Is that going to happen more often? We can't be sure now, but this really reminded me of the importance of sustainability.
And this is also why I am glad to have you as a reader every week.
I appreciate you taking the time. Let me therefore ask you something and try to pay it forward.
Today's Lesson: Exchanging About Sustainability
Five questions and something to pass on.
Improving Education Together
Can you imagine, I started this educational series about two years ago.
For a long time it was but a handful of people who had signed up, and putting a lesson together was a real challenge.
We talked about the composition and safety of bioplastics and investigated the overall stability of DNA and RNA (shown on the right based on data from Zhang et al.) to give you a sense of whether storing at -70°C is safe. However, it was quite a journey to get there...
I had never written anything like this before and it took me quite a while to figure out what would be of value to my audience.
Today we are probably the biggest educational sustainability newsletter for scientists out there.
That does not mean the work is done, though. In some senses, it has just begun.
I still want to bring you the best experience possible. The best way to do so is to ask you directly.
Five Questions In Two Minutes
Click here to make these lessons even better through a short 5-question survey.
I kept this as simple as I could. It is a short Google form, and answering it takes literally two minutes.
Here are the 5 questions, all with simple yes-or-no options.
Do you always scroll through to see the “How We Feel Today” meme?
The number of the day. Does it give you something of value?
The length. Sometimes this newsletter gets quite detailed. Would a shorter version serve you better by saving you some time?
Do you think it would be valuable to have an external sustainability adviser who helps you with the change in your own lab?
Would you like to have more virtual live events or workshops where we, for example, address your challenges?
I also said I would have something useful for you.
Paying It Forward
We probably all have colleagues and students we would love to introduce to sustainability, simply because we want to share the passion for it.
Beyond Benign has done a lot for the chemistry community, providing educational resources for pupils and students.
Beyond Benign has done a fantastic job for chemists and chemistry educators, putting together a wealth of resources and exercises. Make sure to check them out, or tell your colleagues if they are involved in teaching or have students who might benefit from them. You can access all their resources, including the examples shown here (that I slightly modified) within the GCTLC. As far as I know, all of that is entirely for free, you just need an account.
Furthermore, there have been several initiatives to anchor sustainability in universities.
The University of British Columbia is doing a lot, the University of Vienna as well, and through Green Labs Netherlands there have been projects to establish sustainability as a module in university courses.
However, very little of this has been firmly established, and the expertise is still lacking in most places.
A Few Resources for You
This is why I want to remind you about a few materials I prepared in a previous collaboration with the IUBMB for you.
Focused on the life sciences, they include a PowerPoint slide deck together with some explanatory materials that should help you introduce somebody else to the topic.
Of course, entirely for free. Also, I provide them as ppt, so you can add your corporate design or edit according to your preference.
They are mainly made for three situations:
An interested colleague. If somebody is curious but has not had much exposure yet, the deck gives them the same introduction I give scientists at pharma companies, institutes and universities worldwide.
New scientists in the lab. Give them a proper introduction when they start, in case they are interested.
Any university course. Use the deck as a ready-made session if you teach lectures, modules or practical courses and want sustainability in the curriculum without building it from scratch.
All of these materials are free. If people want to go deeper afterwards, you can always point them to these lesson or simply share my contact details.
Applying the Knowledge
If you want something changed here, speak up.
If you have other ideas or wishes, drop me an email – I will read all of them.
By the same token, speak up to your colleagues.
Don't create a fight (in your own mind) by expecting your colleagues to notice your efforts or join in on their own. You must talk to them. Writing, though, is also possible - an email can do wonders. I know it sucks but it is one of the best tips I can give you. As an aside, I couldn't verify this quote, which I really like and therefore took from a web blog. I guess the idea may play off the various comparisons such as the one in Psalm 64:3 (tongues sharpened like swords, bitter words aimed like arrows) or "the pen is mightier than the sword."
When I was still working in the laboratory, I was surprised at how almost everybody I talked to showed interest once I actually asked them.
Most were quite intrigued; they just did not know what to do or where to start, so having the right resources in hand was the real bottleneck.
Therefore, don't be shy about it. Sometimes making the first move is all it takes.
How We Feel Today
References
Zhang, K., et al., 2021. Duplex Structure of Double-Stranded RNA Provides Stability against Hydrolysis Relative to Single-Stranded RNA. Environmental Science & Technology, 55(12), 8045–8053. doi:10.1021/acs.est.1c01255.
If you have a wish or a question, feel free to reply to this Email. Otherwise, wish you a beautiful week! See you again on the 17th : )
Edited by Patrick Penndorf Connection@ReAdvance.com Lutherstraße 159, 07743, Jena, Thuringia, Germany Data Protection & Impressum If you think we do a bad job: Unsubscribe
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