News Archive
From the Doha Climate Change Conference
December 7, 2012
Emily Taylor Erb ’14, Nancy Gephart Erb ’14, Allie Goldstein, Hannah Erickson, and Sam Stevenson Erb ’14 attended the COP18 Doha Climate Change Conference in Qatar. Allie Goldstein’s blog depicts her experience at the conference.
Read more:
From the Doha Climate Change Conference
Looking into the crystal ball, at Ford
December 7, 2012
Aaron Desatnik, Erb ’15 examines the work of recent speaker, Sheryl Connelly and the various tasks futurists’ must do to stay ahead of market trends.
“At Ford, Sheryl’s “in charge of helping the company stay two to 20 years ahead of the trends outside the industry that will be shaping it for years to come.” Connelly, who’s among the few futurists to keep her job after the recent economic recession, is tasked with making sure Ford doesn’t make the same mistakes that it did in the past: the failure to develop automotive innovations in response to external factors such as increased fuel prices.”
Read more:
Looking into the crystal ball, at Ford
3 Erbers win Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Award
December 5, 2012
Congrats! Erbers Stephen Ahn, Ursula Jessee, and Alex Papo win Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Award for their ArborAqua – Harvesting Moringa and Harnessing Entrepreneurship Master’s Project. SISCA is a global competition to generate inventive and interdisciplinary ideas for sustainability, sponsored by the Dow Chemical Company.
“The team’s idea is to launch a business that cultivates the moringa plant—often referred to as the “miracle plant” because its foliage and seeds can be used for human consumption, animal feed, plant growth hormone, and water purification. The team would focus mostly on the water sanitation benefits to the developing world, with the overall business model being partially self-funded through the sale of moringa-based products.”
University of Michigan Winners of Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Award (html)
Read the project abstract (pdf)
Andy Hoffman publishes new book on corporate environmentalism
December 4, 2012
Business and the Natural Environment
edited by Susse Georg and Andrew Hoffman
November 21st 2012 by Routledge – 2,144 pages
More about the book
MI / U-M fracking research partnership to include Erb Institute
November 30, 2012
Announced by Governor Rick Snyder, research teams kicked off the first phase of their two-year research project last month with support from: the Graham Sustainability Institute, the Erb Institute, the Energy Institute and the Risk Science Center. Industry representatives, nongovernmental organizations, state government officials, academic experts and other stakeholders are providing input.
Fracking in Michigan: Researchers study potential impact on health, environment, economy (pdf) or read the story online.
Bringing fresh thinking to sustainability learning
November 30, 2012
The WEC and Erb partnership strengthens the University of Michigan’s leadership role in the advancement of sustainability concepts and practices for future graduates. Erb MBA/MS students graduate with a set of skills, knowledge and perspectives that resonate closely with the recommendations of the WEC-Net Impact report.
“As sustainability becomes more complex and challenging, so must the education models we develop to meet those challenges. The Erb/WEC Fellowships represent but one step in that direction, training the sustainability managers of tomorrow.”
From classroom to corporation: Bringing fresh thinking to sustainability learning (html)
From classroom to corporation: Bringing fresh thinking to sustainability learning (pdf)
Cam Smith and Kymeira Win Accelerate Michigan
November 30, 2012
Cam Smith, Erb’13 and Vince Alessi, (a U-M chemistry student) won the $25,000 grand prize for their start up, Kymeira. The company has a new ceramic-like material made from 90% industrial waste stream materials that only requires 200 degrees of heat to solidify compared to the 4000-degree heat sintering required by other advanced ceramics. Because of the material’s advanced physical properties and extremely low cost it can be used in all kinds of applications from consumer products to high-performance building materials, to light-weight engineering materials for automotive and aerospace.
Read more (html) | Download the PDF: Two Ann Arbor Companies take home prizes at Accelerate Michigan Competition
Erb Institute support cited for cross-campus art display
November 16, 2012
Chris Jordan’s “Running the Numbers” sustainability art display is a powerful visual statement on consumption. Co-sponsored by the Erb Institute, the display is located throughout seven University of Michigan locations. View the November 15, 2012 event.
“As Andrew J. Hoffman, director of the Ross School of Business Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, says of Jordan’s art, ‘Sustainability is an issue that can be explored through all the disciplines at the university (of Michigan); business, natural sciences, engineering, the humanities, and the social sciences. By supporting the Jordan exhibit, the Erb institute is contributing to the exploration of sustainability through the arts.’ ”
University of Michigan showcasing stunning Chris Jordan artworks on sustainability (html)
University of Michigan showcasing stunning Chris Jordan artworks on sustainability (pdf)
Go Blue Box featured in UM Record Update
November 16, 2012
The student-initiated reusable takeout container program was founded by Erbers Phel Meyer (’13), Rich Groussett (’13) and Dave Yang (’13). The program began its pilot phase at the University Club restaurant in the Michigan Union on November 5th.
“We are extremely excited to see this project come to fruition,” says co-founder Phel Meyer. “The program has the potential not only to reduce waste but also raise awareness about the waste issue among faculty, staff, students and the community at large.”
Students launch reusable takeout container program at University Club (html)
Students launch reusable takeout container program at University Club (pdf)
2012 Venture Shaping Grant Recipients
November 13, 2012
View the Fall 2012 Award History for recipient history
2012 Venture Shaping Grant Recipients from Erb:
Cafe Esperanza
Team: Stephen Ahn (MBA/MS 2015)
ContainEarth (now Go Blue Box)
Team: Raphael Meyer, Richard Grousset and David Yang (all MBA/MS 2013)
Wintergreen Stone
Team: Yanning Li (MBA 2014) and Julia Ruedig (MBA/MS 2015)
Recipient Details | Read more on Mayleben Venture Shaping – Dare to Dream Grants
