Sustainability Conference 2025: Will New Technology Help or Harm the Planet?

John has worked in IT for nearly 30 years and has a life-long love for the environment. He’s applying his broad experience from the public and private sectors to HE, achieving material improvements to his University's sustainability whilst taking colleagues along the path to whole-scale adoption of environmental sustainability principles.

Susan has worked as the director of two Masters Programmes at the University of Manchester, one focusing on digital education and more recently a programme on sustainability education. Her interests both in the digital and sustainable have helped inform the design of a new module focusing on sustainable educational technology development.

David Barrett is Head of Desktop, Print and Support (DPS) at the University of York and leads teams of technical and support specialists who provide University wide managed desktop, print and IT support services.

Chris has worked in HE supporting and managing End-User Computing for over 30 years.  Starting as a trainee technician back in 1992, culminating in his current role as Head of Enterprise Services for Keele University, responsible for 3 end-user teams delivering high-quality IT and AV solutions to over 5000 devices and several hundred teaching spaces.

Lorna teaches a range of digital media modules from a media studies perspective, including critical approaches to AI.  Her research explores the ways that digital society and AI can lead to the repurposing of expert knowledge, digital misinformation, and environmental impacts, especially in the creative and heritage industries. 

Claire has worked in various professional services departments over 32 years at NTU.  Her role as Sustainable Procurement Manager focusses on NTU’s Net Zero Supply Chain (Scope 3) Workstream.  This has involved developing, testing and launching the Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool which provides 33 universities with more robust supply chain emissions data and, gives suppliers access to develop a free bespoke carbon action plan and calculate their scope 1+2 footprint. Claire has a wealth of experience in sustainable supply chains within higher education.

Charlotte has over 15 years experience working in sustainability with roles in energy, climate change, sustainability management and climate resilience across the public sector. She currently oversees the programme management of activity to meet Nottingham Trent University’s ambitious 2040 Net Zero Carbon target across all 3 scopes of emissions. Charlotte’s specialities include carbon footprinting, climate change risk assessments and scope 3 supply chain emissions.