved.
A workshop on Ocean Literacy ‘(Thinking Beyond The Waves’) had been conducted at the Shibpur B.E. College Model High School on 7th July, 2023. The targeted audience was class 9 to 12. Most of the students have seen the Ocean but were hardly aware of Ocean related studies challenges and careers. The workshop which was carried out in collaboration with UN Ocean Decade endorsed Early Career Ocean Professionals programme to plug in those knowledge gaps.
On behalf of the ECOP team Miss Debarati Sengupta conducted the workshop. Dr. Sourav Paul and Mr. Sohan Dhar are the two resource person from ECSF who encouraged the students to take up careers related to Ocean and Fisheries. The headmaster and the faculties of the School along with the students, highly appreciated the event.
A workshop was conducted to demonstrate pollution studies targeted at various levels of an estuarine food web. The workshop demonstrated how to conduct environmental sampling, continuous recording of hydrological parameters, biological sampling of various types of plankton. The participants include various faculties, scientists, PhD students, and professionals of West Bengal and Kerala. The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Bhaskar Deb Bhattacharya and assisted by Mr. Sohon Dhar.
A workshop on fresh water quality of inland aquatic ecosystem in the coastal areas of South (24p), West Bengal was carried out jointly by Diamond Harbour Woman’s University and The Foundation on 23rd May, 2023. The event attracted post graduate and research students as well as faculty members of the department of zoology and botany. The workshop highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy water quality for biodiversity and food web management of different pond ecosystem. Dr. Bhaskar Deb Bhattacharya has lead the event on behalf of the foundation.
For promoting Ocean Literacy among school children of the coastal regions of West Bengal IOC-UNESCO ECOP Asia Network and ECSF jointly held a workshop at Asar Aloo school of Piyali, South 24 (P).
Date: 04.03.2023
Venue: Piyali Asar Aloo School
A one day workshop was conducted by the foundation at Chandernagore College, University of Burdwan ‘Analysis of Environmental Data’ on 13 September 2022 for the students and faculties of both the institutions.
A one day workshop was conducted by the foundation at Bhirab Ganguly College, West Bengal State University on ‘Freshwater Quality Assessment’ at the Department of Zoology on 10 September 2022 for the students and faculties of both the institutions.
