How to be resilient when times get tough

How to be resilient when times get toughHow to be resilient when times get toughAs proof that weve become a society of wimps, take this into consideration new research confirms that when we run out of legitimate threats to face, we begin to call things that we judged to be harmless in the past as now a threat.The study was undertaken in an effort to understand how legitimate victims of violence have been marginalized so that wimps can use the genau violence to describe any time they feel uncomfortable.Remember the old days when trauma meant someone had been genuinely hurt, often so severely they could no longer function? Now an unpleasant encounter, an aggressive look, or an offensive word can hurl wimps into such a conundrum that they need to landseek out a safe place where they can simper until they have the strength to face the real world.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraIn an effort to be kind to these crybabies, researchers refer to the malady that affects certain segments of ur population as concept creep. The more comfortable a society becomes, the more small indiscretions and problems are morphed into huge obstacles in ur mind.Shit happens. Life is hard. Pain is inevitable. Growth is optional- LaRae QuyMost of ur emotions, like gratitude and compassion, can be developed when things are going good. To develop resilience, however, you need to get knocked down, and more than once. Over time, the more times youre knocked down, the easier it becomes to climb back onto your feet because each time you do, you become stronger, smarter, and less afraid to get knocked down again.Resilient people dont become successful in spite of their trauma they become successful because of it. None of us look forward to trauma in our life, but its a fact of life. Pretending that it wont happen is not a practical approach.Most of us live through at least five or six traumat ic events in our lifetime- we lose someone we love, get divorced, lose a job, experience a serious illness- the list goes on. If we survive these events, we come out stronger and wiser.Trauma does not have to destroy us. Studies show that 90% of people who experience a traumatic event also experience at least one form of personal growth in the following months and years if they have the right mindset.Attitude is that little thing that makes all the difference- Winston ChurchillThe key is to approach challenges and obstacles in ways that will grow resilience. Here are 5 ways to be resilient when times get tough1. Pay Attention To Negative EmotionsTheres so much emphasis on happiness these days that its skewered our understanding of life in the real world. Were told we need to learn how to increase positive emotions and decrease negative ones. Positive thinking is a cornerstone of mental toughness, but its not a free pass to bury our head in the sand about the crap that shows up in li fe so we can pretend it doesnt exist.Resilient people realize negative emotions are completely normal and healthy, so they pay attention to them. The problem isnt that we experience them the problem rears its ugly head when were taught to suppress them or avoid them at all cost.Remember, negative emotions surface for a reason. All emotions can be useful the key is to regulate them so you can choose the situations which are more beneficial to youDont fool yourself into thinking that if you suppress negative emotions youre emotionally healthy. You can wear an emotional diaper and hope things will clean up by themselves, but guess what? When you fight a feeling, it only gets stronger. Scientific studies show that the key is to form a positive framework around the negative emotion.How To Make It Work For You Its not always possible to turn away from disturbing or unfavorable situations but dont ignore negative emotions in hopes theyll go away. To counter them its important to 1) acknowl edge the emotion, and 2) name it for what it is even if its unflattering- especially if its unflattering. Keep it to a couple of words, though, because if you enter into a dialogue about the negative emotion, you give it the opportunity to take root and become even more powerful.2. Dont Stop Because It Hurts A LittleMillions of dollars are spent on self-help books, therapists, and drugs in an attempt to outrun adversity and the pain that comes with it. Heads up, folks- pain is part of the human condition and the sooner you embrace this fact of life, the more content youll be.Resilience is a akin to a muscle. You can sit on your butt all day, watch TV, and eat potato chips. Or, you can exercise, strengthen your bones, and improve circulation. Our brain works in much the same way so its your choice to either take the steps to build a strong mind, or let it decay into a pity puddle where youre too precious to be inconvenienced by something as mundane as pain.Did I mention wimps?Every d ecision you make in life comes down to this are you willing to embrace the pain that comes with the pursuit of things that matter to you? The pursuit of happiness is the active avoidance of growth and maturity. Its childish to believe self-righteous bullshit that justifies your temper tantrums and rage because the world is not perfect- as you see it.Dont be afraid of your fears. Theyre not there to scare you. Theyre there to let you know that something is worth it C. JoyBell C.How To Make It Work For You Dont avoid pain instead, manage your response to it. Be a graceful and strong beacon for how to navigate the depths of your emotions with success. The pain that travels with adversity will produce virtues like bravery, integrity, and humility. Since pain is a universal truth, be smart enough to learn and grow from lifes experiences. All that is required of you is to discover the value and meaning behind it.3. Success Is Not For The Faint-HeartedOur culture glorifies frailty. Psychi atrist Steven Wolin suggests that theres an entire industry that turns people into victims by having them dwell on the traumas in their life rather than grow stronger from them.Resilience is not the ability to escape unscathed. Resilient people have the scars of warfare. They struggle like everyone else.Neuroscience research shows theres only one real way to deal with fear you need to face it, head on. As an FBI agent, I was taught to think Im scared, but I can learn from this. It will make me stronger.Lets get one thing straight- everyone feels uncomfortable when they move toward the threat or obstacle in front of them, but its one of the fruchtwein effective ways to build both resilience and confidence.Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom- Viktor E. FranklHow To Make It Work For You Name your fear. Your ability to experience and describe your emotions with a high level of accuracy is indicative of how you can leverage them. Being fearless doesnt mean eliminating fear it means you know how to manage it.4. Question The CatastropheWhen we dont get our way, whether it be an election or a promotion, many of us spiral into a sense of catastrophe. Were overcome with a sense of hopelessness. We exaggerate the effect of something negative in our life and imagine our entire life is about to fall apart.If we dont question the catastrophe, we give our imagination permission to expect the worst possible outcome in a situation. While its smart to be aware of possible negative outcomes, when we assume the worst will happen we set ourselves up for unnecessary stress.The catastrophic thoughts themselves arent the real problem its that if were not careful, we can really buy into them. When we do, we experience these thoughts as facts. If we allow ourselves to believe our thoughts are true, we get caught up in them and are no longer present to life in the here and now. Bam We throw resilience out the window, roll over, and play victim.Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win- Sun TzuHow To Make It Work For You Catastrophizing is simply letting our negative thoughts take control. Instead, observe the negative thoughts as they come, and as they go. Each time you acknowledge a negative thought, and exercise control over it, you develop resilience. It takes courage to look inwardly into the darkest part of your personality. We all contain bits of light and dark we all contain bits of gold and lead.5. Put A Different Label On Your SituationOften, we can be more resilient if we simply reframe our situation. Emotions like anger and fear are both freighted with energy so, rather than express them in a negative way, channel them into a more positive one. Is it a lump of coal, or is it a diamond in the making?It takes skill to manage our emotions and we get better at it with time and prac tice. The same goes for the way we relabel our situation. If we let the energy from our emotions decide our actions, we wont always cultivate behavior that will best serve us.How To Make It Work For You Research in neuroplasticity has shown us that we can literally re-wire our brain and be more resilient when we change the way we think about a challenge. When we simply put different optics on our situation, we can change the way we think about it.This article first appeared on LaraeQuy.com

