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Jose F. Alfaro Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan 440 Church St Jose F. Alfaro Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan 440 Church St. Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (734) 882-8138 [email protected] Appointments University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI School for Environment and Sustainability • Assistant Professor of Environmental Practice, 2014 – Present • Faculty Director Sustainability Without Borders, 2014-Present • Research Fellow, William Davidson Institute, 2020-Present • Faculty Fellow Sustainable Living Experience, 2019-2020 • Director of Global Engagement, 2014 – 2016 • Co-director Summer Programs for Excellence in Higher Education for Liberian Development (EHELD) 2010-2013 Mbrace, Inc • Founder, President, 2021 – Present Green Assessment Instruments and Advice (GAIA, SA) • Founder, Co-Principal 2019 - Present Mitsubishi PET Films, Greenville, SC • Research and Development Engineer, 2003 – 2008 Education University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Environment: Ph.D., Natural Resources and Environment, 2014 • Concentration: Sustainable Systems, Complex Systems • Dissertation: “Modeling Emergence of Formal Electricity Networks in Least Developed Countries” • Advisor: Shelie Miller • Advising Committee: Greg Keoleian, Rick Riolo, Ming Xu Clemson University: M.S., Environmental Engineering, 2011 • Concentration: Sustainable Systems, Industrial Ecology • Thesis: “Applying Industrial Symbiosis to Small Holder Farms: Modeling A Case Study in Liberia, West Africa” • Advisor: Shelie Miller • Advising Committee: Cindy Lee, Mark Schlautman University of Tennessee, Knoxville: B.S., Chemical Engineering, 2003, Suma Cum Laude Hiwassee College, Madisonville, TN: Associate of Science, 1999, Suma Cum Laude, Valedictorian Jose F. Alfaro 1/7 Research Interests • Renewable energy deployment for sustainable development • Applications of Industrial Symbiosis and Circular Economy to increase community sustainability • Sustainability Finance • Interdisciplinary, international, and engaged education for sustainable development Peer Reviewed Publications * Denotes graduate student 1. M. Somers, J.F. Alfaro, G. Lewis, “Feasibility of super absorbent polymer recycling and resuse in disposable absorbent hygiene products.” Journal of Cleaner Production, In Press. 2. C.C. Wu, S. Raghavan, A. Pine, J.F. Alfaro, B.J. Love, D.I. Collias, “Dewatering of super absorbent polymers: Alternatives to termal desorption by liquid pase extraction using dimethyl ether.” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol 171, 105641, 2021. 3. J.F. Alfaro, S. A. Miller, “ Analysis of electrification strategies for rural renewable electrification in developiong countries using agent-based models.” Energy for Sustainable Development, vol 61, pp. 89-103, 2021 4. A. Brewer*, J. F. Alfaro, and T. F. Malheiros, “Evaluating the capacity of small farmers to adopt aquaponics systems: empirical evidence from Brazil,” Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, pp. 1–9, 2020. 5. S. Graber*, T. Narayanan.*, J.F. Alfaro, D. Palit. “Perceptions Towards Solar Mini-Grid Systems in India: A Multi-Stakeholder View.” Natural Resources Forum, vol 43, pp. 253-266, 2019. 6. S. Almazán-Casali*, J.F. Alfaro, S. Sikra. “Exploring household willingness to participate in solid waste collection services in Liberia”. Habitat International, vol. 84, pp. 57–64, 2019 7. R. Martinez Criollo*, T. Malheiros, J.F. Alfaro. “Municipal Environmental Management Indicators: a Bottom-up Approach Applied to the Colombian Context.” Social Indicators Research, vol. 141,pp. 1037-1054, 2019 8. J. F. Alfaro & B. Jones. “Social and environmental impacts of charcoal production in Liberia”. Energy for Sustainable Development, vol 47, pp. 124–132, 2018. 9. R. Moreira, T.F. Malheiros, J.F. Alfaro, T.B. Cetrulo, & L.V. Ávila. “Solid waste management index for Brazilian Higher Education Institutions”. Waste Management, vol. 80, pp. 292–298, 2018. 10. S. Graber*, T. Narayanan*, J.F. Alfaro, D. Palit, “Solar Microgrids in Rural India: Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Attributes of Electricity.” Energy for Sustainable Development, vol. 43, pp. 32-43, 2018. 11. J. F. Alfaro, S. Miller, J. X. Johnson, and R. R. Riolo, “Improving rural electricity system planning: An agent-based model for stakeholder engagement and decision making,” Energy Policy, vol. 101, pp. 317–331, Feb. 2017. 12. S. P. Rimer, J. F. Alfaro, L. B. Stadler, C. G. Davis, and H. G. Winful, “Co-Curricular Programs in Liberia for Student Pipeline into Engineering and Agriculture,” International Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 30, no. 6, pp. 1602–1612, 2014. 13. J. Alfaro and S. Miller, “Satisfying the rural residential demand in Liberia with decentralized renewable energy schemes,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews., vol. 30, pp. 903–911, Feb. 2014. Jose F. Alfaro 2/12 14. J. Alfaro and S. Miller, “Applying Industrial Symbiosis to Smallholder Farms: Modeling a Case Study in Liberia, West Africa,” Journal of Industrial Ecology, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 145–154, Nov. 2013. 