Category Career Query

WHAT IS MASS MEDIA?

Certain forms of media, particularly television and newspapers, are able to communicate to thousands or even millions of people at the same time. These mass media can have a very powerful influence on their audience, and often reflect the particular view-point of the media-owner.

Think about this for a second: whenever you want to hear your favorite song, watch your favorite show, or see the latest current events, where do you go? You more than likely turn on your television, radio, or computer. The source that the majority of the general public uses to get their news and information from is considered mass media.

Mass media means technology that is intended to reach a mass audience. It is the primary means of communication used to reach the vast majority of the general public. The most common platforms for mass media are newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and the Internet. The general public typically relies on the mass media to provide information regarding political issues, social issues, entertainment, and news in pop culture.

The mass media has evolved significantly over time. Have you ever wondered how the latest news and information was communicated in the past? Well, before there was the Internet, television, or the radio, there was the newspaper. The newspaper was the original platform for mass media. For a long period of time, the public relied on writers and journalists for the local newspapers to provide them with the latest news in current events.

Centuries later, in the 1890s, came the invention of the radio. The radio would soon supersede the newspaper as the most pertinent source for mass media. Families would gather around the radio and listen to their favorite radio station programs to hear the latest news regarding politics, social issues, and entertainment.

Later on down the line came the invention of the television. The television would soon replace the radio for the most effective platform to reach the general public. Today, the Internet is the most relevant form of mass media and has become a major tool for news outlets. Since the evolution of the Internet, the general public is now able to access those same news outlets in an instant with just a click of a mouse, instead of having to wait for scheduled programs.

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What are the opportunities in water science and management?

When seen from depths of space, Earth appears as a blue sphere. This is because 70% of it made up of water. Despite this, today, the world is on the brink of a major water crisis on account of surging populations and climate change.

The situation is particularly grim in India. This June 19, Chennai city officials declared that ‘Day Zero’ – or the day when almost no water is left – had been reached. The city, teeming with millions, had finally run dry. Dried-out lake and rivers, schools and offices shut down on account of water paucity, and trains and tankers being used to transport water are suddenly becoming a new reality.

With the use of water growing faster than supply, people all over the world are appreciating the severity of the problem. And the field of water science and management is trying to met this challenge. Every year, countries and non-government organisations are coming together to hold summits and frame policies to tackle our imminent water woes.

So if you are interested in working for the cause of sustainable water management, the field of water science and management could be your calling.

How it works

Water science studies the molecules and properties of water to understand how it behaves. It seeks to answer questions such as ‘How does water climb up a tube?” and ‘Why does water take so long to heat?’ and with the world facing an imminent water crisis, the area of water science and conservation have come together in the field of water science and management. The main objective of this field is contributing to sustainable water management as well as exploring possibilities of making good water affordable and accessible.

Scope

After studying water science and management, you can obtain positions in a range of water-related jobs. You can find work opportunities at both policy as well as practice level in various agencies and bodies, both at Central and State levels. Water policy and management is one of the emerging areas in this field. You can work in government departments, non-governmental organisations and international agencies, or do further research. Some of the government departments working in this sector are Central Water Commission, central Soil and Material Research Station, Central Ground Water Board and the Flood Control Commissions.

Conservation is another area of interest. It looks at protecting and restoring damaged wetlands or freshwater sources. You can work with environment conservation agencies and think-tanks working to find solutions for water shortage.

Over the last few years, several start-ups have com up to stem the water-crisis in India. They are leveraging technology to help government, farmers and individuals save water.

What to study?

Depending on your interest, you can pick from a pool of diverse courses to study.

Where:

India:

  • Shiv Nadar University, Uttar Pradesh: M.Sc in Water Science and Policy
  • The Energy and Resources Institute, Delhi: M.Sc Water Science and Governance and M.Tech Water Resource Engineering and Management
  • Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai: M.A./M.Sc in Water Policy and Governance
  • Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru: It has a centre for research in Water Science and Technology, offering M.Sc (Engg), Ph.D.

Abroad:

  • University of Oxford, the U.K.: Master of Philosophy in Water Science, Policy and Management
  • University of Southampton: M.Sc Water Resources Management
  • Van Hall Larenstein University, the Netherlands: B.Sc in Land and Water Management.

Opportunities:

  • Hydrology
  • Water engineering
  • Water activism and advocacy

Required skills:

  • Interest in water conservation
  • Knowledge of water science
  • Awareness of the water problems facing the world
  • Research skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Observation and monitoring skills
  • Ability to come up with solutions

 

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What is the career in Mechatronics?

