Sustainability research with Living Lab

The healthcare sector is a major contributor to national carbon emissions. It also generates large amounts of waste. In hospitals, A&E departments, operating rooms (OR) and intensive care units (ICU) all have a significant impact on the environment. The healthcare sector has committed to a 49% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. In this research internship, you will study the environmental impact of healthcare processes in order to promote measures that reduce the impact on both the climate and the environment.

Explore the possible alternatives for demedicalisation by referring a client to a non-medical organisation such as a cooking club instead of a dietician. This places a greater emphasis on lifestyle and changing the client's behaviour to improve their health without overburdening the healthcare system. This research involves a combination of behavioural and biomedical knowledge.

Two treatment methods used for patients with prostate cancer are a prostatectomy and radical radiotherapy (EBRT). Both methods are almost identical in terms of outcomes and toxicity. As a result, there is much debate in the medical community about which treatment is the preferred option. However, the ecological footprint of the treatments has not been studied. In this research internship, you will carry out a life cycle analysis (LCA) to determine which treatment is more sustainable and make recommendations for future trade-offs between the two treatments.

Biomedical research is vital for improving human health and quality of life, but laboratories have a significant ecological footprint. Just think about the vast amounts of single-use plastic materials and the high levels of energy, chemical and water consumption. Green Labs NL is conducting a nationwide pilot for the implementation of a guidance tool entitled the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF). LEAF helps research groups to become more sustainable based on practical criteria. Four RadboudUMC labs are participating in this pilot project. This research/internship focuses on collecting, organising and processing quantitative information on the use of energy, water and money. The objective is to measure baseline consumption, and consequently the improvement after LEAF implementation in labs participating in the LEAF pilot study. Students will be expected to assist in the measurement and collection of data on waste streams, equipment energy use, IT use and water use. You must have excellent communication skills and be able to build bridges between a wide range of expertise, from lab staff to managers and sustainability consultants.

This research is investigating the use of 3D-printed splints to replace standard treatments of fractures and other musculoskeletal injuries that use plastic casts. The disadvantages of plastic casts – such as discomfort, pain, planned and unplanned cast changes for patients, the environmental impact of production and transport abroad and the fact that they are single-use and non-recyclable – will be replaced with potential benefits, including less pain and discomfort, as well as being produced locally and being able to recycle the material.

Investigate opportunities for purchasing products in a way that respects nature in the broadest sense. Everything the University buys has an impact on biodiversity elsewhere. How can we find out what that impact is? And how do we know that procurement is not harming nature? In this living lab, you will primarily focus on economic issues and management.

The goal for the next ten years is to develop and manage the campus (grounds and buildings) in a way that creates favourable conditions for the restoration of biodiversity. To achieve this, a vision has been formulated based on four pillars: improving conditions for biodiversity, climate adaptation and migration, construction and human-nature interaction.

Investigate the regional impact (positive and negative) of splitting daily commuter and student flows by shifting the timetable so that teaching starts at 10am and ends at 6pm. It has been calculated that students represent roughly 40% of morning commuters. Shifting the timetable will alleviate and lengthen morning and evening rush hours. In addition, safety, quality and traffic flow can be improved for the whole of the Netherlands. Investigate these advantages and disadvantages and illustrate them with a social cost-benefit analysis. Based on this, you will draw up recommendations for further action. The research consists of identifying relevant issues and stakeholders, conducting interviews with stakeholders, organising and sharing the results in focus groups with a view to developing recommendations for further action. This research can be carried out in a variety of ways, either within a single discipline or from an interdisciplinary perspective.

In this living lab, you can focus on one of the following topics: discrimination in education/on campus (ageism, sexism, racism, educational racism, epistemic injustice); disability and accessibility on campus; diversity, equality and inclusion in relation to sustainable development goals (e.g., gender-based violence, equality in education and accessibility to education, data on representation at Radboud in Nijmegen, community partnership); cognitive behaviour (prejudice and bias, behavioural change, leadership change, systemic change); policy evaluation on change and bias; inclusive language in policies; social safety for students and staff. A strong passion for equality, a desire to be an advocate or to speak up for vulnerable communities is an advantage.

Research the organisation's (campus, University and Radboudumc) nitrogen footprint. To do this, you will first need to research how a nitrogen footprint is calculated, how it is visualised, what assumptions are made and how it differs from a carbon footprint.

Investigate the impact of a nitrogen footprint on an individual (employee or student). What does a personal footprint mean for individuals? What can an individual do to reduce their own nitrogen footprint? In this research project, you will use existing data, but you will also have to provide your own. This research requires both calculation skills and research into behaviour.

A recent study by the research group for the UN Food Systems Summit explored the true cost and true price of food. The price we pay for our food in supermarkets and restaurants does not reflect the environmental, health and societal costs associated with the production of our food. According to the study, only a third of the true costs are currently reflected in market prices. To negate these external costs, the study has proposed a True Costs Accounting (TCA) tool. As a result, consumers will pay a fairer price that compensates for the impact of our current food system. Radboud University wants to explore this concept further. During your research internship at Radboud University's Campus & Facilities department, you will answer questions such as: What are the true costs of our food?, How can we make people more aware of the hidden costs of their food? and What can/should Radboud University do about this in its own facilities that serve food?

The aim of this study is to visualise travel behaviour and motives for commuting and some business travel undertaken by employees working at the institutions on the Heijendaal campus (RU, UMC, HAN) and to compare this with data from a survey conducted in 2019. The study will also look at whether COVID-19 or other developments have affected travel behaviour. Based on the results, recommendations will be made to promote sustainable travel behaviour.

Investigate whether Radboud's sustainability reports comply with European guidelines. What do the auditors have to do to meet these requirements?

Radboud University has set itself the goal of reducing car traffic on and to campus by 20% by 2024 – without compromising accessibility. You will carry out a research project in which you will consider what measures should be taken to achieve this goal. It is also possible to do this research project as an internship.

Substances of very high concern (SVHC) are used in laboratory experiments. In this living lab, you will investigate the possibility of reducing the amount of SVHCs in each experiment and/or the possibility of using a less harmful alternative. It is also important to look at the emission (evaporation) of substances and how this can possibly be reduced.