Plastic is a material with many possibilities: it is light, strong, sometimes flexible and available in almost every shape and colour. You can use it to preserve food, package items and more. But what possibilities are there after use? How do we close the plastic cycle and what is involved?
From a mostly technical approach, the processes for collecting, cleaning and reprocessing plastic waste are discussed. New and sustainable products are developed from the obtained materials. This minor is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal "Responsible consumption and production".

Minor content

The following themes are included: - Circular Economy - (Bio) Polymers - Packaging technology - Recycling of Plastics - Synthesis and Processing - Research and Literature - Practical assignments and excursions.

This minor is offered by the mechanical engineering degree program.

Structure of the minor

During the minor Circular Plastics and Sustainable Polymers (30 EC) you will work with researchers from the Circular Plastics and Sustainable Plastics research group on a concrete real-life assignments from customers.
To come up with ideas and best solutions we use the Design Thinking approach: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototyping, Test and Empathize again. At least three times you will reflect on the steps you take and emphasis again on the Empathize fase.

You will explore and contribute: - Get started with a real-life business case. - Comes up with unique, creative solutions.

- Present your solution at a symposium.

During the minor, you will work on the following learning outcomes:

• You are able to understand the social context of a societal issue with the help of scientific literature and to translate it into a concrete research question.
• With the acquired knowledge, you can give an estimate of the degree of circularity and impact on the environment of a product by applying circular (research and design) methodologies.
• In a project environment, you will carry out applied research into sustainable plastic products and/or processes based on an issue from the regional business community. Or: formulate your own learning outcome in consultation with supervisors.
• You communicate the solution to the research question in scientific language and are able to interpret and discuss research results.

Recommended knowledge

You are a third or fourth-year student in higher education (propaedeutic year completed + at least 50 EC from the post-propaedeutic phase). Your study program is technical, preferably meeting the required competency profiles of 'Bachelor of Engineering' or 'Bachelor of Applied Sciences'. An intake interview can be part of the admission. The minimum number of participants for this minor is 10 students. A week after the closing date, it will be announced by e-mail if the minor can start or will be canceled. If this minor will be canceled, there is still the possibility to register for another minor. Excursions, practicals, guest lectures and project meetings are offered during the minor. The working language is English or Dutch, depending on the registrations. The location where the minor is provided is partly in Emmen (largely Sustainable Polymers) and partly in Leeuwarden (largely Circular Plastics) and sometimes partly at a company/client.

Examination consists of tests, practice-based research assignments, reports and presentations.