March '05

	Puget Sound Section
	American Institute of Chemical Engineers

	Sustainable Development: A Role for Chemical Engineers
	Speaker: Tapas K. Das, Ph.D, P.E.

Date

Tuesday, March 8, 2005

Program

The idea of sustainability and/or sustainable development emerged from the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), the so-called Brundtland commission, which defined sustainable development in “Our Common Future” as that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability “occurs when we maintain or improve the material and social conditions for human health and the environmental over time without exceeding the ecological capabilities that support them”. As such, sustainability has three underlying bases: (1) economic viability - the cost and business aspects of a project; (2) social concern - human health and social welfare; and (3) natural or ecological issues - depletion of natural capital and environment. Sustainable development has become a major driving initiative in engineering businesses throughout the world today.

It has been generally acknowledged that the increasing use of non-renewable resources to support an increasing population has created an unsustainable situation. Should this rate of use be maintained, two dire consequences will follow: first, the future generations will be unable to maintain a high standard of living, and second, developing countries will have less of an opportunity to bring their living standards to a level comparable to that of the affluent West. The practice of chemical engineering, perhaps more than any other technical discipline, involves the use of both non-renewable and renewable materials and energy resources for the production of value-added goods and services of commerce. It is critically important that chemists and chemical engineers incorporate the ideas of sustainability into process and product design, manufacturing, and value chain management for the purpose of minimizing resource utilization and adverse environmental impact. The concepts and applications of Green Chemistry, Green Engineering, Industrial Ecology, and Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) are becoming part of research and development practice.

This talk will primarily deal with the ideas of sustainability, methodologies to redesign sustainable chemical and allied manufacturing processes and products using the life cycle analysis approach, some case studies, and an emphasis on what chemists and chemical engineers can do to prevent the consequences of unsustainable resource utilization.

Link to find more information on the AIChE National Sustainability Engineering Forum.

Speakers

TAPAS K. DAS, is a chemical and environmental engineer working with the Department of Ecology, Air Quality Program at Olympia, Washington. Tapas holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India, and PhD from Bradford University, Bradford, England. Tapas was a post-doctoral associates at London's Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine, Department of Chemical Engineering, and at Princeton University, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Tapas is a registered professional chemical engineer in Washington, and a Diplomate Environmental Engineer of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. He also worked in private industries in UK and US. He has wide practical and theoretical experience and expertise in various areas including air toxics and aerosols, wastewater characterization and treatment, solid waste management, and combustion. Tapas authored/co-authored over 60 articles, book chapters, and reports.

Schedule

	6 p.m. Social Hour
	7 p.m. Dinner
	8 p.m. Speaker

Meeting Location


	1200 Westlake Avenue, North Seattle, Washington *(206) 270-9052*

(please do not contact the restaurant for reservations or cancellations)

Directions

From I-5 Northbound take Mercer Street Exit (a left lane exit).
From I-5 Southbound take Mercer Street Exit (a right lane exit).

Get in right hand lane and turn right onto Fairview Ave. N. (follow Seattle Center signs). Turn left at the next stop light (Valley Street) and stay in the far right hand lane. At the next light turn right onto Westlake Ave. N. Follow along Westlake until the next stop light which is Highland Drive and turn right into the parking area of Harborside.

(please do not contact the venue for reservations or cancellations)

Mixed Field Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Fresh Baked Rustic Rolls and Butter

Entree Choice 1: Pan Seared Breast of Chicken in Marsala Cream
With Local Wild Mushrooms

Served with Chef's Accompaniments

Entree Choice 2: Penne Pasta with Smoked Salmon & Broccoli

Jake's Famous Chocolate Truffle Cake
with Berry Coulis

Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee
and Tea

Meeting Reservation Form

Cost

	*$30 Local Section Member*
	*$33 Nonmember*
	*$20 Student Members, Retired Members, Unemployed Members*
	(become a member)

NOTES

Please make reservations or cancellations by the Friday before the meeting.
Please pay by check payable to Puget Sound Section AIChE, or bring exact change.
For reservations:

Use the Meeting Reservation Form, or

Call Association Services at 206-623-8632.

Dinner reservations "no-shows" will be billed!!

webmaster: Bob Thomas