Shahin Rahimifard awarded Chair in Sustainability - July 2009
In recognition of his academic track record, international reputation, leadership and research activities, Shahin Rahimifard has been appointed to a Personal Chair in Sustainable Engineering by Loughborough University.
Shahin’s professional career spans over 20 years and his interest in sustainability was sparked in the 1990s whilst working in industry. The companies he visited at the time were becoming more aware of the potential impact of their actions on the environment and were looking for ways to improve the ecological performance of their operations. Shahin is the founding Director of the Centre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Reuse/Recycling Technologies (SMART), which was formed in 2004 at Loughborough to provide synergy for the growing research activities in this subject area. Shahin’s IMCRC research activities have been focussed on: improving design to maximise the end-of-life value recovery in the automotive sector, new recycling technologies for the footwear industry, and improving materials in packaging so they last longer and can be brought back into practical use at the end of their life.
Shahin explains: "For the last two decades, I along with many other professionals in the field have been making the case for adopting a green manufacturing philosophy. Most companies now want to embrace these practices but don’t have access to economically feasible technologies and tools to support their activities. The research that we have been conducting is trying to address these challenges. I believe a real issue for the manufacturing sector is how it can continue to contribute to economic growth and prosperity, without causing irreversible damages to our environment."
Read more about Professor Rahimifard's IMCRC Research
