Cranfield Sustainable Solutions Seminar Series, 1-5 July 2024

The Cranfield Sustainable Solutions Seminar Series (C4S) provides an opportunity for you to enhance your understanding of the tools, techniques and technologies that will help deliver a more sustainable world for all. The summer school provides you with access to globally leading research and researchers and comprises three days dedicated to particular sectors (Water, Energy, Agrifood), a day on nexus challenges, and a half day on sustainability leadership and financing. C4S brings together a selection of our influential thought leaders to deliver a unique programme informed by Cranfield’s distinctive applied science.  Sessions include opportunities for peer-to-peer learning through discussion and debate.

The sessions will be of interest and value to a wide range of delegates; from those working in or with the Water, Agrifood, and Energy sectors, to those looking to improve their awareness and understanding of the latest science and engineering in the context of sustainable development.

Delegates can book single or multiple days or the whole week. Rates as follows:

1 Day                                 £275.00
Any 2 day combination  £525.00
Any 3 day combination  £750.00
Any 4 day combination  £950.00
5 Day package                 £990.00

Please note that the lunches provided will be vegetarian. If you would like an alternative, please indicate when booking.

C-DICE will subsidise a number of day places for C-DICE affiliated postdoctoral researchers.  If you are interested in discussing eligibility for a place, please contact Karen Parks, C-DICE Training Hub Manager using the e mail address below.

Day one – Sustainable solutions for the Water Sector

Communities around the world face a range of threats to the sustainability and resilience of the water systems which support their lives and livelihoods. The sessions on this first day of C4S provide insight into the research and innovation being undertaken to deliver low energy water treatment, recover nutrients, energy, and other resources from wastewater, and remove micropollutants from water sources.

The day includes a tour of Cranfield’s water research test facilities and a lunch break poster session.

1st July 2024

9:00 – 17:30 (GMT) (Registration from 08:30am)
Cranfield campus

Presenters

Dr Gaby Dotro (Senior Research Fellow in Environmental Engineering) – Nature based solutions for the water sector
Professor Ana Soares (Professor of Biotechnology Engineering) – Resource recovery and reuse
Professor Bruce Jefferson (Professor of Water Engineering) – Micropollutant removal processes

Day two – Sustainable solutions for the Energy Sector

The challenges of decarbonising our energy sector combined with the need to ensure secure energy supplies for all provide an urgent context for this second day. Sessions on advances in low carbon fuels, solar power applications, and energy from waste, will showcase research and innovations which respond to these challenges.

The day includes a tour of Cranfield’s energy research test facilities and a lunch break poster session.

2nd July 2024
9:00 – 17:30 (GMT) (Registration from 08:30am)
Cranfield campus

Presenters

Dr Mingming Zhu (Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering) – Low carbon fuels for energy generation
Dr Peter King (Lecturer in Concentrating Solar) – Concentrating Solar Power Applications
Dr Stuart Wagland(Reader in Energy and Environmental Chemistry) – Energy from waste

Day three – Sustainable Solutions for the Agrifood Sector

Sustainable agrifood systems which are resilient to climate change play a critical role in supporting food and nutrition security and reducing the environmental impact of food protection. Day 3 delegates will hear from experts in the environmental and economic sustainability of agriculture, sustainable food chains, and environmental risks and agrifood systems.

The day includes a tour of Cranfield’s agrifood research test facilities and a lunch break poster session.

3rd July 2024
9:00 – 17:30 (GMT) (Registration from 9am)
Cranfield campus

Presenters

Professor Paul Burgess(Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and Agroforestry) – Environmental and economic sustainability of agriculture
Dr Natalia Falagán(Senior Lecturer in Food Science and Technology) – Sustainable food chains
Professor Stephen Hallett (Professor in Applied Environmental Informatics) – Environmental risks and agrifood systems

Day Four – Nexus challenges in sustainable development

As recently highlighted by the United Nations, the water, food and energy nexus at the heart of sustainable development. Agriculture is the largest consumer of the world’s freshwater resources, and water is used to produce most forms of energy. The challenge here is to ensure integrated and sustainable management of water, food and energy to balance the needs of people, nature and the economy. Today’s sessions cover systems thinking approaches to nexus challenges, hydrogen in the energy water nexus, and clean technologies for the water energy and food nexus.

The day includes a tour of sustainability initiatives implemented on the Cranfield campus and a lunch break poster session.

4th July 2024
09:00-17:30 (GMT) (Registration from 08:30am)
Cranfield campus

Presenters

Professor Nazmiye Ozkan (Professor in Sustainable Energy Transitions) – Water, Energy, Food Nexus: Systems Thinking
Dr Luca Alibardi (Lecturer in Separation Processes) – Hydrogen in the Energy Water Nexus
Professor Fred Coulon (Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology) – Clean Technologies in Water Energy and Food Nexus)

Day five – Leadership and finance for sustainability

Bringing sustainable solutions to fruition requires both leadership and financing. This final morning of C4S provides delegates with insight into those practical skills and competencies needed to lead organisations towards sustainability and how financial institutions and instruments can underpin the drive towards a sustainable future for people and planet.

5th July 2024
09:00-12:30 (GMT) (Registration from 08:30am)
Cranfield campus

Presenters

Dr Rosina Watson (Associate Professor of Sustainability) – Sustainability Leadership

Accommodation options and prices

This is a non-residential course. If you would like to book accommodation on campus, please contact Mitchell Hall or Cranfield Management Development Centre directly. Further information regarding our accommodation on campus can be found here. Alternatively you may wish to make your own arrangements at a nearby hotel.

Travel and carer grants

This training will be eligible for our C-DICE travel and carer grant.  You can discuss this with Karen Parks, C-DICE Training Hub Manager.