Bhopal | The two-day long Science20 meet began here on Friday as part of India's G20 presidency to understand the impact of Artificial Intelligence and connecting science to society and culture.
The meet comprised two main sessions and focused on science and technology for education and skill, law and governance, heritage and culture, Indian National Science Academy (INSA) president Professor Ashutosh Sharma told reporters.
It also deliberated on frontier technologies and a major discussion was focused on the understanding and impact of Artificial Intelligence, he added.
A total of 80 delegates, including 25 international participants, from the nine G20 member countries participated in the meeting, he said.
"At the heart of connecting science to society and culture lies the recognition that science is not an isolated pursuit but is deeply embedded in social, cultural, and political contexts." he said explaining the aim of the meeting.
"The narrow view of science as a purely technical endeavour confined to laboratories and academic institutions has long been seen as incomplete and increasingly so given the evolving nature of science and our understanding of its relationship with society," said Sharma, who was also former secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
He said connecting science to society and culture goes beyond mere dissemination of scientific information,and involves building bridges that facilitate dialogue, mutual understanding and even co-creation between scientific communities and diverse societal stakeholders.
Referring to disruptive technologies and sustainable development, he said, in order to fully harness the potential of disruptive science and ensure its benefits are equitably distributed, it is crucial to foster a multi-directional flow of knowledge, collaboration and engagement between scientists, policy makers, industry, leaders and the public.
The S20 is a science engagement vertical of G20 that was established in 2017 during Germany's Presidency. It includes the scientific academies of all G20 countries.
The main objective of the S20 engagement group is to provide policy makers with science-driven recommendations that are based on consensus, Sharma added.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and noted scientist R Chidambaram also addressed the meeting.
While Chouhan insisted on use of science for the welfare of the people, Chidambaram deliberated on the topic 'Connecting Science to Society and Culture', an official said.
