Ask Ashish Sharma about the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress (SRI2025), and he’ll assure you it’s a vibrant gathering that unites the academic-industry-civic community through knowledge sharing that leads to action.
We asked Sharma, Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) Climate Hub lead, how his research connects with the SRI mission and how he connects children — including his daughter — with meaningful climate education.
DPI is part of the University of Illinois System, host of June’s SRI2025 in Chicago.
How does your extensive research align with the spirit of SRI?
At the heart of my DPI Climate Hub research group’s mission is a deep commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement to translate cutting-edge science into actionable, weather-resilient solutions. We focus on enhancing critical infrastructure, as well as energy and transportation systems, while supporting weather-ready and weather-smart decisions.
A flagship example is our Chicago-based Clean Energy and Equitable Transportation NSF-UKRI Global Center. The center advances interdisciplinary research to accelerate use-inspired road transportation innovation. We focus on creating smarter, more efficient mobility systems that enhance urban infrastructure and energy security.
We often say, “We don’t just work on urban problems. We build urban solutions.” This solution-driven ethos strongly echoes the core of SRI’s mission, which champions action-forward, knowledge-based and inclusive approaches to societal challenges.
What is your approach for climate education for K-12 students?
I actively involve students — from elementary school through high school — in my research group to introduce them to scientific tools and cultivate their curiosity around real-world environmental challenges.
For example, three high school students joined our research group for a summer experience and then chose to stay involved throughout the school year. Their enthusiasm translated into meaningful contributions and outcomes, including presenting their findings at international conferences. Plus, this experience helped them learn new computational skills and gain experience that has helped them to get admission offers to great universities, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Harvard.
It’s been inspiring to see how hands-on exposure and small amounts of guidance can lead to deep, self-driven learning — even at a young age.
What can people expect to see, hear and do at SRI?
At SRI2025, participants will join sessions where bold ideas meet real-world action. They can learn about novel solutions-driven research, hear a variety of perspectives, engage with innovators and meet thought leaders and changemakers. Expect hands-on workshops, plus dynamic panels and talks.
An exciting firsthand opportunity will be seeing the Chicago sustainability ecosystem during excursions where fundamental science meets practical, real-world solutions for impact and scale.
At the end of the week, participants will be inspired, full of ideas, more connected and eager to attend the next SRI Congress.
What message would you share with students, researchers and innovators attending SRI for the first time?
Stay curious, learn and share your experiences! Don’t be afraid to share your journey — both the success stories and your lessons learned. SRI is a space for bold ideas and collaborative energy.
Also, don’t get bogged down with problems and challenges, which hinders the path forward. Make deep partnerships and new friends, learn about what others are doing in this space and go back more optimistic and full of energy to make a difference.
What role does the U.S. — and Illinois in particular — need to play in global sustainability efforts moving forward?
The United States is a leader in transformative research that drives sustainable change to make the world a better place. Illinois offers a rich ecosystem of universities and industries in smart agriculture, deep tech and the service sector, which uniquely positions the state to serve as a model for integrated, scalable sustainability solutions. Chicago, specifically, is a hub for innovation where DPI and our partners are amplifying climate tech innovation and fostering a sustainable future for all.
Overall, in Illinois, we convene across sectors, catalyze groundbreaking research in new areas like the future of computing, AI and quantum, and conduct place-based solutions that are replicable worldwide. We lead not just with innovation, but with intention, for collaborative and deep partnerships are at the core of every sustainability effort.
Please finish this sentence: “SRI isn’t just about the planet, it’s also about ________.”
SRI isn’t just about the planet, it’s also about your personal reflection — on what we do, what we can do and what I will do. It’s about turning knowledge into action.
Ashish Sharma also is faculty member in the climate, meteorology and atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
