What is the topic?

This webinar addresses the urgent need to integrate sustainability into higher education laboratory practices. Laboratory teaching, while vital for scientific inquiry, is often resource-intensive, producing significant plastic waste and consuming large amounts of chemicals, water and energy.

We will focus on how educators and students can make laboratory education more sustainable without compromising learning quality. We will take you through practical steps and case studies for greening teaching labs, from glove and solvent recycling to waterless condensers and considering sustainability in our curriculum. These changes are not only environmentally responsible, they also enhance the learning experience by fostering reflection on socially responsible science and sustainable research practices. You’ll also see how involving students as partners in these initiatives can help to embed sustainability in both teaching and lab culture.

What will you gain?

You will gain actionable, evidence-based strategies from leading practitioners who are integrating sustainability into laboratory teaching and management. Specifically, you will:

• Learn about community-driven change and the importance of student-teacher collaboration.
• Discover successful implementations from the University of Liverpool’s Central Teaching Laboratories.
• Understand how to overcome common barriers such as cost, logistics, and culture when implementing sustainable initiatives.
• Leave with a concrete idea for a sustainability initiative you can champion at your own institution.

During the session, we will present two open-access e-learning modules on sustainable laboratory practices and a set of guidelines for Socially Responsible Research. These ready-to-use tools can be integrated into existing educational activities to help students consider sustainability as they first enter the lab or to support them in incorporating sustainability and societal impact into their research proposals.

What will the session look like?

This is a dynamic, interactive 60-minute session. Marit, Gina, and Cate will present their work and experiences through focused segments. We will use thought-provoking prompts and brief discussions to encourage reflection and exchange among participants.