Clemson University to welcome Nepal’s national innovator for lecture, networking reception

CLEMSON — Clemson University, in partnership with Upstate International, will welcome Mahabir Pun, Nepalese entrepreneur and innovator, to Clemson Tuesday, Oct. 2, for a lecture in the Watt Family Innovation Center. All Clemson students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend, as well as the general public.

Pun’s lecture, “Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Nepal”, will begin at 4 p.m. in the Watt Center auditorium. Immediately following his talk, attendees are invited to a reception with refreshments in the atrium.

Mahabir Pun has devoted his life to encouraging economic and social development in rural Nepal by using technological innovation and numerous research and development projects. Pun’s visit provides a unique opportunity for Clemson students and faculty to interact with and learn from one of the world’s champions of technology.

Pun is widely known for his role in bringing wireless technology to many areas of rural Nepal in the Nepal Wireless Networking Project and for the establishment of the National Innovation Center, or “Rashtriya Abiskar Kendra.” The center supports numerous research projects that harness technology to improve education, agriculture and economic opportunity in some of the most isolated regions of the world. Some projects include: the use of drones to deliver medical supplies to remote areas; designing new ATVs specifically for the mountainous regions of Nepal; new water treatment and filtration systems; creating applications for distance learning; and the launch of an e-commerce platform in the Himalayan region.

Pun has been internationally recognized for his indispensable role in the development of Nepal’s rural areas, receiving many awards and honors, including the Overall Social Innovations Award from the Global Ideas Bank, an honorary degree as a Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Nebraska and the Magsaysay Award in 2007, which some refer to as the Nobel Prize of Asia.

He will be available for conversations with students at 2 p.m. Students interested in meeting with Pun should contact Barbara Speziale at bjspz@clemson.edu.

Pun’s visit is sponsored by the Watt Center; the Provost’s Office; Creative Inquiry; the Calhoun Honors College; the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences; and the Office of Global Engagement.

Watt Family Innovation Center
The Watt Family Innovation Center is Clemson’s most technology-enhanced academic building, featuring state-of-the-art information technology and special facilities. Established in 2016 with the support of more than $25 million in corporate donations, the Watt Center’s mission is to create an environment where collaboration among students, faculty, and leaders from industry and government agencies generates ideas and solves complex problems. The Watt Center is available for students and faculty in all disciplines as a flexible space for collaboration, innovation and project development.