This weblog is a part of our deal with Cisco workers who’re “Striving for Sustainability” by discovering alternatives to combine sustainability of their day-to-day work.
After I introduced the corporate’s subsequent era environmental sustainability technique, The Plan for Attainable, final July, it led Cisco workers to marvel the best way to additional combine sustainability into their work. And this may be achieved in some ways, it doesn’t matter what space you’re employed in.
Meet Pelin Salem. She is a Radio Regulatory Technical Chief at Cisco who spearheaded an initiative on take a look at optimization at Cisco to cut back testing time, enhance power effectivity, and assist cut back greenhouse fuel (GHG) emissions. She shares extra about her curiosity in sustainability, her skilled background, and the way collaboration is important when creating new local weather options.
When did your curiosity in sustainability start?
Pelin: I’ve at all times been related to nature and animals, volunteering for environmental and animal welfare causes. As a seventh grader, I served on the youth management staff for a Turkish non-governmental group (NGO) often called the TEMA Basis (The Turkish Basis for Combating Soil Erosion). I organized a youth march to protest the air pollution generated by an iron and metal works manufacturing facility, which was very effectively obtained and helped the neighborhood acknowledge that the subsequent era is making an attempt to do one thing good and assist.
Later in my life, whereas residing in Sonoma, California, in the course of the fall of 2017 with my then 6-month-old daughter, we skilled the worry of a pure catastrophe when a hearth burned down half of the encircling neighborhoods, and ash rained from the sky for weeks. It was very heartbreaking, and several other of our associates and colleagues wakened in the midst of the evening to their homes burning, and so they needed to run away barefoot from their properties and misplaced all the pieces they owned. It was a tough time to see everybody undergo, and there have been aftereffects, just like the air high quality not enhancing for a number of months in that area. Since local weather change can exacerbate pure disasters like wildfires, I knew we couldn’t proceed what we have been doing. It made me understand that I ought to do my very best to assist sustainability initiatives.
Inform us extra about your skilled journey and what introduced you to Cisco.
Pelin: My journey started with a bachelor’s diploma in electrical engineering (EE), then I immersed myself within the protection business whereas pursuing my grasp’s diploma in EE. Nonetheless, academia beckoned, and I seized the chance to embark on a Ph.D. journey. When my husband was provided a place at a newly established worldwide analysis establishment, King Abdullah College of Science and Know-how (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, I paused my research to affix him. At KAUST, I delved into bioscience pursuing a second grasp’s diploma, pushed by a want to merge my radio frequency (RF) experience with biomedical analysis that would make a constructive affect on humankind. After a rewarding break to deal with elevating my daughter and finishing my Ph.D., I discovered my skilled dwelling at Cisco in January 2019. The corporate’s supportive tradition and management resonate deeply with me, and I envision it as the place I’ll construct my future profession and retire sometime.
Are you able to clarify the way you began your work supporting sustainability at Cisco?
Pelin: I presently work as a Radio Regulatory Technical Chief throughout the Company Compliance staff underneath the Product and Element Operations Group. Previous to my present position, I served as a New Product Introduction Check Growth Engineer throughout the Industrial Web of Issues enterprise unit (IOTBU). Throughout my time within the IOTBU, I targeted on designing manufacturing take a look at strains within the factories for brand new merchandise. This concerned shut collaboration with our manufacturing companions to design environment friendly take a look at strains.
Cisco’s dedication to high quality meant rigorous testing of merchandise, which contributed to GHG emissions, particularly in energy-intensive testing areas just like the 2-Nook and 4-Nook take a look at sections the place the manufactured Cisco merchandise are examined on the high-low temperature and voltage specification limits to assist high efficiency on the edges of the outlined operational situations. 2-Nook testing is finished at Excessive Temperature – Excessive Voltage and Low Temperature – Low Voltage corners, whereas 4-Nook testing has extra corners as follows: Excessive Temperature – Low Voltage and Low Temperature – Excessive Voltage. Restricted capability in these areas may result in delays in manufacturing schedules.
To deal with these challenges, I initiated the “Check Optimization Dashboard” undertaking in March 2021. This undertaking aimed to automate and visualize the affect of take a look at optimization efforts, decreasing the time wanted for optimization and rising staff enthusiasm. Working intently with sustainability material specialists (SMEs), we developed strategies to measure GHG emissions reductions ensuing from optimization.
After profitable pilots, I introduced our findings to executives, gaining assist for wider implementation throughout enterprise models. Transitioning to automated workflows streamlined the optimization course of, considerably decreasing handbook entry. Collaborating with specialists, we developed plans for additional enhancements, together with a synthetic intelligence (AI)-based mannequin to estimate power consumption.
Our ongoing efforts embrace gathering knowledge to coach AI fashions for GHG emissions monitoring. By highlighting the environmental affect of testing processes and advocating for optimization, we goal to advance sustainability, product high quality and innovation.
This seems like a fancy undertaking. What sort of assist did you obtain for it?
I’m grateful for all of the SMEs collaborating with me on this Cisco-wide effort. Cisco has high expertise in such numerous areas, and I really feel privileged to know them and get to work with them. My present group was additionally supportive and offered me with the area to proceed contributing to Cisco’s sustainability targets past my “common job” duties.
I’m without end grateful that our Govt Vice President and Basic Supervisor of Cisco Networking Jonathan Davidson opened such necessary doorways for me and this undertaking, and his assist was invaluable for the Check Optimization Dashboard to achieve a 75% enablement charge throughout Cisco. Receiving invaluable assist and steering from my government mentors and sponsors immensely helped ideate, find sources, and develop options that may assist advance sustainability in manufacturing processes.
We all know it takes a multifaceted method in the case of sustainability. What can Cisco workers do of their day-to-day jobs to assist cut back our firm’s environmental affect?
Pelin: All people can achieve this a lot. For instance, Cisco has a purpose that 100% of latest Cisco merchandise and packaging incorporate Round Design Rules by Cisco´s fiscal 12 months 2025. And, in one other instance, packaging engineers are serving to to eradicate plastic luggage, papers, and take away accent gadgets that aren’t required for the standard configuration in our packaging wherever attainable.
Some engineers at Cisco work on IoT know-how utilized in sensible constructing know-how that senses when lights ought to be turned off or blinds ought to be lowered. And our operations staff moved away from paper cups and different single-use gadgets in our break rooms and cafeterias.
Is there something you do in your private life to be extra sustainable, and if that’s the case, what recommendation do you’ve got for others?
Pelin: At dwelling, I prioritize sustainability by decreasing waste, conserving power, selecting environmentally pleasant merchandise, supporting native and natural choices, minimizing water utilization, using lower-emissions transportation (driving an electrical automobile or utilizing public transit, conserving flight GHG emission scores into account when selecting flights, and so on.). I additionally educate my daughter (who simply turned 7) on making higher selections for the planet.
Let’s begin small with actions like recycling correctly, conserving power, and supporting native companies. Each effort, regardless of how small, helps to contribute to a extra sustainable future.
Thanks for giving me this chance to share my story and I hope it is going to be inspiring for others to start out making change for a extra sustainable future inside their domains.
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