Bayer - Young Enviromental Envoy

Bayer selects Young Environmental Envoys to represent India at the BYEE Program 2009

The winners of the Indian competition – Ruchi Soni, a Master in Environmental Studies from TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) University, New Delhi and Aashish Gaurav, a third year undergraduate student at the dual degree programme at Department of Chemical Engineering IIT, Kharagapur – will represent India at Bayer AG, Leverkusen (Germany) along with their counterparts from several other countries for a week long, all-expense-paid study tour sponsored by Bayer from November 8 to 14. On this tour students will have the opportunity to experience how environmental protection is practiced by Bayer and government in Germany.

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Aashish Gaurav and Ruchi Soni

Students had to send a write-up on their contribution towards improving the environment along with practical examples of projects undertaken in order to participate in the competition. Short-listed students were then interviewed to gauge their knowledge and communication skills.

The two candidates have an exemplary academic record and have worked in their areas on environmental protection.

Ruchi was a recipient of the EkoAward for the year 2008-2009 by Environmental Management Centre, Mumbai. The research plan includes ‘Evolution and Analyses of Business Models in Waste Management around the World – Drawing Lessons for India’. She has also received the ‘Science Meritorious Award’ given by Delhi University for two consecutive years 2006, 2007. Ruchi was selected for the Summer Research Fellowship Programme conducted by the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore and worked as a summer intern in Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

Speaking about her selection as a representative for India Ruchi said:

“Winning the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy (BYEE) Program would serve as a springboard for me to expand the horizons of my theoretical environmental knowledge base and help translate it into practical knowledge, coupled with the unique multi-cultural dimension it has that would help me make contacts with like-minded contemporaries from all over the world. The BYEE program will help me strengthen my commitment towards the environment and my belief in what Mahatma Gandhi said ‘Be the change you want to see in the world”.

Aashish is very interested in research on clean energy fuels, fuel cells, exhaust control and biodegradable plastics. He won gold in Cheminnovation (a chemical engineering competition conducted by IIT-Kharagpur) for presenting the most viable waste recycle strategy for a Bhilai based aluminum plant. And, as part of his summer project in The Energy and Resources Institute, Bangalore, Aashish worked on Thermal, Mechanical and Biodegradation Studies of Cellulose Acetate Phthalate-Chitosan Bio-Nano Composites.

Aashish had this to say about forthcoming field trip to Germany:

“I think it is a privilege to represent India at the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Program 2009 and I am looking forward to the exposure to scientists, technocrats and experts in various aspects of sustainable development on an international stage that it would bring. I believe the Program is a significant opportunity for me to share sustainable development ideas and prototypes with budding talents around the globe. I hope to learn about trends and perspectives in the field of environmental protection and sustainability and raise awareness of sustainable development by passing on the impressions, experience and insights gained”.