Strategic engineering design for economic, environmental, and social sustainability

Engineering design decisions have far-reaching effects for environmental, economic, and social sustainability. In this talk, Professor Whitefoot will discuss methods of analyzing sustainability considerations of technology design and policies using the transportation sector as a case in point. In the U.S., transportation is the largest emitting sector of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and reducing these emissions is critical for avoiding more extreme effects of climate change. As we consider technology and policy options that reduce GHG emissions, it is important to understand the effects on users, workers, and the public at large. Professor Whitefoot will discuss recent studies in four areas that will drive future GHG reductions in transportation: passenger vehicle emission regulations, vehicle electrification, battery critical minerals supply, and vehicle lightweighting. She will highlight the technological improvements in electric vehicles that allow them to be more widely adopted. The effects of vehicle electrification on consumers and manufacturing workers will be discussed, identifying engineering design and manufacturing conditions that would benefit these groups. Finally, she will discuss opportunities to reduce aircraft and automotive GHG emissions by lightweighting parts via additive manufacturing.

Speaker: Kate Whitefoot, Carnegie Mellon University