Research Motivation
Engineering applies scientific understanding and mathematical
principles to meet practical needs, and is commonly expected to
enhance
human well-being. For such expectations to be met,
engineered products and processes should
not only be economically viable, but also be environmentally
sustainable. This realization is encouraging forward-looking
businesses, governments and individuals to work towards enhancing the
environmental sustainability of their activities. Many businesses
are discovering that such efforts can provide a
competitive advantage, encourage innovation, and enhance enterprise
resilience, all of which can
translate into significant economic benefits.
The traditional focus of process systems engineering (PSE) has been on the design and operation of individual equipment and processes. In recent years, systems at larger scales such as supply chains and the business enterprise, and at smaller scales such as molecular and atomic systems, have become part of PSE research (Westerberg and Grossmann, 2000). In our view, the quest for sustainability requires further expansion of the PSE boundary to consider the value chain, economy, and ecological systems in decision making. This introduces many new challenges, several of which are being addressed by our work.
Research Goals and Typical Projects
Our research aims to develop and apply scientifically sound and
theoretically rigorous methods, tools and techniques for improving the
efficiency and sustainability of engineered products and
processes. We focus on problems at and across different temporal
and spatial scales, ranging from individual equipment and processes to
the economy and ecosystems. Projects with a narrowly defined
boundary mainly emphasize economic viability and are relevant to
tactical decision making, while those at coarser scales also focus on
broader impacts on the economy and the environment, and are relevant to
strategic decision making (Bakshi
and Fiksel, 2003).
- Process monitoring,
- Linear and nonlinear empirical modeling,
- Rectification and estimation in nonlinear dynamic systems,
- Thermodynamic methods for Environmental Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA),
- LCA of emerging technologies (green chemistry and nanotechnology),
- Technological, environmental, economic aspects of alternate transportation fuels.
Most projects are multidisciplinary in nature and utilize methods from fields such as, Statistics, Operations Research, Thermodynamics, Systems Ecology, and Economics. Most projects are affiliated with the Center for Resilience at OSU. This web site provides more details about specific projects, publications, group members and other related activities.