India@75, ft. IIT Bombay

Engineers are often known for the art of being resourceful, minimalistic, and innovative (i.e., jugaadu). When this translates from submitting a course project at midnight to much bigger scales, we can create impact that can solve a lot of the global problems. The capacity to do so can be imparted through the study of policy. In its 75th year of independence, the most prominent policies of India today are those revolving around sustainability. Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Clean energy is one such focus sector to promote sustainable development. In the 2021 global climate negotiations, India established a new commitment to reach ‘net-zero’ greenhouse gas emissions (a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere by oceans or forests) in 50 years. Recognising the impact engineers can have, the United Nations General Secretary, Mr Antonio Guterres, will be addressing the students of IIT Bombay on the 19th of October, 2022, as part of the India@75 showcase. We have a closer look at how engineers and technocrats can directly mould our future through the policies they design.

Policymaking

A policy is a course of action adopted or proposed by an organization or individual. Surveys have found that 45% of CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies are engineers by degree. When you couple this with the fact that the Fortune 500 companies alone contribute to 27% of the world’s emission, it is easy to imagine the direct impact that the CEO can make on reducing the carbon footprint. The environmental awareness of a CEO with the knowledge of policy and technology would allow them to make management decisions with technological solutions which can significantly reduce the environmental damage being caused by the company. Even for engineers not in management positions, the knowledge of sustainable policy can have a significant impact. Engineers are involved in a wide, diverse set of sectors. This knowledge, when applied to their work can manifest in the form of sustainable mobility (reduced emissions, safer roads with minimal traffic), the nuclear sector (clean fuel, availability of energy to every man, safe disposals) or offshore development (structural safety, impacts on the marine biosystem, environmental effluents). Knowledge of these systems and the problems that global leaders are actually working on, combined with scientific frameworks, gives engineers the power to foster innovations and fine-tune products, services and schemes to align with specified social goals.

Research

Interdisciplinary research and industry collaborations have paid dividends in the past few years. Efficient 3D modelling of landforms can enable better processing of satellite data to create high-resolution maps that enable better urban planning and land allocation at a fraction of the cost. Microplastics are a relatively new concern in environmental pollution. Researchers have repurposed microwave radiation to detect micro and nano plastics faster than existing techniques. They are currently designing a handheld device to provide instant test results.

The unique proposition universities offer is research collaborations across seemingly unrelated fields. Professors working with NITI Aayog, formerly the Planning Commission of India, have a direct line with the most powerful bureaucrats in the country. This places IIT Bombay in a unique position where research can be translated from breakthroughs in the lab to scalable real-world solutions. The recently established Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies leverages this synergy to solve problems ranging from water shortages to evaluating market-based approaches (carbon markets) to transform traditionally polluting industries.

Start-Ups and Innovation

Engineering is also about building technologies that everyday people can use. According to an article by the Economic Times, a third of the startups in India are founded by engineers. Funding and incubation support for new ventures has allowed student entrepreneurs to convert their master’s thesis to commercial solutions and build businesses. For example, dozens of ‘clean tech’ startups have been established with the support of SINE (Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship) at IITB. They offer support to various research ideas that are on their way to translating into entrepreneurial ventures. In this age of Unicorn companies, the practice of adopting sustainable practices in the companies from the beginning could go a long way to protecting the environment. Further, an increase in startups that themselves focus on assisting companies with the reduction of environmental damage would lead to innovative solutions. This increase will take place when environmentally aware engineers graduate from colleges. We take a look at some such startups to better understand the possibility of impact.

These startups focus on diverse environmental issues ranging from waste management, water treatment, efficient solar energy usage, and many more. Emergy Enviro Pvt. Ltd envisions globally relevant and locally sustainable solutions. They guide industries and government organizations in tackling waste management issues. INDRA, a SINE startup, designs products focused on decentralized wastewater management and treatment. Geosyndicate Pvt. Ltd is another cleantech venture that aims to provide sustainable geothermal energy solutions.

IIT Bombay, in September ’22, launched the e-Yantra Innovation Challenge with the theme “Sustainable and Advanced Technologies for Helping Urban Inclusivity and Agriculture” for this year. The winning team would get startup seed funding from a prize pool of 1 crore, and the participants would also get the opportunity to launch their startup through incubation support from SINE IITB.

By this point, it is evident how engineers can have a massive impact on the world’s future with a specific skill set that few possess. It is essential to be informed about the key problems world leaders are focusing on, look beyond the classroom to see what’s being done to tackle them and apply scientific principles to solve these problems. Don’t forget to join the talk on Wednesday to gain more insights in this regard!

– Team Insight.