Whether you’re standing in line for a to-go cup of coffee or thinking of buying an automobile or home appliance, your choice of purchase is also a choice of materials. And not just one material, but usually a whole composite of materials that have different physical and chemical properties, which make them more difficult to recycle. But why should you care about what materials goods are made of or about having a closed-loop material economy?

Since the Industrial Revolution and the increase of mass production we have seen a continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change, environmental pollution and the depletion of resources result from a linear economy which relies on using million-year-old carbon sources for products that are often used for just a few minutes. To increase our ability to recycle composite materials and to reduce energy consumption and emissions, experts are re-thinking how to design and source products considering their entire life cycle.

Join DWIH on Tuesday, March 22nd to hear from Dr. Barbara Güttler about new innovations in recycling and responsible manufacturing including:

• Challenges in recycling composite materials
• Creating polymers from renewable resources and the importance of end-of-life design
• Why you should consider the materials you use in your every day

Dr. Barbara Güttler graduated from the University of Applied Science Berlin (Germany) in 2007 in the program Biotechnology with an emphasis on bioprocess engineering. She then started her graduate studies at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where she began her research in the field of biocomposites and later successfully graduated from the PhD program in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Focus of her graduate work was the characterization of agricultural materials and biocomposites with various analytical methods such as surface analysis, chemical composition as well as optical and scanning electron microscopy. In April 2014, she joined the Leibniz Institute of Composite Materials (Leibniz Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe - IVW) where she is the manager of the competence field “Material Cycles” in the department of materials science.

Dr. Barbara Güttler, Manager “Material Cycles” at Leibniz-Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe (IVW)

With welcome remarks by Yasemin Pamuk, Head of Cultural Affairs and Science, German Consulate General New York

#I AM THE FUTURE is a label created by the DWIH New York to highlight featured speakers that in our opinion contribute to a better future through their work or their personal engagement. Keep your eyes open for it on our website and social media platforms!

Location & Time

Online

Tue, March 22, 2022

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM CET

Please register here