Sustainable Research But Make It Strategic was the driving theme behind the panel event hosted at the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering last month. With experts from industry, healthcare and academia, the session aimed to bridge the gap between awareness and action by breaking down sustainability into practical steps tailored to participants’ needs.
The event was designed based on insights gathered from a pre-event survey that revealed a spectrum of perceptions towards sustainability. While 39% of respondents expressed a genuine interest to learn more, 30% admitted they wouldn’t know where to start if sustainability in research became a requirement and 11% viewed sustainability as extra effort for little benefit. 37% revealed that seeing real-world impact in their field would help them be more sustainable.
To address these concerns, the event featured a fully interactive panel discussion with:
- Adam Warwicker, Specialist Senior Technician in Surgical & Interventional Engineering at King’s College London,
- Gabrielle Samuel, Lecturer in Environmental Justice & Health from King’s College London,
- Giulia Ginami, Siemens Healthineers’ Europe, Middle East, and Africa Expert Lead in Sustainability,
- Madeleine Luck, Climate Scientist and Churchill Fellow and the SMI CDT Alumna
- Martin Farley, UKRI Associate Director of Environmental Sustainability.
Their collective expertise provided a comprehensive look at how sustainability is integrated into different areas of research and development.
Throughout the discussion, key themes emerged:
- Practical Strategies for Sustainable Research: Panelists shared actionable tips for embedding sustainability within research practices.
- Funding and Recognition: Panelists acknowledged this gap and shared insights on navigating funding landscapes more effectively.
- Real-World Impact: A dominant driver of interest was the desire to see real-world impact in their respective fields. Panelists demonstrated how sustainable practices could enhance research outputs, making them not only environmentally conscious but also more innovative and effective.
- Overcoming Barriers: From concerns about complexity to lack of institutional support, panelists addressed common challenges, providing suggestions on how to mitigate them.
The panel discussion was followed by a networking reception where attendees had the chance to discuss their own sustainability journeys and gather more personalised advice from the speakers.
As sustainability continues to gain prominence in academia and industry, events like this are crucial for equipping researchers with the tools and perspectives needed to turn good intentions into actionable strategies.
