Science and Beyond Borders: International Collaborations in Basic Sciences

International collaboration in basic sciences allows researchers from different countries to pool their expertise, knowledge, and resources. This combined effort tackles complex scientific challenges that might be beyond the intellectual, technical, and financial capabilities of a single nation. It fosters the sharing of data and ideas, accelerates scientific progress and leads to breakthroughs that benefit all of humanity. This was established in tackling COVID-19; establishment of CERN; building of LHC, ITER, FAIR, LIGO, SKA, TMT, scores of terrestrial and space telescopes, International Space Station; Space Missions; discovery of Higgs boson; discovery of gravitational waves; green revolution; understanding of weather and monsoon in a rapidly warming world; and spread of modern technology and education across the world, etc. The most challenging problem facing the world now is climate change, which can only be solved if every nation cooperates and contributes to mitigation measures and research outlined by scientists from across the world. This presents us with a huge existential challenge, which can only be met when each one of us contributes to the spirit of the entire world being one family, and with the conviction of futility of conflict. If we fail to rise to the occasion, our very survival on this planet would become extremely difficult and near impossible. This book will be of interest to science policymakers in industry or government, as well as laypersons interested in the history of science, cosmology, particle physics or scientific collaborations.

Prof. Dinesh Kumar Srivastava (born 1952) is presently Indian National Science Academy Senior Scientist and Honorary Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. He started working at the Variable Energy Project of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1971 and retired as Director and Distinguished Scientist at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Center, Kolkata in 2016. Later, he continued there as Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Raja Ramanna Fellow until 2019. He worked at National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru as a Homi Bhabha Chair Professor, during 2019–2023. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, and the Indian National Science Academy, as well as President of the Indian Physical Society since 2014. Among his publications, he has authored two collections of short stories and, more recently, three books of children's literature in science. He has also co-authored two books with World Scientific.

Prof. V S Ramamurthy (born 1942) is a well-known Indian nuclear scientist with a broad range of contributions from basic research to science administration. He is currently an Emeritus Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru. Prof. Ramamurthy started his career in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai in the year 1963. He made important research contributions in the areas of nuclear fission, medium energy heavy-ion reactions, statistical and thermodynamic properties of nuclei and low energy accelerator applications. During the period 1995–2006, Prof. Ramamurthy was fully involved in science promotion in India as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Science & Technology (DST), New Delhi. He was also the Chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Standing Advisory Group on Nuclear Applications for nearly a decade. After retirement from service, Prof. Ramamurthy has also been actively involved in human resource development in all its aspects. In recognition of his services to the growth of Science and Technology in the country, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2005. Among his publications, Prof. Rawamurthy has co-written (with Prof. Dinesh Srivastava) Climate Change and Energy Options for a Sustainable Future and Art and Science of Managing Public Risks, both published by World Scientific.

Prof. Shailesh Nayak (born 1953) is currently the Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, Chancellor of the TERI School of Advanced Studies, Delhi, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and Life Trustee of India International Centre. He obtained his PhD degree in Geology from the M S University of Baroda in 1980. He was a "Distinguished Scientist" in the Ministry of Earth Sciences and President, International Geological Congress during 2015–2017. He served as the Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, during August 2008–2015, and provided leadership for programmes related to Earth system sciences. He had set up the state-of-the-art tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean in 2007 in just two years' time, which has been providing tsunami advisories to the Indian Ocean rim countries. Prof. Nayak is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru, the Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, the National Academy of Sciences, India, Allahabad, the International Society of Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing and Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics. In recognition of his services to the country, Prof. Shailesh Nayak was recently awarded the Padma Sri by the Government of India. He has also co-written the book Art and Science of Managing Public Risks, published by World Scientific.

Prof D Suba Chandran is the Dean of the School of Conflict and Security Studies at NIAS. Within the School, he heads two Programmes — Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) and Conflict Resolution & Peace Research. The STIR programme looks at Science and Technology through an International Relations prism and vice versa. Within the STIR, the special focus is on Space, Maritime, Emerging Technologies, AI and Cyber. As a part of STIR activities, he leads the "Science Diplomacy" initiative within the institute, aimed at bringing S&T and International Relations together. He also coordinates the BRICS-Young Scientists' Forum. He holds exclusive track-two dialogues with a special focus on S&T with specific countries from Europe to East Asia. He also coordinates the NIAS Global Politics initiative, which looks at the contemporary world order, and four area studies — Pakistan, Europe, Africa and Maritime. In the long run, the area studies are expected to branch out into independent disciplines. He also teaches an online course on "Contemporary World Affairs."