GCR: Collaborative Research: Convergence Around the Circular Economy

这个不断增长的融合研究项目的目标是促进对循环经济的理解，并探索跨越边界的解决方案，以应对当今社会面临的复杂的资源和废物挑战。一次性消费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。循环经济旨在通过将产品和材料循环回生产，使经济增长与资源消耗和浪费脱钩。一个由工程师、经济学家、人类学家和环境评估专家组成的融合团队将致力于开发通过关闭和减缓资源循环来实现循环经济所需的知识。为了解决关闭资源循环问题，研究小组将研究如何制定，生产和使用材料资源的技术和科学挑战，以减少消耗和环境影响，同时创造新的方法来可持续地循环使用这些资源。塑料产品作为一个关键的案例研究，重点是分子设计的产品拆卸和再利用。该项目包括研究一种可回收的热固性复合材料系统，该系统可以“未固化”，分离和收集以供再利用。一个综合了心理学和人类学的见解，并考虑非优化，高度社会化行为的一般均衡行为经济模型将被用来考虑相关的经济，商业和环境因素。为了解决资源循环放缓的问题，研究人员将专注于设计标准化和新的商业模式，以扩大产品价值。他们还将探索区块链在资产和材料跟踪方面的集成和开发。在利益相关者的投入下创造知识将为创新的技术和科学进步、参与方法和新的商业模式提供信息。利用复杂性领导理论和网络分析，该项目的成员将研究融合研究的行动和设计干预措施，以加强研究团队内部的联系。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准的支持。

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.