Microplastics Workshop

Welcome to the website of the “Microplastics workshop for early career researchers: Best practices and expert insights in 2024, Idstein, Germany”

Are you working in the area of plastics or microplastic research as part of your PhD or Postdoc? Are you looking for a venue to discuss the latest research, experimental design or want to think about your future career possibilities with the skills you have learned during your studies?

If so, this workshop is for you! You will learn about what to consider when preparing a publication, experimental conceptualization and design of experiments, analytical techniques, quality control, data visualization and contextualization. We will address fate, transport, ecotoxicology, and modeling of plastic particles.

Keydates

Key focus

The overarching goal of this conference is to maximize interaction between students (Ph D candidates, early stage Postdocs) and field-leading experts. Through a series of novel, targeted, and interactive sessions, we allow active participation of scientists from a variety of backgrounds in order to increase collective understanding on cutting-edge approaches for tackling remaining challenges in microplastics research. Early career researchers have the opportunity to learn scientific and methodological tools and expand their scientific network through intense communication in small groups, while also learn career building skills which they can put into practice in their daily work.

This conference will have three main foci to help early career researchers become more knowledgeable in the field of environmental microplastics studies and be better equipped to be competent and confident researchers in the future. These include 1) key-note lectures by experts highlighting the state of the art in the field, 2) interactive sessions between students and experts for more in-depth scientific discussions and increased networking amongst participants and 3) student development sessions, where lectures are given to help students have the information and tools they need to work in the field of academic science.

Main objectives and importance for scientific co-operation

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of such a large and multi-faceted topic, microplastic research attracts scientist from very diverse disciplines ranging from polymer chemists to environmental scientists to human and eco-toxicologists. This requires cooperation and collaboration amongst scientists in order to both ask the correct questions and to correctly interpret results, but understanding the viewpoints of those who have a different scientific background is not always easy because of the different language and methodologies which are used within each field. Especially for early career researchers, learning how to communicate with each other well will help them navigate and properly evaluate the wide variety of studies which are published today, and help them to start thinking beyond their own field of research. Additionally, by strengthening their scientific networks, both within peer circles and being able to approach experts more easily, they will be able to get the advice and help they need to conduct their best research.

With this workshop, we aim to increased the confidence and scientific development of early career researchers working in the field, so that we can support ambitious and talented young students in their efforts to understand the impacts and implications of (micro)plastics pollution in the environment.

The following items will be part of the workshop program:

There will be 3 rounds of breakout sessions 60 minutes each, split across three days of the workshop. At the time of the abstract submission, the participants must select 3 topics which are of interest to them (see the list of topics below) and they will be grouped accordingly, where each group will have one expert up to 6 participants. Experts will give a short introduction to the topic (e.g. 3 – 6 slides), followed by Q&A with the participants.

Topics

Analysis and impacts of plastic chemicals
Analysis of particles and leachables
Biodegradability of plastics in the environment
Careers outside academia: the industry option
Ecotoxicity of microplastics
Fate of microplastics in rivers – spatial and temporal dynamics
Freshwater microplastics- how and why bother?
Human health risk assessment: exposure and effects
Macroplasic research in the era of microplastic
Marine systems: fate and cleanup
Modeling environmental exposure and risks
Nanoplastics
Sampling strategies and particle analysis with spectroscopy
Science to Policy and Regulations

Students will submit a writing sample (e.g. conference abstract, manuscript introduction, draft manuscript, etc.) and will be randomly assigned into small groups of 5, where the writing samples of all students in the given group will be shared. Prior to the workshop, the students will read and revise the text of other students and be prepared to discuss the format, clarity, and scientific content of the writing sample in peer-editing circles. At the workshop, three hours will be dedicated to peer-editing circles after an introductory lecture of best practices for scientific writing. Experts will also join the circles to help moderate discus-sions and provide additional advice and tips. This will not only allow students to learn about different research fields, but provide them with the opportunity to act as a peer reviewer, allowing them to better understand how their own writing could be improved.

Following a lecture on presentation skills and communication approaches to both scientific and public audiences, students will be grouped into teams of 6 to give 15 minute oral presentations on their research topic and results. Beyond scientific questions, the audience will also provide feedback on didactics, slide clarity, presentation style, etc. Experts will also join the circles to help moderate discussion and provide additional advice and tips. Here students will learn about new areas of research, but also have the opportunity to give constructive criticism to their peers and receive valuable feedback for improving their own communication style.

Over the course of three sessions, students and experts will have the opportunity to present their work in a poster fair. Posters should be printed at the home institute and be brought with the student to the workshop venue to be displayed on poster boards. This will allow the students to 1) have an additional venue to present their own work and 2) learn more about the work of others which they did not yet meet during the writing café and communication café sessions.