Research experience during their undergraduate years can be a great way to motivate students and aid their future career development. However, most students seeking such experience run up against a major hindrance in the form of unresponsiveness of the researchers whom they approach with such requests. Divya writes about the harmful consequences of such attitudes and some possible ways in which this could be mitigated.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of a thriving scientific ecosystem for dealing with global crises. In this two-part article series, Kaushik Biswas, Associate Professor at the Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, discusses how innovative scientific endeavours are paving the way for better prevention and treatment strategies for this rapidly-spreading disease.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of a thriving scientific ecosystem for dealing with global crises. In this two-part article series, Kaushik Biswas, Associate Professor at the Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, discusses how innovative scientific endeavours are paving the way for better prevention and treatment strategies for this rapidly-spreading disease.

While the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic are most visible at the level of global health and economy, it is exerting an unseen yet critical impact on our mental well-being as well. In this article, Debdutta discusses the various ways in which the pandemic can prey upon our mental health, and some small steps that can help one stay connected and grounded during the crisis.

What makes any field of science better or worse than another? Does indulging in such debates advance or hinder the cause of science? In this article, Gayathri, a PhD student at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, explores the potential pitfalls of a system of thought that pitches fields and systems of doing science against each other.