2015 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Sustainability (SusTech) (SusTech)

Welcome to the 2015 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Sustainability – Engineering and the Environment (SusTech). SusTech 2015 is sponsored by the IEEE Oregon Section, IEEE Region 6, IEEE Utah Section and IEEE-USA. Technical co-sponsors are the IEEE Consumer Electronics Society (CES) and IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT). Sustainability has been defined as: the pursuit of environmentally sound development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the future. [Source: UN Document A/42/427: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future, August 1987] Some have said that the developed world has achieved its success to date by stripping and mining the world of raw materials and resources, leaving behind piles of tailings and garbage. This is an ‘extractive view’ of society, rooted in the era of colonialism. It would appear this approach may not be sustainable in the long run. Especially as the people in developing nations want to improve their lives and raise their standard of living. As technologists, what can we do to develop new products and processes that while they may need or use resources, are more sustainable in the long run? Reduce, reuse, and recycle? Improve the efficiency of existing products and processes? Develop innovative or revolutionary approaches and processes? The goal of the IEEE Technologies for Sustainability (Sustech) Conference is to explore the development and application of science, engineering and technology to promote sustainability in these areas: Agricultural Sustainability (e.g. control and production of fertilizers, soil, water conservation, irrigation, fisheries) Alternative Energy (e.g. solar, wind, tidal, fuel cells, energy harvesting, nuclear, thermal) Energy Efficiency (e.g. sensors and measurement, energy saving controls, auto electronics & fuel economy, data centers, power saving, Smart Environment) Transportation Electrification (e.g. electric vehicles, aviation, motors, drive controls, batteries, sensors, environmental & power distribution impacts) Smart Grid (e.g. communications, control, power electronics, industrial and home applications, energy storage, demand control and response) Sustainable Electronics (e.g. sustainable manufacturing,components, global materials supply, hardware life-cycle, nanotechnology & health/environment, reuse and repair of consumer electronics, materials harvesting from electronic waste, Open repair manuals and on-line repair and electronics sustainability resources, best practices Societal Implications / Quality of Life (e.g. EM spectrum allocation, global warming, autonomous vehicles, health & medical electronics, global education & human resources, risk management, remediation, purification, public policy)