Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BioBased ValueCircle (Training the new generation of industrial doctorates in the transition towards bio-based value circles)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-08-31
Biobased Value Circle aimed to establish a paradigm shift in the innovation process for biobased materials to accelerate the transition from a fossil-based to a biobased circular economy. This is essential to tackle urgent societal issues, such as climate change and plastic pollution.
Biobased Value Circle trained the new generation of industrial doctorates in the transition towards biobased value circles. It offered a unique interdisciplinary research and training environment tailored for 12 Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) excited by the development of innovative biobased products, respecting the principles of the circular economy.
The program brought together cutting-edge research and development spanning the biobased materials value circle, involving companies (including SMEs) and academic institutes across Europe. The Biobased Value Circle consortium consisted of four (4) European universities (Maastricht University (AMIBM), Universitätsklinik Aachen (BioTex Institute), Karl Franzens University of Graz and National University of Ireland Galway), one (1) research institute (Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt), and eight (8) European companies (B4Plastics, ChemStream, Fibrothelium, IFG Asota, KEEY Aerogel, Umlaut (Accenture), Spintex Engineering, and Technical Proteins Nanobiotechnology) that hired ESRs and hosted secondments as part of the training program coordinated by Maastricht University.
ESRs have been trained in a set of twelve (12) interlinked projects that cover the conversion of biomass to materials, the development of materials into applications, the environmental and economic impact of biobased materials, and the societal changes required to transition to a circular biobased economy. The projects target specific and strategically chosen bio-based products. The Biobased Value Circle research program was organized into four research strands: 1) fibers for technical applications (ESR 6 & 7), 2) fibers for medical applications (ESR 1, 2, 8 & 9), 3) functional polymers (ESR 3, 4 & 5), and 4) common language and methodology (ESR 10, 11 & 12). Together, the ESRs will contribute to the development of a common language and methodology to stimulate co-operation along the value circle and speed up the product development process.
The industry and academic participants co-supervised stimulating research projects to provide each ESR with valuable insights into the industry and academic research environments. Next to that, it is paired with a range of inspiring training modules that reflect the unique interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial environment created by Biobased Value Circle, including training relevant to the biobased industries and academic, industrial, and transferrable skills. This ensures that the values of the European Industrial Doctorates Program are addressed by creating a new generation of researchers who will benefit from crosscutting skills that allow them to thrive in both industry and academia, leading to more co-operation between these sectors and enhancing the competitiveness of Europe.
Biobased Value Circle trained the new generation of industrial doctorates in the transition towards biobased value circles. It offered a unique interdisciplinary research and training environment tailored for 12 Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) excited by the development of innovative biobased products, respecting the principles of the circular economy.
The program brought together cutting-edge research and development spanning the biobased materials value circle, involving companies (including SMEs) and academic institutes across Europe. The Biobased Value Circle consortium consisted of four (4) European universities (Maastricht University (AMIBM), Universitätsklinik Aachen (BioTex Institute), Karl Franzens University of Graz and National University of Ireland Galway), one (1) research institute (Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt), and eight (8) European companies (B4Plastics, ChemStream, Fibrothelium, IFG Asota, KEEY Aerogel, Umlaut (Accenture), Spintex Engineering, and Technical Proteins Nanobiotechnology) that hired ESRs and hosted secondments as part of the training program coordinated by Maastricht University.
ESRs have been trained in a set of twelve (12) interlinked projects that cover the conversion of biomass to materials, the development of materials into applications, the environmental and economic impact of biobased materials, and the societal changes required to transition to a circular biobased economy. The projects target specific and strategically chosen bio-based products. The Biobased Value Circle research program was organized into four research strands: 1) fibers for technical applications (ESR 6 & 7), 2) fibers for medical applications (ESR 1, 2, 8 & 9), 3) functional polymers (ESR 3, 4 & 5), and 4) common language and methodology (ESR 10, 11 & 12). Together, the ESRs will contribute to the development of a common language and methodology to stimulate co-operation along the value circle and speed up the product development process.
The industry and academic participants co-supervised stimulating research projects to provide each ESR with valuable insights into the industry and academic research environments. Next to that, it is paired with a range of inspiring training modules that reflect the unique interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial environment created by Biobased Value Circle, including training relevant to the biobased industries and academic, industrial, and transferrable skills. This ensures that the values of the European Industrial Doctorates Program are addressed by creating a new generation of researchers who will benefit from crosscutting skills that allow them to thrive in both industry and academia, leading to more co-operation between these sectors and enhancing the competitiveness of Europe.
