Scania : Making the case for basic science

Is the focus on basic science or curiosity-driven discovery weakening as we progress further into the world of technology innovation? Can governments and industry support pure science?

These, and more, were some of the questions discussed and addressed at the first ever Nobel Prize Series India 2017 - a five-day unique programme to foster interest in science. Nobel Media, partnering with Scania, took nine distinguished Nobel laureates across four key Indian cities to talk about the joys and rigours of pure science research.

The Series concluded with a round table discussion on 'Innovative Minds: Building the Case for Basic Science' which brought together Nobel laureates with some of the best scientific minds in the country and leading businesses focused on science and research.

All participants unequivocally underlined the vital importance of pure science research to development and stressed on the need for science research bodies and academia to popularise curiosity-driven discovery in the country. While some panellists stated that the focus on science had to be driven right from primary school, others pushed the case for government led incentives and tax breaks for industry to invest in pure science. Yet others urged companies to highlight the pure science research that forms the backbone of their business in order to popularise it.

Representing industry, Senior Vice President Erik Ljungberg, Scania, said, 'While funding is subject to a lot of parameters, it should be a corporate responsibility to point out that all our core business and innovations are built on a bedrock of basic science research and discoveries made years ago. This will go a long way in popularising basic science research.'

Scania has always been committed to groundbreaking research and innovation to address some of the world's most critical sustainability challenges. Its pursuit of scientific excellence and out of the box creativity has a perfect match in the endeavours of Nobel Media.

In India, Scania has taken the lead in helping the country shift to green transport. It has already helped Nagpur launch the country's first fleet of ethanol-powered buses and also launched 24 buses retrofitted with biodiesel engines in Karnataka. The company focusses strongly on R&D in the field of sustainable transport for India and its association with Nobel Media in India is expected further Scania's vision of scientific progress.