TJ Eatmon Addresses Sustainability in Colombia
Assistant Professor of Environmental Science TJ Eatmon attended the Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) at Universidad Del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia from July 14-27. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, the institute brought together engineers and scientists from North, South, and Central America to address challenges and opportunities for integrating sustainability into manufacturing design and innovation. Participants worked to create new ideas for research and education projects that would allow for future cross-country collaboration. The ideas were presented to a panel of experts, who offered suggestions and critical feedback.
The PASI also included industry site visits around the region, including COTECMAR, a science and technology corporation in Cartegena that designs, constructs, maintains, and repairs naval vessels. Participants also visited SuperBrix, a manufacturing company located in Barranquilla that creates processing technology for the cereal industry.
Finally, the PASI included trips to various cultural sites that exposed participants to the language, food, music, historical landmarks, geography, and history of the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Cultural field trips included a bus tour of the city of Cartagena, a guided tour of the Museum of the Caribbean in Barranquilla, a walk along the Rio Magadalena, and a visit to El Totumo, a mud volcano located in Santa Catalina.