Job Interview Question How Do You Stay Organized

Job Interview Question How Do You Stay OrganizedJob Interview Question How Do You Stay OrganizedIf youve been job searching, no matter what the role is, youve probably seen the line excellent organizational skills or can juggle multiple projects at once. With this being a key skill needed for so many jobs, a common interview question is, How do you stay organized?Here are some tips to answer this question the best way possible and stand out as a stellar candidate for the position1. You have a specific ordnungsprinzipEveryone has some type of structure in which they complete their daily to-dos. It doesnt have to be complicated, actually the simpler the better. Think about how you accomplished your tasks this week. Did you review everything at the beginning of the week and prioritize? Do you prioritize by deadline or how important a task is? Do you use Evernote to plan your week, or do you like to write and color-code everything on a master calendar? Articulate your system in a few sen tences that show you have a thoughtful way of keeping all of your responsibilities in order.ExampleI keep track of everything using Google Calendar. I like to fill out big projects on the monthly view, then at the start of every week I like to plan what needs to be done. At the end of every day, I see what I accomplished and add any new tasks that popped up during the day.2. Your system is flexibleInterviewers like that youre able to stay organized even when something unexpected happens. Even if they dont specifically ask how your organizational system is flexible, you should still include that you arent stuck if an unanticipated task is thrown your way.ExampleBecause I review what I need to do at the end of every day, Im able to re-prioritize quickly if Im given a new urgent task during the day.3. Give an example of your system in actionThe way you stand out with this question is giving a specific example in your career where you put your system to work, something unexpected came u p and you were able to handle it well. Having a particular time when you had to use your organization skills will show that youre confident in your abilities and will impress the part interviewing you.ExampleWhen I worked at ACME Software I had to organize all of the logistics for a conference at the end of the month. I had all of the deadlines planned out on Google Calendar. Two weeks before the conference, we had to do a rush order 1,000 more brochures for one of our products. Since I was on time with all of the other responsibilities for the conference it was easy for me to order the extra 1,000 brochures without neglecting my other tasks.Like all answers to interview questions, try to be concise while still being as detailed as possible. Since you prepared for the question, youll be more likely to answer it confidently and with ease. Just take the time to figure out your system and an example, and the delivery will be a piece of cake.