Watch any futuristic film and it is sure to be packed with self driving cars, drones and robots that can cater to your every need. Barring the robots taking over the world bit, what is shown in these movies is not as far fetched as you might think. Whether it is a robotic arm that can perform complex surgeries or rovers used for space exploration, slowly but steadily, robots are entering our lives. Wonder who builds them? Meet the mechatronics engineers. It’s their job to build robots that are used in different industries from agriculture and health care to automobiles and space exploration. So if you are interested in working with the latest technologies, mechatronics could be your calling.

What is mechatronics?

Mechatronics is a fusion of mechanical and electrical engineering with computer science. The term Mechatronics was first coined by the Japanese in relation to the development of the world’s first industrial robots. Mechatronics gives you a chance to work on the most up-to-date technologies, including artificial intelligence and modern product design. It prepares you for jobs in manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Required skills

  • Stay updated about the latest in technology
  • Expertise in robotics
  • Innovative thinking
  • Problem solving skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Research skills

Scope

Depending on your interest, you can work in Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, automation, medical mechatronics, robotics and control systems. Medical mechatronics is a huge demand in radiology, surgery, ophthalmology and other branches of medicine. Similarly, AI is a central too many large technology companies such as Facebook and Google. Additionally, it is used in fields such as banking, aviation and manufacturing. You can work as project engineers / consultants in any of these sectors.

What to study?

Mechatronics is a relatively new branch of engineering. Many reputed engineering institutes in the country have begun offering Bachelor of Technology B.Tech and Master of Technology M.Tech degrees in Mechatronics engineering. Compared to Indian institutes, colleges abroad offer more courses in Mechatronics.

Where:

India:

  • Manipal University Karnataka: B.Tech in Mechatronics Engineering
  • Vellore Institute of Technology Tamil Nadu: M.Tech in Mechatronics
  • SRM Institute of Science and Technology Chennai: B.Tech in Mechatronics
  • DY Patil University Pune: B.Tech in Mechatronics

Abroad:

  • Stanford University the U.S: Masters in Mechatronics
  • Liverpool University the U.K: Masters in Engineering (Robotic Systems and Mechatronics)

 

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What is the career in music therapy?

Whether it is the well-known concerts of Bach and Beethoven o the peppy tunes of a pop song, music can help us forget our woes. Music possesses the uncanny ability to bring people together, and device into our deepest thoughts, feelings and traumas. According to beloved children’s author Hans Christian Andersen, “Where words fail, music speaks.” Music therapists draw upon this healing power of music to support people with disabilities and illnesses. Music therapy, for example, might help a child with autism communicate with others. For a person with dementia, music can be a way for children. So if you want to use your musical abilities to help people, you can hit the right note as a music therapist.

How it works:

Music therapy is an emerging field backed by mounting scientific evidence. Music therapists work alongside paediatricians and nurses and other allied health professionals, including speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and social workers.

Scope

Depending on your interest, you can work as a music therapist in different sectors. Primarily, music therapists work as consultants with hospitals and rehabilitation centres. Music therapy is used for children with physical, developmental and intellectual disabilities. Their treatment does not involve medication, instead it focuses on bringing about cognitive and behavioural changes. Similarly, schools for differently abled children may also consult music therapists to help children cope with school work. Many corporate houses ask music therapists to conduct workshops to relieve anxiety and stress of employees.

What to study:

To work as a music therapist, a Bachelor’s degree in music or psychology, special education, occupational therapy, social work or nursing is a prerequisite.

Where:

  • St Mira’s College, Pune: One-year, full-time, and two-year, part-time, Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Music Therapy
  • Chennai School of Music Therapy: An online, foundation course to train aspirants in the basics of music therapy. Individuals with a Bachelor’s in Music or related fields can opt for the Postgraduate Diploma programme in Music Therapy
  • Nada, Centre for Music Therapy, Chennai and Delhi: Certificate course in Music Therapy – a distance-learning course offered in affiliation with the Directorate of Distance Learning
  • Mumbai Educational Trust’s Institute of Alternative Careers, Mumbai: Certificate in Music Therapy – a six-month, part-time course.
  • S.H. Centre for Music Therapy and Mental Health Amritsar: A distance-education course in Music Therapy. The centre is affiliated to Bharat Sevak Samaj, an agency promoted by the Government of India.

Required skills:

  • A desire to help people empower themselves
  • Empathy, patience and ability to listen
  • A love for music
  • Communication skills
  • Imagination and creativity
  • Openness to new ideas

 

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What is the career in Pharmacognosy?

Whether it is finding wonder plants that may help fight memory loss or taking skin care back to its natural source, the field of Pharmacognosy is constantly on the look out for natural ways of healing. A branch of botany, it is a study of medicines derived from plants.

Ancient civilizations provide records of treatment of certain diseases using natural ingredients extracted from minerals, bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Over the years, new miracle drugs came to be produced in laboratories. But scientists are now recognizing that indigenous knowledge about the medicinal virtue of many plants offers great insight into the development of new drugs.

