Conrad Sangma Keen To Collaborate With NASA To Address Disaster Management Issues

Conrad K Sangma is keen in partnering with NASA through the University of California for using drones to address problems of disaster management

T8 Digital Desk
September 26, 2019
1:00 pm

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma who is in USA visited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Centre, including UAS traffic management research centre and other wings of the NASA. The officials briefed the delegation on the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management.

Sangma was accompanied by the officials from the State including Advisor to the Chief Minister Thomas A Sangma, Commissioner and Secretary P Sampath Kumar and Deputy Commissioner of South West Garo Hills Ram Kumar.

We are keen to partner with NASA through University of California for using drones to address problems of Disaster management, reaching vaccines to remote areas and crop management etc. @NASA pic.twitter.com/nlK6NftM78
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) September 25, 2019

“We are very keen in partnering with NASA through the University of California for using drones to address problems of disaster management, reaching vaccines to remote areas and crop management,” the Chief Minister said.

The delegation also met officials of Wipro Silicon Innovation Centre. The possibility of collaboration with Meghalaya was discussed at length during the meeting with officials of the Wipro at California. “The discussion was on the lines of the use of artificial intelligence in maternal and child health administration,” said Chief Minister Sangma.

Visited @Wipro Silicon Valley Innovation Centre. We are looking at possibilities of integrating technology for enhancing our public delivery.@CMO_Meghalaya pic.twitter.com/Y9HpVneYSm
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) September 25, 2019

The Chief Minister also met Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar Studios and winner of six academy awards. “We had interaction and learning session with Catmull on how to enable innovation in organisations,” the Chief Minister said.

An Erie Silk stole made in Meghalaya was gifted to Ed Catmull who appreciated the harmless process of producing the silk.

Met Carol Welch, Director, Strategy Planning & Management & Orin Levine, Director, Global Delivery Programs of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Shared with them our MOTHER initiative to improve mother and child care, educational and rural development outcomes.@gatesfoundation pic.twitter.com/WjlfDg9ZLc
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) September 24, 2019

Chief Minister Sangma had also met Carol Welch, Director, Strategy Planning & Management and Orin Levine, Director, Global Delivery Programme of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We discussed about the MOTHER App, an initiative of our government to provide facilities through technology-enabled services to improve mother and childcare, educational and rural development outcomes,” he said.

The State government has sought technical assistance from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Chief Minister spoke at length on the innovative data-driven MOTHER (Meghalaya Outcomes Oriented Transformation in Health, Nutrition, Education and Rural Development) App.

Photo credit:@SangmaConrad