Land the Job With These 4 Executive Summary Tips

Land the Job With These 4 Executive Summary Tips Land the Job With These 4 Executive Summary Tips You’ve heard the job search aphorism that a recruiter only spends five seconds on average scanning a resume before deciding if a candidate moves forward or not. Besides having a polished resume, what else do you need to improve your chances? An executive summary. An executive summary on your resume is similar to your “highlight reel” or what you would write on your LinkedIn profile summary. It’s a concise couple of sentences that highlight your special skills and accomplishments positioned at the top of your resume. So when a recruiter does their five-second scan, they’ll have a clear picture of who you are and why you’re a good fit for the position and the company. How is an executive summary different from an objective statement? An objective statement is a line on your resume explaining the type of role you’re searching for and what you’re looking for in a job. It is considered outdated by today’s recruiters because it focuses on what the candidate wants for themselves, not the value they can bring to the company. An executive summary is different because it sums up your professional achievements and skills into a value proposition on how you can contribute to the company. Here are some dos and don’ts on creating the executive summary that will land you an interview: DO use a few keywords from the job description A lot of resumes submitted through a company’s website go through a computer scan, which is the first test before getting into a recruiter’s hands. Fit keywords into your summary as organically as possible, but don’t overdo it. Copying and pasting every skill from the job description may get you past a computer, but once an actual human scans it they’ll snuff out your copy-and-paste game and immediately dump your resume into the recycle bin. DON’T be vague Like the rest of your resume, being vague in your executive summary will only make you look like you haven’t accomplished anything. A recruiter wants to find a good fit with the qualities listed in the job listing, but you still want to make yourself stand out with an interesting fact or accomplishment. Avoid overly-used phrases such as “results-driven” and “extremely organized.” Instead of “results-driven,” use an example such as, “Ambitious sales associate who exceeded quarterly goals by 50% for the past year.” DO keep it short A quality executive summary can be expressed in three to five sentences. Think of it as the “30-second elevator pitch” on your resumeexcept it’s written and you only have five seconds. It should highlight what makes you a good fit but also pulls the recruiter in so they want to read the whole resume and eventually call you in for an interview. DON’T be boring Depending on the role you’re applying for, be creative with how you present your executive summary. If you’re looking for a design role, you would want to present your summary in the most visually appealing way possible. If you’re searching for a role where you need to be more conservative with resume layout, such as financial services, use vivid details that will paint the image you want to present of yourself. Research different executive summary samples online. Take your favorite aspects and verbiage from different ones and create an executive summary that makes most sense for you and the type of job you want.

