Biography

Lauren Basson holds BSc and MSc degrees in Chemical Engineering (University of Cape Town, South Africa) and a PhD degree in Chemical Engineering (University of Sydney, Australia). Previously, she has worked as an environmental process engineer specialising in the mining and minerals processing sectors, and as a consultant to the South African electrical utility (Eskom) developing, among other, multiple objective decision support models and systems for technology selection for electricity generation. 

Research Interests

Industrial Ecology: Theoretical Foundations & Industrial Symbiosis

Life Cycle Management:
       Life Cycle Assessment
       Extended Producer Responsibility - focus on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

Complexity Science for Sustainability

Management Science/Operations Research: Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis

Research Collaborations

Research Collaboration

Projects

Co-Investigator Research Project: Evolution and Resilience of Industrial Ecosystems,
Awarded for June 2010 – May 2016 under UK EPSRC Complexity Science for the Real World theme. Collaborative research project between the Centre for Environmental Strategy and Departments of Sociology, Mathematics and Computer Science to develop practical complexity science based tools to support policy making for sustainable industrial development.

Co-Investigator Research Project: SYMPACT: Tools for assessing the systemic impact of technology deployments on energy use and climate emissions. Awarded Dec 2010 – Nov 2012 under UK EPSRC call “Transforming Energy Demand through Digital Innovation” (TEDDI). Case study provided by Guardian Media Group.

Research Supervision

PhD
• Phil Holmes, Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the UK Petroleum Oil Refining Industry, PhD awarded in April 2009
• Stephen Wood, An Investigation into the Fate of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) at End-of-Life to Inform Strategies for Management, due for submission April 2012

Engineering Doctorate
• Neil Weston: Identifying More Sustainable Technological Solutions for the Oil Refining Industry, Chevron/Texaco, Pembroke, submitted April 2011
• Paul Jensen: Incorporating Industrial Symbiosis into Regional Resource Planning, National Industrial Symbiosis Programme, Yorkshire and Humber region and Link2Energy, Brigg, due for submission December 2011
• David Cobbledick: Multiple Criteria Decision Support for Industrial Symbiosis Development, International Synergies Limited, Birmingham, due for submission December 2011
• Stephen Wood. Developing methodologies for managing the sustainability of digital products in the news media industry, Guardian News Media Ltd, London, due for submission December 2012

Publications

Journal Papers

• Jensen, P.D; Basson, L.; Hellawell, E., Bailey, M.R.; Leach, M. (2011). “Quantifying ‘geographic proximity’: Experiences from the United Kingdom's National Industrial Symbiosis Programme “, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, article in press, doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2011.02.003
• Mayers, K.; Peagam, R.; France, C., Basson, L; Clift, R. (2011). “Redesigning the Camel. The European WEEE Directive”. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 15(1), 4-8
• Weston, N., Clift, R., Holmes, P., Basson, L., White, N. (2010). “Streamlined Life Cycle Approaches for Use at Oil Refineries and Other Large Industrial Facilities”, Industrial and Engineering Chemical Research, 50 (3), 1624–1636
• Brandão, M.; Basson, L; Milà i Canals, L.; Clift, R (2010). “Integrated Sustainability Impact Assessment of Multifunctional Land Use: A Life Cycle Approach to Characterizing Agricultural, Silvicultural and Bioenergy Systems for the Provision of Ecosystem Services and for their Carbon Footprint”, Sustainability, 2, 3747-3776; doi:10.3390/su2123747
• Weston, N., Clift, R., Basson, L., Pouton, A., White, N. (2008). "Assessment of Cleaner Process Options: A Case Study from Petroleum Refining". The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 86(3), 302-315
• Milà i Canals L.; Cowell, S.J., Sim. S., Basson L (2007) "Comparing Domestic versus Imported Apples: A Focus on Energy Use." Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 14 (5) 338 - 344 (2007)
• Heinrich, G., Howells, M., Basson, L and Petrie, J.G. (2007) “Electricity Supply Industry Modelling For Multiple Objectives Under Demand Growth Uncertainty”, Energy, 32 (11), 2210-2229
• Heinrich, G., Basson, L, Cohen, B. Petrie, J.G. and Howells, M. (2007). “Ranking Power Expansion Alternatives for Multiple Objectives under Uncertainty”. Energy, 32 (12), 2350-2369
• Basson, L. and Petrie, J. G (2007). “A Critical Systems Approach to Decision Support for Process Engineering”. Computers and Chemical Engineering, 31 (8), 876–888
• Basson, L. and Petrie, J. G (2007). “An Integrated Approach for the Management of Uncertainty in Decision Making Supported by LCA-Based Environmental Performance Information”. Environmental Modelling and Software, Special Issue on Environmental Decision Support Systems, 22, 167-176
• Stewart, M., Basson, L. and Petrie, J. G. (2003). "Evolutionary Design for Environment in Minerals Processing." Trans IChemE (Part B): Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 81(5), 341-351.
• Seppälä, J., Basson, L. and Norris, G. A. (2001). "Decision Analysis Frameworks for Life-Cycle Impact Assessment." Journal of Industrial Ecology, 5(4), 45-68.

Book Chapters

• Kempener, R., Cohen, B., Basson, L., Petrie, J. (2009), “A Framework for Analysis of Industrial Networks”, in: Dynamics of Industrial Ecosystems, eds. M. Ruth and B. Davidsdottir, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham
• Petrie, J. G., Basson, L., Notten, P. J. and Stewart, M. (2004). “Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: The Case of Power Generation in South Africa.” Sustainable Development in Practice: Case Studies for Engineers and Scientists. A. Azapagic, R. Clift and S. Perdan, Eds. John Wiley, London

Editorials
• Dijkema, G.J.P. and Basson, L. “Complexity and Industrial Ecology Foundations for a Transformation From Analysis to Action”. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 13(2), 157-164

PhD Thesis

Basson, L. (2004). Context, Compensation and Uncertainty in Environmental Decision Making. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Sydney, Australia, available from http://hdl.handle.net/2123/1506

Teaching

• 2006 – present:
Module organiser and principal lecturer, MSc module on Life Cycle Approaches for MSc in Environmental Strategy/Sustainable Development/Corporate Environmental Management
includes postgraduate level material on Integrated Product Policy, Life Cycle Assessment, Carbon Footprinting, Material and Substance Flow Analysis and Design for Environment

• 2006 – present:
Lecturer on undergraduate courses in Sustainable Engineering (level 1, all engineering degrees, 2006-2009), Corporate Sustainability (level 2, chemical engineering, 2006-2009) and Design for Sustainability (level 3 and MEng, chemical engineering, 2006-present), responsible for material on life cycle thinking, Life Cycle Assessment and Value Chain Analysis

• 2006-2007:
Programme Director and principal lecturer for final two years (2006 and 2007)
of UK EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Science Research Council) sponsored
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/MSc in Environmental Life Cycle Management,
included supervision and assessment of students doing Life Cycle Assessment and more general Life Cycle Management studies for companies/organisations including Corus Steel, Unilever, 3M, Marley Eternit, ERM, BRE and the UK Environment Agency

• 2007:
Course Coordinator and Course Co-Designer, Value Chain Modelling Course, presented in 2007 as part of the EU Marie Curie Postgraduate School of Industrial Ecology (PSIE),
course covered both economic and social value chain analysis

• 2007-2009: Guest Lecturer, City University, London, BEng (Mechanical Engineering), lectures on Life Cycle Thinking, Life Cycle Assessment and Design for Environment