13 nov ’24
Polarquest2018
The future of plastics: exploring new solutions with students at the BiotechPop Festival
Paola Catapano talks about Polarquest2018, sustainability and microplastics for environmental protection at the Festival BiotechPop in Apricena, Italy.
A Pioneering Scientific Outreach Event on the Future of Plastics.
Paola Catapano was invited to the BiotechPop festival in Apricena, in Apulia (her birth region in the South of Italy), by the IIS Federico II institute. The Festival is a forward-thinking event focused on replacing plastics with bioplastics, in collaboration with the Univeristy of Foggia and the ITS Institute in Lecce.
She presented several Polarquest expeditions and the results of microplastic sampling in the Arctic, highlighting the impact of human activity on the fragile Arctic ecosystem.
Environmental conservation is a central focus for the students of IIS Federico II, who propose innovative solutions for plastic use: “Discussing bioplastics and biotechnologies while the treaty against plastics is still being drafted means staying ahead of the curve and being ready for the ongoing change,” says Paola.
During the same tour, she also talked to the junior and high school students of Il Sottosopra, the newspaper of ITET Blaise Pascal in Foggia, who asked her about her future projects:
“I always have a project up my sleeve.” Paola said. “I have purchased a sailboat and plan to embark on a research and citizen science expedition with a clear focus: educating about environmental respect and contributing to environmental sciences to address the climate crisis we face today.”
More News & Events
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Polarquest joins the BioBlitz campaign to Spot the Mediterranean Monk Seal
Polarquest and its newly created Fleet4Science partners with the Environmental Science Department of Milano-Bicocca University to collect data for the BioBlitz campaign, created to monitor endangered monk seal populations through eDNA collection in the Mediterranean.
The Big Plastic Count: Join Polarquest to Monitor Plastic Pollution!
From March 31 to April 6, 2025, track your plastic use and help collect crucial data to combat pollution. Plastic waste is a global crisis—let’s take action together! Polarquest is participating to raise awareness about plastic’s impact, especially in polar regions.
Polarquest2018 featured on AISE ahead of the Norway tour
Italian AISE’s article on Paola Catapano’s April conference tour in Norway to present the Polarquest 2018 expedition.
Dalle Bobine alla Frontiera: La Memoria di Gianni Albertini Rivive con Polarquest
Fotografie, documenti e filmati inediti sull’avventura HEIMEN-SUCAI sono stati riportati alla luce in un filmato realizzato da Christian Cinetto di Polarquest. Il documentario crea un ponte tra passato e presente, affiancando le immagini storiche a quelle della spedizione Polarquest2018, in un viaggio visivo che mostra come, anche a un secolo di distanza, l’Artico resti una frontiera di scoperta.
Paola Catapano and Gianluca Casagrande Unveil Engineer Albertini’s Arctic Legacy in Milan
Paola Catapano and Gianluca Casagrande Speak at the Conference on Engineer Albertini’s Great Journey in search of the missing crew of Airship Italia in 1929 at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.