Science on Tap, BiOrbic Researchers at Pint of Science
Last month, the annual Pint of Science festival took place across Ireland, with BiOrbic researchers participating in events in both Cork and Dublin.
Caption: L-R, Dublin speakers Prafulla Sabanwar, Luana Carnaval and Dr. Ciara Lynch and the captivated crowd in Murphy’s of Rathmines.
In Dublin, Dr. Ciara Lynch spoke at Murphy’s of Rathmines, where she delivered a talk on transforming cheese industry by-products into sustainable bioplastics. Her postdoctoral research, carried out in partnership with BiOrbic and Tirlán, focuses on finding new uses for whey waste generated during cheese production. By using specially adapted bacteria to consume distilled whey, Ciara is developing biodegradable, lactic-acid-based plastics from materials that would otherwise go to waste.
Reflecting on the event, Ciara said, “It was a blast! It was such a different venue and crowd than what I’d be used to, and they had such interesting questions and insights into the research and what it means to them. I’d definitely do it again!”
Caption: Ciara Lynch’s talk on making bioplastic from cheese waste.
Also in Murphys, Prafulla Sabbanwar, a BiOrbic researcher and PhD student of Dr. Ronald Halim’s algae group at UCD, explained how microalgae are a promising climate fighting tool. Prafulla’s talk focused on how tiny microalgae can turn waste into value. Microalgae use sunlight, CO2, water and nutrients from Irish waste streams – such as brewery wastewater, compost runoff, whey/dairy byproducts and digestate to grow biomass. This biomass can be used to produce protein, omega-3s, pigments, fertilisers and other value added products. Prafulla also highlighted how microalgae can help remove excess nutrients from wastewater, supporting cleaner rivers and coasts. Whilst microalgae are not a magic fix for climate change, they are a promising circular-economy tool for addressing pollution and creating more sustainable bio-based products.
Caption: Prafulla Sabbanwar gives an overview of his PhD talk ‘Tiny Algae, Big Solutions’ to an engaged audience.
Meanwhile in Cork, Gillian Collins, BiOrbic researcher and Lecturer in Sustainable Materials at University College Cork, took to the stage at The Liberty Bar to discuss innovative approaches to plastic waste. Gillian’s research explores how discarded plastics can be treated as valuable raw materials and converted into useful everyday chemicals and materials. Her work focuses on developing small-scale technological solutions to address large environmental challenges.
