"What's Wrong with These People?" or Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Room Temperature Biological Sample Storage
Susan Vargas, Stanford University
Storing biological samples (genetic material, blood, tissue, etc.) is currently very energy intensive and expensive, especially for those that are kept in ultra-low temperature (typically -80 degrees Fahrenheit) freezers for long-term preservation. Stanford University Sustainability and Energy Management (SEM) and Biomatrica® co-funded a pilot study of an alternative room temperature storage technology in 2008 and found that it had tremendous potential for reducing energy use, freeing up laboratory space, and improving sample security in the event of an earthquake or other disaster. Since that time, however, no additional Stanford researchers have adopted the alternative technology despite education and rebate programs jointly offered by the School of Medicine and SEM. This interactive presentation is intended to explore why these programs have not achieved desired results and what other avenues or mechanisms might be more successful at breaking down barriers to adoption of this sustainable technology.
Susan Vargas is the manager of facilities energy efficiency at Stanford University, with responsibility for improving the energy performance of the institution's 15 million square feet of existing buildings. To this end, she administers the Energy Conservation Incentive Program to motivate conserving habits and purchasing decisions and oversees both a $1.5 million annual program and a $30 million capital program to identify, coordinate, and fund retrofit projects that will enhance energy efficiency. Prior to returning to Stanford University, Ms. Vargas was a Senior Project Manager at Energy Solutions in Oakland, California, where she worked with such clients as the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the City of Oakland, and the California Board for Energy Efficiency. Ms. Vargas has a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and a Masters of Science from the Energy and Resources Group at University of California, Berkeley.