"Making Electronics Sustainable: Solving the Dichotomy" by Assoc Prof Shweta Agarwala (Aarhus University) | IAS STEM Graduate Colloquium

Sustainability is one of the top global challenges recognised by UN. Electronics is the pillar that supports the innovation and new solutions in almost every sector of the society. However, current electronic industry has large carbon-footprint, uses materials and components that are non-biodegradable and their improper end-of-life treatment release toxins in the environment. Electronics, as we know and use it today, is unsustainable for future generations.

The aim of Prof Shweta Agarwala’s research is to overcome these challenges through i) development of novel biodegradable electronic materials, and ii) next-generation sustainable devices with new form factors.

Through green chemistry, her group has developed novel biodegradable, biocompatible and bioresorbable electronic materials. Printed electronics is the new emerging fabrication technique that allows electronic components, circuits and devices to be put on a desired surface using nanoparticle inks using new-form factors that will not need rigid components and wires. She will talk about her research in trying to make electronics sustainable and will showcase some of the case studies on the application of the materials and flexible devices.

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Assoc Prof Shweta Agarwala is the Head of Printed Electronics Technology laboratory at Aarhus University. She serves as the chair of IEEE Women in engineering Denmark section, and is an advocate of engaging more females in STEM. Currently, she is in Singapore as visiting faculty at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, NTU.

** Jointly organised by IAS and the Graduate Students' Clubs of MAE, MSE and LKCMedicine at NTU **