With his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, his work in helicopter design as a Research Engineer, and his love of flying (he received his pilot’s license in 2012), you could say that Sylvester Ashok is fascinated by things that move. Moving has also defined this Sheller Sustainability Fellow’s life in substantive ways—such as leaving his home in Bangalore, India, to study at Georgia Tech in 2007, as well as having the opportunity to travel around the world. But the world that is constantly in motion and developing also comes at a cost.
“If cities keep growing at the same pace—with more cars and population density—mobility will be a big problem. We need to rethink how people get from point A to point B.” Sylvester is interested in how people commute, and in finding innovative solutions to the problems of congestion, pollution, and climate change. He sees promise in the intersection between autonomous cars and Uber. Put the engineering innovation and revolutionary business model together, and car ownership becomes a thing of the past.
Sylvester’s interests in sustainability don’t end there. Thoughtful urban design, which incorporates elements such as green space, can deeply impact the quality of life. Also, when considering the global landscape, a synergistic relationship must be fostered between corporations and government. Sylvester says, “We need to help the developing world grow sustainably and have access to affordable green energy.” Sylvester believes that innovation alone cannot solve the problem; it must be coupled with well-thought-out strategy and partnerships.
Sylvester shares his passion for finding creative ways to tackle challenging problems through Learning Through Making, the nonprofit of which he is president and co-founder. The organization engages K-12 students in STEM through hands-on challenges. Sylvester says he hopes “to raise up the next generation of innovators.”
When Hrishikesh Joshi traveled to Puerto Rico to celebrate his first wedding anniversary, he was shocked that an upscale, leading-brand hotel did not recycle. Did he admit defeat and toss his trash? "No," he says with delight, "I carried it all back to Atlanta in my luggage!" He jokes that while his wife wasn't too happy about the souvenir, "It felt good to be doing the right thing."
Hrishikesh, one of three inaugural Scheller Sustainability Fellows, says that when it comes to the environment, "I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty." In fact, he championed environmental protection for many years, even before he knew "sustainability" was a word, let alone a movement. From middle school through undergraduate engineering college in India, he was involved in tree planting drives, and he used community events to educate the public on proper trash disposal and the preservation of water resources. In the US since 1993, he has been an active "Adopt-a-Road" volunteer.
Hrishikesh never imagined that his passion for the environment would be linked to his career. After a graduate degree in computer science and two decades working in Information Technology (IT) Product and Project Management, Hrishikesh enrolled in Scheller's MBA program.
By attending various events at Scheller's Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, Hrishikesh began to see how companies could pursue socially, economically, and environmentally responsible business strategies while ensuring long-term profitability and competitive advantage. As a Fellow, he says, "I have developed a deeper understanding of strategic topics such as impact investing, innovation for sustainability, circular supply chains, and social entrepreneurship." Eventually, Hrishikesh would like to help companies organize themselves to be more sustainable. “Going forward, sustainability will be as ubiquitous for companies as IT has been in recent times,” he says with emphatic certainty.
Leave it to a Georgia Tech alumna to call Industrial Design “more a hobby than a career.” Marietta-native Elizabeth Schultz worked for a furniture design company for several years after receiving her BS from Tech in 2012. While she enjoyed the creativity of the job, she also faced several frustrations. She says, “It bothered me that the things I designed would eventually end up in a landfill.” She also wanted to be more involved in the company’s decision-making process.
These frustrations, along with her belief in lifelong learning, prompted her to apply for the Full-time MBA at Scheller. Elizabeth says she returned to Tech because she was confident she would receive an excellent education, be challenged, and have the support of faculty and staff who care about their students' futures.
She finds the Center for Sustainable Business a perfect fit for Georgia Tech. She says the Institute, known for innovation, is where
''brilliant minds come together to solve big problems''
As one of three inaugural Scheller Sustainability Fellows, she values the company of like-minded people and the opportunity to learn from her faculty mentor.
In her first year back at Tech, Elizabeth has grown to better understand sustainability from a business point of view and hopes to leverage that knowledge in her future career. In particular, she hopes to focus on how companies can influence consumers to make sustainable decisions.
Elizabeth understands that to provide the goods and services people need and want, both production and consumption are required. However, she believes that businesses that do so while minimizing the impact on the environment can thrive. And increasingly in the future, those that do will win out over their competitors that don’t. She practices what she preaches, too. A DIY enthusiast, she recently completed a bookshelf made out of upcycled wood pallets. She says,
Sustainability Fellows and Undergraduate Sustainability Ambassadors deepen their engagement in environmental and social issues for business by working on projects.
