A Remarkable Meeting at a Roundtable Conference in India

Prof, Colin Price, head of the Environmental Studies Department at the Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, has recently participated at a 3-day roundtable workshop at Tripura University, India. The top aim of the roundtable was  to minimize the recently escalated lightning related human injuries, livestock deaths and property/service losses in South Asia countries such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, through validated safety modules and protection technologies.

Scientists, government officials, engineers, scientific managers and climate change enthusiasts from Bangladesh, India, Israel, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zambia have participated at the workshop. Realizing the increase of lightning related activities and their effects across the globe and especially in South Asian countries, the participating Invitees presented their research and discussed projects. They have also  attended the inauguration of the Centre for Lightning and Thunderstorm Studies (CeLTS) at the Department of Physics, Tripura University and the formation of an international advisory panel. 

During the roundtable conference, Colin was delighted to meet Saurabh Sharma, who has studies at the International MA Program during 2016-17. Saurabh presented a self sustaining working model for lightning protection which can provide better disaster mitigation and help disaster relief and disaster reconstruction programs. The original model was developed with Prof. Colin Price during the studies at the International MA program at the Porter school.

The response towards the model was overwhelming and delegates showed great interest. Saurabh has told us that soon we would see the model being executed in different parts of South Asian Countries. He added that Prof. Colin's constant support and guidance has helped him to be part of such an esteemed community of researchers and practitioners for Atmospheric Lightning in South Asia.