First OVA Initiative Session on Polymers and Plastics Recycling and Upcycling Held

Dr. Rebecca Erickson, Professor of Sociology, led the first UA wide listening and networking session for the Our Vision for Akron (OVA) initiative on Polymers and Plastics Recycling and Upcycling.

This initiative is one of four identified around the theme of sustainability in answer to the call for innovative ideas for cross-college collaboration to address student recruitment, retention, and persistence. The evolving workgroup discussed this experimental, problem-based, community-engaged, transdisciplinary pilot initiative for the 2019-2020 academic year. Guided by the cornerstones of the EX[L] Center which include the spirit of innovation, experimentation and forward-thinking, the group explored potential pathways to address existing structural barriers preventing cross-college collaboration in units outside of EX[L].

Participants included faculty from both the humanities and STEM fields, EX[L] leadership, students, community alumni and staff. As a priority our students care deeply about, UA seeks to develop solutions to the problem of polymer and plastic waste for UA, our community and the world.