Kishore M Paknikar

Expansion and the hidden risk Technological universities across India are expanding at unprecedented speed. New programmes in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technologies, clean-energy systems, robotics, biomedical devices and advanced manufacturing are being launched with urgency. Industry partnerships are deepening. Start-up ecosystems are growing. Applied research and commercialisation are celebrated as markers of relevance.

That world no longer exists. Today, governments invest heavily in research with the expectation that it will address visible national problems. Industries look to universities not only for ideas, but for solutions that work outside the lab. Societies expect science to engage with issues such as water security, clean energy, public health, climate resilience, digital infrastructure, and national security.

Nyckelord: TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY; Material and Nano Physics; Material- och nanofysik; Sammanfattning: Marine resources play a crucial role in supporting the blue economy and addressing global challenges to achieve some of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the marine ecosystem is adversely affected by plastic pollution, biofouling, and corrosion; thus, there is an urgent need for sustainable solutions.