Fostering Innovation Through Research
People Matters|May 2019

In an interaction with People Matters, Professor Edward (Ted) Sargent, the Vice-President at the University of Toronto, talks about the tech innovations and the future of work, and how the university is preparing the next generation of leaders.

Suparna Chawla Bhasin
Fostering Innovation Through Research

Professor Edward (Ted) Sargent is the Vice-President and a Professor in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto (U of T).

Through his work both as a scholar and vice-dean, research in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, Professor Sargent has accumulated extensive experience in developing and enhancing global research networks involving both academic and industrial partners. The University of Toronto is a global institution with one-quarter of its student body international, coming from more than 168 countries including India.

You are an academic, entrepreneur, author and a fellow at many institutes. Tell us how you ventured into this area of nanotechnology that led to your book, The Dance of the Molecules?

I began my academic career working with semiconductor lasers for optical fiber communications -- the long-distance backbone of the Internet. I was fascinated by how quantum mechanical effects could be used to make bright, spectrally-pure sources of light for communications. Later I became fascinated with what chemists had started doing in the early 2000s –making semiconductors as bright and as promising as traditional laser materials, but doing so near room temperature in the liquid phase. I translated my research over to working with these new nanomaterials that could be produced, at low cost, in vast quantities.

What is the focus of your research at the moment?

I work with liquid-processed semiconductors to make better and more cost-effective devices for renewable energy. This includes making solar cells that better capture the full spectrum of light from the sun.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2019-Ausgabe von People Matters.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2019-Ausgabe von People Matters.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS PEOPLE MATTERSAlle anzeigen
How Digital Transformation Can Power The Great Reset
People Matters

How Digital Transformation Can Power The Great Reset

Technology has the potential to serve as the key enabler of change between digitalising administrative tasks and fostering human connections

time-read
4 Minuten  |
December 2022
The Crypto Meltdown Of 2022
People Matters

The Crypto Meltdown Of 2022

FTX implosion: A setback, but not the end for the crypto market

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 2022
Govern Pre-IPO Unicorns to Create Value; Not Valuation
People Matters

Govern Pre-IPO Unicorns to Create Value; Not Valuation

Billion-dollar startups always make the headlines. But is there true value behind those eye-catching valuations? How can proper governance be implemented for these much-hyped companies?

time-read
4 Minuten  |
December 2022
On change and change management
People Matters

On change and change management

The best way to end the year, especially such a disrupted one as 2022, is by laying the groundwork for the year to come. Michelle Yong, Head of Resourcing at Shell, offers some insights on change management to bring us forward into 2023

time-read
5 Minuten  |
December 2022
The Great Reconnection: A paradigmatic moment for employers and employees
People Matters

The Great Reconnection: A paradigmatic moment for employers and employees

This year has not been a good one for employee retention. The Great Resignation, originally thought to be a US phenomenon, has emerged in Asia now. But is there a way to turn it into the Great Reconnection?

time-read
4 Minuten  |
December 2022
Lessons Managing in leadership: a global hybrid team
People Matters

Lessons Managing in leadership: a global hybrid team

What takeaways can we draw from the pandemic? Fatima Koning, Chief Commercial Officer at IWG, shares what the last five years have taught her about managing a global sales team across 120 markets in the hybrid model

time-read
5 Minuten  |
December 2022
Eight HR trends that we saw throughout 2022
People Matters

Eight HR trends that we saw throughout 2022

As companies manage their workforces in a dynamic era, HR departments have continually adapted and adjusted, and never more than this year as digital acceleration and workplace evolutions came together

time-read
5 Minuten  |
December 2022
One way to turn the tide of employee retention
People Matters

One way to turn the tide of employee retention

There's a surprising link between skill development opportunities and job satisfaction. Here are some ways of boosting skilling and thereby talent retention

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 2022
A key focus for L&D going into 2023 should be business alignment
People Matters

A key focus for L&D going into 2023 should be business alignment

Venkat Subramaniam of Degreed believes that learning is core to business success and organisations need to invest in the right processes and technologies to adapt to continuous change

time-read
4 Minuten  |
December 2022
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP CAN BE GAME GHANGER FOR INCLUSIVE FUTURE OF WORK
People Matters

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP CAN BE GAME GHANGER FOR INCLUSIVE FUTURE OF WORK

BREAKING FREE FROM THE STEREOTYPES IN THE INSURANCE SECTOR, PAMELA THOMSON-HALL SHARES HER JOURNEY OF BEING A CHAMPION FOR WOMEN AND BRINGING ABOUT A CHANGE IN A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY

time-read
9 Minuten  |
December 2022