TU Delft Highlights Impacts of Critical Raw Materials
Delft, Monday, 24 March 2025.
TU Delft is organizing educational events to raise awareness and understanding of the role of critical raw materials in technology and their societal impacts.
Upcoming Educational Initiative
TU Delft is set to host a significant educational event focusing on critical raw materials featuring experts Shivant Jhagroe, Myra Colis, Alphonse Muambi, and Mike Buxton [1]. The session will examine crucial questions surrounding materials like lithium, cobalt, and gold, which are fundamental to modern technology and the energy transition [1]. This initiative comes at a time when resource nationalism has emerged as a central concern in global trade tensions [2].
Industry Expert Perspectives
The discussion gains particular relevance as experts express growing concern about supply chain resilience. Recent developments have highlighted the need to ‘redouble efforts to build sustainable resilience’ in critical mineral supply chains [2]. This aligns with TU Delft’s broader educational initiatives, including practical fieldwork where students engage with sustainable material alternatives [3].
Practical Applications and Future Impact
The university’s approach to critical materials education extends beyond theoretical discussion. At TU Delft’s Green Village fieldlab, students are actively working on biobased alternatives and circular construction methods [3]. This hands-on experience is crucial as the institution has witnessed significant growth in student interest, with course participation nearly doubling in recent sessions [3]. The program emphasizes understanding material origins and applications, addressing what course instructor Olga Ioannou identifies as a crucial knowledge gap: ‘Architectural engineers who simply pick a product from a catalog often don’t know how or from what it’s made’ [3].