Research group MPEA

Marine Phytoplankton Ecology and Applications

Workshops on Water Use Led by Prof. Catherine Legrand during Sustainability Week

2020-09-21

In connection with Sustainability Week / Kalmarsund Week, two different digital workshops were held with the theme of sustainable and efficient use of industrial water.

The workshops were led by Catherine Legrand, professor of marine ecology at the Faculty of Health and Environment and Jörgen Forss, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Technology. Around 60 people from business, organizations and authorities, joined  representatives from Linnaeus University, to discuss industry’s water use from local to international needs and challenges. IVL Swedish Environmental Institute, Vattenmyndigheten Södra Östersjön, Mercatus Engineering Vimmerby, Mörbylånga water industry and doctoral students from Linnaeus University shared interesting perspectives that were discussed further in workshops based on experiences, needs and future challenges.

Water scarcity is a strong factor that requires new analyses and processes. The statement “reality goes faster than calculations” became food for thought, and a driver to discuss the international issues involving water, including the fact that water problems lead to conflicts and should be dealt with globally.

It is clear that industry partners at the workshops are looking to find solutions for efficient water use.  But how do we do it best? Incentives, behavior change, skills development, exchanges of experience, legislation, water recycling concepts, and solution templates to inspire each other are some examples. The importance of cooperation and communication between business, authorities, municipalities and academia was a recurring argument. Together we challenge for new and effective solutions!

See Swedish version of this article here! 

More information on Catherine Legrand’s “Knowledge Environment: Water” for Linnaeus University: 

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AlgoKidz: Bringing the world of algae, the sea, and sustainability to children

2020-09-14

For several years, researchers in our MPEA group’s Algoland project have researched the ability of algae to clean flue gas from air and clean water from nitrogen and phosphorus.  Now, we are bringing the world of algae, the sea and sustainability to children in Sweden and beyond with our new outreach project: AlgoKidz aimed at children aged preschool to grade 3.

This past Friday, 11th September, AlgoKidz was launched in the third grade classes of Lindöskolan in Kalmar, where students learned and sang about Algo, the big little superhero who lives in the sea. They even had the pleasure to taste some green “Algo Shots,” which received mixed reviews from the taste-testers!

 

 

The AlgoKidz project is designed to be an educational toolbox for teachers of young children. It includes a homepage with the story about Algo, from which teachers can download coloring books, stories, stickers, a filmed educational program where Catherine teaches about algae in a way children can understand,  and even a music video starring MPEA and EEMiS’s very own researcher, Christien Laber! The material is free to use for everyone and completely free of charge.

The idea of integrating art with science is not a new one, but one that we are implementing in a wholly original way, incorporating music, art and digital elements to engender ocean literacy for a new generation of thinkers, researchers and world citizens.

“This was the starting shot and we have a few more school visits planned, but the idea with Algo Kidz is that you as an educator can use the material in your teaching on your own, says Catherine. “Algo Kidz is a good example where science and art work together to increase water knowledge.”

The research that forms the basis for Algo Kidz is conducted within Linnaeus University’s project Algoland, Marine Phytoplankton Ecology and Applications, Eemis, and Knowledge Environment: Water. The project is based on the exhibition “Microalgae – The environmental heroes of our time,” which is produced and curated by the LNU’s The Cultural University.

AlgoKidz is a great way to kick off the UN #DecadeofOceanScience ! 

 

See some photos from the AlgoKidz launch party!

 

Link to Algo Kidz website: https://lnu.se/algokidz

Link to: Christien Laber’s Music of Science webpage 

Link to LNU Press release: https://lnu.se/mot-linneuniversitetet/aktuellt/nyheter/2020/nytt-skolmaterial-ska-lara-barn-hur-mikroalger-kan-rena-luft-och-hav/

P4Kalmar Förmiddag med Kalle Johansson, interview with Christien LaberAlgoKidz launch https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/1565071
Time 04.50 till 24.10

Contact and more information about the project
Catherine Legrand, Professor of Marine Ecology, 070-438 06 18, catherine.legrand@lnu.se
Christina Dahlgren, artium director, 070-572 26 56, christina.dahlgren@lnu.se

Caroline Littlefield Karlsson, coordinator, 0732318660