This weblog is a part of our deal with Cisco staff who’re “Striving for Sustainability” by discovering alternatives to combine sustainability of their day-to-day work.
Once I introduced the corporate’s subsequent technology environmental sustainability technique, The Plan for Attainable, final July, it led Cisco staff to marvel how you can additional combine sustainability into their work. And this may be performed 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 check optimization at Cisco to cut back testing time, enhance vitality effectivity, and assist cut back greenhouse gasoline (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 linked to nature and animals, volunteering for environmental and animal welfare causes. As a seventh grader, I served on the youth management crew 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 properly acquired and helped the group acknowledge that the subsequent technology is attempting to do one thing good and assist.
Later in my life, whereas dwelling in Sonoma, California, throughout 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 encompassing neighborhoods, and ash rained from the sky for weeks. It was very heartbreaking, and a number of other of our buddies and colleagues wakened in the course of the evening to their homes burning, and so they needed to run away barefoot from their properties and misplaced every part 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 had 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. Nevertheless, academia beckoned, and I seized the chance to embark on a Ph.D. journey. When my husband was supplied a place at a newly established worldwide analysis establishment, King Abdullah College of Science and Expertise (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, I paused my research to hitch 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 optimistic influence on humankind. After a rewarding break to deal with elevating my daughter and finishing my Ph.D., I discovered my skilled residence 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 present work as a Radio Regulatory Technical Chief throughout the Company Compliance crew beneath the Product and Element Operations Group. Previous to my present function, I served as a New Product Introduction Take a look at Improvement Engineer throughout the Industrial Web of Issues enterprise unit (IOTBU). Throughout my time within the IOTBU, I centered on designing manufacturing check traces within the factories for brand spanking new merchandise. This concerned shut collaboration with our manufacturing companions to design environment friendly check 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 check sections the place the manufactured Cisco merchandise are examined on the high-low temperature and voltage specification limits to assist prime efficiency on the edges of the outlined operational circumstances. 2-Nook testing is finished at Excessive Temperature – Excessive Voltage and Low Temperature – Low Voltage corners, whereas 4-Nook testing has further corners as follows: Excessive Temperature – Low Voltage and Low Temperature – Excessive Voltage. Restricted capability in these areas might result in delays in manufacturing schedules.
To deal with these challenges, I initiated the “Take a look at Optimization Dashboard” challenge in March 2021. This challenge aimed to automate and visualize the influence of check optimization efforts, lowering the time wanted for optimization and rising crew 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 lowering handbook entry. Collaborating with specialists, we developed plans for additional enhancements, together with a synthetic intelligence (AI)-based mannequin to estimate vitality consumption.
Our ongoing efforts embrace accumulating knowledge to coach AI fashions for GHG emissions monitoring. By highlighting the environmental influence of testing processes and advocating for optimization, we intention to advance sustainability, product high quality and innovation.
This feels like a posh challenge. 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 prime 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 supplied me with the area to proceed contributing to Cisco’s sustainability objectives past my “common job” duties.
I’m endlessly grateful that our Govt Vice President and Common Supervisor of Cisco Networking Jonathan Davidson opened such vital doorways for me and this challenge, and his assist was invaluable for the Take a look at Optimization Dashboard to succeed in a 75% enablement fee throughout Cisco. Receiving invaluable assist and steerage from my government mentors and sponsors immensely helped ideate, find assets, and develop options that may assist advance sustainability in manufacturing processes.
We all know it takes a multifaceted strategy relating to sustainability. What can Cisco staff do of their day-to-day jobs to assist cut back our firm’s environmental influence?
Pelin: Everyone can achieve this a lot. For instance, Cisco has a objective 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 eradicate 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 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 crew 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 in that case, what recommendation do you have got for others?
Pelin: At residence, 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 car or utilizing public transit, holding flight GHG emission scores into consideration when selecting flights, and so forth.). 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 vitality, and supporting native companies. Each effort, irrespective 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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