PUNE: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for carrying out collaborative research, development and teaching programmes in Physics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, Instrumentation, Technology and other areas. The IUCAA is leading and contributing to a number of mega-science programmes like the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT), Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), Square Kilometre Array (SKA), Aditya-L1 etc. while the SPPU faculty is also involved in a number of projects including a wide variety of national and international collaborations. A large number of students who register for scientific and technology programmes of SPPU can involve the research associated with these projects and get trained in skills needed for these programmes.
The collaborative programmes will be carried out between IUCAA and the SPPU’s Department of Physics, Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Technology, Electronics and Instrumentation Science. This collaboration will involve interaction between the faculty, scientific staff, students and postdoctoral fellows of IUCAA and SPPU. The research and interactive spaces will be created at both the SPPU and IUCAA premises. One of the major objectives of this MoU is to identify and establish jointly taught courses at post-graduate and research level leading to MSc/MTech/PhD and other degrees. At present, two specific joint research and development collaborations have been identified. It was expected that IUCAA and SPPU will identify and establish other joint collaborations and teaching programmes in future within the ambit of this umbrella MoU.
The MoU includes
a. Masters course: Introduction of one or more courses at the Masters level in the area of Astrophysics and associated technology with joint involvement.
b. Joint Research and Instrumentation Programme: SPPU and IUCAA will jointly establish laboratory infrastructure to carry out advanced interdisciplinary research and instrumentation in areas of mutual interest. These laboratories will also be used to impart practical training to the students and researchers of both SPPU and IUCAA.
The current thrust areas include setting up advanced laboratories to address themes related to LIGO-India and other cutting-edge physics research, electronics facility for the development of complex control systems, laboratory for space-based experiments and a design facility with advanced simulation software and tools.
The scope of this activity will evolve with time depending on the needs and interests of both. The roadmap of this collaboration will be charted by an apex committee involving senior leadership of both the institutes.