Our Mission
Within the field of materials science and engineering, numerous research endeavors aspire to address sustainability related issues. Many of these efforts are focused on ‘sustainable technologies’ such as renewable energy system technologies (e.g., solar and energy storage technologies), and energy-efficiency technologies (e.g., LED light bulbs). What is often not recognized, however, is that these ‘sustainable’ technologies require the use of materials and manufacturing processes that might not be ‘sustainable’. In other words, these technologies might require the use of toxic substances or high energy demands in their fabrication processes. Or they might require materials that are in limited supply, difficult to manage at end-of-life, for instance with limited recycling options, or otherwise lead to undesirable impacts on human health and environmental quality. Thus, there is a need to investigate ‘sustainable development of materials’ through the lens of not just energy efficiency, but also chemical footprint and potential human and environmental effects.
To address these knowledge gaps, we created the ‘World Institute for Sustainable Development of Materials’ (WISDOM) at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), sponsored by the Lincoln Dynamic Foundation. The WISDOM mission is to advance interdisciplinary research, education and knowledge translation for innovation, evaluation and adoption of technologies that utilize nontoxic, safer chemicals and generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions (Figure 1). We seek to maximize reductions in carbon footprint while reforming engineering design and manufacturing practices to minimize chemical footprint. WISDOM places UCI at the forefront of discovery at the complex interface of green chemistry, materials selection and design, life cycle assessment, toxicology, alternatives assessment, and public policy.
Specific Aims:
WISDOM coordinates UCI faculty and student activities to focus on the following research areas:
- Developing methodological tools for comparative hazard and exposure assessment of materials.
- Applying sustainable green-design strategies and life cycle assessment approaches to evaluate industrial and consumer products, engineering design, and manufacturing processes.
- Developing and evaluating alternatives analysis methods and decision-making strategies in the context of selected case studies in both regulatory and private sectors for the purpose of developing and evaluating policies to improve chemicals management.
- Fostering partnerships that enable comprehensive assessments of sustainable development of materials in a global context.
LEADERSHIP
WISDOM is a campus-wide entity that engages scholars across multiple disciplines at UCI. Dr. Julie Schoenung (Department of Materials Science and Engineering) and Dr. Oladele Ogunseitan (Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention) serve as Co-Directors. Dr. Schoenung and Dr. Ogunseitan have worked together for almost twenty years on related research topics.
SELECTING PROJECTS
We support one postdoctoral scholar and one graduate student over a five-year period. Research topics are determined by the leadership team together with the program sponsor, Dr. Johnny Lincoln. Research topics that are judged to be scientifically rigorous and that incorporate the interdisciplinary mission of WISDOM are recommended for funding. Additional criteria for selecting research projects includes creativity, innovation, and qualifications of the investigators. Researchers supported by WISDOM receive support for salary and fees, plus expenses such as travel to present at relevant technical conferences. Funding is also used to support workshops and administrative activities.
REPRESENTATIVE RESEARCH CASE STUDIES
- Printed curcuit board (PCB) materials design and recovery;
- Lithium-ion and redox flow batteries;
- Toxicity of metals in jewelry.