Callie Babbitt
Professor
Department of Sustainability
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
585-475-6277
Office Location
Callie Babbitt
Professor
Department of Sustainability
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
Education
BS, Georgia Institute of Technology; MS, Ph.D., University of Florida
Bio
Dr. Callie Babbitt is a Professor of Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology. Callie's research group aims to create circular economy solutions to recover value from waste streams - including food waste, consumer electronics, plastics, and lithium-ion batteries. The research group is not currently accepting new Ph.D. students. A limited number of funded M.S. positions are available; interested students should apply directly to the Sustainable Systems MS program.
Callie has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from University of Florida. She is a Fulbright U.S. Scholar and a recipient of the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career (CAREER) Award and the AT&T Technology and Environment Award.
585-475-6277
Areas of Expertise
Sustainability
Electronic Waste and Battery Recycling
Food Waste Management
Life Cycle Assessment
Eco-design and circular economy
Food-energy-water nexus
Select Scholarship
Journal Paper
Althaf, S and CW Babbitt. "Disruption Risks to Material Supply Chains in the Electronics Sector." Resources, Conservation and Recycling. (2020): 105248. Print.
Moore, EA, et al. "Spatial Modeling of a Second-use Strategy for Electric Vehicle Batteries to Improve Disaster Resilience and Circular Economy." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 160. (2020): 104889. Print.
Althaf, S, CW Babbitt, and R Chen. "The Evolution of Consumer Electronic Waste in the United States." Journal of Industrial Ecology. (2020): 1. Print.
Babbitt, CW. "Sustainability Perspectives on Lithium-ion Batteries." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 22. 6 (2020): 1213-1214. Print.
Babbitt, CW, et al. "Disassembly-based Bill of Materials Data for Consumer Electronic Products." Scientific Data 7. 1 (2020): 1-8. Print.
Armington, WR, CW Babbitt, and RB Chen. "Variability in Commercial and Institutional Food Waste Generation and Implications for Sustainable Management Systems." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 155. (2020): 104622. Print.
Fu, X, et al. "Perspectives on Cobalt Supply through 2030 in the Face of Changing Demand." Environmental Science & Technology 54. 5 (2020): 2985-2993. Print.
Babbitt, CW. "The Role of Clean Technology Research in Creating Sustainable Urban Food Waste Solutions." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 22. (2020): 1-4. Print.
Moore, EA, et al. "Spatial Perspectives Enhance Modeling of Nanomaterial Risks." Journal of Industrial Ecology 24. 4 (2020): 1. Print.
Kasulaitis, BV, CW Babbitt, and AC Tyler. "The Role of Consumer Preferences in Reducing Material Intensity of Eelectronic Products." Journal of Industrial Ecology. (2020): 1. Print.
Babbitt, CW, et al. "Closing the Loop on Circular Economy Research: from Theory to Practice and Back Again." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 135. (2018): 1-2. Print.
Kasulaitis, BV, CW Babbitt, and AK Krock. "Dematerialization and the Circular Economy: Comparing Strategies to Reduce Material Impacts of the Consumer Electronic Product Ecosystem." Journal of Industrial Ecology 23. (2018): 119-132. Print.
Garvey, T, et al. "Comparing Ecotoxicity Risks for Nanomaterial Production and Release under Uncertainty." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 21. (2019): 229-242. Print.
Moore, EA, et al. "Cascading Ecological Impacts of Fullerenes in Freshwater Ecosystems." Environmental toxicology and chemistry 38. (2019): -. Print.
Leader, A, G Gaustad, and CW Babbitt. "The Effect of Critical Material Prices on the Competitiveness of Clean Energy Technologies." Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy 8. (2019): 8. Print.
Babbitt, CW. "The Role of Clean Technology Research in Disaster Debris Management." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 21. (2019): 923-924. Print.
