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Though spanning multiple years, pursuing a PhD often feels like a never-ending story—in a good way. It’s the beginning of a lifelong journey, meeting friends from around the globe and finding one’s drive. This is certainly the case for Antony Cyril Arulrajan, who is not only about to earn his degree but has also started his own company.
The people behind the science, and the science behind the people
What motivates a young researcher to travel halfway across the world to work for a few years? It must be a special experience, one that changes lives. Such is the case for nearly-defending PhD candidate Antony Cyril Arulrajan.
“I have always enjoyed meeting people from all over the world, so I was thrilled to be accepted for a PhD at Wetsus,” Antony explains. Though Leeuwarden might not sound like a world city, it bustles with internationals. It’s a hub of cooperation, immediately evident upon arrival. “I specifically chose Wetsus because it is application-focused and collaborates with companies outside of academia,” he adds. The focus on today’s challenges, rather than tomorrow’s, drove the young researcher forward.
Take the looming freshwater shortage. Entire countries already rely on modern technology to convert seawater into drinking water. Yet, conventional techniques require regular maintenance and significant energy. An alternative desalination method, capacitive deionization, shows promise but had problems with pH swings before Antony’s research. His mission was to stabilize the system.
First, they simulated the problem using table salt in clean water, posed a hypothesis, and devised a solution. “That is, until we tried with real waters and encountered a completely different problem. Suddenly, we were dealing with dissolved CO2, which influenced the pH. I was happy to be testing real systems because it led to real solutions—a thicker membrane. If we had stuck to simulating saltwater, we might have done fundamental research in a different direction that wouldn’t have solved this problem,” Antony adds with a smile.
The young researcher discovered that doing a PhD is about deep, careful investigation. Antony felt he could do more, and move even more quickly towards applied solutions. This inspired him to start his own company, validating a new technology in the little time he had while preparing his dissertation. You can read all about that here https://www.watercampus.nl/a-solution-to-colorful-pollution/
In wrapping up his Wetsus journey, there are plenty of lasting memories and great takeaways. “I shared an office with nine others; it didn’t stop us from going out together whenever we could. I even co-organized a cycling club at Wetsus, leading to an eleven-city tour. I made great friends, who remain friends to this day. And I’m still invited to meet-ups,” he fondly recalls.
Abstract
The realisation of a circular economy has thus far unfolded under the assumption that it would fit within existing economic arrangements. In practice, we witness many circular initiatives struggling to give shape to their ambitions, let alone develop to maturity. These past months, various material recycling organisations terminated their activities, seeing virgin alternatives from other parts of the world flooding the market at prices against they cannot compete. If the transition towards a circular economy (i.e. an economy of value preservation) is to be taken seriously, a new perspective on value in our economic system seems unavoidable, as the rewriting of the rules of the economic game. At this moment, current perceptions of value stand in the way of this transition both at micro as well as macro levels. Several contours for a collective exploration of new directions of value and economic configuration that foster circular transition will be addressed.
Abstract
In his key note he will conclude after a life of innovations that it is impossible that humanity will stay within the save planetary boundaries with innovation only. We should be more critical about the behaviour of the rich population in the world and more critical about new innovations that prove to be dangerous, like the PFAS crisis shows at this moment. In his keynote he will investigate how to look at the world that can stay within the save planetary boundaries, how should we change ourselves? It is clear if we only talk about the words of science and systems we miss the essential words of how we should cooperate and change ourselves. And his search for coherent save innovations. Which innovations will be save and will lead to a fair and sustainable world? And will lead to a world we want to live in.
Abstract
There is a growing number of new sustainable, inclusive, cohesive, participatory, just and humane economic models. A possible next step in the discourse about them is the comparative analysis in order to find out key commonalities, potential synergies, and “requirements” for a future-fit economic model. The author and initiator of the Economy for the Common Good provides an overview of these „new sustainable economic models“ and compares them according to underlying values, principles, and practical ways of implementation. The keynote addresses the cooperative spirit of the conference and prepares the ground for its public highlight on the eve of June 3rd, the round table with representatives of diverse future-fit economic models.
Abstract
The scientific debate on whether economies should always continue to grow increasingly becomes a political and societal debate. On the one hand further growth for the most affluent countries seems neither possible nor valuable, but on the other hand there is still lack of understanding and knowledge what a non-growing economy should look like and could best be governed. In this lecture we discuss various policy measures that can be realistically implemented, take into account government finances and aim at a higher quality of life despite a non-growing economy.
Abstract
Democracy is under pressure, and less and less able to stir the economy into a sustainable direction. Therefore, to stabilize democracy and to make possible the socio-ecological transformation of the economy, democratic principles need to be implemented directly in the economy. This is not only a matter of morality, but also has practical advantages. Democratizing the economy can increase legitimacy and take advantage of the “knowledge of the many” to accelerate the transformation. Democratic practices, especially deliberation, allow bringing together different forms of knowledge, which is crucial for the local implementation of principles of social and ecological sustainability. This talk explores what this idea means in more concrete terms, from democratic participation in the workplace to the democratization of time.
Abstract
Over the past decades, markets have conventionally been seen as the best instrument to stimulate economic growth and enhance prosperity and well-being. The automatic link between markets and economic growth is increasingly questioned, however, as well as the automatic link between economic growth and enhancement of well-being. This has led to attempts to capture well-being development more directly than through GDP per capita figures and has produced a more variegated picture of well-being growth. Also, this has led to a shift of focus to other coordination systems than the market, as primarily the state but increasingly also the association. Analyses of the historical record suggest that especially the latter could be a vital component in future well-being.
