Tapiwa: chemist
Tapiwa is a chemist who can do some tasks at home, but she needs a lab to conduct her experiments. This is because her work requires various specialised equipment. To run these experiments, her workspace must have proper ventilation and precise temperature control.
Tapiwa’s daily work involves a mix of tasks such as planning and refining experiments, simulating results with algorithms, ordering materials, conducting experiments, writing proposals and papers, and attending meetings. Occasionally, she needs to purchase new equipment through the University’s procurement process.
Collaboration is key to her role. She regularly communicates with other researchers, both at the University of York and externally. She has informal discussions with lab colleagues and students to refine and improve experiments, and more formal team meetings, often via video conferencing but sometimes in person.
Tapiwa also attends conferences and workshops across the UK and Europe. She typically travels by train within the UK and by plane for european events. When in-person attendance isn’t necessary, she participates through video conferencing.
Tapiwa's environmental impacts and key choices
Energy use from home and in the lab
A portion of the energy used to heat, light, and power equipment both at home and in the lab contributes to the environmental impact of Tapiwa’s research. In the lab, this includes the energy directly used for her experiments, while at home, it covers the energy for her office during working hours.
Lab energy consumption
Energy used in the lab makes up most of Tapiwa’s research environmental footprint. Her work relies on many energy-intensive tools, and constant temperature control and ventilation are necessary for her experiments. Additionally, her computer tasks, such as running simulations with large datasets, use more energy than typical computer work.
Cloud computing energy
Much of Tapiwa’s computer work depends on cloud services like Google Drive. The energy used by these remote servers isn't included in her lab or home energy use, but it still adds to her research’s overall environmental impact.
Experiment design and materials
Designing experiments and using materials add to Tapiwa’s research environmental footprint beyond just the energy used for planning and ordering supplies.
Material disposal and recycling
The materials Tapiwa uses, how she disposes of them, whether they can be recycled (in the case of consumables like pipettes or petri-dishes), or need special handling (in the case of samples themselves), all affect her research’s environmental footprint.
Purchasing equipment
When Tapiwa buys new equipment for a project, her choices impact her research’s environmental footprint. She must consider factors like total cost, energy use, efficiency, and disposal to understand this impact.
Travel choices
Tapiwa’s travel decisions for workshops or conferences affect her overall environmental footprint. Attending virtually uses less carbon than flying. When in-person attendance is necessary, she can reduce her carbon footprint by travelling by train when possible.