Sustainable Supply Chain Design (SSCD) Scientific Workshop

Monday, September 12-13, 2011, 8:00am EDT

Event format:

In-Person / Local

Posted by Derrick Wu

National Science Foundation Stafford I Building

Arlington, VA

United States

Links to presentations in agenda below, and view final report here.

The Sustainable Supply Chain Design (SSCD) Scientific Workshop was jointly sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, NSF, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

The purpose of the Workshop was to foster collaboration and promote the development of a research community focused on sustainability and supply chains. This was accomplished by bringing together a diverse group of researchers and other professionals with experience relevant to sustainable supply chain design.

Our goal was to engage experts with experience in several areas. From experts with experience working within a broad, systems perspective, we wanted to elicit understanding of the key shortcomings of current practices and identify practical ways in which new or repurposed approaches could be integrated within existing frameworks. In the case of experts with experience working within a narrower focus, we wanted to work together to understand how these approaches could be integrated within existing frameworks or larger-scale models. We also explored opportunities for applying discipline-specific approaches to other problems related to the design of sustainable supply chains.

Agenda

Sunday, September 11, 2011

6:00-7:00PM	Orientation assistance available in Westin Hotel lobby
7:00PM	Meet group in hotel lobby to walk to dinner (optional)
7:30PM	Group dinner (optional)

Monday, September 12, 2011

8:00-8:30AM	Check-in at NSF, 1st floor visitor's desk Greetings and refreshments (provided by the EFS grant and facilitated by Donna Jackson, BLH Technologies; and Sonia Williams, NSF)
8:30AM-9:00AM	Session I - Perspectives on the Design of Sustainable Product Systems and Supply Chains Welcome Introduction of Organizing Committee & Staff Support, Troy Hawkins Welcome to NSF, Bruce Hamilton and Maria Burka Introductions of Participants Workshop Goals and Overview, Troy Hawkins
9:00-10:30AM	Presentations: Design of Sustainable Products Systems and Supply Chains: Some Concepts, Cases, and Lessons from an Engineering Perspective - Bert Bras (Georgia Tech) Consumption, Sustainability, and Social Benefits - Thomas Theis (University of Illinois at Chicago) Avoiding Unintended Consequences in the Design of Sustainable Supply Chains - Sherilyn Brodersen (Kraft) LCA from an Industry Perspective - Bill Flanagan (GE)
10:30-10:45AM	Break
10:45-11:30AM	Design of Sustainable Product Systems & Supply Chains - Joseph Fiksel, US EPA
11:30AM-12:00PM	Supporting Sustainable Enginnering Research through NSF and EPA: NSF Funding Opportunities - Bruce Hamilton (NSF) EPA NCER Activities - Cynthia Nolt-Helms (EPA)
12:00-12:40PM	Lunch
12:40-1:00PM	Session II - Disciplinary Definition of the Problems and Opportunities Discussion of session II Breakout Questions, Ignacio Grossmann What are the challenging industry and societal problems to be solved? What are the future drivers for design of sustainable products, manufacturing systems and supply chains? What are the next generation sustainable-design enabled strength areas in the US? Where are the gaps in knowledge? What are the problems faced by existing sustainable design capabilities? What are the opportunities for design of sustainable products manufacturing systems and supply chains?
1:00-2:20PM	Work in breakout groups (Facilitated by Ignacio Grossmann)
2:20-3:15PM	Breakout groups report back - group discussion, moderated by Ignacio Grossmann
3:15-3:30PM	Break
3:30-3:50PM	Session III - What are the common problems, common areas of need, complementary areas to be interfaced, and opportunities for cross-disciplinary fertilization facilitated by design of sustainable product systems and supply chains? Discussion of Session III Questions, Eric Williams Group 1 - How does sustainable design affect or impact economic drivers? Group 2 - What technologies/tools and their integration are needed, where is the expertise, and what is the state of technical capability? Group 3 – What are the respective roles of industry, government, and academia and how should they interrelate? What partnerships/coalitions are needed? Group 4 – How will new and emerging technologies and capabilities need to affect organization roles and responsibilities – academia/industry, researcher/research teams, etc. Group 5 – Where are education and training needed?
3:50-5:00PM	Work in breakout groups, facilitated by Eric Williams
5:00-5:30PM	Breakout groups report back - group discussion, moderated by Eric Williams
5:30-6:45PM	Break
6:45PM	Meet group in hotel to walk to dinner (optional)
7:15PM	Group Dinner (optional)

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

8:00-8:30AM	Check-in at NSF, 1st floor visitor's desk Greetings and refreshments (provided by the EFS grant and facilitated by Donna Jackson, BLH Technologies; and Sonia Williams, NSF)
8:30-9:45AM	Welcome to Day 2 Continue Session III breakout group reporting Summary of Monday progress, Eric Williams Questions and group discussion, moderated by Eric Williams
9:45-10:00AM	Break
10:00-10:15AM	Session IV - Workshop Deliverables Introduction to Day 2 Identify and exemplify major application impacts, directions, and the potential for design of sustainable product systems and supply chains Identify and recommend research areas that aim toward the fulfillment of this potential Identify associated areas of needed emphasis with sustainable design education and training, interdisciplinary development, and support and and approaches to collaboration.
10:15-11:15AM	Work in breakout groups, facilitated by Darlene Schuster Develop recommendations in the context of near- and long-term, priority, and reality.
11:15-11:45AM	Session IVa breakout groups report back - group discussion, moderated by Darlene Schuster
11:45AM-12:30PM	Lunch
12:30-1:15PM	Continue Session IVa breakout group reporting, moderated by Darlene Schuster
1:15-1:30PM	Collective vote on priorities, lead by Darlene Schuster
1:30-2:00PM	Summarize priorities
2:00-2:45PM	Work in breakout groups, facilitated by Darlene Schuster What investments are needed by whom, finacial and other? What are the key learning and take-aways from the workshop?
2:45-3:00PM	Break/load breakout session presentation
3:00-4:00PM	Session IVb breakout groups report back, group discussion, moderated by Darlene Schuster
4:00-4:30PM	Wrap up, next steps, Troy Hawkins

Organizing Committee:

Maria Burka
Heriberto Cabezas
Bruce Hamilton
Troy Hawkins
Darlene Schuster
Raymond Smith

Advisory Committee:

Bhavik Bakshi
Saif Benjafaar
Bert Bras
Ignacio Grossmann
Alan Hecht
Raj Srinivasan
Thomas Theis
Eric Williams

Workshop Support Staff:

Susan Anastasi
Eric Chan
Donna Jackson
Michelle Nguyen
Dan Tisch
Sonia Williams

View participant biosketches and position statements here.