Today, Pharmacognosy forms an important part of pharmaceutical research and development. So if you want to use your fascination with nature to help people, you can become a pharmacognosist.

How it works:

Pharmacognosy focuses on how natural elements from plants and animals can be used to improve human lives and enhance one’s understanding of the world. It has applications in the areas of nutrition, medicine, agriculture and technology. Pharmacognosists identify natural drug sources, plan for cultivation of medicinal plants and evaluate the pharmacology of the extracts.

Scope:

Pharmacognosy opens up diverse job and research opportunities. In the public sector, government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration hire pharmacognosists . They can also work in the private sector as researchers and developers in the pharmaceutical, biomedical and biotechnology companies. The field of alternative medicine is also open to pharmacognosists. The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) has been set up to propagate natural systems of medicine and health care.

What to study?

To enter the field of Pharmacognosy, you need a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) with Botany and Chemistry or a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm). A diploma course in Pharmacy before taking admission in B.Pharma is another option. You can seek further specialisation in Pharmacognosy at the postgraduate level with a Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm). If you are interested in alternative medicine, you can pursue a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in Dravyaguna. This is a two-year full-time course in medicine involving the study of the substances in Ayurveda.

Where to study?

  • M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru: M.Pharm in Pharmacognosy
  • Poona College of Pharmacy: M.Pharm in Pharmacognosy
  • The Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara: M.Pharma . in Pharmacognosy Herbal Drugs
  • Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research Institute: M.Pharm in Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry
  • Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai: M.Pharm in Medicinal Natural Product

Required skills:

  • A love for the natural world
  • Keen interest in medicine
  • Observational and analytical skills
  • Orientation towards research
  • Training in Chemistry
  • Patience and willingness to work hard

 

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What is the career in Mycology?

Most people shudder at the mere mention of fungi. ‘Yuck!’ and ‘eww’ are some of the expressions that these growths usually evoke. Fungi rot our food and furniture, kill our plants and even sometimes grow on us. However, without fungi, the terrestrial ecosystems of planet Earth would not work. Fungi play a big role in the green world because they help break things down. Some types of fungi such as mushrooms even make for delicious food. In fact, they are so important that there is an entire branch of science dedicated to their study. It is called mycology. Mycologists or fungal scientists study fungi including mushrooms, moulds, truffles, yeasts and lichens, found in plants, animals and humans. So far, about 70,000 species of fungi have been discovered, but it is estimated that there are at least 1.5 million species not yet been found! So, if you interested in plant science, the field of mycology can opens doors to a wide of exciting and rewarding careers.

How it works

Mycologists may study mushrooms exclusively or other forms of fungi that can cause problems for humans, plants and animals. Mycologists are also able to determine which fungi are poisonous. Because of this skill set they can offer their assistance to forensic departments as well as the food industry.

Scope

Mycologists can find work in many areas. The importance of fungi in crop growth, plant disease and fermentation means there are jobs available and the food industry. The unique properties of fungi offer many other industrial applications such as detoxifying polluted land while knowledge of medicinal mycology is useful in the pharmaceutical sector. Often mycology also helps police is solving crimes by working with the forensics team. Mycologists are also hired by botanical gardens.

Required skills:

  • Interest in fungi
  • Analytical, problem-solving and mathematical skills
  • Ability to interpret complex scientific data

Branches:

  • Medical Mycology: Finding and studying fungi that causes diseases in humans.
  • Taxonomy: Naming, describing and classifying new and unknown fungi.
  • Food Mycology: Examining fungi that cause food to go bad.
  • Plant Pathology: Studying and controlling fungal diseases in plants.
  • Industrial Mycology: Looking at the ways in which fungi can help in fermentation.

What to study:

There are no undergraduate courses in mycology, so most mycologists begin by earning a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Biology, Botany or Microbiology.

Where:

India:

  • Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore: Mycology is taught in the third semester as part of B.Sc Microbiology.
  • Shri Guru Gobind Singh University, Delhi-NCR: Mycology, Phycology and Virology are part of the first year syllabus for B.Sc Microbiology.
  • Allahabad State UNIVERSITY, Uttar Pradesh: M.Sc Mycology and Plant Pathology.
  • Birsa Agricultural University, Jharkhand: M.Sc Mycology and Plant Pathology.
  • University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai: B.Sc Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology.

Abroad:

  • School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, the U.K.: B.Sc in Biological Sciences (Mycology)
  • University of California, Berkeley, the U.S.: Postgraduate courses in Forest Pathology and Mycology.
  • Imperial College, London, the U.K.: Research opportunities in different fields of Mycology.

 

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