Pint of Science: Sustainable Tech

Climate change is a topic often at the forefront of discussions across the spectrum of academic subjects and we often hear technology blamed for its negative contributions. But could technology also have a positive role to play? 

In this set of talks we hear from experts in the field of sustainable tech who are working to use the powers of technology and artificial intelligence to improve our understanding of climate change, and maybe help turn the tides for the better.

Harvesting from the Solar Spectrum

Georgie Burgoyne Morris (PhD student at the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge)

The rapidly emerging climate crisis has highlighted the urgency of developing effective renewable energy sources, of which solar power is a key example. However, many existing solar cells only make efficient use of a small portion of the solar spectrum. The use of spectral converters, either in downshifting high-energy light or upconverting low-energy light, allows the solar spectrum to be tuned to allow more efficient energy harvesting. This talk will explore different types of spectral conversion, and the materials challenges involved in effectively implementing these technologies.

Air Pollution & AI: Understanding the Risks and Impact

Michelle Wan (PhD student at the University of Cambridge)

Air pollution affects both our climate and our health. In this talk, Michelle shares two examples of machine learning methods which can help us better understand pollution risks and their health impacts. In the first example, they use smart algorithms to fill in missing data when air quality monitoring sensors break. In the second example, they combine this environmental data with information about wealth and poverty to predict health outcomes.