Dr. Hari Bhakta Sharma (Luitel), an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology in Gangtok, has been selected for the fully funded International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States Department of State. The Sikkim academic has arrived in Washington, D.C., for a professional exchange scheduled across the United States from September 28 to October 18, according to a press release.
Sharma, a native of Martam Busty in Bermoik Constituency, Gyalshing district, was chosen from a select group of Indian participants for the project titled “U.S.-India Collaboration in the Higher Education Industry.” He and other participants will study the US post-secondary education system, including universities, community colleges, vocational and technical institutions, and other educational organisations.
The programme will examine how higher education supports social and economic development. Areas of engagement include educational technology, online learning, curriculum innovation, partnerships between universities and industry, workforce development, student mobility, international academic partnerships, and support for institutional exchanges.
The IVLP is the US Department of State’s flagship professional exchange programme. Established in 1940, it is among the world’s longest-running international exchange initiatives and brings leaders from different countries to the United States for intensive professional engagements. The US government fully sponsors the programme, while participants are generally nominated through US embassies.
Sharma holds a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. His research focuses on waste management, the circular economy, plastic waste, water and wastewater, and sustainable solutions tailored to the geographical and socioeconomic conditions of Himalayan regions. According to the release, he was listed among the world’s top 2% scientists in the Stanford and Elsevier rankings for 2024 and 2025. ScholarGPS also ranked him 15th globally in waste management research in 2024.
During the programme, Sharma is expected to engage with American universities, research institutions, government bodies, companies, and community organisations. He will work with professional counterparts and examine potential models of collaboration among academia, industry, and government.
Original Source: https://www.sikkimexpress.com/news-details/sikkim-academician-selected-for-us-department-of-state-funded-international-visitor-leadership-program
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