Dr. Fernand Marquis

Abstract:

Today and globally, we experience considerable, urgent and critical challenges in all domains of sustainable development, which is a comprehensive and complex system of systems requiring multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary science and technology inputs with economic, environmental, and social objectives, and considerable scientific and technological innovation. In broad terms, sustainable development is achieved when the present needs and challenges are met without critical depletion of natural and manufactured resources and without placing in jeopardy the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and challenges. The trade space is very wide, and the multitude of trade-offs generate considerable challenges and make it often very difficult to achieve an effective balance, which is most beneficial to all concerned. During the last sixty years the planet’s population has grown exponentially, from 2 to almost 8 billion people, and the technological progress achieved has been tremendous, especially in the industrialized countries. These trends are expected to continue, even at faster rates. However, all these associated technological activities in the pursuit of better living standards have created a considerable depletion of resources and pollution of land, water, air, and natural resources, for the global population. Considerable achievements have been obtained in the development and deployment of transformative materials such as light weight metallic alloys, metal matrix composites, intermetallic and carbon fiber composites, and hybrid materials. Nano, nano-structured and nano-hybrid carbon-based materials systems and nanotechnologies are now being deployed with considerable impact on energy, environment, health, and sustainable development. This presentation presents perspectives of the global impact of innovation and transformative materials with a focus on nanomaterials and nanotechnologies with examples from several domains of sustainable development.