Start
Jul 23, 2010 - 16:00
End
Jul 23, 2010 - 17:00
Venue
Creativity Hall (Room 118) Ground Floor Chemical Engineering
Event Type
Speaker
Dr Shreekumar Freelancer
Title
Understanding Sustainability from a Thermodynamic Viewpoint
Abstract: As chemical engineers we carry out processes by creating conditions so that change takes place in the desired direction. In an isolated system all changes eventually cease when the system attains equilibrium. In a non-adiabatic closed system driving force for change can be maintained using a source of energy that is outside the system. For the earth's biosphere the principal external source of energy is the sun. Energy from the sun is mainly responsible for maintaining driving forces for ecological processes. Only a small fraction of the total energy coming from the sun is being harnessed for the exclusive use of human beings. Is there a limit to how much of this total energy can be appropriated for the exclusive use of human beings? Does this have any implications technological as well as socio-political to development? These questions will be discussed in the talk.About the Speaker: Dr Shreekumar completed his doctoral thesis from IISc in 1996. Following that he was a faculty in KREC (Currently an NIT) Surathkal for a few years. Shreekumar has since been involved in exploring sustainable livelihood alternatives. He worked at ASTRA (Application of Science and Technology to Rural Areas) in IISc (which is akin to CTARA of IITB) for an year on biomass-based energy devices . He is also closely involved in the Sampoorna Kranti Vidyalaya Vedchhi Gujarat. This is an institution founded by Shri Narayan Desai where people prepare themselves for non-violent activism which includes resistance to injustice as well as evolving alternatives. He is currently part-time faculty at NITK Suratkal. However he is mainly involved along with a small group of individuals in experimenting on a lifestyle based on principles of sustainability and just resource use in a small farm near Udupi Karnataka. The group is currently focusing on sustainable agriculture trying to lighten physical labour involved in growing food without compromising on sustainability.