Carbon Capture and Sequestration & Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Course concluded at GNDU

Amritsar, December 21 (Punjab Post Bureau)- Course on Carbon Capture and Sequestration given by Prof. J.A. Reimer, Head, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, USA and course on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance given by Prof. Bernhard Bluemich, Head Macromolecular Division, RWTH Aachen Germany are concluded in Guru Nanak Dev University. Professor Reimer reviewed the overwhelming scientific evidence that the atmosphere is changing, humans are the cause of that change, and there are consequences at every level on the planet. He introduced carbon capture as an effective scheme to mitigate the disposal of human carbon waste into the atmosphere, and then examined in considerable detail three technologies for capturing carbon from the flue gas of a coal-fired power plant. Professor Reimer examined the geology of carbon sequestration into the Earth, the environmental risks associated with these sequestrations, and the current projects that demonstrate sequestration of carbon. He further considered various geoengineering schemes to decarbonize that air, including changes in land use, bioenergy schemes, and enhancing the weathering of rocks. He concluded his lectures for the students at GNDU that the Earth needs their help devising and implanting schemes to decarbonize the atmosphere. Though there are many technical and policy challenges, the fundamental physics, chemistry, and engineering of carbon capture and sequestration pose no limitations on saving our planet.

     Prof. Bluemich elaborated that Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is best known from its use in medical diagnostic imaging, where Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) excels in providing images of diseased tissue in all parts of the human body. But it is also one of the chemist’s favorite tools to analyze the structure and shape of molecules, which serve as medicinal drugs, detergents, and catalysts, and produce materials like rubber, plastic, glass and light-emitting diodes. Even the engineers, physicists and biologists make use of NMR when they study various material properties and optimize the production processes of food, cosmetics, and car tires or engage in unraveling the function of the human brain. Although NMR is just a simple resonance phenomenon like the vibration of a string, the diversity of its applications points at a rich diversity of ways to put it to use.

    Prof. Palwinder Singh, the coordinator of the two courses told that about 110 participants from various parts of the country including IIT Roorkee, IISc Bangalore, Thapar University Patiala, Central University of Punjab Bathinda, University of Pune and students of different departments of GNDU attended these courses. He thanked Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India for providing grant for these courses under the Global Initiative for Academic Network Programme and also thanked the GNDU administration for extending all the facilities for organizing these courses. He specifically mentioned that the approval of these courses to GNDU by the ministry is an outcome of the status of University with Potential for Excellence attained by GNDU under the leadership of Prof. A. S. Brar.

    Prof. A. S. Brar, vice-chancellor of the university thanked the speakers and encouraged the participants for executing the ideas given by the two scientists so that maximum use can be made for the benefit of the society. Dr. Manpreet Singh Bhatti, coordinator of the courses appraised the lectures delivered by the two resource persons and paid vote of thanks.