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UKIERI-SHELL SCHOOL CLUSTER
ENGAGEMENT
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 2007 |
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To witness the UKIERI-Shell School Cluster collaboration and Shell's engagement with these clusters, Dr Van der Eijk, Chief Technology Officer, Shell and Usha Soni, Extra Mural Research Manager, Shell Technology India visited Laxman Public School in New Delhi. |
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The UKIERI-Shell School Cluster's six schools presented a multi-dimensional |
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programme on the themes of renewable energy and save the planet, which is one of the key areas of their collaborative project with their partner schools in Bristol. There were brief speeches by the young students, a play on the 'Chipko' green movement in India and an extraordinary exhibition of posters and projects created by the young students as a part of the UKIERI exchange programme. A tree planting ceremony by Dr Van der Eijk, an environmentally proactive gesture, was also organised as a symbol of respect for the guest. |
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AFFIRMATION OF
SUPPORT FOR UKIERI
August 2008 |
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We have reviewed the 2007-2008 annual report and agree that UKIERI has met their stated goals in agreement with Shell. Shell is proud to be part of this worthwhile programme and is delighted to support it for the full five-year term  |
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Ad de Visscher
Bangalore Technology Centre Manager
Shell Technology India |
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UKIERI-SHELL PARTNERSHIP INITIATES
INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA INTERFACE
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 2007 |
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Rod Pryde, Director, British Council, India,
Dr Van der Eijk, CTO Shell, with senior Shell
and British Council colleagues |
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Usha Soni, Extra Mural Research Manager, Shell Technology India, has identified six UKIERI research projects in Shell's areas of interest.
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Bioinformatics approaches to study protein assemblies – Indian Institute of Science and the University of Manchester
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Red Methane catalyst for hydrocarbon cracking – The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Glasgow University
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CO2 emissions and resource efficiency – Birla
Institute of Technology and Science and Dundee University
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Understanding high activity enzymes – Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and the University
of Strathclyde
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Production of biodiesel oilseeds – Indian Institute of Petroleum and Newcastle University
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Change in the water cycle and ecosystem – Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and the University of Liverpool
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Engagement has been initiated on all these projects by introducing the lead researchers to Usha Soni. Being a senior and experienced scientist herself, Usha has been extremely proactive in leading these engagements on behalf of Shell. For most of these research projects, she has identified scientists within Shell, who are working in these areas and will be the right people to support the engagement going forward. |
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Usha Soni has indeed exemplified her role as the Corporate Champions' representative on the UKIERI Board by guiding us very proactively and ably on
industry-academia interface. So thank you, Usha |
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SHELL ABLY REPRESENTS CORPORATE CHAMPIONS
ON THE UKIERI BOARD |
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Usha Soni interacting with young chemistry
students at the Fortismere School, Haringey, UK |
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Usha Soni, Extra Mural Research Manager, Shell Technology India and current representative of Corporate Champions on UKIERI Board, visited the UK in July, to witness the significance and impact of UKIERI activities at that end. Usha's grace and professionalism in managing the very packed schedule planned for her by the UKIERI team in London, was much appreciated. She attended the UKIERI Board Meeting in London, met with senior Project Management Team and Board members and visited Higher Education and School partnerships.
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Her inputs were very useful at the very interactive meeting at the Imperial College with a large multi-disciplinary team, including representatives from the newly launched Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Grantham Institute for Climate Change. Interesting and ongoing models of industry-academia engagement were discussed. Usha also visited the
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Fortismere School, Haringey, where her encouraging interaction with the young science students in their laboratories was particularly heartening. The students were quite overwhelmed to have a real life scientist from Shell amidst them!
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We also value Usha's inputs and suggestions to enhance industry engagement in UKIERI, which she expressed at the Board Meeting, and in all her meetings with senior UKIERI Project Management Team members. She has sought more clarity on the role and expectations from the Corporate Champions in the Research Partnerships and also in the School clusters. We will ensure that these are taken into account at relevant forum within the initiative. |
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All of us at UKIERI and the British Council are truly appreciative of Usha's intensive contribution as a key representative of Shell and now as the representative of all Corporate Champions on the UKIERI Board. Her views and inputs on industry's partnership with a large scale research and education collaborative initiative like UKIERI have been valued and noted not only during her recent visit to the UK, but at many of our Policy Dialogue conferences, attended by researchers and academicians from around the world
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Usha Soni has indeed exemplified her role as the Corporate Champions' representative on the UKIERI Board by guiding us very proactively and ably on
industry-academia interface. So thank you, Usha |
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