Cabral, S Ponte, et al. "Fullerene Toxicity in the Benthos with Implications for Freshwater Ecosystem Services." Science of the Total Environment 687. (2019): 451-459. Print.
Althaf, S, CW Babbitt, and R Chen. "Forecasting Electronic Waste Flows for Effective Circular Economy Planning." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 151. (2019): 104362. Print.
Ryen, EG., et al. "Ecological Foraging Models as Inspiration for Optimized Recycling Systems in the Circular Economy." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 135. (2018): 48-57. Print.
Moore, EA, et al. "Portfolio optimization of nanomaterial use in clean energy technologies." Environmental Science & Technology 52. (2018): 4440-4448. Print.
Moore, EA and CW Babbitt. "Sustainable nanomaterials by design." Nature Nanotechnology 13. (2018): 621. Print.
Babbitt, CW. "Communicating science for clean technology." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 20. (2018): 1735-1736. Print.
Leader, A, et al. "The consequences of electronic waste post-disaster: a case study of flooding in Bonn, Germany." Sustainability 10. (2019): 4193. Print.
Richa, K., C.W. Babbitt, and G. Gaustad. "Environmental Trade-offs Across Cascading Lithium-Ion Battery Life Cycles." International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 22. 1 (2017): 68-81. Print.
Babbitt, CW. "A "Systems" Perspective on Clean Technology." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. (2017): 2341-2341. Print.
Babbitt, CW. "Foundations of Sustainable Food Waste Solutions: Innovation, Evaluation, and Standardization." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. (2017): 1255-1256. Print.
M.L., Bustamante,, et al. "Life cycle assessment of jointly produced solar energy materials: Challenges and best practices." Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 156. (2016): 11-26. Print.
X., Wang,, Gaustad, G., and Babbitt, C.W. "Targeting high value metals in lithium-ion battery recycling via shredding and size separation." Waste Management 51. (2016): 204-213. Print.
X., Wang,, Gaustad, G., and Babbitt, C.W. "Targeting high value metals in lithium-ion battery recycling via shredding and size separation." Waste Management 51. (2016): 204-213. Print.
M., Komeijani,, Ryen, E.G., and Babbitt, C.W. "Bridging the Gap between Eco-Design and the Human Thinking System." Challenges 7. 1 (2016): 1-16. Web.
K.R., Bawden,, Williams, E.D., and Babbitt, C.W. "Mapping product knowledge to life cycle inventory bounds: a case study of steel manufacturing." Journal of Cleaner Production 113. (2016): 557-564. Print.
Ryen, EG, CW Babbitt, and ED Williams. "Consumption-Weighted Life Cycle Assessment of a Consumer Electronic Product Community." Environmental Science & Technology 49. 4 (2015): 2549-2559. Print.
Kasulaitis, BV, et al. "Evolving Materials, Attributes, and Functionality in Consumer Electronics: Case Study of Laptop Computers." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 100. (2015): 1-10. Print.
Ryen, E.G., et al. "Community Ecology Perspectives on the Structural and Functional Evolution of Consumer Electronics." Journal of Industrial Ecology 8. (2014): 708-721. Print.
Richa, K., et al. "A Future Perspective on Lithium-ion Battery Waste Flows from Electric Vehicles." Resources, Conservation, and Recycling 83. (2014): 63-76. Print.
Wang, X., et al. "Economies of Scale for Future Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Infrastructure." Resources, Conservation, and Recycling 83. (2014): 53-62. Print.
Wang, X., et al. "Economic and Environmental Characterization of an Evolving Li-ion Battery Waste Stream." Journal of Environmental Management 135. (2014): 126-134. Print.
Ganter, M.J., et al. "Cathode Refunctionalization as a Lithium Ion Battery Recycling Alternative." Journal of Power Sources 256. (2014): 274-280. Print.
Krystofik, M., C.W. Babbitt, and G. Gaustad. "When Consumer Behavior Dictates Life-cycle Performance Beyond the Use Phase: Case Study of Inkjet Cartridge End-of-life Management." International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 19. (2014): 1129-1145. Print.
