Search
Log in
A job is a job, but if you’re away from home a couple of years, you better find a place to feel at home at. For Rita Branco, that place was Wetsus. Not only did she do the hard job of earning a doctorate in the microbial world of groundwater and micropollutants, above it all, she also joined every voluntary job there is – from writing in the personnel magazine, to organizing staff activities.
The people behind the science, and the science behind the people
“It feels weird to be back here,” Rita says as she grabs a cup of tea before we start our interview. It’s like revisiting your parents’ place, after you’ve moved out. “When spending so long at a place like Wetsus, your friends become your family in some ways. And it feels like Wetsus is your home.” That feeling, is not like anything she would have expected back when she first rolled her filled suitcase across the pavements of Leeuwarden walking to her new residence. Now, the country has become home too.
Suddenly being at Wetsus on an invite in the middle of the day somewhere in a workweek, invokes a nostalgic feeling. “Me and my office mates Sophie and Mirvahid used to have an unofficial competition to see who would be in the office first. And Sophie and I would then start the day listening to 1973, a song from James Blunt,” Rita reminisces.
Today, she is here to catch up with friends that she hasn’t seen for a while, given her new place of living and isolated time spent writing a thesis. Everyone gathers to help fold a Wetsus-themed cover for her thesis, discussing memories and the upcoming defense – on Exploring Micropollutant Biodegradation for Improved Groundwater Quality.
Richness is key
It’s a summary of nearly five years of research on the use of microbes as helpers in our aquifers to break down micropollutants that reach our groundwater. The latter is of crucial importance for more than half of all the drinking water in the Netherlands. And Rita is a firm believer in the natural powers that these bacteria house.
Understanding such a complex scenario comes with careful considerations on simplifications. “We spend the first part of the research on just finding a couple of micropollutants that reflect the variety in naturally occurring compounds, while also covering other characteristics like charge and solubility,” the scientist says. Other than that, you need to account for the different layers there are underground regarding available oxygen, and the location you sample for the organisms to do your tests with.
She learned the ins and outs of which compounds break down in each underground layer. And more importantly, if a little help of natural supplements might support the microbes to further decompose micropollutants. Oxygen rich environments do the best, and although further down the bacteria do not eat up our pollutants faster, it is not a linear decrease. That is crucial to realize depending on where micropollutants are stranded. Also, the richness of the microbial community is key. The more different species live in the environment, the better they break down foreign compounds – Branco found by mimicking aquifer columns in the lab.
Right at her place
If she learned anything more over the course of her PhD, is that she’s always been fascinated by what nature can do – and still is. Now she gets to harness its power in her new job as advisor novel compounds and soil. Right at her place. Let’s just hope that her desk neighbor also likes James Blunt…
Abstract
The realisation of a circular economy has thus far unfolded under the assumption that it would fit within existing economic arrangements. In practice, we witness many circular initiatives struggling to give shape to their ambitions, let alone develop to maturity. These past months, various material recycling organisations terminated their activities, seeing virgin alternatives from other parts of the world flooding the market at prices against they cannot compete. If the transition towards a circular economy (i.e. an economy of value preservation) is to be taken seriously, a new perspective on value in our economic system seems unavoidable, as the rewriting of the rules of the economic game. At this moment, current perceptions of value stand in the way of this transition both at micro as well as macro levels. Several contours for a collective exploration of new directions of value and economic configuration that foster circular transition will be addressed.
Abstract
In his key note he will conclude after a life of innovations that it is impossible that humanity will stay within the save planetary boundaries with innovation only. We should be more critical about the behaviour of the rich population in the world and more critical about new innovations that prove to be dangerous, like the PFAS crisis shows at this moment. In his keynote he will investigate how to look at the world that can stay within the save planetary boundaries, how should we change ourselves? It is clear if we only talk about the words of science and systems we miss the essential words of how we should cooperate and change ourselves. And his search for coherent save innovations. Which innovations will be save and will lead to a fair and sustainable world? And will lead to a world we want to live in.
Abstract
There is a growing number of new sustainable, inclusive, cohesive, participatory, just and humane economic models. A possible next step in the discourse about them is the comparative analysis in order to find out key commonalities, potential synergies, and “requirements” for a future-fit economic model. The author and initiator of the Economy for the Common Good provides an overview of these „new sustainable economic models“ and compares them according to underlying values, principles, and practical ways of implementation. The keynote addresses the cooperative spirit of the conference and prepares the ground for its public highlight on the eve of June 3rd, the round table with representatives of diverse future-fit economic models.
Abstract
The scientific debate on whether economies should always continue to grow increasingly becomes a political and societal debate. On the one hand further growth for the most affluent countries seems neither possible nor valuable, but on the other hand there is still lack of understanding and knowledge what a non-growing economy should look like and could best be governed. In this lecture we discuss various policy measures that can be realistically implemented, take into account government finances and aim at a higher quality of life despite a non-growing economy.
Abstract
Democracy is under pressure, and less and less able to stir the economy into a sustainable direction. Therefore, to stabilize democracy and to make possible the socio-ecological transformation of the economy, democratic principles need to be implemented directly in the economy. This is not only a matter of morality, but also has practical advantages. Democratizing the economy can increase legitimacy and take advantage of the “knowledge of the many” to accelerate the transformation. Democratic practices, especially deliberation, allow bringing together different forms of knowledge, which is crucial for the local implementation of principles of social and ecological sustainability. This talk explores what this idea means in more concrete terms, from democratic participation in the workplace to the democratization of time.
Abstract
Over the past decades, markets have conventionally been seen as the best instrument to stimulate economic growth and enhance prosperity and well-being. The automatic link between markets and economic growth is increasingly questioned, however, as well as the automatic link between economic growth and enhancement of well-being. This has led to attempts to capture well-being development more directly than through GDP per capita figures and has produced a more variegated picture of well-being growth. Also, this has led to a shift of focus to other coordination systems than the market, as primarily the state but increasingly also the association. Analyses of the historical record suggest that especially the latter could be a vital component in future well-being.
