Striving for Sustainability: Meet Pelin
This weblog is a part of our concentrate on Cisco staff who’re “Striving for Sustainability” by discovering alternatives to combine sustainability of their day-to-day work.
After I introduced the corporate’s subsequent technology environmental sustainability technique, The Plan for Doable, final July, it led Cisco staff to surprise how you can additional combine sustainability into their work. And this may be carried out 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 scale back testing time, enhance vitality effectivity, and assist scale back greenhouse gasoline (GHG) emissions. She shares extra about her curiosity in sustainability, her skilled background, and the way collaboration is significant when growing new local weather options.
When did your curiosity in sustainability start?
Pelin: I’ve all the time been related to nature and animals, volunteering for environmental and animal welfare causes. As a seventh grader, I served on the youth management workforce for a Turkish non-governmental group (NGO) generally known as 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 nicely obtained and helped the group acknowledge that the following technology is making an attempt to do one thing good and assist.
Later in my life, whereas residing in Sonoma, California, throughout the fall of 2017 with my then 6-month-old daughter, we skilled the concern 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 a number of other of our pals and colleagues awakened in the midst of the night time to their homes burning, they usually needed to run away barefoot from their houses and misplaced every little thing they owned. It was a troublesome 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 notice that I ought to do my best possible 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 might make a constructive impression on humankind. After a rewarding break to concentrate on 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 at the moment work as a Radio Regulatory Technical Chief inside the Company Compliance workforce beneath the Product and Element Operations Group. Previous to my present function, I served as a New Product Introduction Check Improvement Engineer inside the Industrial Web of Issues enterprise unit (IOTBU). Throughout my time within the IOTBU, I targeted on designing manufacturing take a look at traces within the factories for brand new merchandise. This concerned shut collaboration with our manufacturing companions to design environment friendly take a look at traces.
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 completed 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 sort out these challenges, I initiated the “Check Optimization Dashboard” mission in March 2021. This mission aimed to automate and visualize the impression of take a look at optimization efforts, lowering the time wanted for optimization and rising workforce enthusiasm. Working carefully with sustainability subject material consultants (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 lowering guide entry. Collaborating with consultants, we developed plans for additional enhancements, together with a man-made intelligence (AI)-based mannequin to estimate vitality consumption.
Our ongoing efforts embody amassing information to coach AI fashions for GHG emissions monitoring. By highlighting the environmental impression of testing processes and advocating for optimization, we purpose to advance sustainability, product high quality and innovation.
This feels like a posh mission. 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 various areas, and I really feel privileged to know them and get to work with them. My present group was additionally supportive and supplied me with the area to proceed contributing to Cisco’s sustainability targets past my “common job” duties.
I’m endlessly grateful that our Govt Vice President and Basic Supervisor of Cisco Networking Jonathan Davidson opened such vital doorways for me and this mission, and his assist was invaluable for the Check Optimization Dashboard to succeed in a 75% enablement fee 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 strategy in the case of sustainability. What can Cisco staff do of their day-to-day jobs to assist scale back our firm’s environmental impression?
Pelin: All people can achieve this a lot. For instance, Cisco has a aim that 100% of latest Cisco merchandise and packaging incorporate Round Design Ideas by Cisco´s fiscal 12 months 2025. And, in one other instance, packaging engineers are serving to to remove plastic baggage, papers, and take away accent gadgets that aren’t required for the standard configuration in our packaging wherever potential.
Some engineers at Cisco work on IoT expertise utilized in sensible constructing expertise that senses when lights ought to be turned off or blinds ought to be lowered. And our operations workforce 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 lowering waste, conserving vitality, selecting environmentally pleasant merchandise, supporting native and natural choices, minimizing water utilization, using lower-emissions transportation (driving an electrical automobile or utilizing public transit, retaining flight GHG emission scores into consideration when selecting flights, and many others.). I additionally educate my daughter (who simply turned 7) on making higher decisions for the planet.
Let’s begin small with actions like recycling correctly, conserving vitality, 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 will probably be inspiring for others to start out making change for a extra sustainable future inside their domains.
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