Brain imaging in UK Biobank

— Gwenaëlle Douaud, PhD, Associate Professor, Research Fellow, Green Templeton College Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract
The UK Biobank imaging study is a very ambitious project in which the brain, heart, bones and abdomen of 100,000 UK Biobank participants are being scanned. Over 60,000 participants have been scanned already. ... As part of the team developing the analysis pipeline for the brain scans, I will introduce the brain imaging dataset, and present the kind of studies that can be done using this unique resource, including the UK Biobank COVID-19 re-imaging project. Read more

Biography
My body of work is at the interface between basic neuroscience, methodological imaging development and clinical application. ... It focuses on translational research from imaging methods to applied human neuroscience, such as brain maturation, ageing, and disease (Alzheimer's disease, movement disorders, COVID-19) and with a recent emphasis on very large imaging datasets to identify - and make sense - of relevant clinical information. Read more

Rigs to Reefs: Transforming Our Energy Past into an Eco-Friendly Future

— Amber Sparks Co-Founder of Blue Latitudes LLC, USA

Abstract
Offshore energy development has led to the installation of over 12,000 oil and gas structures in oceans worldwide, many of which are nearing decommissioning. Traditional decommissioning methods involving removal and on-shore disposal are environmentally harmful and excessively costly, ... especially considering that these platforms support highly productive ecosystems. Embracing a Rigs to Reefs (RtR) program presents a replicable and scalable solution to this challenge. With over 600 structures repurposed as reefs over the past three decades, RtR demonstrates a proven circular economy approach, preserving ecosystem services value and fostering new industries like offshore wind, marine aquaculture, and ecotourism. This keynote will overview global case studies of successful RtR conversions, examine both the opportunities and challenges associated with this alternative decommissioning approach, and discuss implications for future decommissioning initiatives in the Adriatic Sea. Read more

Biography
Amber Sparks is the co-founder and managing partner at Blue Latitudes LLC, a women-owned marine environmental consulting firm specializing in sustainable solutions for offshore energy environmental issues. With over a decade of experience as a marine scientist and offshore oil and gas consultant, she has led ... projects ranging from ecological research to hosting panels at global decommissioning conferences. Amber is dedicated to advancing scientific understanding at the nexus of energy and the environment. She holds a bachelor's degree in Marine Science from UC Berkeley and a master's degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Additionally, Amber is the Co-President of Blue Latitudes Foundation, where she works to educate stakeholders and promote ocean conservation through collaboration and award-winning documentary films. Amber's leadership has been recognized through awards such as Forbes 30 Under 30 and Entrepreneur Magazine's business leader accolades. Through her work, she has helped conserve over 100 acres of reef habitat by repurposing offshore oil rigs into artificial reefs globally. Read more