Ebner, J., et al. "Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Impacts of a Novel Process for Converting Food Waste to Ethanol and Co-products." Applied Energy 130. 86-93 (2014): 86-93. Print.
Anctil, A., et al. "Cumulative Energy Demand for Small Molecule and Polymer Photovoltaics." Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications 21. 7 (2013): 1541-1554. Web.
Lin, J., C.W. Babbitt, and T. Trabold. "Life Cycle Assessment Integrated with Thermodynamic Analysis of Bio-fuel Options for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells." Bioresource Technology 128. (2013): 495-504. Web.
Lobos, A. and C.W. Babbitt. "Integrating Emotional Attachment and Sustainability in Electronic Product Design." Challenges 4. (2013): 19-33. Web.
Lin, J., C. W. Babbitt, and T. Trabold. "Life Cycle Assessment Integrated with Thermodynamic Analysis of Bio-Fuel Options for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells." Bioresource Technology. (2012) Web.
Anctil, A., et al. "Cumulative Energy Demand for Small Molecule and Polymer Photovoltaics." Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications. (2012) Web.
Schauerman, C. M, et al. "Recycling Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Anodes from Lithium Ion Batteries." Journal of Materials Chemistry 22. (2012): 12008-12015. Print.
Anctil, Annick, et al. "Material and Energy Intensity of Fullerene Production." Environmental Science & Technology 45. 6 (2011): 2353-2359. Print.
Babbitt, Callie W., Eric D. Williams, and Ramzy Kahhat. "Institutional Disposition and Management of End-of-Life Electronics." Environmental Science and Technology 45. 12 (2011): 5366-5372. Print.
Deng, Liqui, Callie W. Babbitt, and Eric D. Williams. "Economic-balance Hybrid LCA Extended with Uncertainty Analysis: Case Study of a Laptop Computer." Journal of Cleaner Production 19. 11 (2011): 1198-1206. Print.
Book Chapter
Livingston, Andrew, et al. "Challenges and Directions for Green Chemical Engineering—Role of Nanoscale Materials." Challenges and Directions for Green Chemical Engineering—Role of Nanoscale Materials. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier, 2020. 1-18. Print.
Ebner, JH, et al. "Environmental Aspects of Food Waste-to-Energy Conversion." Sustainable Food Waste-To-energy Systems. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2018. 177-201. Print.
Armington, WR, RB Chen, and CW Babbitt. "Challenges and Innovations in Food Waste-to-Energy Management and Logistics." Sustainable Food Waste-To-energy Systems. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2018. 259-271. Print.
Ryen, EG., CW. Babbitt, and A. Lobos. "Life Cycle Thinking and Sustainable Design for Emerging Consumer Electronic Product Systems." Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Design. Abingdon, England: Routledge International Handbook, 2018. 148-169. Print.
Journal Editor
Babbitt, CW, ed. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. Heidelberg: Elsevier, 2020. Print.
Babbitt, CW, ed. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. Heidelberg: Springer, 2019. Print.
Babbitt, Callie, ed. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. Special Issue on Circular Economy: Elsevier, 2017. Print.
Babbitt, Callie, ed. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. Associate Editor: Springer, 2016. Print.
