The 2020 BIST Conference will take place online on October 29, 2020, with satellite sessions leading up to the conference on October 26-28. This fourth edition of the BIST Annual Conference will focus on the latest developments in an area of priority for BIST research: sustainability.
Our current patterns of production and consumption are depleting the planet’s resources, such as biomass, water, minerals, and fossil fuels, while generating exponential growth in waste as well as air and soil pollution. This has resulted in the serious climate crisis we are experiencing, which threatens the future of humanity.
As scientists working in some of the most advanced research institutions in our country, BIST researchers know the science behind climate change and recognise the urgency to take actions to address global warming and avoid its catastrophic effects. We feel compelled to use our science to meet this global social challenge, as reflected in the BIST Research Initiative on Energy and Environmental Sustainability.
Once more, the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) invites its entire community and its various stakeholders and partners to meet at its annual conference to discuss the latest developments in an area of priority for BIST research, this year focusing on sustainability.
Under the title Buiding a sustainable world together, the 2020 BIST Conference programme includes two round-tables with BIST researchers working on nano-bioengineering for pollution remediation and on clean energy, and a debate with representatives from all BIST centres on how to turn research institutes into more sustainable organisations themselves.
One of the keynote speakers is Philip Ball, renowned scientific writer —chemist and physicist by training — who has written several books and many articles on how science should and can confront big social challenges.
The 2020 BIST Conference programme also includes three satellite sessions on closing the gender gap in research, the future of science communication, and engaging institutes in sustainable research.
Conference attendees will also get the chance to hear the directors of the BIST centres discuss key questions in research and sustainability throughout day.
Programme:
October 26
|
16.30h – 18.00h
|
Roundtable: Closing the Gender Gap in Research: Collective Challenges Ahead Speakers:
BIST and its centres have undertaken several activities and built programmes for closing the gender gap, with some encouraging results. Some of these accomplishments and remaining challenges will be discussed. [+] |
October 27
|
16.30h – 18.00h
|
Roundtable: The Future of Science Communication Speakers:
New target audiences and new delivery formats, branding tendencies and how to deal with uncertainty as science communicators and researchers will be discussed. [+] |
October 28
|
16.30h – 18.00h
|
Roundtable: How to Engage Research Institutes in Sustainable Research Host: Xavier Gabarrell (ICTA) Speakers:
Sustainability in the day-to-day activity and management of research institutes will be discussed. Challenges and best practices will be shared along with examples of solutions from within and outside the BIST Community. [+] |
October 29
| 9.30h | Presentation – Elisabet Romero (ICIQ), Conference Technical Programme Chair |
| 9.45h | Welcome – Gabby Silberman, Director General of BIST |
| 10.00h – 11.00h | Keynote speech |
|
11.00h – 12.15h
|
Roundtable I: MOFs, a Powerful Framework for Pollution Remediation Host: Alfredo Ongaro (ICFO) Speakers:
|
| 12.15h – 14.00h | Break – Lunch |
|
15.00h – 16.15h
|
Roundtable II: Solar and Bio-inspired Energy Solutions Host: Prof. Mónica Lira-Cantu (ICN2) Speakers:
|
| 16.30 – 17.00h | Coffee break |
| 17.00h – 18.00h |
Keynote speech The view ahead: where is science heading? Philip Ball, Science Writer |
| 18.00h | Closing |
