Abstract:Citing the myriad applications of nanotechnology, this paper emphasizes the need to conduct -life cycle‖ based assessments as early in the new product development process as possible, for a better understanding of the potential environmental and human health consequences of nanomaterials over the entire life cycle of a nano-enabled product. The importance of this reasoning is further reinforced through an illustrative case study on automotive exterior body panels, which shows that the perceived environmental benefits of nano-based products in the Use stage may not adequately represent the complete picture, without examining the impacts in the other life cycle stages, particularly Materials Processing and Manufacturing. Nanomanufacturing methods often have associated environmental and human health impacts, which must be kept in perspective when evaluating nanoproducts for their -greenness.‖ Incorporating life-cycle thinking for making informed decisions at the product design stage, combining life cycle and risk analysis, using sustainable manufacturing practices, and employing green chemistry alternatives are seen as possible solutions.
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The MS-MBA program at the University of Tennessee was initiated in fall 2001 with a focus to provide students in Engineering with skills and knowledge of business focused towards new product development. National Science Foundation (NSF) provided funding for the program from 2005 to 2008 which helped enhance the program and led to development of several prototype products and commercialization of one the products Safelight TM. The program has graduated more than 25 joint MS/MBA students so far with the number growing every year. The graduates have a double set of skills: enterpreneurship and business skills along with the advanced engineering skills needed to become leaders in innovative science and technology. The faculty associated with the program, who had limited previous entrepreneurial experience, gained insight into the role of entrepreneurship in bringing technology to commercialization and the role of intrepreneurship in larger technology companies. The program brought together faculty from the Colleges of Law, Business, and Engineering and formed synergistic relationships between the faculties of the disparate colleges that still exist. Some of the projects pursued under the MS-MBA program have addressed normal consumer-interest products, but several have also addressed medical/health applications and safety items. All potentially could or will contribute to society beyond just the satisfaction of academic requirements. This paper details the program and its components and can serve as a case study for other universities developing such programs.
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