External Scholarly Fellowships/National Review Committee
3/25/2019 -3/24/2020
National Science Foundation
Amount: 47,742
National Science Foundation
Amount: 47,742
12/1/2019 -11/30/2024
National Science Foundation
Amount: 513,442
National Science Foundation
Amount: 513,442
4/4/2019 -2/28/2020
Consumer Technology Association
Amount: 28,000
Consumer Technology Association
Amount: 28,000
1/1/2017 - 1/31/2018
Consumer Technology Association
Amount: $90,000
Consumer Technology Association
Amount: $90,000
9/1/2016 - 8/31/2020
National Science Foundation
Amount: $991,925
National Science Foundation
Amount: $991,925
1/1/2017 - 1/31/2018
Consumer Technology Association
Amount: $90,000
Consumer Technology Association
Amount: $90,000
8/1/2016 - 5/31/2017
Staples Sustainable Innovation Lab
Amount: $36,148
Staples Sustainable Innovation Lab
Amount: $36,148
8/1/2014 - 7/31/2017
National Science Foundation
Amount: 300,854
National Science Foundation
Amount: 300,854
7/1/2013 - 6/30/2018
National Science Foundation CAREER
Amount: 400,355
National Science Foundation CAREER
Amount: 400,355
9/1/2012 - 8/31/2015
National Science Foundation
Amount: $298,610
National Science Foundation
Amount: $298,610
Full Length Book
Trabold, T and CW Babbitt. Sustainable food waste-to-energy systems. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2018. Print.
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Babbitt, CW. "International Reviewer." Make Our Planet Great Again Selection Committee. Agence Nationale de la Recherche. Paris, France. 18 Dec. 2018. Address.
Babbitt, Callie. "Sustainable Materials Management for Consumer Technology." CES 2017. Consumer Technology Association. Las Vegas, NV. 7 Jan. 2017. Keynote Speech.
Babbitt, CW. "Sustainable Food Waste Management." U.S. Delegate to the G7 Environmental Ministers Meeting. University of Bologna. Bologna, Italy. 9 Jun. 2017. Address.
Babbitt, CW. "International Reviewer." Make Our Planet Great Again Selection Committee. Agence Nationale de la Recherche. Paris, France. 23 Nov. 2017. Address.
Babbitt, Callie. "The Food Waste Dilemma." 2016 Disruptive Innovation Festival. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Rochester, NY. 9 Nov. 2016. Address.
Babbitt, Callie. "Life cycle assessment of engineered nanomaterials." International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials. Colorado School of Mines. Golden, CO. 16 Aug. 2016. Keynote Speech.
Babbitt, Callie. "Ecological Models for Analyzing Consumer Electronics." Department Symposium. Syracuse University. Syracuse, NY. 26 Apr. 2016. Lecture.
Babbitt, C.W. "Product Stewardship in the Digital Era." Invited Presentation. Roberts Wesleyan College. Rochester, NY. 28 Mar. 2014. Lecture.
Richa, K. and C.W. Babbitt. "Environmental Trade-offs of Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion Batteries with a Cascading Second Life." International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology. ISSST. Oakland, CA. 18 May 2014. Conference Presentation.
Babbitt, C.W. "End-of-life Lithium Ion Batteries from Electric Vehicles: A Future Perspective on Waste Flows." School of Natural Resources & Environment. University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI. 22 Nov. 2013. Lecture.
Babbitt, C.W. "Life Cycle Validation of Sustainability and Design Outcomes Possible from Eco-design Tool Application." LCA XIII. Conference of the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment. Orlando, FL. 2 Oct. 2013. Conference Presentation.
Babbitt, C.W. "Adapting Ecological Models for Analysis of Emerging Technologies." International Symposium of Sustainable Systems and Technology. ISSST. Cincinatti, OH. 16 May 2013. Conference Presentation.
Babbitt, Callie W. "Institutional Disposition and Management of End-of-Life Computing Equipment." Sustainable Electronics Initiative Symposium. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. UIUC, Champaign, IL. 22 Mar. 2011. Conference Presentation.
Published Conference Proceedings
Fumagalli, M. E, et al. "A Framework for the Integration of System Engineering and Functional Analysis Techniques to the Goal and Scope of Life Cycle Assessment." Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. Chicago, IL: n.p., Print.
Gaustad, G, et al. "Economic and Environmental Trade-Offs for Li-Based Battery Recycling." Proceedings of the Battery Recycling Symposium, Energy Conversion and Storage Proceedings, The Minerals, Metals, and Materials. Orlando, FL: n.p., Print.
