Grant: Collaborative Research and Training Experience

To limit the impact of climate change, it is mandatory to reduce carbon emissions and to lower the atmospheric CO2 concentration. However, reducing the carbon footprint of major CO2 emitters without affecting economic viability is a difficult task. A solution exists in carbon utilization, where CO2 is used as a chemical feedstock. This program will focus on CO2 utilization as a way to promote a carbon neutral chemical industry. There is a need for highly-qualified personnel having the insight and perspective to innovate and find the best scientific and engineering solutions for Canadian industries to valorize CO2, while understanding the intrinsic complexity of sustainable development, life-cycle assessment, national and international regulations, and economic and social imperatives. This interdisciplinary team of chemists, chemical engineers, geological engineers and economists has for objective, with the help of many partners, to give trainees the scientific knowledge of valorization technologies, the inner workings of the chemical industry, and the innovation ladder that can transform fundamental discoveries into industrial realities. To do so, the team will foster important professional skills such as creative thinking, communication, entrepreneurship, management and ethics, through courses, seminars, and summer schools. As part of the industrial stream, the trainees will work on interdisciplinary collaborations through national and international industrial internships. The industry partners involved in this program include members of the mining, cement, fuel, coatings, energy and materials sectors. These partners are all looking for sustainable ways to reduce their carbon footprint by valorization technologies. The goal of this collaborative team is to form innovators who can lead Canadian industry in becoming a sustainable corporate citizen that can outperform economically in an ever-changing global market while simultaneously being proactive in creating a sustainable future.