How Recruiters Really Read Your Resume

How Recruiters Really Read Your Resume How Recruiters Really Read Your Resume Over the past few years, there’s been a lot of talk about the “6-second rule” after the Ladders showed that recruiters skim a resume for an average of 6 seconds before making a decision. Then, applicant tracking systems (ATS) and their automated scores and filters entered into the mix, causing job seekers to chase their tails on the hunt for the right resume writing strategy. The key is learning how your information may be interpreted by both the ATS and the human reader. As a former corporate recruiter with 15 years of experience in nonprofit, banking, and manufacturing industries, I’ve used several different ATS to review, parse, and reject resumes. Here’s a little secret: not all companies use automated scoring as a method for screening resumes. There is no one way to read a resume Several different factors go into how your resume is interpreted by the reader a recruiter, hiring manager, or both. Volume of applications is one determining factor in the length of time a hiring representative has to dedicate to actually reading a resume. For any given vacancy, I would easily review upwards of 100+ resumes, which didn’t leave a lot of time for reading resumes word for word. Many of these resumes were skimmed via a mobile device as I waited for lunch or binged on reality TV before winding down for some shut-eye. After years in the recruiting industry, I learned that hiring managers often spent quite a bit longer reviewing an ideal candidate’s resume than a recruiter. Grabbing the recruiter’s attention at the first touch is the goal. How I decided which resumes made the cut Here’s a peek into what I looked for when reviewing resumes. First-glance method Upon opening the resume, I often made a split decision concerning a job seeker’s candidacy. I paid close attention to the candidate’s contact information. I needed to know who I could be speaking with, their location, and how quickly I could reach them (via phone or email, etc.). Location was a deal breaker for certain positions since familiarity with the territory was crucial to an employee’s success. I urge job seekers to stop right now and proofread your contact info. Don’t miss opportunities because you’ve transposed your phone number. If you’re a career changer, willing to relocate, or have an employment gap, you’ll especially want to include a cover letter. Recruiters may refer to cover letters to uncover more about the candidate’s career story. As a candidate, your job is to make the recruiter’s job easier. Grab this person’s attention and lead their eyes to the quality information necessary to determine your fit for the role. When this information was nicely formatted with bolding or shading, it influenced me to spend more time reviewing the document. I’d then do a quick scan to assess the resume length. Anything longer than 2 pages and containing wall-to-wall text, jumbled design techniques, or functional formatting didn’t make it far. Functional resumes aren’t totally a negative but many times they raise more concerns than they resolve. Someone in career transition may be tempted to use a functional format, and in many cases, there can be a positive outcome. However, job seekers must keep in mind that functional resumes force recruiters to piece together which skills or achievements correlate with what job - and it’s not always simple to gauge how much experience a candidate has from a bulleted list of competencies. Functional resumes also don’t fare well with the ATS. If at all possible, opt for drawing a parallel between your transferable skills and the requirements in the job posting instead. As for length, your resume is your career brochure, not your autobiography. Reel the hiring representatives in with your relevant career synopsis and stay on task with the focus of the job posting. Your resume is your career brochure, not your autobiography.Ashley Watkins Key requirements After the first glance of a resume, I soaked in the details of “the top third” of the resume. This space on your resume is prime real estate. Be sure to make this portion of your resume keyword-rich, high-impact, and ready to sell. Objective statements are a thing of the past so your career summary should clearly communicate who you are, what you do, and how you add value to the team or organization. From there, I evaluated whether a candidate met the qualifications. I verified fit through education, licenses, certifications, and job titles. Even if you haven’t completed your degree or certification, add it to your resume and list an expected completion date. At some point, you’ll cross paths with a hiring manager willing to make an exception and hire you under