New GW4 collaborative research community on manufacturing digitisation and sustainability

​A new GW4 project will facilitate developments on the interface between digital manufacturing and the circular economy.

Aris Syntetos and Dan Eyers were recently awarded a collaborative research community fund by GW4. "Technology-Enabled Circularity (TEC): Digitalisation and Sustainability in Manufacturing" is an interdisciplinary network bringing together expertise in digital manufacturing and circular economies to build more sustainable manufacturing futures. The project will complement the work Aris and Dan are doing for the RemakerSpace, Cardiff University's major circular economic engagement initiative that is delivered in the University's social science research park (SPARK).

The project is led by Jennifer Johns of Bristol University. Jennifer commented: “Despite the potentially significant contribution of existing and emerging knowledge of technological solutions to sustainability, and circularity in particular, there is clear need for more academic work that engages and unifies across the two areas.

“Thanks to this funding award from GW4, we aim to deepen our academic understandings and integrate perspectives from across the social sciences and STEM in a truly interdisciplinary network to help meet industry and policy demand for potential solutions to social and economic problems.”

The project involves the employment of a researcher and runs for 6 months, from June to the end of 2022.