QUESTOR Research Clusters

1. QUESTOR Research Clusters John B. Wilkinson May 12, 2009

2. New QUESTOR Initiative • What: • Group in QUESTOR organizing/managing a research area • Why: • Large number of Centre Members and Academic Partners • Mechanism to focus interested IAB members and researchers • Enhance project development and execution • Align interested parties &/or Champion(s) • Who: • Each Cluster has a small leadership team: • Chaired by an IAB member • Each academic institution assigns one leadership team member to one cluster • Nominal terms of two years • Overall Cluster membership: • Group consists of interested academics and members of IAB organizations • Members can be from any academic institution or IAB organization (membership in multiple Clusters acceptable) • Experience: • Approach has worked well in similar organizations • PERF (Discussion Groups) • NJIT HSMRC (Divisions/Programmatic Thrusts)

3. Clusters • Potential QUESTOR Clusters: • Water & Wastewater • Remediation (Soil & Groundwater) • Renewable Energy • Environmental Monitoring • Clusters are evergreen (see attached PERF Discussion Group evolution example) • Periodic evaluation by IAB • Which Clusters currently relevant • Cluster composition and effectiveness • Cluster Responsibilities: • Meet as appropriate • By telephone?; how often?; before/after IAB meetings? • Solicit interested academic and IAB organization Members • Develop a targeted/high-graded RFP for the Cluster • Facilitate identification of Champions for project proposals • Initial screening of pre-proposals, recommend proposals to be developed for IAB voting • Active guidance of projects during execution

4. RFP Structure • Overall Description: • “High” level summary of environmental aspects/issues/technologies included in the Cluster. • IAB input to frame needs and academic input to provide relevant expertise • IAB Issues/Interests: • Specific needs of IAB organizations • From Cluster membership and Research Drivers Booklet • Unique Academic Institution Capabilities • Academic institution capabilities able to address Cluster aspects/issues/technologies (even if not specific to initial IAB list – provides a spark for dialogue)

5. Example RFP Structure(Water & Wastewater) • Overall Description: • This Cluster covers new approaches for all aspects of water and wastewater treating, and associated issues • Water treating for municipal (drinking) and industrial (cooling; boiler feed) uses • Industrial and municipal wastewater treating • All treatment processes (biological, chemical/physical, thermal….) • Pollution prevention, reuse/recycling • Effects of discharges on the environment • Reduction/elimination of associated sludges/residuals • Cross cutting programs with other Clusters (Monitoring; Energy) • Specific IAB Issues/Interests • Unique streams and specific contaminants- • Metals (arsenic, lead, chrome…) • High/low pH • Biological waste sludge reduction • Minimize generation by controlling wastewater plant operating modifications • Chemical/physical/biological conditioning of generated sludge • Dry digestion • Drinking water treating • Trace contaminants (pesticides, endocrine disruptors, etc) – detection, treatment/removal, destruction • Ways to substitute lower quality waters for fresh water • Retrieving &/or regenerating aluminum hydroxide • Novel flocculation materials • Nutrients (N & P) • Recovery & reuse • Unique Academic Institution Capabilities • Biological wastewater treatment (Queens; others) • Environmental genomics (Stevens) • etc

6. Cluster Descriptions • Environmental Monitoring: • All aspects of environmental monitoring; including, but not limited to- • Sensors, coatings, detectors, transmitters • Municipal and environmentally related industrial processes • Monitoring the open environment (rivers, ocean, etc) • Remediation • All aspects of soil and groundwater remediation; including, but not limited to- • All pollutant species (hydrocarbon, chlorinated compounds, metals….) • Transport and impact modeling • All types of treatment – biological, physical…. • Renewable Energy • All types and aspects of renewable energy; including, but not limited to- • Solar, wind, wave, biomass • Waste to energy • Biological, chemical and physical systems

7. Next Steps • May 2009 QUESTOR Meeting • Review at main meeting • Solicit Cluster Leadership Teams and Membership • Review with IAB • Clusters • Draft initial RFP’s • Ensure alignment of pre-proposals with RFP • Seek additional pre-proposals if warranted • Review pre-proposals and recommend which to be developed into full Proposals

8. PERF Discussion Group Evolution

9. Notes • Should there be an effort to ensure a balance among Clusters? • Ensure “Critical Mass” • Done by an “Executive Committee” of Centre Director and IAB Cluster co-chairs • Other functions for an “Executive Committee”? • Should we encourage cross-Cluster projects? • Could there be sub-groups in Clusters? • ie, Water Treatment (Drinking Water) & Wastewater • Be careful to balance – too many not beneficial……. • How to handle cross-cutting/supporting technology platforms (nanotech, etc…) • Where does Waste Management fit?