Jennifer Russell joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the concept of a circular economy. She explained that a circular economy is a shift away from the linear economy, which follows a take-make-dispose model, and instead focuses on reducing waste and reusing materials and shared examples of tangible products and industries that can be, or already are, part of a circular economy. 

About Russell

Russell is an assistant professor in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and a faculty affiliate of the Global Change Center in the Fralin Life Sciences Institute. Her research is centered around the integration of industrial ecology, industrial symbiosis, and opportunities for circular systems and practice in materials and energy systems.