SMaRT in India for Investment NSW

Image caption (from left): SMaRT's Head of MICROfactorie^TM Technologies Anirban Ghose; Prof Veena, Malini Dutt, A/g Trade and Investment Commissioner - India, Investment NSW; and UNSW Senior Business Development Manager Mark Sterbic.

The UNSW SMaRT Centre has joined NSW's Acting Trade and Investment Commissioner for India in an innovation and technology exchange tour.

A/g Trade and Investment Commissioner - India, Investment NSW, Malini Dutt, hosted UNSW SMaRT Centre representatives in the tour, visiting a range of delegations from various trade, research and government agencies.

She said: "WiFi, GoogleMaps and pacemakers were all invented in NSW and flight-recording ‘black boxes’ and Cochlear implanted ‘bionic ears’ were invented by Australians who studied in NSW.

"NSW has a track record of being the backbone of innovation and technology of Australia. Investment NSW works towards connecting such Australian innovations to international industry and making this world a better place. 

"It was my honour to spend two days with the Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Professor Veena Sahajwalla, representing UNSW and its SMaRT Centre which features amongst the global top 20.

"As the fight for access to resources intensifies globally, Veena's work epitomises concepts of circular economy and recycling in practical action! With interesting modular set ups like microfactories, Veena and her team of Anirban Ghose and Mark Sterbic received a tremendous response from many of India's leading mining and ceramic organisations, all of whom are keen to engage.

"Days like these are professionally fulfilling. Cant wait to see the outcomes unfold."

The tour follows when last year Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned the India-Australia Industry and Research Collaboration for Reducing Plastic Waste Initiative that SMaRT is involved in as part of their joint bilateral statement recently. See that story here.

And it also follows a 2022 event at UNSW Sydney when the then Indian and Australian trade ministers both publicly acknowledged SMaRT Centre Director Prof Veena's innovations. See that story here.