Researchers with the Department of Chemical Engineering are demonstrating the power of collaborating across disciplines by teaming up to tackle the problem of plastics pollution from several different angles.
“When we talk about grand challenges in the world, each of us could say our work is a small piece of the solution,” said Dr. Christin Euler, who leads the Center for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy (Circle).
“But when we bring our different expertise together, we’re creating a community that is truly collaborative. We’re not just working in our own spheres – we’re building something new together.”
According to the United Nations Environment Program, 19 to 23 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into ecosystems each year. These plastics take hundreds of years to break down and are now degrading into nano and micro plastics.
To help limit the global damage while also turning plastics at the end of their lives into new, useful products, members of the research group – which also includes Dr. Marc Aucoin, Dr. Brian Ingalls, Dr. Yilan Liu and Dr. Elisabeth Prince – are using synthetic biology, microbial engineering and engineering design.
Go to ‘We’re stepping out of our silos’ for the full story.