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The SPE Foundation is proud to announce the creation of the Brightmark Circular Plastic Endowment Scholarship. In collaboration with the SPE Foundation, Brightmarkcircular innovation company with a mission Reimagine Waste®, has created a lasting legacy by creating an endowed scholarship designed for students attending Georgia Institute of Technology. The initiative highlights the Foundation’s and Brightmark’s commitment to fostering the next generation of talent while addressing the global waste challenge and workforce shortages in the circular industry.
Brightmark strives to inspire and empower future leaders to develop innovative solutions that address some of the world’s most pressing waste challenges while nurturing new industry talent. The Brightmark Scholarship in Plastics Circularity will support outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate students committed to advancing sustainability in the plastics sector.
“The development of the scholarship is an important milestone in Brightmark’s ongoing commitment to cultivating the next generation of those who want to develop solutions to solve the world’s biggest waste challenges,” said Bob Powell, founder and CEO of Brightmark . “By investing in the education and development of future leaders at Georgia Institute of Technology, we are supporting a talent pool equipped to tackle complex sustainability issues and drive ingenuity.”
As a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Powell considers the university one of his best decisions, fueling his confidence and passion to make a positive impact. Mr. Powell and Brightmark are committed to funding one annual scholarship and providing financial aid to deserving students. Brightmark Scholarship applicants must be enrolled as undergraduates or students pursuing degrees related to the plastics industry with an emphasis on sustainability and/or circularity. To qualify, applicants must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and submit an essay demonstrating their contribution to sustainability or circularity through research, projects, internships, or volunteer work.
The deadline for candidates interested in applying is 30 April 2024.
“One of the most critical transitions of a sustainable chemical industry will be the ability to process solid feedstocks such as pre- and post-consumer, mixed waste plastics and biomass,” says Professor Carsten Sievers of the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Developing new technologies to regulate plastics in landfills will require a fresh, educated generation of engineers to solve today’s most pressing environmental problems.”
Overall, sustainability is a significant driver of student interest at the Georgia Institute of Technology, as demonstrated by student enrollment in Professor Sievers’ Fundamentals and Challenges for a Sustainable Chemical Enterprise course. Today, the university recognizes an increased interest in sustainability, noted by an uptick in conversation from current and incoming university students.
“We are honored to partner with Brightmark on this transformative initiative,” said Yves Vitale, CEO of the SPE Foundation. “The creation of this scholarship reflects Brightmark’s commitment to nurturing future plastics professionals and highlights the positive impact strategic partnerships can have on education and industry. By empowering students to explore the intersection of plastic, sustainability and circularity, Brightmark is laying the groundwork for a brighter, more sustainable world.”
Click here to find out more about the Brightmark Scholarship in Plastics Circularity or to apply.
