LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University is pleased to announce its first international conference hosted in partnership with Panjab University in Chandigarh, India. The conference will take place at Panjab University April 20-22, 2017, and will bring various experts together to discuss Green Chemistry/Engineering and Technologies (GCET) for sustainable development.
The purpose of the event is to provide a forum to address global challenges in the GCET field while facilitating an exchange of expertise, research, and outreach opportunities between the two countries.
About 200 international and national delegates are expected to attend. Florida Poly President Dr. Randy K. Avent will lead the University’s contingent alongside two undergraduate students, Ms. Holly Pafford and Ms. Laura Wemple, who are members of the advisory committee for the event.
“This is a perfect opportunity to showcase Florida Poly’s potential on an international level,” said Florida Poly President Dr. Randy K. Avent. “We are preparing students to become high-tech professionals capable of working on global issues in a global community, and we hope our international partners see that Florida is rising as a hotbed for high-tech talent and innovation.”
The three-day conference will include scientific sessions and lectures by research scholars and prominent scientists from India and the U.S. and a panel discussion with industry leaders, who will share their input and guidelines for future graduate programs at both universities.
“As a university focused on STEM learning and applied research for near-term impact, we must constantly stay in tune with the world’s most pressing challenges to ensure we’re building a curriculum and preparing students to meet them,” said Dr. Terry Parker, Florida Poly Provost. “Sustainability is obviously an enormous concern for nations and businesses around the globe. It’s exciting for Florida Poly to take part in this international conversation.”
The conference is funded by the U.S.-India 21st Century Knowledge Foundation (USIEF), which aims to strengthen collaboration and build partnerships between U.S. and Indian institutions of higher education.
“We are thrilled about the opportunity to work with Panjab University,” said Dr. Jaspreet Singh Dhau, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Florida Poly, Conference Convener and Project Director. “Through this conference, we hope to generate future collaboration to include joint research projects and possibly student exchange programs between universities and to involve industry leaders in shaping this program.”
Located in Chandigarh, India, Panjab University was established in 1882 as University of Punjab. It is the first among Indian Universities and 38th in Asia according to the 2015 Times Higher Education Asian University rankings. Panjab University has 188 affiliated colleges spread over Punjab, one rural Regional Centre at Kauni, and three Regional Centers at Muktsar, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur.
For more information about the Green Chemistry/Engineering and Technologies (GCET) for Sustainable Development conference, click here.