For Indian student Surojit Ganguli, coming to Canada could lead him down a sustainable career path

With Canada renewing its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at last year’s Copenhagen summit, government and industry are seeking new solutions to mitigate global climate change. One such response lies in Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)—a field which Mechanical Engineering student, Surojit Ganguli can now see himself pursuing thanks to the Mitacs Globalink program.

About to enter his fourth year of study at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Surojit had been considering a research internship in Germany. However, when accepted into the  Mitacs Globalink program to undertake an internship with Dr. Amit Kumar in the Department of Mechanical Engineering  at the University of Alberta, , he says “I knew that the Mitacs program would give me the best experience overall.”

Surojit was excited to try his hand at the relatively new field of CCS through his Globalink project. Carbon Capture and Sequestration involves the development of technology which can harness the greenhouse gas emissions from energy and industrial plants, storing them underground or on the sea floor for hundreds of years, thereby preventing the gases from reaching the atmosphere. Surojit’s project will involve assessing the amount of energy necessary to implement a CCS system at a power plant.

Coming to Canada this summer has been a rewarding experience for Surojit, who says that he “fell in love with Canada” as soon as he arrived. He had not previously thought of sustainable energy as a future career field for himself, but thanks to his Mitacs Globalink internship, he is now seriously considering pursuing it for his graduate studies—possibly in Canada.  

The adventuresome student has made many friends in Edmonton, having tried rock climbing for the first time and joining a badminton group with other Canadian and international students. He also worked on his team-building skills through one of many workshops hosted by Mitacs Step. A highlight was an opportunity to connect to industry professionals and well-respected academics at the TEDxEdmonton lecture series. 

When asked to reflect on his experience in Canada through the Mitacs Globalink program, Surojit beams with excitement. “I’d like to thank Mitacs for giving me such a wonderful experience here in Canada. I have learned new things and been challenged in the best ways. It has been a truly enriching experience for me.”