Vikram Vishal, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at IIT Bombay, has won the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) medal in the Young Scientist category for 2017.
The award carries a bronze medal and a cash prize of Rs 25,000, an official release from the IIT Bombay stated.
Considered to be the highest recognition of promise, creativity and excellence in young scientists, it is awarded annually by INSA for research conducted by scientists in India and carries a bronze medal and a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.
Till 2015, a total of 737 young scientists have been recognised by INSA.
While conveying the selection of the award to Vishal, INSA President Prof. Ajay K Sood said: “He has shown great potential to be a leader in research. I sincerely hope he will continue to strive hard to reach his potential and to prove leadership in the coming years”.
Vishal is currently working on a research which attempts to reduce carbondioxide emissions and their environmental impact by capturing the natural gases.
His research looks at “geologic sequestration” or capturing the carbon dioxide that is released when coal is burnt (or created as a by-product in other industries) and injecting it back into the rock deep underground so that it is not released into the atmosphere.
Explaining his research work, Vishal said: “Natural gases have remained trapped in deep underground rock structures for several million years. This provides an analogy to inject and store the greenhouse gases in rocks and prevent their release into the atmosphere. Realising India’s vast geological diversity, she offers ample opportunities for the storage of carbon dioxide.”
“Injection of carbon dioxide will not only help develop a long sustainable earth, but also lead to enhanced recovery of methane to partly meet our growing energy demands.”
