AE4H 2021 Innovation Lab

The event commenced with a warm exchange between Prof. Ian Rowlands, Associate Vice-President International at the University of Waterloo, and Prof. Naveen Garg, Dean of International Programmes, IIT Delhi. It was followed by a series of student presentations; stories about themselves, their universities, and the history and culture shared by India and Canada. The students also expressed their motivation behind their participation and engaged in deep conversations to understand each other's opinions, ideas, and approaches towards solving the critical sustainability issues.

Four cross-university teams were made of five students each. Each group was assigned one aspect of the sustainable energy solution to work on – technology, economy, society, or environment, and was given 15 minutes to discuss their proposed answers. Teams then met together so that each group could debate and discuss each of their proposed solutions. Special thanks to Ms. Ambika, Manager of Global Programs and Initiatives at the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy for facilitating the conduct of the event.

Several professors from both universities, working in the sustainability domain, were also present to judge the proposed solutions and offer feedback, which enhanced the dialogue further.

The students presented thoughtful and innovative solutions for the two energy challenges that showcased their passion for the world's sustainability challenges and teamwork between the students of the two universities. 

Towards the end, a concluding ceremony celebrated the immense amount of collaborative hard work the students had put in. Each student was also given a book as a symbol of cultural exchange.

The event was a massive success. We hope to facilitate similar discussions in the future, catering to diverse topics and allowing students from various backgrounds and walks of life to interact. Reported by: Satwik Pandey, Student Organizer, IIT Delhi

To check more about the event go to Event webpage.