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From Data to Action: Advancing Sustainability Research at EPA
Citation:
Niblick, B. From Data to Action: Advancing Sustainability Research at EPA. New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT): Civil & Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar, N/A, N/A, May 25, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation is an invited guest lecture for NJIT's Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar. Its purpose is to provide a broad background on life cycle assessment work at EPA, with specific emphasis on the author's research. This is both an opportunity to educate the university graduate student audience on ongoing EPA research as well as inform on possible pathways to careers in the federal government.
Description:
What makes something sustainable in the 21st century? One way of looking at this question scientifically is to consider life cycle assessment. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a mathematical tool used to model potential environmental impacts of products, policies, or services across their lifespan, e.g. from “cradle” to “grave”. Given today’s global supply chain, these environmental impacts could occur anywhere in the world. Regionalized life cycle assessment leverages advances in data resolution and geographic information systems (GIS) to more closely examine where impacts are occuring and what can be done to minimize these burdens. This presentation introduces and expands upon concepts of LCA in the US federal context and illustrates how scientific models and open data can inform public policy.