What transformative opportunities are available to today’s manufacturing entities?  How can smart manufacturing, big data and analytics help increase efficiency and boost sustainable productivity—now, and in the coming decades? These are the key topics for discussion at the 2018 Annual Executive Conference, Transformative Opportunities for Bioproducts Manufacture, of Georgia Tech's Renewable Bioproducts Institute.

The meeting will open Tuesday, March 6 at 1 p.m., with sessions continuing until 5 p.m. A poster session and reception will be held from 5 to 6:30, with a seated dinner to follow from 7 to 9 p.m.  Wednesday will kick off with breakfast at 8 a.m., with sessions ending at 1 p.m.  

You may register for the conference beginning Jan. 18 by clicking here.

The conference and poster session will be held in the Global Learning Center located in Midtown Atlanta. Tuesday's dinner will be held in the adjacent Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center.

The first day of the conference will consider “Transformative Opportunities for Tomorrow’s Bioproducts Manufacturing.” The second day will be devoted to “Manufacturing Design for Advanced Chemicals and Materials,” comprised of two sessions—The Promise of Smart Manufacturing, and Material and Chemical Design for New Products.  Experts, faculty and students will engage the audience in discussing these topics.

“This conference is being designed to explore the application of new tools to long-standing challenges,” said RBI Executive Director Norman Marsolan. “We want to explore how those tools can lead the existing and emerging bioproducts industry into a vibrant and as yet unimagined future.”

About 45 graduate Fellows supported by RBI's unique endowment are expected to participate in this year’s poster competition. Conference participants will have an opportunity to meet these students and discuss with them how their research could be valuable or made more relevant to their companies.

Throughout the two days, there will be ample time for networking and discussion with expert researchers, students, and industry peers. The conference is also a prime opportunity to learn more about Georgia Tech’s innovation and commercialization centers and how they can support business and industry strategies. RBI serves as a portal into pertinent research capabilities and services available across campus.

The 2017 conference attracted a record number of industry and business leaders from a wide range of arenas, including energy, pulp & paper, biochemicals, materials science and bioprocessing, as well as government and academic representatives — more than 160 during the two-day event. The meeting serves as a development opportunity as well for young to mid-level professionals. There is no registration fee.

More information will be released in the coming weeks and can be found at the 2018 conference page.

Rooms are available at a preferred rate through Feb. 28 for conference guests at the Hilton Garden Inn Midtown, located just a 10 minute walk from the conference venue. Many hotels in the Midtown area also offer Georgia Tech preferred rates. Please be sure to specify “Georgia Tech” when you call to make your reservation.

For hotel and other travel and accommodations inquiries, please contact Dione Morton.

For any other questions regarding the conference, please contact Kelly Smith, RBI's marketing and communications manager.