Topic for Master's thesis: Analysis of the inventory and material flow dynamics of ICT devices containing nanoelectronics for the establishment of "Design for Reuse" concepts within the Cluster of Excellence REC2
Topic: Analysis of the inventory and material flow dynamics of ICT devices containing nanoelectronics to establish "Design for Reuse" concepts as part of the REC2 Cluster of Excellence.
E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream worldwide. In Germany, however, almost 60% of e-waste never reaches the official collection points.
The aim of this work is to quantify the retention time and stocks of nanoelectronic devices (e.g. smartphones, wearables) and to develop strategies to recover these devices for a planned reuse cycle.
Tasks:
- Creation and implementation of a representative survey on the use and retention period of ICT devices.
- Modeling of a stock-driven dMFA model to predict waste streams (modeling in Python/ODYM).
- Development of a return concept (reverse logistics) and mechanisms to ensure access to the material flows at the end of the use phase.
Prerequisites:
- Advanced Master's degree in environmental engineering, waste management or related departments with a focus on sustainability assessment and circular economy.
- Basic knowledge of and interest in dynamic material flow modeling (dMFA) and the design and evaluation of empirical surveys.
- Experience in Python (or R) for quantitative data analysis.
- Technical understanding and interest in nanoelectronics and interest in circular economy and resource conservation.
Start: immediately
Contact:
Dr.-Ing. Karoline Owusu-Sekyere
Institute of Waste Management and Circular Economy
Phone: +49 351 463 44148