Korea University July 30, Creativity blooms at the boundaries between intersections mahajan. Roop L. Mahajan, Ph. D.

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1 Intersections, Creativity and Black Swans Korea University July 30, 2015 Creativity blooms at the boundaries between intersections mahajan Roop L. Mahajan, Ph. D. Lewis A. Hester Endowed Chair Professor of Engineering Executive Director, ICTAS Institute for Critical Technology & Applied Science Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

2 Outline Introduction Challenges ahead Meeting these challenges Intersections: a road map to creative & Black Swan solutions Examples A Call to Action

3 First, congratulations to all of you for Your contributions to society!! YOU CAN TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT YOU DO AS ENGINEERS!

4 Imagine life at the dawn of the 20 th century!

5 At the Dawn of 20 th century Radio, TV, computers, and the Internet did not exist No Facebook, texting, tweets!! The country was not electrified The airplane had just made its first flight The average life span was 46 mostly due to unclean water and poor sanitation

6 Much of society s technical transformation that we take for granted today has been possible through engineering The progress is actually Stunning

7 It is not just self-praise. Public at large is very positive about engineering Harris Poll, 1998 commissioned by the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) An overwhelming majority of Americans believes that Technology makes a positive contribution to society

8 Parents were asked the following question: Public Perceptions Using a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being extremely displeased to 10 being extremely pleased, if your son or daughter or other family member said they wanted to be an engineer, how pleased would you be? The mean response: 9 Not bad at all!

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10 However, we have major challenges ahead

11 Top Ten problems of Humanity for next 50 years 1. Energy 2. Water 3. Food 4. Environment 5. Poverty 6. Terrorism & War 7. Disease think 8. Education 9. Democracy 10. Population Richard E. Smalley Noted scientist and Nobel prize winner Source: Energy and Nanotechnology Conference, Rice University, May 3, 2003

12 Top Ten problems of Humanity for next 50 years Characteristics o Interconnected think o Require multiple perspectives o Global in nature o Complex

13 Fortunately, major transformative technologies are available

14 Emerging Technologies Converging Technologies Big Data Smart Manufacturing Communication Revolution

15 These are powerful technologies Even more powerful are their intersections They lead to innovation, creative solutions, and even Black Swans Buds of creativity blossom at the intersections mahajan

16 Intersections & Innovation Bringing researchers from different disciplines opens door for questions beyond the well-trodden grooves Simple questions asked of experts from outside the field can give rise to new ideas; free flow of information, egos likely not to play a big role

17 Nano-knife Single cell stretcher Engineers & cardiologists /biologists come together

18 Cardiologists Engineers (MEMS) MEDICA Device Companies

19 Engineers and an NGO come together Engineers & NGO come together

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21 PV LED Lamp for Rural Household 780 million women and children breathing particulate laden kerosene fumes inhale the equivalent of smoke from two packs of cigarettes/day (WB) PV/LED light cost = Approx. 1 year s kerosene fuel cost 1.3 Billion people in the world have no electricity

22 Intersections & Innovation More Examples VT- ICTAS Black Swan Seminar in Café X (VT ICTAS)

23 VISION To be a premier institute to advance transformative, interdisciplinary research for a sustainable future.

24 ICTAS is an Investment Research Institute As an IRI, its major investments are in high-impact, interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary research at the intersection of engineering, the sciences physical, social and life--, and the humanities

25 ICTAS is about Team Building Listening, collaborating Creating a culture that encourages others to grow and succeed Provide intellectual & physical infrastructure to make teams gel.

26 Key Facts As an IRI, it acts as a catalyst To accelerate VT s growth in research and scholarship, and to gain a dominant position in a few selected areas

27 ICTAS is futuristic Innovation Black Swan Technologies Alexander Graham Bell Inventor of the telephone, Blue-Sky Component

28 Black Swan Seminar Series Held in Café X, ICTAS Lobby An informal discussion of the future WHAT WILL MAKE YOU IRRELEVANT IN 7 years? No tyranny of power point A lead person initiates discussion Attendees from different disciplines

29 How does it work? Ideas are generated o Cygnets baby swans Follow-up o Some die-- Infant mortality o Some grow new area(s) of research Bio-inspired cyber security o Breeding ground for the next black swan!!

30 6. ICTAS has unique assets IDR Labs Dedicated staff and leadership Faculty from across the campus invested in ICTAS

31 ICTAS Laboratories State-of-the art interdisciplinary research laboratories o 173,000 SF spread over 3 buildings in Blacksburg campus o 7, 000 SF at VTRC-A o 6,000 SF at VT, India, Amrita Research Park, Swaranabhoomi, India (Partner: MARG)

32 ICTAS Research ICTAS research is at the intersection of Converging, Emerging and Black Swan technologies Emerging Technologies Big Data Smart Manufacturing Communication Revolution BIST

33 Research Thrusts Renewable Energy Renewable Materials Nano-Bio Interface Nanoscale Science & Eng. Cognition / Comm. National Security Emerging Research Sustainable Water

34 ICTAS RESEARCH

35 Big Data / Discovery Analytics Discovery Analytics Center ICTAS-supported Center Expanded to VTRC-A Spring 2014 Forecasting civil unrest, financial events, and elections EMBERS: Early Model Based Event Recognition using Surrogates. An IARPA Award: $13.36M + $4M NEH Digging into Data grant o o Collaboration between Computer Science, English, and History One of 2 projects highlighted in NEH s budget request to Congress Significant growth potential

36 Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems An NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center An ICTAS-Incubated Center o ICTAS-I/UCRC, 2008 NSF-I/UCRC, 2010 o ICTAS An IAB Member Multi-university, Global Center Technical Thrusts o Thermal: Concentrated solar power o Mechanical: Vortex induced vibrations, wind & water turbines; Piezoelectrics o Chemical: Batteries, Fuel Cells Industrial Sponsors Texas MicroPower Optixal; Oscilla Power Romny Scientific; Radiant Tetramer, ARMDEC ONR Boeing

37 Global Outreach VT, India ICTAS Innovation Center Three Areas of Research: Materials & Sustainable energy Nanotechnology Cognitive Radio Communications Amrita Research Park Swaranabhoomi VT, India ICTAS Innovation Center 6,000 SF, with potential growth up to 45,000 SF Inauguration on May 24, 2014.

38 Progress Students Supported ,000,000 Research Expenditures Awards ,000,000 80,000,000 60,000,000 40,000, FY 2006FY 2007FY 2008FY 2009FY 2010FY 2011FY 2012FY 2013 Number of Faculty Supported 20,000,000 $0 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY FY 2006 FY 2008 FY 2010 FY 12 Investment $8.3M

39 In conclusion Reach out and intersect with someone beyond your comfort think zone! We are already starting with your university on CEHMS Perhaps we can expand to have VT- ICTAS Korea University Innovation Center in Seoul!!!

40 Create a sustainable future! Together! One project at a time!

41 Intersections, Creativity and Black Swans Korea University July 30, 2015 Thank Roop L. Mahajan, Ph. D. Lewis A. Hester Endowed Chair Professor of Engineering Executive Director, ICTAS Institute for Critical Technology & Applied Science Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA you!!