Panjab University(PU), Chandigarh today organized its third outreach event under the umbrella of "PU OPEN Minds" (Panjab University Outreach Program for Enlightening and Nurturing Young Minds) for school students at Zoology Auditorium in sector 14 PU campus.

PU Vice Chancellor Prof. Arun Kumar Grover inaugurated and presided over the outreach program, which consisted of expository lectures by two young academicians.  Prof. Grover highlighted the importance of such outreach program for future generation.

The his lecture, Assistant Professor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar(GNDU) Dr. Venus Singh talked about the Serendipity in Science, a phenomenon of making new discoveries by accident and sagacity. Dr. Venus talked how many remarkable discoveries in the field of science are serendipitous in nature. He said that people who discovered them stumbled upon these things or phenomenon accidentally, but it was their sharp observational skills which enabled them in grabbing the opportunities thrown at them. In the engaging talk, he gave examples of the super material of the future "Graphene", the indispensable "X-Rays", and the life savior "Penicillin". Some people dreamt the things they were continuously seeking for, e.g. "Benzene" and "lasers". The field of science is full of such serendipitous discoveries. But not any random person can make a serendipitous discovery, he added.

To end with, Dr. Venus quoted the words of famous Louis Pasteur "chance favours only the prepared mind", a mind, which sees everybody has seen and thinks what nobody has thought.

The second presentation under the PU Open Minds programme was made by Dr. Akshat Mehta, Assistant Professor, Centre for Police Administration, Panjab University. In his presentation titled “Road Safety Awareness – Need of the Hour”, he emphasized that Road safety is as important skill as any other basic skill of survival and safe and efficient use of the traffic environment is a learnt behaviour.

Referring to Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India Report 2014, Dr Akshat lamented that with around 5 lakh accidents each year i.e. around 1 per minute, India is one of the worst countries in terms of road safety, wherein one death is taking place in around every 4 minutes. Moreover, he shared his ideas about the 4Es of Road Safety, namely, Education, Enforcement, Engineering and Emergency Care and highlighted that each life is critical and pedestrians have as much if not more right over road as others have. He asked the young students to understand that traffic rules are meant for our safety and reject the distorted understanding of many that they have to be followed only in the presence of Traffic Police. He concluded by stating that the rising numbers of road accidents and the resultant fatalities have raised concerns all around and governments have understood that it is a cause, which it cannot afford to ignore. Law enforcement agencies have also understood its importance. It is high time that Educational Institutions at all levels must also realize – this need of the hour, he added.

The vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Rohit Kumar Sharma, Assistant Professor, PU Department of Chemistry.