Lin, Jay, et al. "Assessment of Bio-fuel Options for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-based Auxiliary Power Units." Proceedings of the 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST). Ed. unknown. Chicago, IL: IEEE, Print.
Published Article
Babbitt, C.W., and A.S. Lindner. “Effect of nitrogen source on methanol oxidation and genetic diversity of methylotrophic mixed cultures enriched from pulp and paper mill biofilms.”Biodegradation, (2010). Web. * É
Formal Presentation
Babbitt, Callie, and Erinn Ryen. “Product and function evolution in information and communication technologyLCA studies.” LCAX: Conference of the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment.Portland, OR. 03 Nov 2010. Presentation. "
Babbitt, Callie, and Erinn Ryen. “Bridging the Gap in Forward and Reverse Supply Chains for EvolvingElectronic Products.” InternationalSymposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology. Arlington, VA. 17-19 May 2010. Presentation. "
Babbitt, Callie,Rachel Deng, and Eric Williams. “Economic-Balance Hybrid Life Cycle Assessment of a Laptop Computer.” Electronics andSustainability Symposium. Champaign, IL. 23-24 Feb. 2010. Presentation.
Currently Teaching
ISUS-701
Independent Study
1 - 3 Credits
An independent project in sustainability not covered in the available courses. This project can be experimental research, literature review, or other appropriate work. This course requires a formal proposal and a faculty sponsor.
ISUS-702
Fundamentals of Sustainability Science
3 Credits
This course prepares students to understand grand challenges in sustainability, conduct original research related to sustainable production and consumption systems, and apply the scientific method in an integrative, team-based approach to graduate research. This course introduces fundamental concepts that are essential to understanding the interaction of economic, environmental, and social systems. Successful students will understand multiple perspectives on sustainability, the importance of sustainability as an ethical concept, behavioral impacts to sustainable solutions, and a life-cycle approach to organizing research related to sustainability. It is a core course within the Sustainability program.
ISUS-704
Industrial Ecology
3 Credits
Industrial ecology is the study of the interaction between industrial and ecological systems. Students in this course learn to assess the impact and interrelations of production systems on the natural environment by mastering fundamental concepts of ecology as a metaphor for industrial systems and the resultant tools from industrial ecology, including life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, and energy and greenhouse gas accounting. This is a core course within the Sustainability Ph.D. program.
ISUS-780
Capstone
1 - 6 Credits
An independent project in sustainability serving as a capstone experience for students completing the non-thesis option. This course requires a formal proposal and a faculty sponsor.
ISUS-790
Thesis
1 - 6 Credits
Independent research in sustainability leading to the completion of the MS thesis. This course requires a formal proposal and a faculty sponsor.
ISUS-791
Continuation of Thesis
0 Credits
MS or PhD students requiring additional time to complete their thesis
ISUS-807
Research
1 - 9 Credits
Research in fulfillment of Sustainability Ph.D. dissertation or M.S. capstone requirements.
ISUS-877
Research Internship
0 Credits
The Research Internship is designed to enhance the educational experience of PhD students through full-time employment.
ISUS-890
Dissertation Research
1 - 9 Credits
Research fulfillment of Sustainability Ph.D. dissertation requirements.
In the News
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January 12, 2023
![exterior of a multistory building with a wall of glass windows and solar panels on the roof.]()
RIT’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability forms partnership agreement with Wells College
A partnership agreement between RIT’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability and Wells College will enable students from the Aurora, N.Y., school to enroll in RIT’s sustainable systems MS degree program.
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November 21, 2022
![graphic reads: research news.]()
Dozens of RIT researchers included on Stanford University’s list of the world’s top 2% of scientists
Numerous Rochester Institute of Technology faculty, professors emeriti, and postdoctoral researchers were recognized as top-cited scientists in their fields, according to a Stanford University study published by Elsevier.
