23 September 2013
International working group to look at water, energy and food
Two of the world’s largest organisations of chemical engineers – IChemE and AIChE – are creating a joint working group to respond to the technology challenges presented where issues surrounding water, energy and food supplies overlap.
The collaboration will kick-off with a special workshop in November in San Francisco during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), which is co-sponsoring the effort with the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
The two organisations believe that issues at the nexus of increasing demands for water, energy and food deserve special focus given the expected addition of three billion more consumers by 2030. While water, energy and food supplies have traditionally been dealt with as independent concerns, in the 21
st Century, they have come to be seen as more complex and interconnected in ways that will change and challenge organisations, markets and nations.
Dale Keairns, a former president of AIChE and the chair of its Center for Energy Initiatives, in explaining the undertaking, said, “The integrated systems analysis needed to understand these overlapping issues is at the core of the approach chemical engineers learn and put into practice.” He believes the working group’s findings should “enable evidence-based policy discussions and decisions.”
Desmond King, a former president of IChemE, said: "The workshop will allow for a full exchange of views on which issues should receive priority and which approaches will be useful in engaging beyond the usual technology boundaries. Chemical engineering matters and this joint initiative will help to set research priorities and provide a framework for chemical engineers to make a major contribution to these global challenges.”
The workshop will be held on Tuesday, 5 November 2013, beginning at 08:30 PST in Room Continental Nine of the San Francisco Hilton.
Related links
AIChE
Chemical Engineering Matters
Notes to media
For further information, please contact:
Tony Osborne, communications officer, IChemE
tel: +44 (0)1788 534454 / +44 (0)7802 834459
email: tosborne@icheme.org
Matt Stalker, communications manager, IChemE
tel: +44 (0)1788 534455 / +44 (0)7802 834459
email: mstalker@icheme.org
Danielle Gross, BRAVOGROUP, for AIChE
Tel: 1-717-241-2200
Email: dgross@thebravogroup.com
About chemical engineers
Chemical, biochemical and process engineering is the application of science, maths and economics to the process of turning raw materials into everyday products. Professional chemical engineers design, construct and manage process operations all over the world. Pharmaceuticals, food and drink, synthetic fibres and clean drinking water are just some of the products where chemical engineering plays a central role.
About IChemE
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) is the global professional membership organisation for people with relevant experience or an interest in chemical engineering. It is the only organisation to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status. With a growing global membership approaching 38,000 the Institution is at the heart of the process community, promoting competence and a commitment to best practice, advancing the discipline for the benefit of society, encouraging young people in science and engineering and supporting the professional development of its members. For more information, visit www.icheme.org
About AIChE
AIChE is a professional society of nearly 45,000 chemical engineers in 92 countries. Its members work in corporations, universities and government using their knowledge of chemical processes to develop safe and useful products for the benefit of society. Through its varied programs, AIChE, which was founded in 1908, continues to be a focal point for information exchange on the frontiers of chemical engineering research in such areas as energy, sustainability, biological engineering, nanotechnology, and chemical plant safety and security. More information about AIChE is available at www.aiche.org.