RESEARCH IN THE IITs VISION 2020 Prof M

RESEARCH IN THE IITs VISION 2020? Prof. M. S. ANANTH Director Indian Institute of Technology Madras CHENNAI – 600 036

OUTLINE OF TALK n Global R & D Investments n Global and National Challenges n Core Competence n The Drivers of Research n The Research Park

MURRAY GELMANN Science is inherently an arrogant pursuit: a small creature on a small planet revolving around a small sun in a medium sized galaxy thinks it can understand the universe! We in the IITs seem more modest!

LEWIS & RANDALL When we visit ancient monuments, we are often filed with wonder. We talk in hushed tones…. Go back in your mind to the past when it was under construction. You can hear the noise of workmen cursing and swearing …. You realise that these awe-inspiring monuments are the result of ordinary human effort given a direction and purpose by a vision

GLOBAL R&D INVESTMENTS R&D Expenditures and Share of World Total 1/3 Data for 2002 Source: Science and Engineering Indicators , NSF 2008 1/3

GLOBAL GRAND CHALLENGES n Climate Change n Energy and Environment n Improving Healthcare n Natural Hazard Mitigation n Sustainability

NATIONAL CHALLENGES n Food Security n Water Security n Manufacturing especially MSME sector n Infrastructure n Logistics n Keeping up with the developed world!

GENOMIC RESEARCH Biology Combinatorial Mathematics Clinical Insight Robotics & Automation Genomic Research Microfabrication Courtsey Prof. Charles Vest

BRAIN RESARCH Cell Biology Imaging Micro Sensors Brain Research Computation Complex Systems Courtesy Prof. Charles Vest

COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE Can people and computers be connected so that collectively they act more intelligently than any person, group, or computer has ever done before?

R&D IN “PASTEUR’S QUADRANT” Consideration of use? Yes No Fundamental Understanding? No Pure Basic Research (Bohr) Yes Use-inspired Basic Research (Pasteur) Pure Applied Research (Edison) Adapted from Pasteur’s Quadrant, Donald E. Stokes 1997

DRIVERS-TOOLS & EXPECTED RESULTS n Discovery and Invention - Pure basic research improved understanding n Industry - Pure applied research - improved technology n Society - Innovation & Entrepreneurship embedded solutions addressing the whole value chain

COLLABORATIVE R & D (adapted from President, U of Twente) I un mpro de rst ved an din g d ove gy pr Im nolo h tec SCIENCE & Pu ly r INDUSTRY ure ed res e bas P li ENGINEERING ear ic p DRIVEN ch ap & D Use-inspired R DRIVEN un Exist de rst ing an din g basic research Context-of-use Inspired research SOCIETY/USER DRIVEN Existing embedding g stin ogy Exi ol n ech t Improved embedding

CORE COMPETENCE n Biotechnology n Nanotechnology n Information Technology n Communication Technology n Complex Systems n Computational Science and Engineering n Design and Manufacturing …Contd.

CORE COMPETENCE n Development Studies n Transportation Engineering n Energy Technology n Environmental Technology n Infrastructure Technology n Materials Technology n System Engineering ……. . …Contd.

RESEARCH AREAS CURRENT CORE COMPETENCE CHALLENGES OBSOLETE AREAS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION NEW THRUST AREAS

MANAGING CREATIVITY n The ‘Magic Garden’ approach for Discovery and Invention : hire brilliant minds, provide the atmosphere, leave them alone and …. pray! n The ‘Idea Factory’ approach for Innovation: bring unlike minds together and create opportunities for interaction.

BRINGING ‘UNLIKE’ MINDS TOGETHER A. Internationalisation - different cultures B. Interdisciplinarity C. Research Parks - different disciplines - different attitudes

A. INTERNATIONALISATION n Science is universal but scientists have a cultural identity and associated prejudices n Need mix of unlike minds for innovation n 25% PG students from other cultures n 10% Faculty from other countries

B. INTERDISCIPLINARITY n Interdisciplinary approach first used as a management tool to solve ‘real’ problems in specific sectors eg. Bell Labs in 1930 s n “Put mix of academic disciplines to action” n Freedom at work/forced formal exchange of ideas n IPR specialists hired to identify opportunities

C. RESEARCH PARKS n n Entrepreneurship flourishes in the vicinity of high quality educational institutions Innovation promoted by unlike minds : n n n Faculty : sound theoretical knowledge Industrial R&D personnel : convert ideas into marketable products Students: spirited & ignorant of the impossible

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GINGER HOTELS July 19, 2010 24

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INDUSTRY WISE CLIENTS July 19, 2010 26

INCUBATEES July 19, 2010 27

THE CREDIT SYSTEM! n R&D projects in IITM (credits per Rs 1 M) n Consultancy to IIT Faculty (credits per Rs 1 M) n Royalty (credits per Rs 100 K) n Sponsored Ph. D / Masters Students (per year) n Adjunct faculty (per year) n Teaching by Industry personnel per hour n Joint guidance Ph. D/ MS/B. Tech (per year) n Part-time employment Ph. D/MS/BTech (per mo) Minimum credits/year/sqft to stay in the Park! July 19, 2010 28

SUMMARY o Asia’s share of global R & D is about a third o India needs IITs to play a significant role o IITs need a vision - depends on core competence & the global/ national challenges o Society is willing to support mainly use-inspired research o Use-inspired research is driven by innovation and enterprise o Research Parks best promote both

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