Breakthrough in Global Think Tanks: Games and Simulations Being Used at Indian Think Tank, Co-Founded by Carnegie Mellon University Faculty

April 1, 2015 | By Business Wire News

PITTSBURGH

Fields of View, a socially-focused Indian research collective that uses games and simulations to understand urban systems and public safety issues, has just been ranked 34^th in the 2014 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report for “Best New Idea or Paradigm Developed by a Think Tank.” The organization is listed among the Brookings Institution and other highly-renowned organizations.

“This is a tremendous honor for Fields of View, as it recognizes how our approach can have a significant impact in a short time,” said Eswaran “Sub” Subrahmanian, engineering faculty member in Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Complex Engineered Systems. “It is inspiring to be ranked among several well-established and prestigious institutions.”

Subrahmanian co-founded Fields of View, also known as FoV, with a team in India in 2011. The effort was fueled by a small personal investment, the team’s enthusiasm, and unswerving support from the leadership of IIT-Bangalore, where the organization was initially housed.

Fostering an innovation eco-system in India requires research that can fruitfully involve and engage with academia, industry, government and civil society. FoV aims to create such a space through games and simulations. The games—both on and offline—are designed to spark informed discussions in the areas of urban systems and public safety.

“Sub’s participation in Fields of View is an outstanding example of the kind of entrepreneurship we foster in the College of Engineering,” said James H. Garrett Jr., Dean of the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. “Sub’s modest investment has been leveraged to do truly meaningful work, propelling Fields of View to success and notoriety far beyond the norm for such a young organization.”

The “Go To Index,” the premier database and measure of world think tanks, aims to increase the profile, performance and impact of think tanks, and to create a transnational and interdisciplinary network of centers of public policy excellence.

“In a world filled with tweets and sound bites that are often superficial and politically charged,” said James McGann, director of the program, “it is critical to know where to turn for sound policy proposals that address our complex policy issues. This independent Index is designed to help identify and recognize the leading centers of excellence in public policy research around the world.”

The annual report is compiled with assistance from more than 1,500 peer institutions and experts from the print and electronic media, academia, public and private donor institutions and governments around the world, and is used by academics, journalists, donors and the public to locate and connect with the leading centers of public policy research around the world.

About the College of Engineering: The College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University is a top-ranked, engineering college that is known for our intentional focus on cross-disciplinary collaboration in research. The College is well known for working on problems of both scientific and practical importance. Our acclaimed faculty have a focus on innovation management and engineering to yield transformative results that will drive the intellectual and economic vitality of our community, nation and world. The College offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs in biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering and public policy, information networking, materials science and engineering and mechanical engineering. Our “maker” culture is ingrained in all that we do, leading to novel approaches and transformative results.