University of California, Davis Awarded AT&T; Industrial Ecology Faculty Fellowship

ARCHIVED 2002–2016: Originally distributed via the eWire press wire service. Preserved as historical record.

SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE |

Conservation & Wildlife

Corporate Responsibility

Science & Technology

Syndication Partners

**************************************************************************

E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE

**************************************************************************

For Immediate Release

University of California, Davis Awarded AT&T; Industrial Ecology Faculty Fellowship

NEW JERSEY, BEDMINSTER, Feb. 27 -/E-Wire/-- AT&T; selected researchers from six leading universities, including the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), to receive an AT&T; Industrial Ecology Faculty Fellowship. Researchers at the University of California, Davis received a $25,000 renewal grant to support their project, "Lead-Based Solder in Electronics: An Industrial Ecology Assessment of Current Inventory and End-of-Life Management."

Industrial Ecology is a multidisciplinary field that studies industrial and economic systems and their linkage with natural systems. It also intersects with disciplines such as law, economics, anthropology, business studies, engineering, and the social and physical sciences. Other recipients of this year's faculty fellowship include Ball State University, Muncie, Ind.; Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; Leiden University, Netherlands; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and University of Missouri-Rolla.

"We are grateful to AT&T; for providing this opportunity and to UC Davis for encouraging cross-disciplinary research collaborations," said Julie Schoenung, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of California, Davis. "This recognition will advance the course of interdisciplinary research and training on the Davis and Irvine campuses, with a clear goal of reducing public and environmental vulnerability to toxic materials in an economically sound manner."

Exposure to lead is known to have a number of adverse health effects, such as neurological, reproductive, renal, and hematological disorders. Children are especially at risk, as early blood levels of lead can adversely affect their development.

Electronic devices may contain lead-tin solders used on their internal printed circuit boards. With the decreasing lifespan and increased use of electronic devices, there has been a substantial growth in waste electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste). Although there are various legislative initiatives to remove lead from future electronic devices, lead-based solders have been used in electronics for over 80 years.

The research team will focus on characterizing the electronic products inventory and the present status for end-of-life management, using the California sector as a case study. The team will use an industrial ecology based approach that considers the technical, economic, public health, and public policy dimensions of this problem. "The industrial ecology of high technology products includes an understanding of the stocks and flows of the materials from which they are made," said Brad Allenby, AT&T; Environment, Health and Safety vice president. "We are proud to support research at the University of California, Davis directed toward an understanding of the best means to manage lead solder in electronic items over its lifecycle."

The AT&T; Foundation established the Industrial Ecology Grants Program in 1993 to encourage academic activity in this field. Since then, the program has awarded faculty research fellowships, supported the Colloquium on Industrial Ecology at the National Academy of Sciences and a number of conferences on research in the field, and helped launch the Journal of Industrial Ecology. The program is consistent with AT&T;'s environmental and social responsibility and its support of environmental initiatives and organizations.

The AT&T; Foundation invests in projects that address a range of public concerns. It emphasizes programs that serve the needs of people in communities where AT&T; has a significant business presence; initiatives that use technology in innovative ways; and programs in which AT&T; employees are actively involved as contributors and/or volunteers. For further information, please visit the AT&T; Foundation web site at www.att.com/foundation.

About AT&T; AT&T; (www.att.com) is among the premier voice, video and data communications companies in the world, serving businesses, consumers, and government. The company runs the largest, most sophisticated communications network in the U.S., backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T; Labs. A leading supplier of data, Internet and managed services for the public and private sectors, AT&T; offers outsourcing and consulting to large businesses and government. The company is a market leader in local, long distance and Internet services, as well as transaction-based services like prepaid cards, collect calling and directory assistance. With approximately $37 billion of revenues, AT&T; has relationships with about 50 million consumers and 4 million business customers, who depend on AT&T; for high-quality communications. AT&T; has garnered several awards for outstanding performance and customer service.

AT&T; 'Safe Harbor' The foregoing are "forward-looking statements" which are based on management's beliefs as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events made by and information currently available to management. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside AT&T;'s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. For a more detailed description of the factors that could cause such a difference, please see AT&T;'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T; disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This information is presented solely to provide additional information to further understand the results of AT&T.;

AT&T; Environment, Health & Safety

John Heath, AT&T;, (908) 234-8579, [REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://www.att.com/foundation

**************************************************************************

To Transmit Your News Over E-Wire, visit http://www.ewire.com or

call 1-[REDACTED-PHONE]. E-Wire Is Broadcast To Millions Of Readers Worldwide

**************************************************************************