European Crucible Podcasts

Scotland – Netherlands – Spain

Has public confidence in the ethics and capacities of science declined in recent times? Topics such as climate change, vaccines, telecommunications, food safety, and most recently COVID-19 have been the subject of debate. This project examines one of the key factors which lies behind the conflict between science and its critics: specifically, the way in which science is, and has been, communicated to society.

Project: "rECOver"

Many green technologies (e.g. batteries and hydrogen) rely on critical elements, materials, and supply chains that have negative environmental impacts. A collider event brought together policymakers, industry partners and specific actors with influence over the use and development of 'green' technology. A collection of qualitative and scientific data regarding the existing gaps in the thinking are being addressed.

The Team expertise for this Energy and Environment Challenge is in Robotics, Energy, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology and Law.

Project: MIRROR

Coastal marine habitats are biodiverse ecosystems providing a wealth of social, economic and cultural benefits but are under immense human pressure because of coastal development, polluting land run off and climate change. The project aim is to increase coral settlement rates by actively attracting colonisation via a substrate's magnetic properties.

The team expertise for this Environmental Challenge is in Marine Biology, Chemical Physics, Ecology and Environmental Science, Maths and Statistics

Project:"AUTODOSE"

Autophagy is a vital cellular process, in which dysfunctional components of the cell are removed and the building blocks recycled for reuse. Defects in the functioning of this system have been shown to have important links with various diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration. The project will shed light on autophagy pathways using Raman Spectroscopy and fluorescence techniques from fat body tissue of Drosophila larvae.

The team expertise for this Medical Challenge is in Biology, Biophysics, Maths, Statistics, and Electrical Engineering

Children are being traumatised by the violence in Ukraine and are in need of safety. Several approaches can provide support for victims of trauma conflict. Storytelling allows us to make sense of information in an organised way whilst combining elements of play. The aim of the project is to develop a 'serious game' providing children and young people affected by war and conflict with an opportunity to engage in mixed media to process emotion and trauma.

The Team expertise for this Societal Challenge is in Social Sciences, Literature, and Computer Science.

Project: "UV-Go"

Despite the standard use of spectroscopy to determine the composition of water in the laboratory and in the field, UV/visible spectrometers are expensive and bulky. This project encompasses the development and testing of new low cost and sensitive UV sensors for water composition quantification.

The team expertise for this Environmental Challenge is in: Physics, Chemistry, Experimental Hydrology, Material and Environmental Science