Making the Case: Supporting Rural Communities, Domestic Manufacturing, and Innovation with Sustainable Chemistry and the Bioeconomy

Changing political, economic, and R&D cycles can cause uncertainty and a temptation to shift resources away from sustainable chemistry, but this will hinder long-term business resiliency, increase risk, and hurt human and environmental health. Continuing to advance sustainable chemistry and drive solutions in a changing environment requires sustained policy, investment, and market commitments. 

To ensure sustainable chemistry remains a business priority, demonstrating and communicating its positive impact on all business functions, to communities, and through the value chain is critical. During this webinar series, subject matter experts will share tools and insights to assist champions with effectively "making the case". Structured as a series of discussions, attendees will have the unique opportunity to pre-competitively engage with the speakers as well as other companies facing similar challenges. 

The second webinar in this series will highlight how sustainable chemistry and the bioeconomy are not just beneficial for the environment but also support economic development in rural communities, grow domestic manufacturing, and drive innovation. Tim Dawsey, Executive Director for the Advancement of Science and Technology at Pittsburg State University, and Sam Jackson, Director of BRIDGES at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotecnology, will share case studies and practical examples of this connection. For long-term success, these initiatives require collaboration across the value chain - join the conversation to learn more.

*This webinar is available to Change Chemistry members only.  

Speakers

Sam Jackson

Director of BRIDGES at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Sam Jackson is Director of BRIDGES, an NSF Engines program at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. The BRIDGES NSF Engine program supports the advancement of the biobased economy in the region, specifically biobased products derived from perennial grass crops for use in the automotive, construction, and packaging industries. He is recognized for his work to develop economical and sustainable biomass feedstock supply chains for bioenergy and bioproducts, particularly working with researchers and farmers to pioneer the establishment and management of dedicated energy crops as bioenergy feedstocks. Dr. Jackson also has extensive experience in biomass processing and conversion and technoeconomic and life cycle analysis of bioproducts. Prior to HudsonAlpha, he was a cofounder of Genera, a bioproducts manufacturer, where he spent 15 years growing the business. He received his PhD in natural resources from the Univ. of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. 

Tim Dawsey

Executive Director for the Advancement of Science and Technology at Pittsburg State University

Tim Dawsey received his PhD in polymer chemistry from the University of Southern MS and has over 40 years of industrial experience in polymers and plastics, from research in new polymers development to plastics processing and business applications. After serving as dean of the College of Technology at Pittsburg State University (PSU), he assumed his current role as PSU’s Executive Director for the Advancement of Science and Technology.  As part of this position, he leads efforts at the National Institute for Materials Advancement (NIMA) where the focus is on development of industrially relevant technologies.  NIMA (formerly know as the Kansas Polymer Research Center) has been creating novel bio-based polymers from vegetable oils for over twenty-five years.  And Tim is now working to: choreograph recognition for the NIMA’s leadership in bio-based polymers; inform the public of the amazing career opportunities in materials science; recruit talented researchers/instructors to SE Kansas; and grow the university’s programs in polymer chemistry, materials science, and plastics engineering technology in order to establish a strong materials manufacturing workforce in the KS/MO/AR/OK four-states region with new technology-based jobs. As heightened environmental concerns have turned the industry’s attention to finding more sustainable options for plastics materials including recycling efforts. Tim is guiding NIMA in its efforts to partner with polymer producers, packaging manufacturers, and leading polymer research institutes to provide solutions to challenges in polymers/plastics manufacturing, markets, and the circular economy.