Experts at Digital conference on rebooting the economy through S&T

RESTART, 'Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology, and Research Translations’, a one day long digital conference where scientists, government officials, diplomats, academia, and representatives of industry came together to emphasize the importance of transformation of manufacturing companies post-COVID 19 pandemic, collaborations  and that research should be brought closer to the Industry  in overcoming the present challenge

Delhi, A day-long digital conference on 'Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology, and Research Translations’ (RESTART),organised on the occasion of National Technology Day, highlighted the importance of transformation of manufacturing companies post-COVID 19 pandemic, collaborations and that research should be brought closer to the Industry in overcoming the present challenge.

.

The Digital Conference was divided into 4 sessions:-

• Session 1 will be focusing on medicines and medical technologies for better preparedness to face the pandemic.
• Session 2 on Advanced Materials – New Technology Horizons at Digital Conference – RE-START on Reboot the Economy through Science, Technology And Research Translations.
• Session 3 on Advanced Technologies for sustainable future.
• Session 4 on Global Innovation & Technology Alliance for Global Economic Leadership at Digital Conference – RE-START on Reboot the Economy through Science, Technology And Research Translations

To know the details of who all participated in the conference, click on the link below:-

In the session I, ‘Medicines & Medical Technologies for better preparedness to face Pandemics’ , experts emphasizied the fact that COVID pandemic should be looked at as an opportunity for R&D and should be used for strengthening it.

• The medical advancements and innovations which took place due to the COVID crisis, like drug discovery, vaccines, and diagnostic tools, and other medical devices, as well as ways to preserve electronic health records can be harnessed for better preparedness to face future pandemics.
• Lead Healthcare experts from the UKMadhukar Bose explained the pandemic scenario of United Kingdom where people have adopted news ways of primary and now 90 percent interaction in the UK happens through digital channels.
• Dr. Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director, Serum Institute of India was of the opinion that to go back to pre COVID-19 days might take years. So technologies needed to be reworked in order to live in the present situation. He added that technologies such as appropriate face masks and best practices like social distancing need to be made a part of life.

In the session II on ‘Advanced Materials’ outlined that to tackle pandemics like COVID 19, research needs to quickly switch over from being capital intensive to knowledge-intensive and should be brought closer to industry.

• Dr. Shekhar C Mande, Director General CSIR, pointed out that the strategy for CSIR is to shift from capital intensity to knowledge intensity of research, and we wish to become knowledge partners of many industries.
• Speakers at the session agreed that the novel materials such as smart materials, special purpose alloys, engineering polymers & blends, graphene, composites, etc. will be the key to revamping the industry’s product lines in the future.They described materials as the cornerstones for new-age technology solutions for complex functional problems.
• Research workers across the world are engaged in developing novel materials designed with specific properties and engineered to deliver focused functional requirements. Investment in such knowledge-based value-added materials will go a long way in accelerating the economic activities and ensuring an attractive return for the industry, they said.

In the session III on 'Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Sustainable Future’ discussed how manufacturing companies were undergoing digital transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Alok Nanda, CEO GE India Technology Centre, said, “COVID has forced the Industries who were sitting on the fence to go for digital transformation, which has brought a tremendous change”
• .Rajiv Bajaj Managing Director Stratasys India pointed out that the world is moving towards mass customization and mass specialization today, and technology like 3-D printing plays a major role in it.
• Dr. BB Ahuja Director, College of Engineering Pune, stressed that additive manufacturing can change the fundamentals of manufacturing, and hence needed to be adapted rapidly.
• Prof. Sarit Kumar Das, Director IIT Ropar, discussed the changes that COVID-19 time brings about in teaching and learning. “Collaboration and cooperation between industry and academia is most important in this period”, to make them a talent pool.
• Raghav Narsalay Managing Director, Accenture Research, highlighted that“COVID-19 and other challenges like climate change have shown that if we can move technology to the core, it can help us to understand these phenomena faster & better”.
• The panel agreed that in addressing short term and long-term challenges, advanced technologies would provide avenues to the industry to re-stimulate innovation, sustainability and employment.

In the session IV on ‘Global Innovation & Technology Alliance for Global Economic Leadership’emphasized the importance of global collaborations in dealing with the challenge of COVID 19.

• Addressing the session, Dr. Renu Swarup Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, said,"In today's scenario, virtual collaboration is the key to connect globally to fight against the common challenge of COVID-19, andcollaboration between countries must continue with much vigour".
• Mr. Vincenzo de Luca, Ambassador of Italy to India, spoke about how the regular organisation of joint workshops on topics likes Info. & Comm. Technology, Sustainable Energy & protection of the environment has helped build S&T cooperation with India.
• Mr. Hongryel Felix Choi Director, International R&D Cooperation Team Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, reflected that they are working closely with Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) in India in S&T field.
• Luc Tran, Industrial Technology Advisor from National Research Council (NRC) Canada, mentioned, “Canada has taken up a Pandemic response challenge program, an initiative for breakthrough technologies, leveraging of Global Presence, Innovation Assistance program and program like ‘Life Without a Vaccine’ as some of the initiatives making Canada COVID ready.”
• Dr. Amiram Appelbaum Chairman, Israel Innovation Authority, highlighted how his government is harnessing its innovation ecosystem with health crisis. “We are assisting the high-tech ecosystem to survive the financial crisis and addressing the immediate needs of startups and MSME of Israel to ensure economy stays on track.”
• “India is willing to collaborate & we are looking forward to international collaboration to fight the pandemic and win it over,” said Dr. SK Varshney Head- International Cooperation, DST.

The inaugural session of the conference was graced by the dignitaries including the Union Minister of Science and Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan; Member, NITI Aayog Dr. V K Saraswat; Principal Scientific Adviser Government of India, Prof. K VijayRaghavan; Secretary, Department of Science & Technology Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director-General, World Health Organization, and officials from DST and Technology Development Board (TDB).

The day-long digital conference brought together at one platform scientists, government officials, diplomats, academia, and representatives of industry. It was organized by Technology Development Board (TDB), an autonomous organization of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) along with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).