The UGA New Materials Institute recently hosted the biannual Industry Advisory Board meeting for the National Science Foundation Industry & University Cooperative Research Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites, known as CB2. UGA joined the I/UCRC in 2018 and is one of four universities that serve as research sites.
At the meeting, researchers presented updates on CB2 research projects slated for completion in late 2019, and industry representatives presented seed concepts for the group to consider undertaking in 2020. Decisions on the new projects will be made at the fall board meeting.
The meeting included representatives from CB2’s industry partners, as well as principal investigators from the other CB2 research sites: Iowa State University, Washington State University and North Dakota State University. The industry members guide selection of the research projects and mentor the research teams. As projects are completed, the industry members share in the intellectual property that is generated by the collective.
CB2’s current industry members come from more than 40 companies, including Archer Daniels Midland, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ford, Hundai, John Deere, Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Sherwin Williams. All members are companies that seek ways to make their products more sustainable.
The meeting was coordinated with help from the Office of Research and held at the UGA Veterinary Education Center. Support was provided by the College of Engineering.
