Shini Somara: You are working to develop biological methods to recycle plastic sustainably into higher value chemicals. Tell us more.
Joanna Sadler: Most of the research done so far focuses on breaking down or melting down the plastic and reforming it into more forms of plastic – many of which are of a lower grade than the first-generation polymer. Instead, I’d like to turn plastic into a resource by using it as a feedstock for making industrial chemicals. I’m a chemist by training, so I have always been fascinated by the ways in which we can make the chemical industry more sustainable. The chemical industry is responsible for vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, so I think finding ways to tackle this while addressing the plastic waste crisis is really interesting.
SS: How did your career develop?
JS: Sustainability drives me and I’m trying to do something to ensure a slightly more sustainable planet for future generations. After my undergraduate...