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INDUSTRIAL
ECOLOGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD
The Program in Industrial Ecology at UC-Irvine brings
together a strong interdisciplinary group of scholars interested in
understanding the complex interactions between industrial activities and
environmental systems at all scales of analysis. We use the case study approach to explore
various configurations of industrial and ecological systems, and how our
understanding can lead to new policy designs or changes in existing
policies to protect public and environmental health without compromising
economic gains or stifling innovation in industrial productivity.
One case study deals with the use of toxic chemicals in
electronic products, and how to create environmentally benign products that
consumers want, that are affordable, that are recyclable, and that pose no
hazard at the end of their useful lives. Another case study is to
understand the land-use patterns associated with the generation of
pollutants that lead to contaminated urban runoff with negative impacts on
watersheds. We are also interested in assessing the changing environmental
and public health risks associated with new and emerging industries,
including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, energy, and agricultural and other
natural resource industries.
Our multidisciplinary approach analyzes engineering,
design, manufacturing, economic, environmental, public health, and public
policy aspects of these problems. We are open to collaborative research, as
industrial ecology is by definition a multidisciplinary research enterprise.
Our program provides opportunity for student training, both graduate and
undergraduate levels, for postdocs and visiting professors. Please feel free to contact us.
Core members include Oladele Ogunseitan
(expertise in microbiology and environmental health science) Andrew Shapiro (materials
science and engineering), Julie Schoenung
(materials science and engineering) Jean-Daniel Saphores
(economics, civil engineering), Raul Lejano
(environmental health and planning), and Diane Pataki
(environmental studies, ecology, and Earth system science).
Current Visiting Professor: Dr. Tak Hur,
Innovative Environmental Technology
Center, School
of Chemical and Biological
Engineering, Konkuk
University, Seoul,
Korea. takhur@konkuk.ac.kr
Current
Postdoc: Dr. Yuki Takatsuka (ytakatsu@uci.edu)
Our research projects have been funded by the following
grants:
AT&T
Foundation's Industrial Ecology Faculty Fellowship Program
The
National Science Foundation Biocomplexity (Materials Use) Program
The
University of California Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program
The Office of the Executive Vice
Chancellor at the University of California, Irvine
USC Sea Grant
Program
These sources of support are gratefully acknowledged. |
