The India Centre for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development
The India Centre for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development

Blue Skies Capacity Building of Future Research Stars

Project: SITARE: The Southampton-IUCAA Training for Astrophysics Research and Education
 
Lead Researcher: Professor Poshak Gandhi, Professor of Astrophysics at the School of Physics & Astronomy.

 

Background

SITARE.  the Southampton 鈥 IUCAA Training for Astrophysics Research and Education (and meaning 鈥渟tars鈥 in Hindi) 鈥 is a blue-skies capacity-building initiative led jointly by the University of Southampton School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton with the (IUCAA), Pune. Funded by the (STFC) 福利着片 Challenges Research Fund, SITARE delivered high-quality training in blue-skies research to students in India and Nepal, widening access to advanced STEM pathways beyond major metropolitan centres.

 

Key Objectives

Professor Gandhi鈥檚 research has four inter-related objectives: 

  1. Deliver high-quality introduction to quality education and research in remote hubs in the Indian sub-continent, outside big cities, aligned with the UN鈥檚 sustainable development goals.
  2. Equip the next generation of budding scientists with confidence and introductory skills necessary for a career in STEM research.
  3. Build a fair and transparent pipeline from local workshops to national and international research environments.
  4. Strengthen Indo-UK collaboration through shared teaching, mentoring, and short research projects.

 

Approach 

SITARE used a three-tier model workflow: (1) regional, in-person workshops hosted by local universities; (2) a national residential training camp at IUCAA; and (3) a two-week visit to Southampton for top performers to complete mini-projects and present their work. This structure balanced breadth (large regional cohorts) with depth (intensive mentoring for selected trainees).

 

Collaged images of research participants.

 

Reach and Locations

Phase 1 delivered workshops at: 

  1. , Assam (2鈥4 May 2018);
  2. , Kathmandu, Nepal (13鈥15 June 2018);
  3. , Raipur, Chhattisgarh (17鈥19 August 2018); and
  4. , Thodupuzha, Kerala (17鈥19 September 2018).

Each hub drew students from surrounding regions; content spanned fundamentals (black holes, X-ray astronomy, galaxy evolution, gravitational waves) and practicals (Virtual Observatory tools, AstroSat data, coding labs). Public-engagement lectures (e.g. in Raipur) extended reach to families and local communities.

 

Outcomes and Impact

  • 600 students trained at regional level; ~100 progressed to the national camp; 8 were selected for the UK stage.
  • 40% of final-stage participants applied for international PhD programmes; at least four secured offers following SITARE.
  • A self-sustaining 鈥淪ITARE Network鈥 formed for peer support and knowledge-exchange, especially during COVID-era disruptions.

These outcomes clearly demonstrate that short, well-structured interventions can successfully guide talented students from underserved regions into global research pipelines.

 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

SITARE embedded EDI from inception: 35% (minimum) participation by women across stages, diverse role models (including female faculty and local lecturers), and deliberate geographic inclusion of remote and non-metro institutions. The programme normalised research as an aspirational career path through mentoring and community-facing events.

 

Partnerships and Leadership

The programme was co-delivered by the University of Southampton and IUCAA, with local hosting by partner universities and colleges.

IUCAA provided staff time, logistics and national-camp infrastructure; Southampton coordinated curriculum design, mentoring and the UK research visit. Collaboration with / broadened the data-science strand.

 

Collaged images of research participants.

 

Future Directions

SITARE provides a replicable template for low-cost, high-impact scientific capacity building: regional hubs, a national residential tier, and a final research-immersion stage, underpinned by an alumni network. 

With India and Nepal investing in frontier facilities (e.g. LIGO-India, AstroSat operations, Moon-science initiatives and international telescope partnerships), SITARE alumni are well placed to contribute to long-term scientific and socio-economic dividends.

 

Contact 

For collaboration, alumni stories or press enquiries, please contact Professor Poshak Gandhi, Physics & Astronomy and India Centre (Poshak.Gandhi@soton.ac.uk) or , IUCAA (rmisra@iucaa.in)

 

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