Three Projects Selected for Funding from Fall Sustainability Innovation RIR

The fall 2024 Research and Innovation Roundtable (RIR) resulted in three projects being selected for seed funding support from the Office of the President. All RIR projects are considered critical investments in the future of Iowa State University, as outlined in the 2022-2031 Strategic Plan.

Iowa State University’s Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) launched the RIR program in the 2022 fiscal year as a platform to bring together diverse voices across campus. The program fosters the exchange of ideas, leading to the self-assembly of multidisciplinary teams competing for Strategic Plan success funding.

The fall RIR focused on the theme of Creating Circular Economies through Sustainability Innovations. Self-assembled teams submitted proposals following the October 23, 2024, event, with three ultimately selected for support. Proposals were evaluated by program facilitators and required to meet specific criteria, including alignment with the Iowa State 2022-2031 Strategic Plan and inclusion of team members from diverse disciplines using varied research methods and approaches.

“Addressing sustainability challenges and building circular economies are essential for securing a resilient future for Iowa and beyond,” said Vice President for Research, Peter Dorhout. “Circular economies promote innovation by rethinking resource use, and they depend on collaboration across disciplines. The selected projects demonstrate our faculty’s commitment to creative problem-solving, leveraging expertise to create sustainable solutions that will have lasting impacts in Iowa and across the nation.”

Project Title:  ShoeLoop Soleution: Building the Future of Circular Fashion Footwear

Principal Investigator: Rachel Eike, associate professor of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management

Co-PIs:

Raluca Iancu, assistant professor, Art and Visual Culture

Boyce Chang, assistant professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Guowen Song, professor, Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management

Tim Derrick, professor, Kinesiology

Proposed project summary

The global sneaker industry is poised for significant growth, yet its environmental impact remains a pressing concern. With over 24 billion pairs of shoes produced annually, most end up in landfills due to low-quality synthetic materials, taking up to 1,000 years to decompose. In response to these challenges, this project will explore materials such as  reclaimed cotton textiles as sustainable solutions for footwear designed for a circular economy. Using innovative artistic processes like papermaking and laser cutting, the team aims to prototype shoe insoles from discarded cotton, significantly reducing textile waste.

Led by an interdisciplinary team, the project combines expertise in sustainable fashion, material science, and kinesiology to develop prototypes of a fully circular shoe. Initial efforts will focus on comparing the thermal comfort and durability of nonwoven cotton insoles with synthetic controls. Future phases will expand to create midsoles, uppers, and outsoles using innovative materials and production systems like Mycelium and knitting technologies.

“I’m excited to be part of a dynamic team focused on circular research with the potential to impact every person – or at least every person who wears shoes,” said PI Rachel Eike. “Our team’s diverse expertise allows us to turn this vision into reality, offering innovative solutions to fashion waste.”

University Strategic Plan aspirational statement this project advances

• To be the university that creates opportunities and forges new frontiers; and
• To be the trusted partner for proactive and innovative solutions.

Potential external funding partners and opportunities

Potential sponsors for continued support of the program include the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP); Cotton Incorporated; 1100 Farm in Ratcliff, Iowa; and Achilles Running Shop.

Project Title: Growing Entrepreneurship: Simulation Game for Circular Economies

Principal Investigator: Richard Stone, associate professor, Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering

Co-PIs:

Alenka Poplin, associate professor, Community and Regional Planning

Jacob Gallagher, assistant professor, Kinesiology

Erin Mullenix, community and economic development evaluations specialist

Proposed project summary

This team is developing a simulation game designed to help prospective entrepreneurs explore the viability of launching hydroponic cultivation businesses within their local communities in Iowa. This game – grounded in real-world data such as food miles, crop growth models, and community stakeholder input – allows users to test economic decisions and assess potential risks in a safe, virtual environment. By enabling users to experiment with resource allocation and business strategies, the simulation aims to lower the barriers to entry for sustainable entrepreneurship while promoting circular economic models that reduce waste and keep resources within communities.

The initial phase of the project focuses on gathering user feedback and community-specific data to design a pilot version of the simulation tailored to one or more Iowa communities, including Mason City. This prototype will model local conditions and test features to reflect the needs of users, such as pricing, food supply chains, and available resources. By providing a virtual platform to test sustainable business opportunities, the project seeks to empower individuals to make informed decisions, reduce economic disparities, and contribute to resilient, resource-efficient communities. The findings from this phase will inform future iterations, with the goal of expanding the platform to address broader and more complex challenges.

“Our team is looking forward to collaborating with communities across Iowa to make stronger and more resilient local economies by combining our passions and expertise with each other and members of the communities,” said PI Richard Stone. “This team was only made possible via the Research and Innovation Roundtable introducing our team members, enabling this collaboration to try and help Iowan communities.”

University Strategic Plan aspirational statement this project advances

• To be the most-student centric leading research university;
• To be the university that fosters lifelong learning;
• To be the university that creates opportunities and forges new frontiers; and
• To be the trusted partner for proactive and innovative solutions.

Potential external funding partners and opportunities

Opportunities for further funding include: the Economic Development Research and National Technical Assistance program from the U. S. Department of Commerce; and the National Science Foundation’s Environmental Sustainability, the CIVIC/Smart and Connected Communities track, and Leading Engineering for America’s Prosperity, Health, and Infrastructure programs.

Project Title: Circulating Recovered Agricultural Products (CRAP)

Principal Investigator: Jean-Philippe Tessonnier, professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering

Co-PIs:

Lisa Schulte Moore, professor, Natural Resource Ecology and Management

Aude Watrelot, assistant professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition

Proposed project summary

Iowa, as a leading producer of biomass and agricultural products, is uniquely positioned to drive innovation in bioenergy and biobased chemicals. Iowa State University’s Bioeconomy Institute and the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals have already pioneered technologies that convert corn, corn stover, and woody biomass into valuable products. However, the broad adoption of these technologies remains challenging.

This project aims to establish a paradigm shift in biomass utilization that puts the focus on circularity and full biomass utilization to unlock new economic opportunities along with environmental benefits. It integrates innovative approaches to convert crop residues and waste into energy, chemicals, and biofertilizers, while also advancing green technologies for biogas processing and carbon sequestration. The goal is to create a sustainable system where agricultural outputs and waste streams are continuously repurposed, reducing environmental impact and ensuring a circular economy.

“Advancing sustainable systems that generate biobased products is a key goal of this collaboration. Innovation through circularity raises many interesting research questions that are aligned with the missions of various research agencies,” said PI Jean-Philippe Tessonnier.

University Strategic Plan aspirational statement this project advances

• To be the university that creates opportunities and forges new frontiers; and
• To be the trusted partner for proactive and innovative solutions.

Potential external funding partners and opportunities

The project team intends to seek external funding from the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems program, the National Science Foundation’s Growing Convergence Research initiative, the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, the McKnight Foundation, Kinship Foundation, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.