Greening the Lab symposium

Описание: Symposium: Greening the Lab: Decarbonising Biomedical Science

Welcome to our online event which will explore the world of sustainable practices in biomedical science through the artistic perspective of internationally renowned artist Anna Dumitriu and her expert scientific collaborators. Join us for insightful discussions with expert speakers sharing their knowledge on how to make healthcare and biomedical science more eco-friendly and what impact working with an artist can have. Learn about the latest innovations and strategies to reduce carbon footprint in research settings. Whether you're a scientist, artist, researcher, policymaker, student, or simply passionate about sustainability and art, this symposium is perfect for anyone interested in greening the lab. This event is a unique opportunity to be part of the movement towards a more sustainable future in biomedical science.

“Greening the Lab: Decarbonising Biomedical Science” is an artistic intervention in the framework of the EU VOICE project by Anna Dumitriu which aims to drive forward the decarbonisation of biomedical science and healthcare and raise awareness of sustainability in this field which currently accounts for almost 5% of global greenhouse gas emission through artistic interventions.

Anna Dumitriu has been collaborating with and communities of biomedical scientists and medics in the field of microbiology and infectious diseases: the Healthcare Associated Infection Team at the University of Leeds, Modernising Medical Microbiology at the University of Oxford, and Brighton and Sussex Medical School/University Hospitals Sussex. Join Anna and her collaborators to learn about the project’s final results, impact and next steps.

Microbiology, infectious diseases, and in particular hospital associated infectious diseases are particularly challenging to decarbonise, as cross-contamination and the risk of infection means that many single use plastic items are used, for example Petri dishes and pipette tips, but also some metal devices such as those used in operating theatres are also treated as single use. Our project asks how these items can be sustainably consumed and produced, as well as ways they can be recycled.

Anna Dumitriu has led a series of participatory art workshops in Leeds, Oxford and Brighton to explore issues involved in a broad way, consider the materiality of the waste materials, and work together in hands on ways to co-create solutions. Examples of questions being explored in the project are: can agar that has been used to grow bacteria in the lab be used in the production of bioplastics? Can the wool used to project glassware be used to make felted objects or clothes? Can a metal laryngoscope blade be made sterile using alternative methods?

Even a small successful innovation in this field can have a massive impact if rolled out to the international community via the high-profile scientific communities involved in this project.

This online symposium is supported by the EU/UKRI funded VOICE project and uses a new approach where artists take the lead in Art-Technology-Society Interactions (ATSIs), bringing communities together to solve environmental problems co-creatively.

Schedule:

Introduction – Marta Coto (Chair)

Talk by Anna Dumitriu (20 mins)

Reflection by Dr Mary O’Riordan (HaPPE Earth) (15 minutes)

Reflections by Mrs Ali Vaughan (Modernising Medical Microbiology at the University of Oxford (15 mins)

Reflections by Dr James Price, Dr Opeyemi Makanjuola and Dr Sid Mookerjee (Brighton and Sussex Medical School/University Hospitals Sussex) (15 mins)

2:25 Contributions from the communities, discussion and questions from the audience

3:00pm End