Cabinet Member for Environment visits Aston University to discuss sustainability challenges and solutions

Cabinet Member for Environment visits Aston University to discuss sustainability challenges and solutions

February 3, 20232 min read
Featuring:
  • Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member Cllr Majid Mahmood met with sustainability experts from across Aston University
  • Cllr Mahmood is responsible for the city’s sustainable waste strategy
  • Knowledge exchange projects between the city council and Aston University were discussed.



Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment visited Aston University on 30 November to meet with academics working on sustainability challenges.


Cllr Majid Mahmood is responsible for developing a financially and environmentally sustainable waste strategy for the city and engaging in citywide and national policy development to tackle the causes and consequences of climate change, among other accountabilities.


Cllr Mahmood’s visit included seeing the chemical engineering and applied chemistry labs run by Dr Jiawei Wang and Dr Matthew Derry who are investigating methods for generating energy from waste and creating new, more sustainable materials.


He also met with Professor Patricia Thornley, director of the Energy Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) along with other colleagues including Dr Katie Chong, who showcased EBRI’s world-leading research into bioenergy and bioproducts and heard from Dr Luciano Batista on the work he is leading at the Centre for Circular Economy and Advanced Sustainability which provides practical answers to tackle world-critical sustainability challenges.


During the visit, Cllr Mahmood was able to share some of the challenges and opportunities facing Birmingham City Council, particularly around sustainability, the environment and waste management. He discussed with academics how Aston University’s research could feed into Birmingham City Council’s future waste and energy management plans and how the lived experience of the city should shape the direction of research.


A number of knowledge exchange opportunities were also discussed, including using the city council’s experience to develop undergraduate student projects and academics being invited to visit Birmingham’s waste management depots.


Cllr Majid Mahmood said:


“It has been brilliant to visit Aston University today and to learn about the innovative ways that different academics are tackling the sustainability challenges facing the world.


“As the largest metropolitan local authority in the UK, Birmingham is uniquely placed to develop sector leading waste and energy management processes. Working closely with universities like Aston University will help us to achieve this.


“I look forward to developing our working relationship and combining our practical experience and research excellence to drive innovation in the sector.”


Connect with:
  • Dr Katie Chong
    Dr Katie Chong Senior Lecturer in CEAC/EBRI

    Dr Chong has a particular interest in the thermochemical conversion of biomass and wastes, and techno-economic evaluation.

  • Patricia Thornley
    Patricia Thornley Director of EBRI, Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute

    Patricia Thornley works in assessing the environmental, economic and social impacts of renewable energy technologies.

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