Dr. Gamini Mendis, Researcher at Perdue University in USA, delivered a talk on “Sustainable Electronics: a Global Challenge” at the Department of Electrical Engineering.
Around the world, people are increasingly using electronics- mobile phones, computers, televisions, etc. for business, entertainment, and communication. These technologies are now essential to the global economy. However, over the last few decades, the negative consequences of widespread electronics usage, such as material toxicity, high environmental costs, and collection and disposal challenges, have risen to international attention. Through concerted multidisciplinary actions from stakeholders in industry, academia, and international governments, progress has been made, but many challenges still exist. This talk discussed the history of the electronic device challenge, current efforts to mitigate existing challenges, ongoing research, and opportunities for Sri Lanka in the future.