Engineering and Nature Must Go Hand in Hand
NUST-trained mechanical engineer innovates renewable energy solutions, from rain-harvesting turbines to human-powered vehicles.
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“It was a summer in 2002 when I attended a scouting camp where I was taught and trained about first aid nature conservation awareness and survival techniques. One of the tasks was to come up with a model for the best way to utilise the energy resources of our mountainous region. One of my teammates explained the use of kinetic energy of water coming from glaciers to generate electricity. I started learning about renewable resources and was curious to experiment more. I thought if people harvested energy from solar, wind and water, then why to neglect rain? I designed and developed turbine with cups attached to its peripheral. The cups would move as the rain would drop on them and pour-out water they have accumulated for producing energy. I presented the rain energy harvesting turbine at the INTEL science fair in 2010. My work was endorsed.
The curiosity for learning about technology, energy and environment enhanced when I joined the Aga Khan University Examination Board, a system of education which taught me to think free and gave me directions to explore my passion. I learned skills and ability to think beyond books, to question and engage in conversations. I was convinced that engineering and nature must go hand in hand. We cannot invent technologies that harm our environment. After graduating from the AKU-EB system, I joined NUST with a merit scholarship. One of the most important projects I have worked on was to design a human powered vehicle which might help overcome environmental degradation from diesel and gasoline-based cars. Among many of my projects at NUST, this particular project was received well. I graduated from NUST but knew that learning could not end here. I wanted to engage in research and development of renewable energy and its utilisation in the developing world.” Hissam Karim M.Sc. Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Grenoble Institute of Technology, France BE Mechanical Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad - 2019 AKU-EB Alumni 2015