Welcome to SEAR Lab
Sustainable and Efficient Allocation of Resources
Building the Future of Energy, Infrastructure, and Supply Chains Systems
About SEAR Lab
The Sustainable and Efficient Allocation of Resources (SEAR) Lab, led by Dr. Erick C. Jones Jr., studies energy and critical mineral systems end to end and back: from extraction through manufacturing and deployment to end-of-life recovery. We treat infrastructure as three inseparable layers: the physical systems that move people, energy and materials; the digital systems of records and models that make those flows visible, accountable and optimizable; and the institutional systems of law and policy that protect people, enforce agreements and decide who benefits. We combine analytics with rapid prototyping so organizations can allocate limited resources sustainably, efficiently and resiliently.
Vision
Advance innovation to drive sustainable resource abundance that elevates the human condition; here and among the stars.
Mission
Build the integrated infrastructure of the future: physical, digital and institutional.
Methods
Analytics (mathematical optimization, surrogate optimization, simulation, AI and machine learning, and specialized analytics such as GIS, LCA and TEA) and rapid prototyping and piloting, informed by mechanical, electrical and chemical experiments and guided by systems engineering, with interdisciplinary teams.
Explore the lab
Our active Engineering for One Planet project, bringing sustainability into engineering courses.
Work with us
We work with companies, public agencies, faculty at UTA and other universities, and students. Companies and agencies bring problems and data; faculty team up with us on projects and grant proposals; students join the lab as researchers.
Collaborate with SEAR Lab, or read about our capabilities first.