Science with a Twist

From Waste to Worth: Rethinking Plastics with NREL's Insights

Science with a Twist

Show Notes

In this episode of Science with a Twist, host Terri Somers speaks with Kat Knauer, Ph.D., Senior Researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Chief Technology Officer of the BOTTLE Consortium. They delve into both the value of plastics and the pervasive issue of plastic pollution and its impact on the environment. Kat shares insights on the role scientific research and industries play in addressing plastic waste and promoting sustainability.

Kat’s expertise offers listeners a deeper understanding of the complexities of plastic pollution and the collective effort needed to forge a sustainable future, including: • An overview of some innovative solutions for recycling and the development of new, more sustainable plastics. • The importance of reducing single-use plastics in our daily lives, as well as in research labs and the broader biotech field. • Kat also shines a spotlight on a couple of collaborations with Amazon and Patagonia, each of which aims to create a more circular economy for plastics.

Kat has a concise call to action for listeners, as individuals and as professionals in the life sciences: make the effort to reduce plastics usage and improve recycling habits.

More from Science with a Twist

Sep 25, 2025

Discover how human leukocyte antigens (HLAs)—once key to organ transplantation—are now transforming cancer immunotherapy and autoimmune disease treatment. Marcelo Fernandez Vina, Director of the Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Laboratory at Stanford Blood Center, and Dave Lowe, Senior Director of R&D, Transplant Diagnostics at Thermo Fisher, reveal how this decades-old tool is reshaping modern medicine.

Jul 14, 2025

Explore the future of medicine in this podcast episode on gene therapy. Hear from Namritha Ravinder, Director, Cell and Gene Therapy R&D at Thermo Fisher, about the latest breakthroughs, innovative technologies and how the industry can bring lifesaving therapies to more patients.

Apr 17, 2025

Explore how the biotech and pharma industries tackle environmental challenges. Join My Green Lab CEO James Connelly and Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Senior Director of Global Sustainability Alyssa Caddle on Science with a Twist as they discuss strategies for creating greener research laboratories.

Jul 11, 2024

In this episode of Science With a Twist, join host Terri Somers as she explores how Thermo Fisher Scientific leverages science, innovation, and customer relationships to help drive health equity, which is described as a state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to reach their highest level of health.

Jun 25, 2024

In this episode of "Science with a Twist," host Terri Somers speaks with Dr. Rose Blackburne, MBA, Vice President, Medical Science and Strategy, and Global Head of General Medicine and Women’s Health at the PPD clinical research business at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

See all episodes →