Nabil Nasr, CEO of the REMADE Institute, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s 2023 Innovate Michigan! Summit, which will take place Aug. 17 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing. Nasr will speak on the topic of "Accelerating Circular Economy: Boosting Economic Development and Social & Environmental Balance."

Rex LaMore, director of MSU’s Center for Community and Economic Development, states that: “The transition of Michigan's economy to a waste-free circular economy is a multi-billion dollar transformation. Our sustainable and globally competitive economic future is contingent on our capacity to adapt to reducing waste and maximizing the reuse of products. Dr. Nasr is a global leader in guiding this transformation and we are very excited that he will be our REI Summit keynoter.”

The REMADE Institute, a 171-member public-private partnership funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy with an initial investment of $140 million, invests in research, development and deployment projects to accelerate the nation’s transition to a Circular Economy. The Institute works in partnership with industry, academia, trade associations and national labs, with a focus on addressing knowledge gaps that eliminate and/or mitigate technical and economic barriers that prevent greater material reuse, remanufacturing, recovery and recycling.

In his role as CEO, Nasr oversees all institute activities from research strategy and roadmap development to membership engagement of the Institute’s partners. Nasr also serves as the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Director of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability. He has worked in the fields of sustainable manufacturing, remanufacturing, clean production, and sustainable product development for over 25 years, and is considered an international leader in research and development efforts in those disciplines. He has served as an expert delegate for the U.S. government in several international forums, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. He also serves as a trustee with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and an expert delegate with the United Nations Environment Programme International Resource Panel.

The MSU EDA University Center for Regional Economic Innovation was created in 2011 by the Michigan State University Center for Community and Economic Development and funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration. Its goal is to work with Michigan's most economically vulnerable communities and aid them into becoming economically vibrant places that encourage high-growth entrepreneurial development and create well-paid, sustainable new-economy jobs.

Through annual solicitations and funding, REI is engaged in strategic partnerships and collaborative learning to develop and share the most innovative economic development tools, models, policies, and practices that are used in the world today. As one of the most popular and dynamic university-community gatherings in the state, the Innovate Michigan! Summit brings together academics, economic development professionals, students, business and community leaders from across Michigan and the Midwest. The program is designed to address emerging economic development issues and innovations that impact Michigan communities. It also provides a unique opportunity for attendees to meet and discuss emerging economic issues and challenges in distressed communities. In addition, the Summit creates a platform to network with professionals from diverse organizations and backgrounds.

For more information about the Summit and to register, visit reicenter.org/events/innovate-michigan-summit-2023 or contact Jenan Jondy at (517) 884-6477 or jondyjen@msu.edu.