Our world is all we have!

Extreme weather warnings systems are becoming more commonplace as the world responds to the devastating impacts of climate change. For decades, in temperate countries like the UK, weather warnings focused on cold weather and flooding. But with summer temperatures hitting 40º C for the first time in 2022 and increasingly regular ‘heat events’ with temperatures in the high 30s, increasing attention is being paid to warning people about extreme heat. This is challenging as people tend to have more positive connotations about hot weather than cold and wet weather. Consequently, warnings are less likely to be taken seriously and it is more challenging to effectively communicate the dangers of extreme heat. Furthermore, the UK’s built infrastructure is even worse at keeping people cool during periods of extreme heat than it is at keeping them warm during periods of extreme cold. As a result, it is challenging to provide appropriate advice on practical actions which people can take.
In this talk I will discuss the increasing danger of extreme heat in the UK and explore effective ways to communicate heat warnings to the public. In addition, I will consider how the response to the issuing of extreme heat alerts can be used to help inform wider climate change adaption policy.

Ever wondered what a world without effective antibiotics would look like? This talk will delve into the pressing issue of antibiotic resistance, an approaching threat to animal, human, and environmental health. I aim to spread basic knowledge about antibiotics: what they are, how they work, why we are fortunate to have them, while also addressing which is our contribution to a potential global health crisis. By 2050, it is estimated that 8 billion lives could be at risk annually due to antibiotic-resistant infections. As we all bear responsibility for this crisis, I firmly believe that by raising awareness, we can take a step towards a future where antibiotics remain our trusted allies in the ongoing battle against infectious diseases. Let’s raise a pint to that!

Microplastics pollution poses an increasingly urgent threat to animals, humans and ecosystems. One major source of microplastics pollution is our washing machines, which cause synthetic clothes like polyester to shed threads during the wash. While some countries mandate microfiber filters in new washing machines, there's currently no effective method to manage these microfibers. Promisingly, at University of Surrey we are developing new ways to take microfibers out of the environment, producing clean fuels and valuable carbon materials.