About

The SEAR lab is part of an innovation ecosystem that includes the RFID and Auto Identification and Data Science (RAID) labs where Dr. Jones serves as director, the Center for Stochastic Modeling, Optimization, and Statistics (COSMOS) where Dr. Jones serves as their Sustainability Lab Director, and the Pulsed Power Energy Lab. Other partners include: Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute, NREL, Green Careers Texas, Powerhouse Texas, the Cities of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington, the North Texas Council of Governments, and other public and private organizations.

Mission:

Build the Integrated Infrastructure of the Future: Physical, Digital, Institutional

Vision:

Advance innovation to drive sustainable resource abundance that elevates the human condition; here and among the stars.

Methods:

Analytical methods: Mathematical Optimization, Surrogate Optimization, Simulation, AI / ML, and Specialized Analytics (GIS, LCA, TEA).

Rapid Prototyping and Piloting informed by Mechanical, Electrical, and Chemical Experiments guided by Systems Engineering principles conducted with interdisciplinary teams.

Research Interests:

Physical Infrastructure

• Energy & Critical Mineral Systems (extraction, recovery, recycling)
• Battery and Energy Technology Repurposing (3R-BET: Remanufacturing, Repurposing, Recycling)
• Microgrids and Distributed Generation
• Buildings, Transportation, and Public Works

• Mathematical Optimization, Simulation, and AI/ML
• Surrogate Modeling and Design of Computer Experiments
• GIS, Lifecycle Analysis (LCA), and Technoeconomic Analysis (TEA)
• RFID-Enabled Digital Twins and Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS)
• Supply Chain and Reverse Logistics

Institutional Infrastructure

• Energy and Climate Policy
• Community-Based Deployment and Energy Justice
• Workforce Development and Engineering Education

Cross-Cutting

• Food-Energy-Water Systems
• Health (RFID in Healthcare, Pandemic Supply Chains)
• Industry 4.0 and Operations Management