SOA’s step towards climate change
By Express News Service | Published: 15th December 2017 04:09 AM |
Last Updated: 15th December 2017 08:16 AM | A+A A- |
BHUBANESWAR: Siksha O Anusandhan (SOA) University is all set to launch a separate integrated centre for research on environment and climate to study and address issues concerning major changes in weather pattern.
The Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) will have the mandate to study environment and climate change and help build the capability to adapt to such changes.
At a session on Thursday to finalise modalities for the centre, Director General of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) KJ Ramesh said it would not only benefit the society but help train and equip young scientists and environmental engineers to deal with increasing weather hazards.
Director of Hurricane Research Division (HRD) of the USA-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Frank Marks said large scale changes in environment were being noticed at frequent intervals even as man was trying to adapt to climate change.
“We have observed the rise in sea level and flooding of urban areas in Miami recently. The new research facility would help us think and cope with climate change besides helping us take a holistic view of all factors in a focused manner,” he said.
The proposal to set up the centre was conceived a year ago during a national symposium on Tropical Meteorology organised in collaboration with the IMD and Indian Meteorological Society (IMS).
Professor Emeritus at the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, IIT-Bhubaneswar Prof UC Mohanty said the centre should be a multi-disciplinary hub of experts from a plethora of disciplines, including civil engineering, electrical engineering, medicine, agriculture and computer science.
The proposed centre would focus on inter-disciplinary research in which the faculty members and students would have to contribute. SOA has so far set up 12 research centres having identified 18 thrust areas besides 35 research labs, which are currently functioning.
Among others, Prof. Dev Neogy of Purdue University, USA; Director of IMD-Bhubaneswar SC Sahu; founder president of SOA Prof Manojranjan Nayak and Vice-Chancellor Prof Amit Banerjee were present.
