Food-Energy-Water Systems Challenging Chemists and Chemical Engineers in the 21st Century

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

Division of Chemistry The Chemistry Division and the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) Division are sponsoring this workshop entitled "Food-Energy-Water Systems Challenging Chemists and Chemical Engineers in the 21st Century" to be held on October 22-24, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia. Population growth combined with a concomitant need for more food, energy, and clean fresh water necessitates technological innovations that address a myriad of complex global problems that center on fresh water. Professors Tim Long (Virginia Polytechnic Institute), Frank Bright (Buffalo), and Paul Edmiston (College of Wooster) bring leading scientists and engineers to identify the integrated challenges in water research at the water-energy-food nexus and to explore new opportunities in rapidly advancing area of water research, especially on the integration of water research with energy utilization and food production. The workshop includes lectures and breakout sessions designed to identify the critical research activities in water recycle and reuse. The proposed workshop provides: (1) a sociotechnical systems model for the integration of experimental research at emerging intersections of chemistry with food science, biology and plant science, crop and soil sciences, economists, entrepreneurs, and diverse engineering disciplines, (2) fundamental knowledge underpinning the more efficient use of food, energy and water resources with attention to safety, economics, and security, and (3) strategies to train the next generation workforce to address the global challenges in rapidly emerging food, energy and water systems.