In its series of Guest Lectures and Thought Leadership programmes, PetroFed organised, in association with Lovraj Kumar Memorial Trust, a lecture by Dr. Madan M. Bhasin on ‘Invention & Innovation: Some Reflections’ on February 6, 2009 at New Delhi.  Dr. Bhasin who superannuated as Sr. Scientist from The Dow Chemical Company in December 2008 drew on his 45 years’ experience to delineate the path for conversion of an invention to commercialisation through innovation.

Chairing the session, Sh. J.P. Kapur, Trustee, Lovraj Kumar Memorial Trust recalled developments in invention and innovation in petrochemicals during the past 40 years.

Dr. Bhasin in his presentation clarified the distinction between Invention and Innovation and identified the enablers and barriers between the two through examples like ethylene epoxidation catalysis, three-way automotive emissions control and the production of ethylene from methane by selective oxidative coupling of methane.

A Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Bhasin joined Union Carbide Corporation in 1963.  He is a recipient of over a dozen awards and honours, has 22 U.S. patents, besides foreign patents to his credit and has 21 publications in journals besides editing a book.
 
Dr. Bhasin’s lecture evoked tremendous interest from participants which was evident from the animated and extended Q&A session.  The programme concluded with a summing up by the Session Chairman and a vote of thanks being proposed by Sh. S.L. Das, Director (BD&C), PetroFed.

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