Conference - Nano-Micromaterials for Circular economy and Sustainability in the East Asia Pacific

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

The conference in nano-micromaterials of circular economy and sustainability, to be held at National University of Singapore, Singapore from Aug 29th to Sep 1st, 2019, will bring United States researchers and students together in a collaborative and learning environment. This will stimulate increased joint interactions and research collaborations between Americans and Asian researchers in the emerging circular economy field. The conference will be beneficial to the U.S. economy as well as to the regional and global economies, addressing the biological and environmental implications of nanoscale materials. Addressing the complex and critical issues surrounding the responsible development of nano-micromaterials is important for both society and the environment. Technological advancement has often resulted in the simultaneous emergence of adverse effects for either human health, the ecosystem or both. It is envisioned that this conference will provide an opportunity to discuss important research activities relating to the circular economy and sustainability in nanoscience and technology. Specifically, the conference will be a unique forum for leaders in government policy and scientific researchers to interface and dialogue with respect to the practical merits of this emerging field. It is expected that several hundred materials scientists and engineers, industrial partners, students, government officials, social and physical scientists, and toxicologists would attend this conference. This composition of participants will enable the promotion of dynamic discussion and facilitate the exchange of new ideas. The conference would support a minimum of twenty to thirty research students including females and those underrepresented within STEM fields. Hence, the conference will provide networking and educational opportunities for scientists and engineers at various career stages. Circular Economy (CE) has gained a steady momentum and popularity and has established three material pillars as its foundation. They are (i) regeneration of resources, (ii) maximize resources within the lifetime, and (iii) usage of nano-micro materials waste as a resource. In parallel, the materials engineering and nanotechnology research has started embracing the use of artificial intelligence and big data as new tools. Therefore, a new platform is to be established in the emerging areas of artificial intelligence- and data science- driving education and research, as well as repositioning the manufacturing sector to utilize the opportunities made available in cyber physical space (called the fourth industrial revolution). Hence, combining the tools and methodologies of nano-micromaterials with Circular Economy would provide a platform for furthering the capacities for recycle, redesign, remanufacture, reduce, and recover, as well as enable improved lifecycle engineering and assessment of sustainable nano materials. The current emphasis and focus within the U.S. on circular economy will enable this scientific meeting to propel the development of nano-micromaterials for circular economy towards achieving sustainable systems. The main topics which will be discussed are namely: regeneration of resources in sustainable nano-biotechnology, sustainable waste management, biological interactions of regenerated nanoscale materials, resource lifetime extension through nanotechnology, innovation and green economy, and nano-waste impact, will be focus areas. A specialized conference on circular economy and sustainable nano-micro materials, involving the best intellectuals in this area, will enable a more responsible approach to the development of this technology to be outlined for U.S. researchers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.