Society and the environment

Dr David Megson is currently a Reader in Chemistry and Environmental Forensics at Manchester Metropolitan University (UK). He also works on pollution litigation cases as a Senior Environmental Consultant at Chemistry Matters (Canada).

Dr Megson investigates sources of legacy and emerging persistent organic pollutants and monitors them in the environment using advanced analytical techniques including multidimensional chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Much of Dr Megson’s research has an environmental forensics aspect which involves identifying the sources of contamination, transport pathways and the magnitude of pollutant exposure. As a recognised international expert in this area Dr Megson regularly contributes to expert witness reports for large (>$100 million) litigation cases involving environmental pollution in North America. His current research group includes 6 PhD students and 2 post-doctoral researchers. He has attracted >£4.5 million of research funding since his appointment as a lecturer in 2016. Recently he has been investigating the scale of PFAS pollution. This has included producing authoritative systematic reviews on the analysis of PFAS, and applying those to case studies in the UK (and abroad) to investigate releases from industrial sites and wastewater treatment plants.

Dr Megson is currently Chair of the International Network of Environmental Forensics (INEF) and sits on committees for the Royal Society of Chemistry (ESEC), British Mass Spectrometry Society (EFASIG), Northwest Brownfield Regeneration Forum (NWBRF), British Standards Institution (BSI) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). He has a H-index of 27, i10 index of 50 and his work has received over 1900 citations. He has organised 14 international conferences, published >60 peer reviewed manuscripts, 1 book, 4 book chapters and acted as editor for 9 books and journal special issues.

Join social anthropologist Declan Murray for an exploration of what micro-level electronic and electrical repair practices can teach us about macro-level efforts to reach universal energy access. Drawing from field research with repair technicians in Kenya, Declan introduces the Repair Mindset as a pathway to more sustainable and more effective International Development interventions.

Dr Micaela Chacón was recently recognised in the L'Oreal UNESCO for Women in Science Young Talent programme, where she was highly commended for her research at the interface of environmental microbiology and biotechnology. In this talk, she'll discuss how engineered microbes can help address the societal challenge of biogenic waste by converting mixed municipal waste streams into useful products.