15. S. A. Miller, S. Moysey, B. Sharp, and J. F. Alfaro, “A Stochastic Approach to Model Dynamic Systems in Life Cycle Assessment,” Journal of Industrial Ecology, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 352–362, 2012. 16. J. F. Alfaro and S. A. Miller, “Planning the Development of Electricity Grids in Developing Countries: An Initial Approach Using Agent Based Models,” in International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST) IEEE, 2011. 17. J. F. Alfaro, B. E. Sharp, and S. A. Miller, “Developing LCA Techniques for Emerging Systems: Game Theory, Agent Modeling as Prediction Tools,” in International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST) IEEE, 2010. Book Chapters * Denotes graduate student + Denotes undergraduate student 18. Ribeiro, G+., Malheiros, A+., Rezende, M.O., Daniel, L.A., Malheiros, T.F., Alfaro, J.F., Landgraf, M.D., 2020. Evaluation Of The Agronomic Viability And Environmental Impacts On An Aquaponic System In The Farm São João - São Carlos - Sp, in: da Silva, H.C. (Ed.), Engenharia Sanitaria e Ambiental: Tecnologias Para a Sustentabilidade 5. Atena, Parana, pp. 37–52. Publications in Review * Denotes graduate student 19. G. Ribeiro+, A. Malheiros+, J.F. Alfaro, T. Malheiros, L. Daniel, M. Landgrad, M.O. Rezende, “Assessment of aquaponics system for improvement of water quality in a tilapia farm: in search of food sustainability for the agricultural and social development of the region.” Aquaculture Engineering, In review. R. 20. D. Wilkins*, C. Thiel, J.F. Alfaro. “Method for Assessing the Environmental Impact of Chronic Disease Treatments: A Life Cycle Environmental Emissions Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Pathways in the United States and Sri Lanka.” Lancet Journal of Public Health. In Review, R. 21. J.F. Alfaro, S. Graber*, “Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Deployment of Food Residue Biomass Minigrids in Liberia.” Biomass and Bioenergy, In Review, R Other Publications and Scholarship of Engagement + Denotes undergraduate student * Denotes graduate student Reports and White Papers 22. J.F. Alfaro, B. Schiessl. “Greenwal SPE. Green Financing Framework Second Opinion.” Oslo: CICERO Shades of Green. 2020. 23. J.F. Alfaro, B. Schiessl. “Reginn Hf. Green Financing Framework Second Opinion.” Oslo: CICERO Shades of Green. 2020. https://www.reginn.is/en/investors/green-financing/. Jose F. Alfaro 3/12 24. M. Somers*, J.F. Alfaro, G. Lewis, “Feasibility of Superabsorbent Polymer Recycling in Disposable Absorbent Hygiene Products: A Total Life Cycle Approach.” Report for Proctor and Gamble Company, Ann Arbor, MI, 2020. 25. C. VanderWilde*, M. Somers*, J.F. Alfaro, “Preliminary Social Life Cycle Assessment of Coral Reef Regeneration in Samara, Costa Rica Via Proyecto Corales,” White Paper in Collaboration with Costa Rican National Institute of Learning and Sustainability Without Borders. Samara, Costa Rica, 2019. 26. S. Almazan*, B. Yarlagadda+, M. Green*, and J.F. Alfaro. Using Industrial Symbiosis Concepts to Reduce Flexible Packaging Flow to Landfill in Developing Countries. Report for Proctor and Gamble Company, Ann Arbor, MI, 2017 27. J.F., Alfaro, S. Graber*, T. Narayanan*, and T. Levin. Rural Renewable Electrification in Liberia: Outcomes and Opportunities from a Stakeholder Workshop. White Paper in Collaboration with Rural Renewable Energy Agency of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia, 2017 Broadcasts and Media Appearances 28. J.F. Alfaro, “Renewable Energy Generation with Coffee Biomass”, Casa Pueblo Universitario. Radio show episode, Radio Casa Pueblo, Adjuntas Puerto Rico, 25 April, 2020. (Delivered in Spanish). 29. J.F. Alfaro, A. Massol Deyá, “Insurrección Energética”, NotiCentro por La Mañana. TV News Show, WAPA TV, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Interview by Ada Monzón. 21 February, 2020. (Delivered in Spanish). 30. J.F. Alfaro, G. Zúñiga, “Sustainable Water Desalination,” Voz de Guanacaste TV News Show, Interview by Adrian Rojas. Nicoya, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 18 March, 2019. 31. J.F. Alfaro, I. Perfect, “UM Researchers helping farmers, making energy in Puerto Rico,” Stateside, Michigan Public Radio, Interview by Lester Graham, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 27 September, 2018. Capacity Building Presentations, Workshops and Conferences Organized 32. J.F. Alfaro, “Environmental and Social Life-Cycle Assessment as Metric Development Tools in Sustainable Financing”, Invited Panelist, United Nations, BioFin Latin America Regional Meeting, Cartagena, Colombia. June 10th-14th, 2019. 33. J.F. Alfaro, “Energy Positive Communities”, Invited Speaker, Global Sustainable Technology and Innovation Conference, Brussels, Belgium,
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