NBIA Junior Colloquia: Mary Wood

Speaker: Mary Wood (NBI)

Title: The future's bright; the future's green?

Abstract: In an age where we scramble for long-term sustainable energy solutions, and with a finite lithium supply, is there a role for photosynthetic organisms in ensuring future global energy security? I will briefly outline some of the latest ways in which researchers are hacking photosynthesis for human gain and explain how I am using a suite of unusual but powerful surface science techniques to help demystify some of the underlying chemistry and biology.

Brief Bio-sketch: Mary Wood has been an assistant professor at the NBIA since November 2023 having previously held an HFSP fellowship at both the EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) and University of Cambridge (UK). Her background is in surface science and, as a passionate eco-warrior, her current interests lie in both renewable bio photovoltaic technology and new routes for tackling plastic waste using engineered microbes and enzymes.

Refreshments will be available in the NBIA Lounge after the talk