"It is time to progress environmental science with the help of X-rays and neutrons" - interview with the ECL theme leader
1. Culture of the wood decomposing fungus Hydnomerulius pinastri growing on crystalline cellulose as carbon source under nitrogen limitation. 2 and 3. Microfossils such as this bottom-dwelling foraminifera species, Elphidium williamsoni, can give us important knowledge about past climate and past marine environments. Foraminifera typically have the size of a sand-grain and live in all marine environments. The images are 3D-renderings based on µCT scans performed at the Anatomix beamline, Soleil, France. Image credit: Helena Filipsson and coworkers.
The Environment and Climate theme is starting at LINXS in September. Theme leader Dimitrios Floudas shares the story of how the theme came to be, his desires for the theme’s impact, and reflects on the need for researchers to speak the same language to really progress interdisciplinary science using X-rays and neutrons.
It was about two years ago since Dimitrios Floudas first started thinking about applying for a theme, together with amongst others Helena Filipsson (Geology Department), Edith Hammer and Milda Pucetaite, (Biology department) at Lund University. Edith and Milda were previously part of the Soil Science working group under the former Imaging theme. They all felt that there was a big need to progress environmental science, and that there existed a gap in terms of research using X-rays and neutrons. But deciding how to frame it was a challenge since environmental sciences are very broad and covers everything from studying sediments, to soil sciences and atmospheric particles.
Dimitrios Floudas, is associate Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biology, Lund University, and ECL theme leader.
– In the end, we decided to have a broad focus for our theme, with the overall aim of expanding our knowledge of complex, environmental processes related to ecosystem functioning, global change, and anthropogenic activities, through the use of X-rays and neutrons, says Dimitrios Floudas, associate Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biology, Lund University.
The theme gathers a core group with researchers from Lund University, from physical chemistry, geology, and biology. It will work across four working groups. 1. Environmental Archives, 2. Human impact and pollution, 3. Nutrient cycles and land-water interactions, and 4. Structures and environmental interfaces.
Two interconnected aims
The theme has two interconnected aims, explains Dimitrios Flouda. The first one is focused on progressing interdisciplinary science, to be able to answer complex research questions, focusing on how nutrients travel from land towards water, and the role of microbial decomposition in such processes, what role aerosols particles play in pollution, or what sediments in the ocean can teach us about past and future climates. To do this, the theme is planning to advance and develop novel methodologies and expand the use of neutron and X-ray scattering techniques in environmental sciences.
The second aim is focused on breaking down barriers and facilitate collaborations between experienced users and new users of large-scale facilities, and to promote the use of green technologies in industrial and biotechnological applications.
– From previous projects, I know that it is a big challenge to bring people from different fields, and backgrounds together. It takes a while to develop the same language from a methodological point of view, says Dimitrios Floudas.
He continues. – Once you develop that common ground, we believe there is potential to spark really interesting conversations with beamline scientists on how we can approach some of the questions we have.
Thus, the theme will organise a range of introductory workshops on topics such as sample preparation, data analysis, how to create data sets, and example data sets as efforts to bridge these communication and knowledge barriers. Another focus is to establish a mentorship programme for younger scientists and to train the next generation of scientists.
– Our ambition is to create a small school with PhD students and post-docs and get them familiar with X-rays and neutron techniques. We as PI:s are not directly involved in the work, since we want to make sure that younger environmental scientists get involved.
Many activities already planned
A number of activities are already planned for the autumn. The kick-off is planned to take place 23-24th October, along with a workshop on aerosol sciences with working group 2 organised by Nonne Prisle (University of Oulu) and Axel Eriksson (Lund University). In autumn, the theme will invite a visiting researcher, during which time working group 2 will also have its first event. In spring, a second workshop on nutrient mobilisation from soil organic matter wil be organised by working groups 3 and 4. In parallel, work is also starting up on the mentorship programme.
What are Dimitrios Floudas ideal outcomes for the theme once it finishes in 2026?
– What we don't want is for the theme to finish at three years and then people forget about it. What we want, each one of us, is to eventually establish very strong collaborations with MAX IV and ESS, and other research groups. We also want to apply for grants so that we can initiate larger projects with large-scale facilities.
He continues: – We believe that this approach will establish good dynamic groups that can continue to function after the theme. If we manage this, in addition to training younger scientists, we will consider the theme a great success!