Workshop for new collaborations in materials and sustainability research

Organised by WISE Uppsala and affiliated scientists, a workshop brought together researchers from materials science and sustainability studies to foster new collaborations and develop ideas for future research. The event highlighted the importance of connecting these fields to address major societal challenges related to sustainability.

The workshop began with an introduction to WISE and the opportunities within the initiative by WISE University Representative (URG) Håkan Rensmo. This was followed by presentations offering perspectives from both sustainability research and materials science.

Wynand Boonstra, Professor of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, discussed the links between sustainability goals, materials and economic growth. Karen O’Brien, Zennström Professor in Climate Change Leadership, presented insights on transformative change based on the IPBES assessment. Mattias Lantz, Professor at Physics and Astronomy presented on how LCA can be used for sustainable materials science.

Materials research with relevance for future calls was also in focus. Several presentations were given by researchers who received funding through WISE Academic Projects 2 (ap-2). They presented examples of ongoing research, including making rare earth elements available, thin-film solar cells, and materials for thermal transport and energy applications.

The workshop concluded with sustainability tool discussions led by WISE Fellow Ute Cappel, WISE Fellow Tetyana Budnyak, Wynand Boonstra and URGs Håkan Rensmo and Cecilia Persson. The aim was to get started as well as initiate new collaborations and develop joint ideas ahead of the upcoming WISE Academic Projects 3 (ap-3) call.

If you are a researcher at Uppsala University interested in these topics, take a look at our internal WISE SharePoint.