the stipulation that you have this must-have requirement completed at a certain point after your hire date. Relevant job titles offer bonus points too. If a past title doesn’t match the posting but your job function is spot on, consider using a slash title (Outside Sales/Operations Manager) to better explain the scope of what you did and emphasize relevant keywords. Check to see if you have the right keywords and titles in your resume right here: Association memberships, industry awards and community involvement were also nice touches to include on your resume. Include accomplishments Next, I wanted to see quantifiable achievements. This didn’t always mean numbers. View your achievement bullets as selling points to guide the interview discussion. Recruiters will look for examples of how you’ve saved money, repaired declining relationships, or increased revenue. By listing high-impact accomplishments, you can quickly demonstrate your contribution to bottom-line results. When candidates did this successfully, I already had an idea of potential salary offer amounts, fit with company culture, and a strategy for selling this candidate to my hiring team. Disqualifiers In case you haven’t figured it out by now, the recruiter’s job is to rule you out, not into, consideration. Quite a bit of time will be spent narrowing down a pool of resumes, so recruiters can only present the best-qualified slate of candidates to the hiring manager. The recruiter’s job is to rule you out, not in.Ashley Watkins Certain red flags are a surefire way to land yourself into the no pile, including omitting dates, having excessive employment gaps, or frequent job changes. Whenever I received a resume with no employment dates or location, I immediately felt as though the applicant was hiding something. I’d share my concerns with the hiring team and was advised on many occasions to move forward with interviews. It never failed that upon further investigation, the candidate would have some out-of-this-world interview story to tell which yielded a rejection letter shortly after that. Attempting to camouflage dates by using the years-only format won’t always work. By using the years-only format, you can add some time onto your short-lived job stint or take away valuable credit for your job history. For example, if you worked somewhere from January 2005 until December 2006 and you’ve used the years-only format (2005-2006), it appears that you have 1 year of experience when you really have 2 years. To ensure ATS compatibility, use the month-year format for your dates. As stated previously, explain employment gaps in your cover letter. When possible, fill the gaps by listing volunteer roles, student responsibilities, or consulting work on the resume to keep the recruiter’s eyes on the resume as long as possible to eliminate the need to stop and refer to the cover letter for answers. The extras You would think it goes without saying but grammar and spelling errors have been and always will be big turn-offs. Be sure to proofread every line in your documents before submitting. I would suggest having someone else give your information a second look. When you’ve reviewed the same information repeatedly, it’s easy to see what should be there and not what’s actually there. Most job seekers don’t consider an email address as an obstacle. However, using an AOL, Yahoo, or cable/internet provider email address can give the impression that you’re outdated or not as tech-savvy as the potential employer desires. Also, some older email service providers have subpar spam filters. I can’t tell you how many applicants were furious about not being selected to interview for my open positions, only to find out they’d never responded to several emails I’d sent them concerning completing assessments. Stick with Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, or an email connected to your personal domain. Also, if you haven’t personalized your LinkedIn URL, now would be a good time to add another layer of professionalism. Related articles: What Do Corporate Recruiters Want? We Asked ThemThe Only Way Recruiters Will Find You on LinkedInAsk Recruiters: How to Nail Your Email Responses and Phone Interview Ashley Watkins, Career Coach and Nationally Certified Résumé Writer with Write Step Resumes, LLC, partners with frustrated job seekers to teach them leading-edge job search strategies for overcoming networking anxiety, articulately communicating theircareer stories, and confidently showcasing how they add unique value to potential employers with their résumés, on their LinkedIn profiles, and in interviews - so theyland more job offers at the salary they deserve. She can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,LinkedIn or viawww.WriteStepResumes.com.

