Science should reach society with integrity and transparency: Soumya Swaminathan

The challenge before scientists and researchers is to ensure that science reaches society with “integrity, transparency and compassion”, said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). She was virtually delivering the convocation address at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, on Friday (July 10, 2026).

“The challenge before us is not only to produce good science or better science but to ensure that science reaches society with integrity, transparency and compassion. When you see your work actually improving the lives, livelihood, and wellbeing of communities, particularly those who are not so well off and who are vulnerable, gives great deal of satisfaction,” she said.

Dr. Swaminathan said that today’s scientific discoveries and breakthroughs are increasingly emerging from collaboration. The most important discoveries of the future are not going to come from within disciplines, but rather at their intersection, she added.

“Science and the types of discoveries, the nature of discovery I would say is also changing, it is no longer a single scientist working alone in a lab with he or she making discoveries. Today’s breakthroughs increasingly emerge from collaboration. A climate scientist needs an economist and an engineer needs a biologist, a physician needs a data scientist, an ecologist needs Artificial Intelligence (AI), policy makers need behavioural scientists,” she said.

Dr. Swaminathan added that while India celebrates scientific excellence, it alone is not enough and that our science must also become increasingly relevant.

“It (scientific excellence) has to be relevant to cleaner air, children’s nutrition, sustainable agriculture, resilient cities, affordable healthcare, biodiversity conservation, and to equitable growth. So in a way the method of scientific success is not only residing in academic journals where we all publish but also where lives actually change,” she added.

During her address, she also had a word of caution to the graduating students about the importance of ethics as technology becomes more and more powerful.

“AI as we all know raises a lot of questions about fairness, exclusion, privacy and accountability. Genomics also raises questions about data privacy and how genomics is being used particularly with experiments that are used in pathogens, to create pathogens with different kinds of properties or infact to tweak the human genome. They can do immense good but can also be used for purposes which are ethically questionable,” Dr. Swaminathan said.

A total of 1,452 PhD and Master’s students, and 118 undergraduate students received their degrees at the convocation. Medals were also conferred upon 82 students for their academic excellence.

IISc offers PhD and Integrated PhD programmes in various disciplines, several Master’s programmes [MTech, Joint MTech, MTech (Online), MTech (Res), MDes, MMgmt, MS, MSc (Chemical Sciences), MSc (Life Sciences), MSc (Physics), MEngg], and undergraduate programmes (four-year Bachelor of Science (Research) and Bachelor of Technology).