A University of Nottingham Technical Manager has received a prestigious award for excellence in sustainability, recognising his work to embed environmental practice into research.
Lee Hibbett from the School of Pharmacy was awarded the Papin Prize by the UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy and Midlands Innovation.
Lee has been a technician at the University for over 34 years, working across many different research labs. He has channelled his lifelong passion for the environment into action and established the Technical Sustainability Working Group (TSWG) to collaborate directly with the UoN sustainability team.
He also set up the Midlands Innovation Environmental Sustainability Network (MI-ESN) to further extend this vital work to the other eight universities in the M8. Our goal was, and still is, to bridge the gap between our labs and Estates, finding practical ways to make our operations greener.
This Papin Prize specifically recognises Lee's work to embed sustainability deeply within technical operations and make lab areas greener and drive LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) accreditation across as many labs as possible.
To achieve this a number of changes have been made including: running freezers at – 70oC rather than – 80oC (saving 25% in energy or £300 per year, introducing chiller units and waterless condensers, which respectively cut energy use and save around 1.2m litres of water a year and working with industry partners to transform approaches to recycling of instruments, solvents and plastics.
This award is a fantastic validation of the hard work we've all put in to make our operations more environmentally friendly. It shows that even seemingly small changes can lead to a huge impact, and it truly validates our commitment to a greener future. To me, it's a powerful statement that technical excellence and sustainability are not separate goals-they are one and the same. I hope this recognition inspires all my colleagues to see the vital role they can play in building an even more sustainable future.
Dr Kelly Vere MBE, Director of Technical Strategy at the University of Nottingham and Director for The UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy and Technician Commitment Programme Lead said: "The Papin Prizes recognise and celebrate the very best technical staff across the UK. Because the submissions are invited from people who work with technical staff, they also increase recognition and visibility of technicians."
Technicians are at the forefront of innovation and their specialist skills and knowledge are key to the delivery of the university's sustainability strategy and Lee is testament of what can be achieved with hard work, dedication and meaningful collaboration and we thank him for all that he does and continues to do to help the University achieve its sustainability goals.
Lee adds: "All of our initiatives are about supporting and nurturing technical staff, creating and facilitating networks, providing technical expertise, and promoting communities of learning. The ultimate focus is on developing a culture where sustainable working practices are not just an afterthought but are truly embedded into everything we do."
