Dr Arun Shanbhag, Chief Innovation Officer at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT)
Dhruv Suri, Aeronautical Engineering student, MIT
Akondi Saisri, Biomedical Engineering student, MIT
Thursday 22 March, 09.30-10.30am
Room 2.19, Level 2, Otago School of Business, 60 Clyde Street
Against a backdrop of high poverty, unemployment and inequity in India, Dr Shanbhag is inspiring students at Manipal Institute of Technology to explore innovative projects to improve the quality of life of society around them. Using a simple, generalized design-thinking framework that students can follow, and solve local problems, he encourages students from all disciplines to form interdisciplinary teams and create innovative products.
Two of his students - Dhruv Suri and Akondi Saisri - recently won the inaugural NZ-India Sustainability Challenge and will present their work on an app for infant immunisation in India.