India Michaylow
India Michaylow is an undergraduate student and researcher from the University of Alberta, Canada. The Department of Architecture and Planning, IIT Roorkee, is hosting her, supported by the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) and its incredible work fostering academic collaboration between Alberta and India. Her grandfather originally from Delhi, India is just now getting a taste for his life here, as well the fuller picture of her cultural makeup otherwise left unexperienced. To say the very least, she is incredibly grateful.

India has dedicated her academic career to the humanities: with a special foci on international development, ethics, equity, and social justice. Much of her research is multi-disciplinary, from Indigenous law and restorative justice initiatives to environmental science and the intricacies of puzzling together a sustainable future. Such research has enabled projects like the City of Camrose Climate Action Resiliency Plan, the Augustana Round Dance for Indigenous-Settler Reconciliation, and extensive reporting on the causal relationship between grassland conversion, agricultural management, and livelihood security, both in Canada and in India. Overall, India aims to glean as much as humanly possible from IITR’s Himalayan studies and promises her commitment to excellence over the next eight weeks.

Aditya Jain
Aditya Jain (PhD Scholar, DAP) has been awarded a scholarship and grant from the Indo-German Centre for Sustainability (IGCS) for contributing in the Summer School - "Regenerative Urban Futures: Circular Economies and Societies", jointly led by RWTH Aachen University, Germany and IIT Madras, India. The School was held in RWTH Aachen University, Germany during July 22, 2024, to Aug 02, 2024. The IGCS Summer School 2024 is a perfect match for Aditya’s research focus on ‘cultural sustainability and indigenous Himalayan architecture’, being pursued under the supervision of Dr. Smriti Saraswat. His work examines the preservation of cultural heritage and design in Raithal Village, Uttarakhand, and aims to develop sustainable design strategies that respect cultural integrity. The summer school provided an excellent opportunity to explore circular economy principles and their application in urban and rural contexts, enhancing the integration of these principles with cultural sustainability. This participation enabled Aditya to contribute to the development of resilient and inclusive built environments, while fostering global collaborations and advancing strategies tailored to specific socio-cultural conditions.