Dear network,
I hope everyone had a lovely summer! Below are network updates.
Leadership openings
My career is taking me to the United States soon. I plan to continue playing a role in our network (and hey, this will be a good chance to get US-based labs involved). That said, for the purposes of nurturing and growing our network here at Uppsala, it would be wise to bring new leaders on board. Please contact me if you are interested in taking a leadership role.
Climate change updates
July was Earth’s hottest month on record
Devastating flooding in Europe is linked to climate change
A deepening drought in the US is linked to climate change
The UN says that Madagascar is on the brink of the first “climate change famine”
Climate change is here. And I don’t think we want to see how bad it could get, based on the recent 6th Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Despite this dark news, I take hope because people like you are working in your labs and often in your own lives to reduce resource consumption and raise awareness. Keep up the good work; I am beyond grateful for you. And remember that you are not alone.
Green lab initiative grant winners
Congratulations to our grant winners! I am very pleased to say that all who applied received funding to make their laboratories greener. A big thank you to those in the SMC program at Ångström who reviewed the proposals and provided feedback. Please see below a list of the winning projects. It is my hope that Uppsala University can provide more funding so that we can host another such funding call; stay tuned!
Recycling 3-D printed parts
Division of Applied Mechanics Ångström Laboratory
Sustainable initiative in the Biophysical/Bioinorganic Chemistry (BBC) program
Department of Chemistry, Ångström
Promoting sustainable attitude through shared commitments
Department of Chemistry, Ångström
Application for funds move towards a more sustainable lab and lab practices in the Physical Chemistry department
Department of Chemistry, Ångström
Application for funds to coordinate dry ice usage for all units at Rudbeck Laboratory
The Rudbeck Laboratory
Vacuum gas recycling system to save consumption of noble gases for femtosecond High harmonic Generation
HELIOS lab in the Department of Physics and Astronomy
Seminar: Why it is hard to act on climate change and what we can do about it
September 7th at 16:00, via Zoom
Hosted by the Climate Group at the Max Perutz Lab
By Jana Köhler and Sandra Geiger
Environmental Psychology, University of Vienna.
Jana Köhler and Sandra Geiger from the Group of Prof Sabine Pahl at the department of Environmental Psychology at the University of Vienna will provide you with insights from psychology that may help limit climate change and its consequences. They will discuss psychological barriers to acting on climate change and explain why perceiving it as real, local, relevant, and immediate is not evident. Next, they will present some of the solutions psychology has to offer, including communication and behavioural change strategies. At the end the they will discuss about what strategies are applicable to the biological research and they will look for strategies that could be implemented at universities.
Join us using the link below.
For more info also check our website and youtube channel.
https://www.maxperutzlabs.ac.at/about/sustainability
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwxfXV1iY2ROr6hf3zDH5JQ
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3442694176?pwd=emFLQi9LZUFPMWZMQWdsa0RsdTRxUT09
Meeting ID: 344 269 4176
Passcode: 807020
Fall meeting in fall
Be on the lookout for news regarding a network meeting this fall! We will be hearing from our grant winners on their implementation progress among other items.
All the best,
Brian McCarthy
Towards Greener Research, Together coordinator
