Stakeholder Perspectives on the Bioeconomy

A multistate research team aimed at developing America’s biobased industry — biobased products, bioenergy and the like — will meet to discuss what might be blocking the road and ways to move ahead. The group’s members come from nearly three dozen U.S. land-grant universities, including The Ohio State University.

Yebo Li, symposium co-chair and a biosystems engineer in the college, said the event’s goal is to understand the challenges facing industry in evolving a bioeconomy — an economy based on sustainable use of renewable resources. The participants in the symposium will include engineers, economists, industry experts and scientists, especially in agriculture and biology.

Talks at the symposium will cover such topics as the use of plant-derived fibers in plastic composites, the latest status of bio-based fuels and chemicals, the impacts of environment regulations, and the development of a sustainable U.S. tire and rubber industry. A complete list of topics and speakers is available at go.osu.edu/BioeconomyAgenda.

Registration for the event, which is $50 and includes lunch, is open to the public and the media. A mailable registration form is at go.osu.edu/BioeconomyRegistration.