IIIT Hyderabad and Plaksha University signed an MoU on campus today to establish a Sustainability Centre based on Smart and Sustainable Communities. The MoU was jointly signed by Prof P J Narayanan, Director, IIIT Hyderabad and Prof Rudra Pratap, Founding Vice Chancellor of Plaksha University.
The Sustainability Center will primarily focus on research for bottom of the pyramid use cases around villages and towns. IIITH and Plaksha University will jointly work on technologies applicable to sustainable communities including sensors, ML models, communication/5g, digital twins, economics, social/human sciences.
It will also take up problems in functional domains like air/pollution, water (networks, wtp, stp, rain), energy (smart meters, distribution, grids, storage), waste management (solid water and otherwise), food/agriculture (sustainably produce, process, consume), health (preventive and public health and mental health). The immediate short-term plan is to seed projects in Hyderabad and Chandigarh around water, pollution and agri-economics.
Prof P J Narayanan, Director of IIITH said, “IIITH is excited to partner with Plaksha University on joint research initiatives spanning sustainability and the development of sustainable communities. Since both our institutions largely share institutional frameworks and social goals, this collaborative center will work on impactful research, educational programs, and community involvement, leveraging our combined strengths.”
Prof. Rudra Pratap, Founding Vice Chancellor Plaksha University said, “In this era of rapid technological advancement, our collaboration with IIIT Hyderabad marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards fostering sustainable communities. Through the joint efforts of Plaksha University and IIITH, we aspire to harness cutting-edge technologies to address the pressing challenges faced by communities at the bottom of the pyramid, ensuring a brighter and more equitable future for all.”
