It was 2 o’clock one afternoon in 2021 when Srishti, a class 4 student, rushed back from school to find her mother. “How can a ship float on water if it is made of metal?” She asked a shocked Sonali. Science class at school that day was about exploring the nature of liquids and their densities. The teacher of creation explained that the higher density possessed by metals made them “heavier” than water.
“So, the ship must sink, right?” Srishti insisted.
Sonali was suspicious.
Fortunately for Srishti, her mother had all the answers. With a PhD in Physics from IIT Delhi and 12 years of brainstorming in photonics with some of the best minds in science, Dr Sonali Dasgupta was expertly equipped to answer all the innocent doubts of the eight-year-old. And this time was no different.
The little girl was using another one by her mother. This was common in the Dasgupta family.
The concept of bullet points in the textbook came to life when Sonali fetched some aluminum foil from the kitchen, bent it into a hollow boat shape and placed it in a bucket of water. It floated!
Sonali then proceeded to explain the deep-rooted science behind this simple phenomenon. While Srishti would learn the concept of bounce years later in grade 9, an early introduction to it would ensure that she didn’t twist what she was learning, but rather understood.
Where innovation is always a guest at the table
Sharing this story with Uttam India Sonali reminds her of all the times she and Srishti bonded over experiments. Lockdown was one of the most important steps.
Sonali says, ‘It was a turning point in my life in many ways. The Bengaluru mom started her hands-on learning ecosystem STEMonsters during the second wave of the pandemic in 2021, but this was also the time when she made a conscious decision to return to India from the UK where she was currently working.
“It was a professional call,” she says.
Lately, Sonali says it has positively shaped many of her decisions. His role as a scientist from 2007 to 2019 gave him the scientific skills he now fuses with every session at STEMonsters.
When Srishti was young, Sonali would often collect model samples from the lab or take her daughter to work. The lockdown cut off these avenues of learning. So, instead, Sonali brought the lab to their home to instill in her child a sense of curiosity, which she herself had harnessed all these years.
When the world was “stuck” in the middle of a pandemic, the pair made sure that learning never stopped. A typical day saw them breathing life into various concepts, where “learning by doing” was the mantra.
“We learned about the different properties of water, and I showed creation how absorbents differ from non-absorbents. I started wondering why the TV screen is not black and white and why the phone does not get a signal when placed in the microwave,’ she said.
This research often inspired creation to learn and fall in love with science along the way. As the lockdown progressed, Sonali’s videos on WhatsApp stories became more popular, and she was flooded with requests from friends and family to include their kids in the fun.
The interest of parents confirmed Sonali’s view on how traditional teaching techniques in schools need to be upgraded. “Most academics in Indian schools don’t think beyond definitions. Working in some of the best labs in the world, I’ve seen different approaches and how kids are introduced to science. I strongly believe that our curriculum is one of the best, but the way we introduce it to kids Reform is needed.”
Sonali’s venture STEMonsters attempts to address these gaps in the system. It takes steps to illustrate important concepts in science and mathematics while evoking the sense of wonder that is slowly fading away that these subjects would normally bring within.
Education takes place in schools; Learning happens at STEmonsters
“Have you ever seen how your cocktail is layered in different colors at a restaurant?” Sonali asked. I answer in the affirmative, excited to delve into some science magic.
“This is another place where density plays a role,” she continues. “Shrishti and I took a glass bottle and poured liquids like soy sauce, colored water, raspberry sauce, mustard sauce etc one by one. We got the rainbow density tower.” I’m not surprised by creation’s enthusiasm for science. It just amazes me to hear these concepts explained in such a relevant way.
“This lesson can be extended to touch on how liquids take the shape of containers,” adds Sonali. “You see how everything is interdisciplinary and how many concepts can be introduced to kids without overwhelming them.”
At the STEMonsters office in Bengaluru, experiments are underway as we speak. These will be used to demonstrate concepts to 8 to 14 year old children. A continuous learning program enables these children to come together on Zoom where they explore the nuances of science and mathematics. Classes 3 and 4 are grouped together, as are classes 5 and 6, while classes 7, 8 and 9 are in the third batch.
“This ensures that they are learning not only from me, but also from each other,” smiles Sonali. Ishani, a class 6 student, agrees. His personal favorite subject till date is forensics. She adds that she wants to know more about it as it helps solve mysterious cases. Class 5 Aryan Kejriwal loved the lesson on the solar system. “We made origami stars and it was so much fun,” he shared.
Aryan’s enthusiasm is shared by his mother Aanchal, who says her son looks forward to every class. “He’s curious about many things, and math and science are definitely his favorite subjects.”
Regular sessions include work. Lessons are planned well in advance and children are informed about the material required for the session. It begins with an experiment in which questions are asked, answered, doubts cleared, and voila! The concept of the day is now revealed.
Sukta Shastri, a class 7 student, loves this hands-on learning mode. “My favorite subject was space and my favorite experiment was with the James Webb Telescope,” she says. Suktha is referring to an origami model she created during a session following a NASA tutorial.
She is one of the “1300 students” mentored by Sonali. “We also see students from India and Hong Kong and Singapore attending,” Sonali said, adding that 12 sessions cost Rs 6,200.
When she is not busy conducting these online classes, she conducts offline workshops in schools. When a Bengaluru mother sees her wide-eyed curiosity – which she harbored as a child – now reflected in these young minds, she is thrilled.
“The circle is complete,” says Sonali.
Edited by Pranita Bhat