St. Thomas College Gears Up for Digital Herbarium Preservation with Hands-on Training
On January 17th, 2024, the Department of Botany at St. Thomas College (Autonomous), Thrissur in association with Sahya Digital Conservation Foundation, Thrissur conducted a hands-on training in herbarium digitization. The training took place in the college’s Botany Lab, bustling with a total of 26 participants from 12 colleges and institutes across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Dr. Fr. Anil George K., Vice Principal of St. Thomas College, officially inaugurated the program. Dr. Geethu Elizabath Thomas, Head of the Botany Department, presided over the function, setting the stage for a day of immersive learning. The heart of the training lay in interactive hands-on sessions, meticulously dissecting the workflow of herbarium digitization. Participants gained valuable insights through an informative talk by Dr. Joby Paul titled “Pressed, Preserved, Powerful: How Herbaria Shape Our Understanding of Plants,” highlighting the crucial role of herbaria in botanical research. An insightful session by Mr. Manoj Karingamadathil on “Herbarium Web Database Preparation and Online Publication,” providing the roadmap for online accessibility. A detailed lecture by Ms. Sreeshma PS on “Barcoding of Herbarium Specimens,” introducing the technology for herbarium digitization. Ms. Aparna V. Joseph, Ms. Divya K. Venugopal, and Ms. Athira NJ, research scholars from the Department of Botany, expertly guided participants through the hands-on training, ensuring maximum skill acquisition. Rev. Fr. Biju Panengadan, Executive Manager of St. Thomas College, delivered a heartfelt closing speech, acknowledging the importance of the training program. He then had the honor of awarding participation certificates to the enthusiastic participants.
