As a member of the scientific programme committee, Cristina Palacios helped curate a diverse range of sessions for the 36th SETAC Europe annual conference. She was particularly involved in those related to plastic pollution research and science communication.
📅 Monday: let's be critical!
We kicked off the plastics programme by critically examining our methods and sharing best practices in microplastics research; identifying gaps and opportunities to improve and standardize certain methodologies. This session was aimed at cultivating a critical mindset, which we hope attendees carried throughout the week!
The day concluded with a plenary session by Michael Pocock on The Benefits and Impacts of Citizen Science for Science and Society.
📅 Tuesday: from source to sink
A full day dedicated to the sources and environmental fate of plastics (whether conventional, bio-based or biodegradable) and their associated chemicals, across different ecosystems.
In the evening, there was an exciting panel discussion on Science Communication as a Means of Strengthening Democracy.
📅 Wednesday: impacts on our One Health
We dived into the latest ecotoxicity studies investigating the biological impacts of micro- and nanoplastics and their associated chemicals, exploring how they affect our One Health.
At the end of the day we welcomed the always-entertaining Science Slam: a showdown of scientific storytelling.
📅 Thursday: solutions against plastic pollution
We closed the scientific program on a hopeful note, by focusing on solutions for preventing, removing, and managing plastic pollution.
👉 Bonus: Plastic People documentary
For those who could not attend SETAC but wanted to stay informed about these topics, Maastricht University x KINKLEID organized a follow-up event for the general public. On Wednesday 3rd of June, there was a screening of the documentary Plastic People at Lumière Maastricht, followed by a panel discussion with expert researchers Barbro Melgert, Esperanza Huerta Lwanga and our own Cristina Palacios. They discussed the documentary, some of the studies presented at SETAC, and their own research. Read more here.