Rochester Institute provides policy advice to UN on sustainable development

Manufacturing News, Source : The Manufacturer US
Published : 08 Mar 2007 13:35

Nabil Nasr, director of the Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies (CIMS) at Rochester Institute of Technology and assistant vice provost for academic affairs, was one of two expert presenters at the United Nations for the 15th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development also known as CSD-15. Nasr has contributed his expertise to The Manufacturer in months past on innovation in the US.

The forum took place on Tuesday, Feb. 27, in New York City.

CSD-15 is a policy session set up by the UN to explore energy for sustainable development, industrial development, air pollution and climate change. As a panelist at the Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting of CSD-15, Nasr shared with the commission his recommendations in setting policy goals.

Nasr’s focus was in the area of industrial development, describing the types of sustainable policies that have worked and how they can be replicated. He also addressed current challenges facing industry and how government and academia can assist in addressing these issues.

“The future of our planet depends on governments and institutions working together to create manufacturing systems that are more efficient, produce less pollution and create less waste,” says Nasr. “It is imperative that U.S. companies and universities work with the international community to accomplish these goals, and I believe forums, like this, will enhance the effort.”

Nasr leads RIT’s newly created Sustainability Institute, which undertakes comprehensive, interdisciplinary initiatives in education, research and technology transfer that build upon a set of RIT’s strongest academic programs and CIMS’ internationally respected research.

Last year, RIT was awarded a $465,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation for the development of a Ph.D. program, which will be one of the first of its kind in the world.

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