Activities

On 27 March 2025, 14 participants—12 undergraduates and 2 lecturers from Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam—assembled in the computer lab of the School of Chemical Engineering at USM’s Nibong Tebal campus for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Using GaBi training workshop. The workshop was organized by Distinguished International Associates (DIA) 2024 and generously funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE). 

The session began with a warm welcome and overview of the day’s objectives by DIA project leader, Prof. Leo. Following this, Dr. Fadzil delivered a concise laboratory-safety briefing to ensure a secure and productive environment for all attendees. Prof. Leo then introduced the fundamental principles of LCA, and its application and importance to industrial processes such as semiconductor manufacturing. She illustrated that how LCA can identify environmental hotspots and guide sustainable design choices, drawing on real-world case studies to highlight best practices. Transitioning to practical work, Prof. Leo demonstrated the GaBi software interface: defining system boundaries, compiling life-cycle inventory data, and interpreting both midpoint and endpoint impact results. Each participant followed along in a guided hands-on exercise, building a simple LCA model from raw data through graphical result interpretation. In the end, all 14 attendees had not only solidified their theoretical understanding of LCA methodology but had also acquired tangible skills in GaBi software for life-cycle inventory modeling, impact assessment, and sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, they gained deeper insights into how LCA is applied within the semiconductor industry to advance sustainable semiconductor manufacturing.