(131a) An Industrial Perspective on the Future Needs in Solids Processing Research and Education

It is easy to get the impression that progress in the field of solids processing has been slow and plodding; however, if we examine the gains in particle technology over the last several decades, we should be proud of the collective accomplishments of the research community. Yet, many problems still persist – old ones still needing a solution (ratholing and dense phase conveying, for example) and new ones that have surfaced as a result of recent technological advances and changes (additive manufacturing, advanced drug delivery, specialty materials and resource conservation to name just a few). This should delight the solids processing research communities in both academia and industry as there are many interesting, challenging and rewarding problems ahead of us. The key research problems across the 15-20 solids processing sub-disciplines will be examined from the viewpoint of their importance to particle technology, engineering science, industry, and more broadly, society as a whole.