Overview
This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg, with the option to attend virtually.
Symposium overview
The symposium will delve into the critical role of sustainable practices within the scientific community. As researchers grapple with global challenges, it becomes imperative to adopt environmentally responsible and socially equitable research methodologies. This symposium will explore topics such as green laboratory practices, the inspiring role of grassroots movements, organisation’s sustainability strategies, and the vital role of funders, always with an eye on the future. By fostering a culture of sustainability within science, we can reduce our ecological footprint, enhance research integrity, and ensure the long-term viability of scientific research.
Through a series of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops, participants will have the opportunity to engage with leading experts and share their own experiences in sustainable science. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing, this event aims to inspire scientists to embrace sustainability as a core principle of their work.
This symposium is being hosted at EMBL Heidelberg and virtually as part of the SuReSymp programme of annual sustainable research symposiums. It is being organised in collaboration with EMBO, the Sustainable European Laboratories Network (SELs), and with support from the European Union’s Climate Pact.
Organising Partners
Speakers
KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Fernando Valladares
Fernando Valladares is a CSIC researcher and professor at the Rey Juan Carlos University. He leads the Ecology and Global Change group at the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC). Fernando is a highly cited scientist for his research on biodiversity and the impacts of climate change (valladares.info). In 2021 he received the Jaume I Award and the Environmental Communication Award from the BBVA Foundation. In 2023 he published the book “La recivilización” that brings together a good part of his thinking. In 2024 he receives the Planet Earth Award from the Alliance of World Scientists, and the gold medal from the Red Cross for his dissemination and ecosocial awareness work, which can be followed on networks and at www.lasaluddelahumanidad.com
Brendan Rouse
Brendan is the Head of Sustainability at EMBL. A sustainability professional with over ten years of experience of delivering sustainability initiatives in healthcare, property and life science research. Brendan is an EU Climate Pact Ambassador and has an MSc in Sustainable Resource Management.
Marta Rodríguez-Martínez
Marta Rodríguez-Martínez, Sustainability Officer at EMBL is a Research Scientist and expert in research sustainability. In parallel to her research experience, she has been long involved in environmental sustainability. At the Francis Crick Institute, she collaborated with the sustainability team as research sustainability manager and is a co-founder of the Sustainable European Laboratories (SELs) network. Marta has extensively written about the topic and is also part of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project leadership corps.
Martin Farley
Associate Director of Environmental Sustainability Programmes at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and co-funder or SELs.
Philipp Weber
Philipp is the Sustainability Officer at EMBO, co-founder of Green Labs Austria and SELs. He is a scientist by training and is active in a number of areas relevant to the sustainable development of life science research. One of his goals is to promote exchange between different stakeholders, such as funding organisations, research institutions and bottom-up initiatives.
Valeria Scagliotti
Building on over a decade of research experience, Valeria now works as an independent sustainability consultant for the life sciences sector, guiding researchers and institutions toward sustainable practices, including the coordination of the SELs network. She is also a passionate advocate for scientists’ engagement in societal issues through activism.
Loïc Lannelongue
Loïc is a Research Associate in Biomedical Data Science at the University of Cambridge, studying the role of radiogenomics in cardiovascular research. He leads the Green Algorithms project, an initiative promoting more environmentally sustainable computational science. He is a Software Sustainability Institute Fellow.
Florijn Dekkers
Florijn is a senior postdoc and part of the Green Labs Initiative at the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology and a member of Green Labs Netherlands. Embedded in the DREAM3DLAB, her work focusses on developing advanced 3D imaging technologies to better understand and tackle the aggressive nature of cancer.
Nick Souter
Nick is a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex. In recent years, his work has focused on measuring and reducing the carbon footprint of computing required in human neuroimaging research, with a specific focus on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This has included generating evidence-based recommendations aimed at multiple stages of the research process, from study planning, to data processing, to data dissemination. Nick has delivered workshops focused on green computing in relation to neuroimaging specifically and to research high-performance computing more generally.
Saroj Saurya
Saroj’s academic research journey started at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge with Professor Matthew Freeman. In 2010, Saroj joined Raff Lab as a post-doctoral laboratory manager. An active advocate for environmental sustainability in laboratories, Saroj is a founding member and current chair of the Dunn School Green Group, which aims to reduce the laboratory’s carbon footprint.
Hollyn Hartlep
Sustainability Coordinator at DKFZ German Cancer Research Center.
Bianca Schell
Optimization of ventilation systems, recycling of laboratory plastic waste, and green initiatives (LEAF, My Green Lab, Ecomapping).
Preliminary Programme
The symposium is designed to evolve from foundational concepts to a holistic vision of sustainable research. It highlights the significance of each step, from individual actions to institutional engagement, offering a comprehensive understanding of the roles played and those needed for future progress. The goal is to foster a dynamic forum for discussion, bringing together all stakeholders to collaboratively identify actionable solutions for sustainable science.
The programme will include interactive sessions and panel discussions.
See speakers section for a full profile description of the participants.
Opening Session
Introduction – Brendan Rouse, Head of Sustainability at EMBL
Opening remarks – Edith Heard, EMBL Director General
Keynote Lecture – Fernando Valladares, Research Professor at the Spanish Research Council and expert in Climate Change.
Session I: General Concepts and Sustainable Practices
Session II: Advancing from the Bottom-Up – The Evolution of Grassroots Initiatives
Session III: Top-Down Approaches in Action – Institutional Leadership for Sustainability
Session IV: Broadening the Funders Landscape – Integrating Diverse Stakeholders into Sustainable Research
Session V: Integrative Strategies for Unified Action – Tools and future paths
