GCR: Collaborative Research: Convergence Around the Circular Economy

GCR：合作研究：围绕循环经济的融合

基本信息

批准号：
1934542
负责人：
Callie Babbitt
金额：
$ 51.34万
依托单位：
Rochester Institute of Tech
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2019
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2019-10-01 至 2025-09-30
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1934542&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
GCR Collaborative Research Convergence Around

项目摘要

The objectives of this Growing Convergence Research project are to advance understanding of circular economies and to explore boundary-spanning solutions to the complex resource and waste challenges facing society today. The consumption of disposable consumer products drives many environmental challenges, including waste and pollution streams with global impact. A circular economy aims to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and waste by cycling products and materials back into production. A convergence team of engineers, economists, anthropologists, and environmental assessment experts will work to develop the knowledge needed to achieve circular economies by closing and slowing resource loops. To address closing resource loops, the research team will examine the technical and scientific challenges of how to formulate, produce, and use material resources to reduce consumption and environmental impact while also creating new ways to sustainably cycle these resources back into use at end-of-life. Plastic products serve as a key case study, with an emphasis on molecularly-designed products for disassembly and reuse. The project includes research on a recyclable thermoset composite system which can be "uncured," separated, and collected for reuse. A general equilibrium behavioral-economic model that incorporates insights from psychology and anthropology and considers non-optimizing, highly-socialized behaviors will be used to consider associated economic, business, and environmental factors. To address slowing resource loops, the researchers will focus on design standardization and new business models to extend product value. They will also explore the integration and development of blockchain for asset and material tracking. The creation of knowledge with stakeholder input will inform innovative technical and science-based advances, engagement approaches, and novel business models. Using Complexity Leadership Theory and network analysis, members of the project will study convergence research in action and design interventions to strengthen connections within the research team.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.

这个不断增长的研究项目的目标是提高人们对循环经济的了解，并探索当今社会面临的复杂资源和废物挑战的边界解决方案。一次性消费产品的消费带来了许多环境挑战，包括具有全球影响的废物和污染流。循环经济旨在通过骑自行车的产品和材料重新产生生产来使经济增长与资源消耗和废物相融合。工程师，经济学家，人类学家和环境评估专家组成的融合团队将努力通过结束和减慢资源循环来发展实现循环经济所需的知识。为了解决关闭资源循环，研究团队将研究如何制定，生产和使用物质资源来减少消费和环境影响的技术和科学挑战，同时还创造了新的方法来可持续地循环这些资源在终止生命后重新使用。塑料产品是一项关键案例研究，重点是分子设计的产品以进行拆卸和再利用。该项目包括对可回收的热固性复合系统的研究，该系统可以“未经许可”，分开并收集以重复使用。一种一般平衡的行为经济模型，结合了心理学和人类学的见解，并认为非优化，高度社会化的行为将用于考虑相关的经济，业务和环境因素。为了解决资源循环放缓，研究人员将专注于设计标准化和新的业务模型，以扩展产品价值。他们还将探索用于资产和材料跟踪区块链的集成和开发。通过利益相关者的投入创建知识将为创新的技术和基于科学的进步，参与方法和新颖的商业模式提供信息。该项目的成员利用复杂性领导理论和网络分析，将在行动和设计干预措施中研究融合研究，以加强研究团队内的联系。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响来通过评估来支持的。