Research and Innovation Roundtable
Fall ’24 RIR: Creating Circular Economies Through Sustainability Innovations
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), with support of Presidential Strategic Plan success funding, will host the first of its two Research and Innovation Roundtables for the 2024-25 academic year, Wednesday, October 23, 2024. The overarching topic for the fall RIR is Creating Circular Economies Through Sustainability Innovations – an exploration of ideas around a societal shift from a make-take-dispose model to a regenerative approach.
Here is a small sampling of the many questions that could be explored during the RIR . . .
• Exploring promising alternative carbon feedstocks: How do these feedstocks compare to their fossil-based counterparts and what are the potential challenges of integrating them into existing manufacturing processes?
• What are the environmental benefits and potential drawbacks of using bio-based versus recycled carbon feedstocks?
• What are the economic benefits of integrating upcycling into manufacturing processes, and how can product design be adapted to facilitate upcycling at the end of a product’s life cycle? (Upcycling is the practice of creating higher value chemical components and products from waste materials.)
• How can sustainable manufacturing systems that use bio-based alternative feedstocks strengthen rural vitality?
• What policies are needed to promote sustainable manufacturing practices and how can businesses be incentivized to adopt circular economy principles?
• How can we foster innovation through a more diverse value chain and what collaborative opportunities exist to work with the private sector to co-create sustainable solutions?
• What are the societal impacts of shifting to a more bio-based circular economy and what strategies can be implemented to enhance community resilience in the face of economic and environmental changes?
Effective exploration of the many varied facets of Creating Circular Economies Through Sustainability Innovations will require the insights and expertise of engineers, basic and applied scientists, Extension specialists, designers, social scientists and humanists, and could include collaboration with external stakeholders.
The OVPR launched the RIR program in the 2022 fiscal year as a platform for bringing together many different voices from across campus to share varying perspectives and areas of expertise leading to self-assembly of multidisciplinary teams competing for Strategic Plan success funding and/or Presidential Interdisciplinary Research funding. The inaugural program of FY22 addressed the topics of:
• Environmental and Economic Security;
• Agriculture Cybersecurity; and
• Leveraging Iowa State University and University of Iowa strengths for a Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Innovation Hub.
The program was continued in the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years, with the OVPR hosting RIR explorations on these overarching topics:
• Climate Smart in November 2022; three self-assembled teams were selected for seed-funding support;
• Healthy Iowa in March 2023; four teams were selected for seed funding;
• Energy Solutions for Iowa and Beyond in November 2023; five teams were selected for seed-funding support; and
• Community Vitality in March 2024; four teams and projects received seed-funding support.
“We’re delighted with how our research community has engaged with the RIR program. Nearly 300 faculty, representing all the colleges within the university, have participated in its three years of existence,” said Vice President for Research, Peter Dorhout. “Our office works closely with our deans and associate deans for research to identify critical research issues that impact society and play to our university’s strengths as a research institution. The Iowa State Research community has a keen interest in working collaboratively to tackle real-world challenges that impact our society and that’s evident in the level of participation we’ve experienced with scholars and researchers across a multitude of disciplines.
“We also pay particularly close attention to potential external funding opportunities, and we use the RIR program to position our researchers to be prepared for those,” Dorhout added. “We’re confident the topic of Creating Circular Economies Through Sustainability Innovations will foster the formation of teams and the creation of innovative ideas that will generate interest among extramural funding agencies.”
RIR Details: Fall ’24
TOPIC: Creating Circular Economies Through Sustainability Innovations
LOCATION: Memorial Union
DATE: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
TIME: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (a full lunch will be provided)
Participating faculty will be expected to prepare and present a one-minute (maximum) recorded introduction to their expertise and interest in the overarching Creating Circular Economies Through Sustainability Innovations topic in advance of the event. These brief introductions will be shared with event participants as preview material prior to October 23. Step-by-step instructions for completing your video are available here, and the Power Point outline template for placement of your video can be found here. Your finalized video needs to be uploaded here.
During the event, RIR participants will engage in several facilitated breakout discussions and pitch project ideas. Additional time for self-assembly team identification will follow the breakout discussions. Instructions regarding Requests for Proposals for those interested in forming a team looking for funding will be shared at the event and resulting proposals will be evaluated by the event facilitators and funded based on interest, connection to the Strategic Plan, and matching funds.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, October 17, 2024.
NOTE: To help form diverse breakout discussion groups and more effectively facilitate topic ideation and team formation, participants will be asked to prioritize prompt questions at the time of registration. To streamline the registration process, you may preview and use this worksheet to prioritize your choices prior to completing the registration form.