The rise of circular economy principles – where materials are kept in continuous use by design – across industries has led to a new collaboration between Covestro and the University of Pittsburgh. Pitt's Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI) and Swanson School of Engineering will house the new Covestro Circular Economy Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

The Covestro Circular Economy Program represents the first graduate-level circular design academic program in the U.S. to specifically address the challenge of global waste and material use. The Covestro Circular Economy Program aims to create opportunities for the research, education, and innovative advancement of circular economy principles that begin with academia and fuel real-world solutions designed to save the planet.

The initial funding will help to establish a transdisciplinary academic, research, innovation and cooperative employment initiative to prepare students with circular economy training and expertise to carry into academia, industry, government and NGOs. Pitt and Covestro are also seeking to collaborate with corporations, foundations, and governments to expand the program's reach and potential.

"The current linear consumption economy of 'Take, Make, Waste' is wholly unsuited for exponential global growth, especially as third-world economies evolve," says Eric Beckman, Distinguished Service Professor and MCSI Director Emeritus and Chief of Innovation and Translation. "Principles of the circular economy, however, improve efficiency and eliminate waste by designing sustainability into a product, from its base materials and construction to packaging, delivery, and life expectancy."

"Circular design involves a paradigm shift in thinking for everyone, from individuals to corporations to societies," says Richard Skorpenske, head of Sustainability and Public Affairs at Covestro LLC. "As a leader in driving toward a circular economy, we see the Covestro Circular Economy Program as an important multiplier to build a robust foundation of circularity-focused thinkers, and we are proud to launch it alongside Pitt as founding partner."

"I am very excited to apply the fundamental research we've developed in circular economy and expand it to create a holistic program with potential global impact," says Melissa Bilec, William Kepler Whiteford Professor and MCSI co-director.

The Program is solving for a gap that currently exists within the academic arena.

"Transitioning to a circular economy, while not an easy task, is a societal imperative," says Haakan Jonsson, President and Chairman of Covestro LLC. "At Covestro, our vision is to become fully circular. As a company whose products are traditionally based on fossil fuels, we know that we have a long way to go. While we aim to be a leader in implementing circularity into our business, we also know we cannot achieve this vision alone. Collaboration with forward-thinking organizations like Pitt, and the development of leading-edge programs like the Covestro Circular Economy Program are crucially important in advancing toward a circular economy."

"For decades, industry and higher education have helped to advance innovation, investigation, and the human condition," noted Rob A. Rutenbar, Senior Vice Chancellor for Research at Pitt.