Setting the Right Social Media Strategy for Your Job Search

Setting the Right Social Media Strategy for Your Job Search Setting the Right Social Media Strategy for Your Job Search 5 simple guidelines to help you market your skills and network online.Social media is here to stay, like it or not. The “Big 4” social media players of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube have become tightly intertwined with our personal and professional lives and completely transformed the news media.Millions of people worldwide use some sort of social media channel on a daily, if not hourly, basis to stay in touch with friends and family or to promote their businesses. Social media is becoming increasingly important as a critical method by which to market their skills and network online.To the novice social media user, it can be overwhelming to decide how and where to start interacting online. If your goal is to conduct a successful job search through social media, then anxiety levels can increase for even the most learned user. The good news is that there are some simple guidelines to adhere to when embarking upon how to use social media to secure your dream position.1. Re member Your AudienceA savvy individual always keeps his audience in mind when searching for and communicating with target individuals and organizations. Your time to devote to social media will be limited during the job search process; therefore, it is essential to determine where your audience “lives” online and apply your resources accordingly.Your audience might be former colleagues, HR representatives and executives of ideal employers, current and past clients, alumni connections or professional organizations. You may even determine social media isn’t the quickest path to employment because your fellow professionals only hire from within or rub elbows at industry conferences. If that’s the case then you have just saved yourself time and effort. However, for the vast majority of today’s candidates, an appealing profile and a smart strategy will bolster your search.2. Match Your Audience to a Social Media ChannelIt’s easy to feel compelled to be all things to all peopl e on all social media mediums. This is not the easy road because an effective social media strategy - versus merely hanging up your Internet shingle - takes more time and energy than you might think. The practical strategy is to begin with the one channel that is most germane to your search, reach a level of proficiency or mastery through proven traction with contacts and then decide if you can take on another social media outlet.To help simplify your social media selection, we’ve created a concise overview of the leading social media platforms and what they offer in your job search. Consider your career aspirations and then analyze the opportunities to create with social media. Click on the image above to see the full-size version of our social media overview.3. Build a Professional PresenceThere is an art and a science to building a professional presence online. Here are some basic tips for launching your profile: Career head shot - clean background, nicely groomed hair, business attire Concise overview - quick and impactful statement of your skills and value Compelling content - keep it relevant to your professional field and remember to not post anything you’ll regret later Contact information - e-mail (avoid embarrassing or cute names), phone and listing of any other social media channels such as your Twitter handle Community player - start interacting through posts, applications and connections as soon as you feel comfortable; no time to waste! 4. Make a CommitmentOnce you have built a professional presence online, the key to your success will be an ongoing commitment to tend to your profile, participate in the online community and be an avid adopter of new technological improvements from social media providers, such as Facebook’s new Timeline.5. Critique and Measure Your ProgressSocial media can be fun, educational and a great community builder. However, if your goal is to supplement your job search, then you must periodically evaluate your effectiveness online. Go ahead and ask a few close and not-so-close contacts what they think of your profile. This informal “audit” process will provide valuable feedback to boost your presence.Also, set specific goals for your search. For example, on Twitter you might want to Tweet three to five times per day, have 300 people follow you and get “ReTweeted” once per week. The beauty of social media is that it’s incredibly measurable and there are tools such as Klout that can help you quickly surmise how much power you wield.To know that you’re on the right track with your job search, take note of how many new and valuable contacts you are making, how many “coffees” you are arranging with leads and how many interviews you are securing through your online efforts. The real proof, of course, will be to land the perfect job.Good luck with your search and enjoy the benefits of social media!Editor’s note: This is the first in a series on using social media to best advantage in the job search.

Deadline for Students to Apply for an ASME Scholarship is Ma...

Deadline for Students to Apply for an ASME Scholarship is Ma... Deadline for Students to Apply for an ASME Scholarship is Ma... Deadline for Students to Apply for an ASME Scholarship is March 1 ASME student members who are interested in applying for one of the Societys more than 100 scholarships including the new ASME IGTI Gas Turbomachinery Scholarship should act quickly. The deadline to submit an application is March 1. The ASME Scholarship Program seeks to ensure the future of the mechanical engineering profession while relieving some of the financial burden for ASME student members as they pursue an engineering education. ASME Scholarships are made possible by the generous contributions of donors through the ASME Foundation, the ASME Auxiliary and various independent ASME groups. ASME will offer more than $350,000 in scholarships for the 2019-2020 school year through the ASME Scholarship Program. ASME student members who would like to apply only need to submit a single online application to be considered for all of the scholarships for which they qualify. Scholarships available to undergraduate students for the 2019-2020 school year include the $13,000 Kenneth Andrew Roe Scholarship, the $10,000 Standards Certification Scholarship, the $5,000 Nuclear Engineering Division Scholarship, the $5,000 ASME/SHPE Dual Member Scholarship, the $5,000 Garland Duncan Scholarship, the $4,000 Melvin R. Green Scholarship, the $4,000 Virginia Tech Memorial Scholarship and the $4,000 American Electric Power Scholarship. The new ASME IGTI Gas Turbomachinery Scholarship will be awarded to approximately 20 students each year. The $2,000 scholarship is open to undergraduate or graduate students who are taking at least one course on gas and/or turbomachinery. Applicants must be enrolled in a mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology or related baccalaureate program. Recipients of the scholarship will be selected on the basis of scholastic ability and potential contribution to the mechanical engineering profession. To learn about the various scholarships offered through the ASME Scholarship Program or to view the list of available scholarships, visit the Engineering Scholarships page on ASME.org at www.asme.org/career-education/scholarships-and-grants/scholarship. For more information on scholarship criteria or how to submit an application, visit www.asme.org/career-education/scholarships-and-grants/scholarship/asme-scholarships-how-to-apply. If you have specific questions about the ASME Scholarships Program, contact Beth Lefever, Students and Career Development, at lefeverb@asme.org.

