Other UBC Event
Transitioning to a Sustainable Materials Economy
November 27, 2025, 12:30 pm to 1:20 pm
IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Alex Tavasoli
Talk summary:
Transitioning the materials economy to sustainable operations requires the use of emerging manufacturing processes that employ alternative or recycled feedstocks and low-carbon energy. While advantageous from a climate adaptation and resilience perspective, these novel processes possess several inherent physical traits that limit their economic competitiveness against conventional, linear manufacturing systems that employ virgin feedstocks and fossil fuel energy. This fact has been a persistent barrier to the widespread adoption and implementation of these sustainable manufacturing systems. Using the example of solar-driven carbon dioxide capture and conversion, this talk will explore this problem, and discuss novel, community-led implementation strategies for new technology deployment.
Bio:
Alex Tavasoli is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UBC. Her research group, the Laboratory of Future Industry, LoFI, studies the design and implementation of emerging sustainable manufacturing processes that make use of alternative or waste feedstocks and low-carbon energy. Prior to joining UBC, the bulk of Alex’s work in this area was focussed on passive systems that use solar energy to drive the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide into commodity chemicals. Since joining UBC, she has expanded her work to study battery recycling, and sustainable textile production.