Biobased Value Circle aims to contribute to the development of the biobased circular economy by removing the barriers: No common language and methodology for product development, no integration of the social and environmental impacts and insufficient Life Cycle Assessment methodology. This long-term aim cannot be achieved by Biobased Value Circle alone. The 12 ESR projects are the first essential steps, targeting strategically chosen biobased products. The projects all develop a common language and methodology. On the one hand, this contributes to solving specific problems in each value circle. On the other hand, the experiences of each ESR researcher contribute to the improvement of the biobased value circle methodology.
The specific objectives of Biobased Value Circle research projects are to develop:
* Biobased fibers for two technical applications;
* Biobased fibers for three medical applications;
* Biobased functional polymers for four technical applications;
* A common interdisciplinary language to facilitate communication between all experts involved in the development of biobased value circles (product engineers, chemists, biologists, economists, sustainability scientists, sociologists, etc.);
* A product development methodology to facilitate collaboration of all experts involved in developing biobased products. The method spans the entire value circle, including all development steps from product design and laboratory research to full-size industrial applications. Scaling of processes is a key element of the methodology. It allows for swift iteration over the entire value circle and to collect input from all disciplines involved. The methodology takes into account the environmental performance of the processes under development; and
* An improved Life Cycle Assessment methodology to assess the environmental impact of circular biobased products.
A distinctive training program was developed for ESR researchers, specifically tailored to equip them with the essential competencies in developing biobased products. The curriculum is meticulously designed to transform knowledge and ideas into products and services that yield economic and social benefits. To ensure high-quality supervision, each ESR researcher is supported by a dedicated team of experts. A Personal Career Development Plan, coordinated with supervisors, was drafted by each researcher. This plan encompasses research objectives, as well as the researcher’s training and career needs, including transferable skills, teaching, publication planning, and conference participation.
The specific objectives of Biobased Value Circle research projects are to develop:
* Biobased fibers for two technical applications;
* Biobased fibers for three medical applications;
* Biobased functional polymers for four technical applications;
* A common interdisciplinary language to facilitate communication between all experts involved in the development of biobased value circles (product engineers, chemists, biologists, economists, sustainability scientists, sociologists, etc.);
* A product development methodology to facilitate collaboration of all experts involved in developing biobased products. The method spans the entire value circle, including all development steps from product design and laboratory research to full-size industrial applications. Scaling of processes is a key element of the methodology. It allows for swift iteration over the entire value circle and to collect input from all disciplines involved. The methodology takes into account the environmental performance of the processes under development; and
* An improved Life Cycle Assessment methodology to assess the environmental impact of circular biobased products.
A distinctive training program was developed for ESR researchers, specifically tailored to equip them with the essential competencies in developing biobased products. The curriculum is meticulously designed to transform knowledge and ideas into products and services that yield economic and social benefits. To ensure high-quality supervision, each ESR researcher is supported by a dedicated team of experts. A Personal Career Development Plan, coordinated with supervisors, was drafted by each researcher. This plan encompasses research objectives, as well as the researcher’s training and career needs, including transferable skills, teaching, publication planning, and conference participation.
All ESR projects can be found on the Biobased Value Circle website. ESR researchers one (1), two (2), eight (8) and nine (9) aim to develop biobased fibers for medical applications. ESR researchers three (3), four (4) and five (5) develop biobased functional polymers for technical applications. ESR researchers six (6) and seven (7) aim to use biobased materials for technical applications; ESR researcher ten (10) develops an adapted Life Cycle Assessment methodology for circular biobased products. ESR researcher eleven (11) investigates a common language to facilitate communication between all experts in developing biobased value circles; ESR researcher twelve (12) focuses on organizational change to transition toward the circular economy.
The project strives to impact on three levels:
* Create scientific output with the research performed that leads to impacts on technology, innovation, and society by exploiting and disseminating the results;
* Enhance the career perspective and employability of researchers and contribute to skills development; and
* Contribute to structuring PhD researcher training at the European level and strengthening the European innovation capacity.
The project strives to impact on three levels:
* Create scientific output with the research performed that leads to impacts on technology, innovation, and society by exploiting and disseminating the results;
* Enhance the career perspective and employability of researchers and contribute to skills development; and
* Contribute to structuring PhD researcher training at the European level and strengthening the European innovation capacity.