EAGER: Fundamental Study on Multistage Sustainability Assessment and Decision Making for Reshaping Technology Innovations

这个探索性研究项目将为系统地评估新兴技术的可持续性创建一个框架。技术创新的可持续性评估和决策是实现工业可持续性目标的关键步骤。这项研究将探讨如何重塑技术创新，从早期发展阶段就充分纳入可持续性原则。该方法将使用一种独特的方法，将可持续性科学、大规模系统科学和工程学结合起来。预计这些方法和案例研究将有助于加强关于新兴技术可持续性的研究和教育。该项目将采用一种方法学框架，在新兴技术的早期发展周期阶段对其进行系统的可持续性评估，方法是在进行可持续性影响评价后推荐技术组合。该框架将能够有效地应用可持续发展科学和系统理论，有条不紊地进行多阶段可持续发展评估，识别相互交织的可持续发展方面，系统地处理不确定信息，并为不同产品开发和制造阶段的技术创新提供系统级最优决策支持。该框架将使用分层评估和决策方案来构建，并由一组连贯的概念、命题、原则和方法组成，这些概念、命题、原则和方法可以提高研究人员、决策者和组织重塑技术创新的能力。与目前的涂层材料和应用技术相比，将通过研究纳米涂料设计和涂层制造的新技术来测试拟议的框架。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This exploratory research project will create a framework for systematically assessing the sustainability of emerging technologies. Sustainability assessment and decision-making for technology innovations is a key step towards achievement of industrial sustainability goals. This research will address how technology innovation can be reshaped to fully incorporate sustainability principles from the early development stage. The approach will use a unique methodology that incorporates sustainability science, large-scale system science, and engineering. The methodology and case studies are anticipated to be valuable for enhancing research and education on the sustainability of emerging technologies.The project will employ a methodological framework for conducting systematic sustainability assessment of emerging technologies in their early development life cycle stages by recommending technology sets after performing sustainability impact evaluation. The framework will feature capability to effectively apply sustainability science and systems theory to methodically conduct multistage sustainability assessment, identify intertwined sustainability aspects, systematically process uncertain information, and provide system-level optimal decision support for technology innovations in different product development and manufacturing stages. This framework will be constructed using a hierarchical assessment and decision making scheme, and consist of a coherent set of concepts, propositions, principles, and methods that could improve the ability of researchers, decision makers, and organizations to reshape technology innovations. The proposed framework will be tested through investigating new technologies for nanopaint design and coating manufacturing, as compared to current coating material and application technologies.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.