IIT alumna’s resource management goes global

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle from New Delhi on Wednesday, Valappil said that she did her research on use of grass crops for production of bio-ethanol as a sustainable energy resource.“I did this study in the United States of America (USA) as IIT-Madras has an ongoing project with Purdue University, USA. I suggested that instead of using corn for ethanol we can use grass crops as it saves water and is efficient too,” she said.

Femeena’s resourcefulness in solving the complex agriculture problem through scientific and interdisciplinary means impressed the award jury, which fetched her the award. She received the award at a grand ceremony held in Berlin on November 7.About her future plans, the 24-year-old engineer from Kannur in Kerala said that she would undertake a detailed research into water resources in Germany as the award came with an opportunity to do research in Germany.

Femeena’s mentor Prof K.P. Sudheer, professor at the department of civil engineering, IIT-Madras, said, “Femeena is one of the top students I have taught during my entire career. The M.Tech thesis problem she took was highly challenging as she wanted to change the traditional way of approaching the issue of water resources management. She looked at controlling the water quality deterioration in rivers, which get pollutants loading from upstream agricultural activities,” he said.