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Promoting More Sustainable Science

Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2025

By Iris Martinez

Topic: Environment and social responsibility

October 2024 brought the fourth Passion in Science Awards®, hosted by New England Biolabs, which culminated in a celebration Oct. 9–10 at NEB’s headquarters in Ipswich, MA, USA.

This award ceremony celebrated 12 winners across four categories: Scientific Mentorship & Advocacy, Environmental Stewardship, Arts & Creativity, and Humanitarian Duty. The awardees participated in an awards ceremony, roundtables, tours, podcasts, and a poster presentation. In this blog, we highlight the work from the two recipients of the Environmental Stewardship Award™.

 


 

Jim Chadwick

Lab Energy Efficiency and Community Garden Initiatives

Jim Chadwick’s study on energy usage was a grassroots method to raise awareness among researchers about their energy usage in laboratories. Currently a Ph.D. student at the Pirbright Institute at the University of Oxford, he recognized the need for more sustainable lab practices and simultaneously addressed the toll that graduate student life can take on mental health.

 

Jim Chadwick talking with two spectators at a poster session

Jim Chadwick (right) during the poster session at the Passion in Science Awards celebration. Photo courtesy of Mileidy Rodriguez.

 

Chadwick’s project to improve energy efficiency tackled the lack of awareness about laboratory energy consumption, encouraging greener practices through color-coded stickers that could guide more informed decisions about equipment use. He also created a shared community allotment and wildflower garden, promoting a supportive environment for the research community to alleviate stress and build social connections through gardening and social events. Not only does this work promote environmental care, but it fosters connection and centers mental well-being.

 


 

Martin Farley, M.Sc.

LEAF and Sustainable Science

Martin Farley founded the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) program during his time at University College London to help labs reduce their environmental impact, a mission he has supported throughout his career. As Associate Director of Environmental Sustainability programs for UK Research and Innovation, and as the Director of Green Lab Associates, Farley continues to work to advance environmental sustainability in scientific laboratory work.

 

Martin Farley presenting his work to promote sustainable practices in laboratories in the UK.

 

Aside from a framework to take action reducing plastic, water, energy, and other resources usage, LEAF also provides calculators to measure both financial and carbon impact, toolkits, resources, user engagement and user training. Laboratories are awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold level depending on the amount of sustainability actions they take. Notably, LEAF has demonstrated that incorporating sustainability-minded approaches into laboratory work is both environmentally responsible and cost efficient. Through a pilot program from 2018 – 2020, they found that the 235 lab groups taking part saved an average of £3700 annually. This framework provides the opportunity for researchers to evaluate their impact on the environment and determine how they can improve it.

 

The achievements of Jim Chadwick and Martin Farley highlight the responsibility of scientists to develop sustainable methods that not only advance research but also protect our environment. For a full list of 2024 Passion in Science Awards recipients, refer to our press release.


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