Advanced Polymer Composites & Manufacturing for the Circular Economy
(A Planning Session for GEN 4 – ERC)
Organized by: Penn State University TENAS ERC Team
Sponsored by: National Science Foundation & Penn State University
Hosted by: Penn State Erie, the Behrend College
Date/Time/Place: Thursday, June 13, 2019 from 2:00 – 4:30 pm at the Bayfront Convention Center
Purpose: Engaging potential industrial and academic partners for development of next generation of highly-recyclable composites
Description: Penn State University has been invited to submit a second-round proposal for the creation of a Gen-4 NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC). The ERC is entitled TENAS: Translating & Evolving Nanoscale Assembly for Society.
This ERC group is dedicated to developing new polymer and composite systems, designed with scale-up and end-of-life strategies that enable integration with the circular economy. TENAS technologies are intended to change the paradigm of industrial polymer and composite waste by accelerating the implementation of advanced materials that can be reused with 95% or greater property retention. Our goal is to work with the automotive and construction industries to develop new technologies that can be quickly adopted into commercial applications.
TENAS is seeking partners of many types, including industrial, non-profit, and policymakers, to build a strong, convergent approach to rapid technology adoption. We intend to build a new type of university-industry collaboration. Benefits for partners include:
Graduate student internship/externship exchange
On-site research opportunities for industrial scientists or professionals (at Penn State or at our partner universities of UPenn, Columbia, Northwestern)
Opportunity to influence research strategy
First access to center-developed intellectual property; start-up company options
Access to private/federal funding through collaborative TENAS workgroups
Networking with partners across the value chain
Tentative Agenda (Thursday, June 13th, 2019)
2:00 – 2:30: Introduction to the TENAS ERC model, driving science, and research resources
2:30 – 3:15: Panel discussion – Brainstorm key industrial application and implementation areas
3:15 – 4:00: ERC Engagement Options
Fee: Free for registered conference participants
Attendance
Open to all registered conference participants
Session Chair
Dr. Alicyn M. Rhoades, Associate Professor
Dept. of Plastics Engineering Technology
Penn State Behrend
For more information, please contact alicyn@psu.edu
