UGqr Darshil Shah, iYunivesithi yaseCambridge

UGqr Darshil Shah nguNjingalwazi oDityaniswayo kwiNzululwazi yezeNzululwazi kunye noYilo kwiYunivesithi yaseCambridge yeSebe lezoBugcisa.

Ukhokela uphando kwi Iziko lokuTshintsha kwezinto zeNdalo (CNMI). UShah lilungu leZiko leMpahla, iziMbiwa kunye neMigodi.

Understanding the relationships between materials, society, technology, history and nature, Shah’s research aims to design and innovate with natural materials by exploring low-energy methods of manufacture, improving structural performance, introducing multifunctionalities, translating across disciplines and application sectors. Shah’s collaborative research is at the interface of architecture (design), humanities, physical sciences, and Zobunjineli, ethatha izikali ezininzi zobude kunye nokusika kuwo wonke amacandelo oshishino. 

I-injini yomoya ye-megawatt enenqaba yokhuni kunye iincakuba zeflakisi biocomposite. An affordable ankle-foot disability orthosis from recycled plastic waste. An indlu ye-off-grid enamandla aphantsi yakhiwe ngezixhobo zehemp yeshishini. Indlela yokulungisa ubushushu begumbi iintsinga ezilukiweyo ezifana nesilika. A umgaqo-nkqubo wohlaza that weaves agroforestry and construction in a circular bioeconomy approach enabling aggressive decarbonisation. These are examples of how Shah’s research and design at the CNMI imagines the replacement of anthropogenic materials with bio-based materials, such as engineered timber, bamboo, natural fibres and their composites. 

UShah uwongwe ngaphezulu kwe-16 yezigidi zeerandi kumsebenzi weprojekthi yophando iyonke. Umsebenzi wakhe upapashwa ekupheleni Amaphepha angama-65 ejenali aphononongwe ngabalingane, and has attracted numerous awards such as the International Quadrant Award 2015 and the JEC Asia 2013 Innovation Award, and Vice Chancellor’s Research Impact Award 2020. He also regularly takes on consultancy roles.

Ukuzibandakanya noluntu ngokubanzi, u-Shah ube negalelo kwiingcaciso zomgaqo-nkqubo kuzwelonke (IKomiti yoPhicotho lweNdalo yePalamente yase-UK kwaye I-RIBA) nakumazwe ngamazwe (COP26), uyilo lweemveliso ezifana neCE-Certified Covid19-control izihlangu zobuso, Amalungelo oYilo akhuselwe amalulwane eqakamba ngoqalo, yaye isikhephe biocomposite iiholi, ngokunjalo nemiboniso yoluntu kwindawo IVeki yoYilo lwesiDatshi ngo-2021, London Design Biennale 2021 kwaye Umboniso weRoyal Society weNzululwazi yeHlobo yowama-2019.

Uphando lwakhe luhlala lubonakala kumajelo eendaba esizwe nakwamanye amazwe, njengakwi izinto ezizinzileyo kuba iiinjini zomoya zivuliwe BBC Radio 5, hemp for future homes on I-BBC Reel, ii-biomaterials ze indawo eyakhelweyo on I-RIBA kwaye Dezeen, iisilika zendalo kunye nezingezizo ezendalo kwi VICE News, kunye namalulwane eqakamba bamboo Telegraph kwaye Guardian.

Ngaphambi kokusebenza eCambridge (2015-ngoku), uDarshil wenza uphando lwangemva kobugqirha kwi-silk-based and biological composites kwiYunivesithi yaseOxford. Iqela leSilk (ISebe leZoology, 2013-2014), kwaye wafumana iPhD yakhe ekuphuhliseni imidibaniso yezityalo zefiber zezicelo zamandla omoya kwiYunivesithi yaseNottingham's. Iqela loPhando elihlanganisiweyo (Faculty of Engineering, 2009-2013).