From Lab to Planet: Making Research More Sustainable

Practical information

Audience: Postdocs and research staff at Queen's
Date and time: 9 September 2025, 10:30 - 12:30
Length: 2 h
Place: R&E Seminar Room, First Floor, 63 University Road
Organised by: PDC
Maximum numbers: Numbers are restricted to 20 for this workshop, so in the event of over-subscription, we will keep a waiting list, and should a place become available, it will be offered to the next person on the list.

Content

This interactive workshop explores how sustainability can be integrated into research practice, with a particular focus on laboratory environments. Participants will gain insight into the University’s initiatives to embed environmental responsibility across research activities.

This session will introduce the University’s accredited Sustainable Lab programmes - Green DiSC and LEAF - and explain their role in supporting sustainable research practices. The session will also highlight the University’s recent commitment to the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice, outlining what this means for researchers in practical terms.

In addition to learning about institutional initiatives, attendees will be invited to reflect on their own research activities, identify existing sustainable practices, and discover opportunities to reduce environmental impact.

This workshop is particularly relevant now, as an increasing number of funding bodies expect sustainability to be embedded in research proposals - with some, such as Wellcome and Cancer Research UK, mandating participation in recognised sustainability accreditation schemes.

While the focus will be on laboratory-based research, researchers from all disciplines are welcome to attend.

Programme Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will:

Understand how sustainability is being embedded within the University’s research environment.
Become familiar with the Green DiSC and LEAF lab accreditation programmes.
Learn about the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice and its implications.
Reflect on their own research practices and identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact.

Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided at this course. Please inform us of any dietary or other specific requirements on the registration form.

View the Accessibility Guide for the Seminar Room, First Floor, 63 University Road

Registration

Facilitator

Naomi Martin | Assistant Sustainability Officer, Queen's University Belfast

Naomi is the Assistant Sustainability Programme Officer within the Sustainability Team at Queen’s University Belfast, where she has worked for nearly four years. In her main role as Engagement Officer, she supports staff and students in adopting more sustainable practices in their daily activities.

Naomi’s work primarily focuses on laboratories across the university, where she leads key sustainability initiatives, including the LEAF and Green DiSC programmes. Through these efforts, she helps labs embed sustainability into their operations. Additionally, Naomi supports researchers in aligning their work with the principles of the Concordat for Environmental Sustainability in Research and Innovation, thereby helping to integrate environmental considerations into their research practices.

Feedback

This is a new course for the 2025/26 academic year, and feedback will be provided in due course.