BiOrbic, Dynamic Sustainability Lab at Syracuse University sign memorandum of understanding

Research bodies to collaborate on exploring new possibilities for biobased products and services

Life

14 May 2025

BiOrbic has signed a joint memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Dynamic Sustainability Lab housed at Syracuse University, New York.

Hosted at University College Dublin and supported by 12 Irish universities, BiOrbic aims to restore our natural ecosystems, harvest biological resources sustainably, develop alternatives to fossil products and repurpose waste, supporting Ireland to emerge as a leader in the global bioeconomy.

One of the near-term actions arising from the MoU will be for joint approaches to leverage the rapidly emerging utility of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data.

The bioeconomy is the part of the economy which uses renewable resources from agriculture, forestry and the marine to produce food, feed, materials and energy, while reducing waste, in support of achieving a sustainable and climate neutral society.

“This MoU formalises and greatly expands our initial collaboration to leverage our shared dedication to advancing biobased markets in the United States and European Union through joint research, outreach and workforce development,” said Dr Jay Golden, director of the Dynamic Sustainability Lab and the Pontarelli Professor in the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

Derek O’Brien, BiOrbic executive director, said: “The challenges we face as a society today are not confined within borders and it is only through collaboration and partnership that we can build a better and sustainable future. The circular bioeconomy presents a significant opportunity for economic growth in Ireland and the United States.”

Launched in 2021, The Dynamic Sustainability Lab is a non-partisan think tank and research lab which examines the opportunities as well as risks and unintended consequences resulting from the rapid transition to a new generation of sustainable technologies, strategies and policies. The lab’s focus is in providing interdisciplinary scientific approaches that support organizations in realizing the transition by identifying the dynamic risks and developing strategies, models, data and tools to achieve success.

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