In a world suffering from resource limitations, challenges due to population and GDP growth, and environmental concerns, political and industry leaders, NGOs, and society have rapidly adopted the concept of a circular economy. Although some platforms address this challenge, there is still more work to be done.
The Global Center for Sustainable Bioproducts seeks to address the need to develop environmentally and economically sustainable bio-derived composites and plastics to replace petroleum and its derivatives.
The center will leverage the expertise of an international team consisting of leading researchers from the United States, Canada, Finland, Japan, Korea, and the UK to foster innovative approaches aimed at converting and utilizing waste biomass to create bioplastics.
“UT is at the crossroads of sustainable renewable materials, chemicals, and fuels,” he said. “Environmentally friendly research is a common theme on campus, we have numerous partnerships with ORNL on green technologies, and—perhaps most importantly—UT students are interested in pursuing green technologies that address societal challenges to make a better world.”
Members of Global Center for Sustainable Products
