CDF at the ‘Sustainability Round Table’ - Discussion at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany

---News--- ‘Sustainability’ is a notion that many sectors of the society, market and states, at global scale, are taking seriously, from varied standpoints. Research, industry, science, decision and policy making, education, innovation are all, integrating this notion in current practices and trying to insert that narrative in future initiatives, plans, and concepts worldwide.

On March 2nd, the Executive Director (ad interim) and Science Director of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands (CDF), Dr. María José Barragán-Paladines, took part of the “Sustainability Round Table” hosted by the Career and Alumni Department of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), in Germany.

During the discussion, the four experts discussed about the implications of the ‘sustainability’ notion into their own career and professional activities and at their institutions’ current and future initiatives. Dr. Barragán-Paladines shared with the attendees, some of the current actions taken in Galapagos to deal with the most urgent challenges affecting the intention of the islands to become “sustainable”. For instance, the initiatives taking place locally, on the reduction of the disposable plastic utilization, on the promotion of the local production and consumption from farmers and fishers, and on the idea to strength sustainable tourism. Additionally, Dr. Barragán-Paladines mentioned the initiative for the Charles Darwin Research Station to become a “sustainable” campus, by the implementation, in the future, of infrastructure with alternative energy sources, water treatment practices, and sustainable mobility alternatives, additionally to the current ‘smart architecture’ project, currently being conducted at the construction of the new CDF-BIOMAR Marine Sciences Research Center, which will be inaugurated later in 2020.

This ‘Sustainability Round Table’ was an interesting venue where experts, from scientific, industry, research, and technology arenas joined, to share individual and institutional initiatives about sustainability, which could be of inspiration for many other people around the world.

Attendees:
Prof. Dr. Thomas Brück, Synthetic Biotechnology and Sustainability Professor at TUM, and Werner Siemens Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology.

Dr. María José Barragán-Paladines, Executive Director (ad interim) and Science Director of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands.

Dr. Andreas Sichert, founder of Orcan Energy, climate-friendly energy provider, from waste heat.

Tabea Riemensperger, Master’s student in Science and Technology Studies), Environmental officer in the General Students Committee (AStA).

Hosted by:
Dr. Sabrina Eisele, Advisor for Alumni & Career, Corporate Communications Center, Technische Universität München.
With support from:
Dr. Verena Schmöller, Alumni & Career, Technische Universität München.