Sweet, Fermented, Sustainable Tires

Sweet, Fermented, Sustainable Tires Sweet, Fermented, Sustainable Tires Sweet, Fermented, Sustainable Tires Your car runs on fossil fuels in more ways than one. Yes, you fill it up with gas to get you from here to there, but the tires on which the vehicle rolls are made predominantly from fossil fuels. But future tires neednt be true environmentallyunfriendly, say researchers from the University of Minnesotas departments of chemical and materials engineering and the University of Massachusetts at Amhersts chemical engineering department. That team has come up with a way to make automobile tires from organic matter, including trees, grasses, and corn. The process just might shift the tire production industry toward the use of renewable resources, says Paul Dauenhauer, a University of Minnesota associate professor of chemical engineering and materialsscience. This research could have a big impact on the multi-billion dollar automobile tires industry, says Dauenhauer, who led the research. But it neednt disrupt automotive producers and car drivers. The sustainably made tires would be able to fit existing and future automotiveaxles the same way current tires do. In other words, vehicle owners would still head to the tire store or automotive dealership to have new tires mounted. In fact, drivers probably wouldnt even notice between conventionally produced and so-called green tires. The biomass-produced car tires would be identical to existing car tires, with the same chemical makeup, color (they wouldnt really be green), shape and performance expectations, Dauenhauer says. Catalytic conversion of biomass-derived chemicals to renewable polymers occurs in laboratory stirred-tank reactors. Image: University of Minnesota The method could also have an effect on the way other rubber-based products are made. Perhaps they too could be more sustainably produced using the same or similar process, he adds. The key to the whole tire-production processwhether biomass or traditionally producedis isoprene, the key molecule in car tires. The researchers wanted to find a way to produce it from the natural products found in many peoples backyards. For decades, tires companies have been looking for ways to produce isoprene from organic matter, Dauenhauer says. Today, chemists make isoprene by breaking petroleum molecules via a thermally driven process known as cracking. The isoprene is then separated from the hundreds of other chemicals produced by cracking and purified. Finally, chemical engineers cause the isoprene to react with itself. This results in the long chains that make up a solid polymer. That solid is the major component of car tires. Researchers believed there had to be a better way. Interest in finding one has risen in tandem with the increase in environmental consciousness. But most of those production efforts have been focused on fermentation, Dauenhauer says. That made sense, as Ethanol, a clean-energy-burning engine fuel and fuel additive, can be produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts. It can, for example, be produced from sugar cane. But isoprene proved a difficult molecule to generate from the microbes that resulted from fermentation. And efforts to make it by processes that didnt include fermentation havent succeeded, Dauenhauer says. Then, the Minnesota and Massachusetts researchers discovered a three-step process that combines biological fermentation with conventional catalytic refiningsimilar to the way petroleum is refinedcan work to create isoprene, he adds. The new process begins with sugars derived from the organic matter. In the first step, the sugars derived from the grasses, corn, and other matter are fermented to form whats called an intermediate, in this case itaconic acid. In the second step, itaconic acid and hydrogen are combined to form a chemical called methyl-THF (tetrahydrofuran). The third step is where the breakthrough occurs. In that step, methyl-THF is dehydrated to form isoprene. Using a catalyst recently discovered at the University of Minnesota, called P-SPP (Phosphorus Self-Pillared Pentasil), the team was able boost the reaction by up to 90 percent. Isoprene made up most of the resulting product. S-PPP surprised researchers with its ability to dramatically boost catalytic efficiency, Dauenhauer says. They had expected positive results, but not the 90 percent boost. Manufacturers could one day have that three-step process to thank for boosting U.S. tire production, says Frank Bates, a University of Minnesota professor of chemical engineering and materials science. Economically, biosourced isoprene could expand domestic production of car tires by using renewable, readily available resources instead of fossil fuels, Bates says. Jean Thilmany is an independent writer. For Further Discussion Economically, bio-sourced isoprene could expand domestic production of car tires by using renewable, readily available resources instead of fossil fuels. Prof. Frank Bates, University of Minnesota