SRH Haarlem Graduate Presents Research at International Circular Economy Symposium

What happens when a chance conversation at a Haarlem tech event turns into a full academic research project and a conference presentation in front of an international audience of scholars? Ask Nilesh R. Ingle, a graduate of SRH Haarlem's M.Sc. in Applied Sustainability Management, who did exactly that at the 7th Symposium on Circular Economy and Sustainability (CESUST 2026), held at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in Maastricht.

Nilesh's Applied Research Project, "From Noise to Power: Positioning Vibro-Acoustic Energy Harvesting for Circular Sensor Infrastructure in Dutch High Noise Environments," was accepted for presentation in the symposium's Circular Design track. A proud milestone for both Nilesh and our programme. We handed Nilesh the microphone to tell the story.

From a chance encounter to an academic breakthrough

The idea began at a Techport event in Haarlem, where I met Satish Jawalapersad, founder and CEO of LV Energy, who introduced me to WaveHarvester: a vibro-acoustic energy harvesting technology that converts sound and vibration from noisy industrial environments into electricity for wireless sensor networks. The technology had already shown promise in pilot projects, yet the company was struggling to land its first customers.

That gap between technical potential and market adoption became the seed of my Applied Research Project for the M.Sc. in Applied Sustainability Management. When my paper was accepted for presentation at CESUST 2026 in Maastricht, it felt like my research journey had taken a major step forward. It would be my first time presenting academic work in front of a research community. I was excited, but also slightly nervous about speaking in front of seasoned academics. 

With guidance from my project supervisor Dr. Safa Sen and Dr. Ana Maria Kriwouruskaat at SRH Haarlem, I prepared as best I could and tried to turn that nervous energy into curiosity about what the experience might bring.

On my way to presenting on the international stage

On 23 June, I boarded the train from Haarlem to Maastricht, watching the landscape change as I moved further south. The city felt familiar yet different from Haarlem: its own pace, its own architecture, and a slightly different vibe that I noticed as soon as I stepped out of the station. 
I had booked my stay at Botel, a hotel on a boat, and staying in a cabin on a more than 100-year-old vessel turned out to be an experience in itself.
The organizers had planned a city tour and a welcome reception at the town hall on the first evening. Walking through Maastricht's streets, and then gathering in the Stadhuis, was my first real encounter with the symposium community. Over drinks and introductions, I started to make a couple of early connections, which set a positive tone for the days that followed.

At the event

CESUST 2026 ran over three full days at the Research Centre for Sustainable International Business at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. It brought together researchers, practitioners and policymakers around one shared question: how can circular economy ideas be turned into real- world solutions? The programme mixed plenary keynotes with parallel sessions and workshops, covering topics from business models and regional strategies to materials, education, supply chains and digital tools.

The opening keynotes set the tone by looking at the future of governing the circular economy, multi-view life-cycle sustainability assessment, industrial symbiosis, and the role of academic networks such as Academics for Circular Economy (ACE). Later keynotes explored Europe's emerging "CitiVerse" of digital twins for cities and new ways of redesigning business education to support regenerative and circular thinking. These sessions made it clear that circular economy and sustainability are now addressed at many levels at once: policy, technology, business practice, education and digital infrastructure.

Sessions, tracks and learning

Across the three days, parallel tracks targeted different parts of this bigger picture. Some focused on how organizations work, through Circular Business Models, Sustainable Business and Economics, and Circular and Sustainable Challenges, looking at tools, governance, behaviour and pathways from pilot projects to full adoption. Others zoomed out to systems and regions, with tracks on Regional Circular Economy and Sustainability, Circular Economy and Macro/Meso/Micro level, Circular Economy and SDGs, and Circular Economy Transition, exploring living labs, public procurement, SDG performance and transitions in sectors like water utilities and transport.

Speakers discussed LCA methods, material reuse, end-of-life strategies and integrated waste solutions in areas like photovoltaics, construction and mining. Other sessions tackled human and learning dimensions, for example Education for Circularity and Sustainable Development and Sustainable Production and Consumption, which covered competence frameworks, gamified learning, food waste and sustainable design.

In addition, workshops on flourishing-focused business innovation, industrial symbiosis, digital product passports and sustainable logistics showed how circular ideas are being translated into practical tools and collaboration formats. Taken together, the symposium offered a global view of circular economy and sustainability, spanning big-picture governance and SDGs, detailed material and technology questions, and the everyday realities of firms, cities, educators and supply chains.
 

Taking the stage

A highlight for me was presenting my own work in the Circular Design track, in the session "From Noise to Power: Positioning Vibro-Acoustic Energy Harvesting for Circular Sensor Infrastructure in Dutch High Noise Environments". Sharing my research with an audience of fellow researchers was a great experience, and the follow-up questions showed genuine interest in both the technology and its potential applications. The discussion helped me see which aspects of sensor power, circularity and adoption resonate most with others and where future work could add value.

The symposium gave me a clearer sense of how the research community is trying to address sustainability challenges across many domains. I was exposed to topics and perspectives which helped me place my niche topic inside a much bigger picture. On a personal level, I gained confidence in presenting my work, built new connections with researchers working on related issues, and identified several ideas for future collaboration and for strengthening the policy and business-model dimensions of my own research.
 

I feel grateful for everyone who made this experience possible. A big thank you to Nikos Kalogeras and Konstantinos Tsagarakis for hosting such a well-organised and welcoming symposium at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in Maastricht.
I am also deeply thankful to SRH Haarlem University of Applied Sciences, Dr. Safa Sen, and LV Energy for their support throughout my research journey, from the first idea around WaveHarvester to presenting "From Noise to Power" in the Circular Design track. And thanks to all the scholars, practitioners and fellow participants I met there, whose questions, insights and encouragement turned the symposium into a genuinely inspiring step into the wider circular economy research community.

A Proud Moment for SRH Haarlem

Nilesh's presentation at CESUST 2026 is a strong example of how SRH Haarlem's Applied Sustainability Management programme equips students to move from real-world business challenges to rigorous, publishable research, and to represent that work confidently on the international stage. Nilesh’s project shows how the sensor infrastructure powering countless "invisible" corners of the circular economy deserves just as much attention as the big, headline-grabbing technologies.

Congratulations, Nilesh!
We are proud to have been part of your learning journey, and we know more is yet to come!

Curious about the M.Sc. Applied Sustainability Management programme at SRH Haarlem? Get in touch with our admissions team to learn how our students turn ambitious research questions into real-world impact.