Research Grants Program
The EREF is the only private, grant making institution with a national and international scope whose sole mission is to support solid waste research and education initiatives. Our research grants program is led by our Research Council, a body of volunteers consisting of technical experts in industry, academia and consulting. The work of the Council is guided by a long range strategic plan with the goal to achieve greater sustainability, good environmental stewardship, higher process efficiency and increased knowledge. Council recommended projects are then reviewed by our Board’s Projects Committee for a final review and funding allocation. Non-research oriented projects are reviewed and recommended to the Projects Committee by technical staff.
EREF Research Council
The EREF Board of Directors (BOD) has recognized that while Board members are very familiar with the solid waste industry, many may not necessarily be technical experts. Thus, the Research Council was formed as a sub-committee of technical experts to assist the BOD in funding high quality research projects and identify industry research needs. Although the Research Council has technically been in existence since 2007, Council members have noted previous attempts at organization had a number of apparent issues, specifically:
- a lack of definitive structure
- over burdening Council members with too many proposals over too short a review period
- an inefficient or vague review format and proposal rating system
During the December 2008 Board of Directors meeting, the EREF technical staff was asked to prepare a report proposing how the Research Council would function. In consideration of this, it quickly became evident that the Research Council should be a primary and integral component of the entire research program if it were to be successful and have the necessary structure desired by the Board.
Thus, re-structuring the Research Council also required re-structuring the EREF research program. As a result, a framework was established with the Board of Directors providing strategic guidance and the Research Council providing technical guidance. The goal of this framework was to provide a detailed protocol for proposal submission, review, recommendation and funding. In addition, appropriate mechanisms were established for ongoing project review and assessment of completed projects and the structure and governance of the Research Council were materialized. All primary elements of the proposed structure were reviewed and approved by the Research Council and the EREF Board of Directors in mid-2009.
Current Research Council Members
Morton Barlaz, North Carolina State University
Mike Beaudoin, Republic Services
Craig Benson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Garth Bowers, Tetra Tech
Jennifer Bowyer, Tetra Tech
Alex Bryan, Environmental Solutions Group
Greg Cekander, WM
Eric Chiado, Civil & Environmental Consultants
David Cieply, Interstate Waste Services
Ryan Duckett, Geosyntec Consultants
Marcos Elizondo, GFL Environmental
Kirk Ellison, EPRI
Jeff Fantell, LaBella Associates
Jim Frey, RRS
Ben Gallagher, EPRI
Bob Gardner, SCS Engineers
Tej Gidda, GHD
Roger Green, WM
Rob Holmes, Tetra Tech
Chad Ireland, WSP
Jenny Johnson, LaBella Associates
Rutu Joshi, Watershed Geosynthetics
Alan Kirschner, Brown and Caldwell
Bryan Largent, Interstate Waste Services
Julia Mangin, Recology
Tony Maxson, Weaver Consultants Group
Steve Menoff, Civil & Environmental Consultants
Andy Nickodem, Civil & Environmental Consultants
Samuel Nicolai, Casella Waste Systems
Brian Parker, Environmental Solutions Group
Tony Pelletier, GFL Environmental
Debbie Reinhart, University of Central Florida
Mark Santella, WIN Waste Innovations
Allia Saydjari, WIN Waste Innovations
Pieter Scheer, Smith Gardner, Inc. – Chair
Bishow Shaha, Geosyntec Consultants
Kurt Shaner, Waste Connections
Dylan Smith, Waste Connections
Elizabeth Smith, Recology
Stacey Smith, Smith Gardner, Inc.
Bryan Staley, Environmental Research & Education Foundation
Kevin Torrens, Brown and Caldwell
Nevzat Turan, Weaver Consultants Group
Michael Van Brunt, Covanta
Dave Vladic, Republic Services
Steven Wilsey, GHD
Jeff Young, Weaver Consultants Group
Ming Zhu, Watershed Geosynthetics[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]