Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University Laboratories
As sustainability research covers many disciplines, it is important to understand how sustainable research itself is. Previous studies have shown that laboratories, a core infrastructure of research, consume a large number of resources. However, overall understanding and identification of actions th...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-09-01
|
| Series: | Green Analytical Chemistry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772577425000849 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1839647774459559936 |
|---|---|
| author | Caterina Baars Patrycja Karwasiecka João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio Andrea Dobri Jelena Barbir Sven Kannenberg Walter Leal Filho |
| author_facet | Caterina Baars Patrycja Karwasiecka João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio Andrea Dobri Jelena Barbir Sven Kannenberg Walter Leal Filho |
| author_sort | Caterina Baars |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As sustainability research covers many disciplines, it is important to understand how sustainable research itself is. Previous studies have shown that laboratories, a core infrastructure of research, consume a large number of resources. However, overall understanding and identification of actions that can improve the current situation is rather unclear due to a large data gap on the opinions and attitudes of staff and students within institutions. This study explored sustainable actions among laboratory staff and students in a sample of German universities, in the categories of materials, devices, procurement, waste disposal, and awareness. For this purpose, a mixed-method approach was applied, consisting of a quantitative survey answered by 81 laboratories, and a qualitative interview conducted within 9 different universities. One of the key findings is that the inclusion of more sustainable laboratory activities (e.g. efficient waste and equipment management) was mostly undertaken by the laboratory staff themselves, which led to many bottom-up approaches. However, the necessary framework from the administration and institutional support is often missing or is rather limited, which hinders progress in existing initiatives and to take advantage of their great potential. To achieve effective change, it is essential to engage all stakeholders in the institution, laboratory personnel, and institutional administrators. The findings provide valuable insights into the landscape of German university laboratories and their actions and highlight potential areas for structural intervention to make the laboratory operations in universities more sustainable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a640a4f3b5094e789ed0bbaa4f961cb6 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2772-5774 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Green Analytical Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj-art-a640a4f3b5094e789ed0bbaa4f961cb62025-06-30T04:09:21ZengElsevierGreen Analytical Chemistry2772-57742025-09-0114100288Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University LaboratoriesCaterina Baars0Patrycja Karwasiecka1João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio2Andrea Dobri3Jelena Barbir4Sven Kannenberg5Walter Leal Filho6Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre Sustainability & Climate Change Management (FTZ-NK), Ulmenliet 20 / 21033 Hamburg, GermanyCorresponding author.; Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre Sustainability & Climate Change Management (FTZ-NK), Ulmenliet 20 / 21033 Hamburg, GermanyHamburg University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre Sustainability & Climate Change Management (FTZ-NK), Ulmenliet 20 / 21033 Hamburg, GermanyHamburg University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre Sustainability & Climate Change Management (FTZ-NK), Ulmenliet 20 / 21033 Hamburg, GermanyHamburg University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre Sustainability & Climate Change Management (FTZ-NK), Ulmenliet 20 / 21033 Hamburg, GermanyHamburg University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre Sustainability & Climate Change Management (FTZ-NK), Ulmenliet 20 / 21033 Hamburg, GermanyHamburg University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre Sustainability & Climate Change Management (FTZ-NK), Ulmenliet 20 / 21033 Hamburg, GermanyAs sustainability research covers many disciplines, it is important to understand how sustainable research itself is. Previous studies have shown that laboratories, a core infrastructure of research, consume a large number of resources. However, overall understanding and identification of actions that can improve the current situation is rather unclear due to a large data gap on the opinions and attitudes of staff and students within institutions. This study explored sustainable actions among laboratory staff and students in a sample of German universities, in the categories of materials, devices, procurement, waste disposal, and awareness. For this purpose, a mixed-method approach was applied, consisting of a quantitative survey answered by 81 laboratories, and a qualitative interview conducted within 9 different universities. One of the key findings is that the inclusion of more sustainable laboratory activities (e.g. efficient waste and equipment management) was mostly undertaken by the laboratory staff themselves, which led to many bottom-up approaches. However, the necessary framework from the administration and institutional support is often missing or is rather limited, which hinders progress in existing initiatives and to take advantage of their great potential. To achieve effective change, it is essential to engage all stakeholders in the institution, laboratory personnel, and institutional administrators. The findings provide valuable insights into the landscape of German university laboratories and their actions and highlight potential areas for structural intervention to make the laboratory operations in universities more sustainable.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772577425000849LaboratoriesSustainabilityHEIsLife sciencesMixed-method approachStaff awareness |
| spellingShingle | Caterina Baars Patrycja Karwasiecka João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio Andrea Dobri Jelena Barbir Sven Kannenberg Walter Leal Filho Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University Laboratories Green Analytical Chemistry Laboratories Sustainability HEIs Life sciences Mixed-method approach Staff awareness |
| title | Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University Laboratories |
| title_full | Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University Laboratories |
| title_fullStr | Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University Laboratories |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University Laboratories |
| title_short | Sustainable science or business as usual? Exploring awareness and actions in German University Laboratories |
| title_sort | sustainable science or business as usual exploring awareness and actions in german university laboratories |
| topic | Laboratories Sustainability HEIs Life sciences Mixed-method approach Staff awareness |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772577425000849 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT caterinabaars sustainablescienceorbusinessasusualexploringawarenessandactionsingermanuniversitylaboratories AT patrycjakarwasiecka sustainablescienceorbusinessasusualexploringawarenessandactionsingermanuniversitylaboratories AT joaohenriquepaulinopireseustachio sustainablescienceorbusinessasusualexploringawarenessandactionsingermanuniversitylaboratories AT andreadobri sustainablescienceorbusinessasusualexploringawarenessandactionsingermanuniversitylaboratories AT jelenabarbir sustainablescienceorbusinessasusualexploringawarenessandactionsingermanuniversitylaboratories AT svenkannenberg sustainablescienceorbusinessasusualexploringawarenessandactionsingermanuniversitylaboratories AT walterlealfilho sustainablescienceorbusinessasusualexploringawarenessandactionsingermanuniversitylaboratories |