Tracing the historical perspective on the development of biorefining
research and recent challenges in bioeconomy was Prof. Sudip K Rakshit,
who delivered the Fifth Distinguished Adjunct Faculty (DAF) Seminar at
the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on 6 July 2016. Prof. Rakshit,
who served AIT as Vice President for Research (2005-2012), is currently
holding a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Bioenergy and
Biorefining at Lakehead University, Canada.
“The availability of resources and technology is not the only
requisite for research, since it has to be located within the existing
geopolitical context,” Prof. Rakshit said. He mentioned how the
discovery of oil in Pennsylvania led to an oil rush in the United
States, and how the dogged perseverance of Major Frank Holmes from New
Zealand paved the way towards exploration oil in the Middle East.
Today, we are looking at a scenario where countries are trying to move
away from a dependency on fossil fuels, with Ontario in Canada being a
leading example of a province that is generating power in a coal free
environment, he added.
Prof. Rakshit spoke of the policy-technology interface stating that
bioethanol production in Canada witnessed a major increase from 2005
when the government made it mandatory to mix alcohol with petrol. He
postulated that in the coming times, paper mills in Canada will move
towards becoming energy producing centers.
Earlier, AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai welcomed Prof.
Rakshit and recalled his association with AIT. The AIT President said
that the introduction of the DAF program was an outcome of a desire to
tap the expertise of the huge network of former AIT faculty members. “I
met a number of former AIT faculty members who wanted to contribute
towards the Institute, and the DAF initiative is an attempt to
re-engage them.” Prof. Worsak remarked.
Prof. Rakshit was introduced by AIT’s Vice President for Academic
Affairs, Prof. Sivanappan Kumar. Ms. Smita Yamsangsung of AIT was the
event moderator.
A video recording of the event is available at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL88woopj2E
More details about Prof. Rakshit are available at this link: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/users/R/srakshit
