IBM Research’s Green Horizons project
launched in 2014 to help Beijing deliver on its goals of reducing air-polluting
fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) by 25 percent by 2017. Just one year into the 10
year initiative, the research team in China is expanding Green Horizons
globally, with projects in Johannesburg and Delhi underway. IBM
Research-China’s Dr. Jin Yan Shao, Green Horizons’ program manager, talks about
her motivations for working on the project, and reaching its lofty goals and
expectations.
About Dr. Jin Yan Shao
·PhD
in Dynamics Control and Automation from Peking University
·Joined
IBM in 2007
·Research
focus: Analytics and optimization algorithms applied to solving challenging
problems for clients and industries, including environmental, energy,
banking, retail, and others.
How
has Green Horizons progressed in China?
Jin
Yan Shao: Green Horizons is a long – 10 year –
journey, not just for China, but worldwide. So, we cannot claim success, yet. But
we have a good starting point now, considering:
From a technical perspective,
we achieved pollution trend predictions 10 days in advance,
And from a business
perspective, we have more than a dozen commercial deals, and research
engagements on four continents.
What
do you personally hope to accomplish with the Green Horizons project?
JS:
I
believe every scientist dreams that one day their research work can make a
difference and make the world better. That is why I chose IBM Research when I
graduated from university.
I have participated in and led many different
projects over the past eight years. Green Horizon is the most exciting and
promising project, yet – which make me so proud of it. My work will help
eventually benefit so many people, including my own family. What do I hope to
accomplish? Definitely more blue skies and clean air for all of us living in
China.
