Engineering is the best degree, says ex-NASA scientist Anita Sengupta

Former NASA scientist Anita Sengupta, while speaking at the India Today Conclave 2023, said that engineering is one of the best subjects as it helps you solve your problems. India has the largest number of engineers and also the largest number of engineering education institutes and infrastructure in the world. 

Talking about engineering as a wholesome subject to study, Dr Sengupta said she has also said that students should study the subject as it gives them more confidence to deal with business and day-to-day things. "An engineering degree is the best you can get. It teaches you how to think, it teaches you how to solve problems, and with that, you can do anything," Dr. Sengupta said on Saturday.  

When asked about Mars and the world beyond Earth, Dr. Sengupta said as humans love to explore, Mars is one of the easiest places to get to and set up a colony, which is within our reach.  

"The nature of humanity is to explore. In the past, we explored continents, next phase is to explore space, and it is natural for us to expand as a species and one of the easiest places to get to and set up a colony is Mars. It's in the nature of humanity to explore and push the envelope," said Dr. Sengupta.  

At the India Today Conclave 2023 in Delhi, she said as part of the Curiosity mission which landed on Mars in 2012 and was responsible for developing the crane, which landed the rover on the Red Planet.  

Dr. Sengupta led a team of scientists that were part of creating the coldest lab in the universe, which is currently on the International Space Station and being used for cutting-edge research. 

She added that she was working on a cryo explorer for Jupiter's moon Europa, which has a liquid water ocean. Dr Sengupta said: "I think when we send something to nail through the ice, we will find some form of lifeform. It will not be intelligent like us, but it will be an organism and that will change our perspective. It is not just about Earth that life exists, it could be in many other places beyond our solar system and other galaxies."  

Talking about her work on hydroplanes researching hydrogen fuel cells for light helicopters that are emission-free, she said that hydrogen fuel cell technology was developed for the space program and is an efficient form of energy storage.  

"We are going to have our first flight this year and it not only supports aircraft and helicopters but also vehicles operating on diesel. It has the ability to decarbonise ground transport," Dr. Sengupta said. 

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