#34 - Denise Mitrano: A world of plastics from macro and micro to nano - should zero plastics be the long-term goal?

The Grand Challengers Podcast

Denise Mitrano, Assistant Professor in the Environmental System Science Department at ETH Zurich sheds some light into the topic of plastics pollution, from macro and micro to nano. Trained as an analytical chemist, we hear how Denise is using her skills to better understand how we can quantify, replace and reduce the sources for better environmental and human health protection. We also reflect on the role that science needs to play in future legislation around environmental protection and some tips on being an academic in a very dynamic discipline.
Podcast Intro/Outro Song: Starsky by Alex Keren (Check out more of his tunes over on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vZ3lENfDLjkln8scBJ8mW)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:59 Guest Intro and getting out of your comfort zone
6:25 Discovering environmental chemistry and nanomaterials
13:17 Contaminants of emerging concern
16:16 Denise’s journey to Switzerland
18:00 Plastics 101
24:53 Two historical examples of plastics management
27:23 Can we create a plastic-free world?
30:36 Denise’s Research Pillar 1 - Analytical
34:40 Denise’s Research Pillar 2 - Transport and Fate
41:23 Metal-doped Microplastics
47:39 Denise’s Research Pillar 3 - Policy and Regulation
51:43 Denise’s Future Research Trajectory
57:43 Q&A Start
58:00 What inspires you?
58:56 If you had a magic wand?
1:01:16 Key event, person, book
1:02:59 Time management
1:05:07 Biggest challenge in career to date
1:07:44 Advice for young researchers
1:08:44 Where can people reach you?
1:09:07 Final Message
1:09:45 Outro

Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
Join the community over at: linkedin.com/company/tgcpodcast and let's connect across the world!
Subscribe and listen to the podcast (and do please leave a review/rating) on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Your subscription/follow will greatly help the show grow and reach a wider audience.
Hosted by Peter Marcus Bach (www.petermbach.com), follow me on:

• X (fomerly Twitter): @petermbach
• Instagram: @petermbach87
• Subscribe to my channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PeterMarcusBach/

פרקים

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Guest Intro and getting out of your comfort zone (00:01:59)

3. Discovering environmental chemistry and nanomaterials (00:06:25)

4. Contaminants of emerging concern (00:13:17)

5. Denise’s journey to Switzerland (00:16:16)

6. Plastics 101 (00:18:00)

7. Two historical examples of plastics management (00:24:53)

8. Can we create a plastic-free world? (00:27:23)

9. Denise’s Research Pillar 1 - Analytical (00:30:36)

10. Denise’s Research Pillar 2 - Transport and Fate (00:34:40)

11. Metal-doped Microplastics (00:41:23)

12. Denise’s Research Pillar 3 - Policy and Regulation (00:47:39)

13. Denise’s Future Research Trajectory (00:51:43)

14. Q&A Start (00:57:43)

15. What inspires you? (00:58:00)

16. If you had a magic wand? (00:58:56)

17. Key event, person, book (01:01:16)

18. Time management (01:02:59)

19. Biggest challenge in career to date (01:05:07)

20. Advice for young researchers (01:07:44)

21. Where can people reach you? (01:08:44)

22. Final Message (01:09:07)

23. Outro (01:09:45)