Academics for Circular Economy (ACE) is an international non-profit network connecting PhD researchers, postdocs and early-career academics working on circular economy topics. ACE strengthens research capacity through peer learning, mentoring and skills development in research design, stakeholder engagement and science communication. Their mission is to bridge the gap between academic research and practical action by connecting researchers with policymakers, industry and civil society actors. Through collaborative projects, workshops and policy dialogues, ACE fosters high-quality, interdisciplinary research that advances circular economy implementation and systemic sustainability transitions globally.

After over a decade in industry, Priya Saikumar has transitioned to academia to complete her PhD on Circular Economy Transitions in the Electrical and Electronic Equipment sector at the University of Oxford. Priya and seven other members met through an online Circular Economy PhD peer community, and recognised that research and practice in the field often remain siloed. As a result, valuable, high-quality doctoral insights are overlooked and reinvented for decision making in policy and industry. To address this, they founded Academics for Circular Economy, a non-profit that bridges academia and practice by making rigorous research accessible to practitioners while also enabling PhD scholars to apply their expertise and break free of the publish-or-perish cycle.