Malica Schmidt
Forschung
Forschung in Extremen Umweltbedingungen
Mein Hauptforschungsprojekt umfasst die Entwicklung von Natur-Inspirierten, Multifunktionalen Oberflächen (NIMFS) für nachhaltiges Wasserrecycling in extremen Umweltbedingungen. Weitere Forschungsarbeiten umfassen den Katastrophenschutz bei steigendem Meeresspiegel un Sturmfluten in Tokio, Japan, sowie die Verbesserung der Sicherheit für Schlaganfallüberlebende und Menschen mit Demenz. Mehr über meine Forschung:
Natur-Inspirierte, Multifunktionale Oberflächen (NIMFS)
Forschungsdoktorat in Materialwissenschaften/Luft- und Raumfahrt Mikrobiology, Centre for Nature-Inspired Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London
London, Großbritannien
Water is one of the most critical resources for life, yet billions of people lack access while its scarcity intensifies due to more extreme environments caused by climate change. Even amidst the forefront of scientific exploration in extreme environments on Earth and in space, water recycling remains inadequate. It is crucial to improve efficiency, sustainability, and reliability by inventing novel technologies and assessing them in analog environment settings.
The NIMFS are one such innovative technology, which consist of intricate nature-inspired microstructures and microchannels that harness water from the air and surfaces and transport it passively for filtration and reuse (Figure 1a). The surfaces are fabricated, using state-of-the-art 3D nanoprinting techniques (Figure 1b), and assessed during ground-based and simulated microgravity experiments.
They exhibit 50% improved contact angles compared to a flat surface, rapid water intake, and multi-lateral fluid flow into 70% of the structures and channels. Parabolic flight experiments during the 35th DLR Parabolic Flight Campaign reveal enhanced capillary action, resulting in a 54% increase in water intake speeds into the NIMFS (Figure 2). Read more about the project:
Additional insights are promising from on-going evaluations of year-long experiments during the "Touching Surfaces" project aboard the International Space Station (Figure 3). Ultimately, this novel research aims to improve health and performance while reducing the energy consumption for freshwater conservation in applications on Earth and in space.
Bild 1: Bio-inspiration, Konzept, Design, and Herstellung der NIMFS. Bild 2 und 3: Die NIMFS wurden während der 35. DLR Parabelflugkampagne und auf der ISS während des DLR/ESA Projektes "Touching Surfaces" getestet.
Katastrophenschutz bei Meeresspiegelanstieg und Sturmfluten in Tokio, Japan
Master in Architektur, Edinburgh University
Edinburgh, Großbritannien
Japan frequently experiences serious disasters, including floods caused by storms, typhoons, tsunamis and other natural disasters that increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change and the resulting sea level rise. Currently, more than 861 km of Japan's coastal line lie below sea level. With a 1 m rise, this zone would expand to 2,340 km , endangering the lives and homes of 4 million people. This sea level rise coupled with future storms leads to a significantly larger area of effect that could impact up to 15 million people. Reclaimed land can cause further issues, such as the loss of its load-bearing capacity and resulting liquefaction of the land, as well as toxic substances that could arise from these landfills.
Whilst in Tokyo, we visited some of the preventative measures that Japan undertook against these disasters. For instance, seawalls and breakwater structures were built in many areas of Tokyo Bay, as well as innovative preventions, such as the 6 km long Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel. This 25 m high and 177 m wide channel is one of the world's largest flood defence channels that draws the flood waters to reservoirs outside of Tokyo.
After comparing storm surges, liquefaction, and the existing mitigation methods with a potential sea level rise of 1 m , it becomes crucial to develop a safe and secure waterfront and lower the vulnerability of the individuals living in and around Tokyo Bay. Therefore, I developed plans for emergency evacuation routes, canals that cut into the landfill to decrease the wave energy, and three measures to prepare the area for rising sea levels, which I called 'Elevation', 'Resistance', and 'Resilience'. This project was in collaboration with Arup.
The first measure, 'Elevation', includes multi-purpose levees, seawalls, and terraces as measurements for the current flood level and buildings that respond to flood by rising and lowering with the surrounding water level and its absence. This can be achieved by making the building movable with the water pressure due to two vertical pillars and a concrete basin, in which the building is positioned. The second measure, 'Resistance', includes elevated areas with fortified buildings due to dry-flood-proofing material that keeps the water out. The third measure, 'Resilience', promotes adaptability to sea level rise by building a floodable park or playground, elevating the buildings on pillars, and allow them to adapt by changing the function of the lower floors to fish farms and boat garages. These measures would create new ways of living with water.
The total area would consist of 2,200 new flats built in different stages. During stage one, the existing buildings on the waterfront are replaced with the measures of ‘Elevation’ and creates the elevated areas, while stage two and three includes the measures for ‘Resistance’ and 'Resilience', respectively.
which investigated how architecture is haunted by catastrophe and how disasters – including floods, earthquakes, fires, economic crashes – produce urban form and act as a point of departure for formal language.
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Verbesserungen für Überlebende nach Schlaganfall und Menschen mit Demenz
Master in Architektur, Edinburgh University
Edinburgh, Großbritannien
The global population is becoming older and more urbanised, which increases the number of people with reduced mobility. This leads to lower social interactions and a lonely and isolated elderly population, causing a degradation of their physical and mental health. The physical and mental health can be improved for people who live in urban environments by walking in green spaces or along waterways. However, London has a multitude of parks that are not well connected and areas such as Hackney Wick lack these spaces entirely. Additionally, waterways such as canals and rivers are at risk of tidal, fluvial, surface, sewer, and ground water flooding. This becomes more crucial with more extreme environments due to climate change. To support the health and wellbeing, as well as the safety and security for those who inhabit the area, we need evidence-based solutions, specifically for the vulnerable demographics.
The interdisciplinary research project "Mood, Mobility, and Place" explored the positive qualities that encourages people to go out and participate in community life. The 3-year long project was funded by EPSRC through the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Cross-Council Programme and brought together experts from the Universities of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, York, and King’s College London. The research methods consisted of neural imaging, reports, surveys, questionnaires, interviews, workshops, focus groups, and fieldwork analysis that informed the co-design of an age-friendly city. For more information on the program and the course, please read this website and papers by I. Scott [1, 2].
During the neural imaging study, brain electrical activity was measured as real-time emotional response to various environments on stroke survivors and people with Alzheimer’s, aged 70-90. The aim was to understand how elderly people experience different environments and how this influences their mood and, in turn, willingness to be active. This was assessed during a 15 min walk along an area of green space and then a busy street, while wearing a mobile electroencephalography (EEG) headset with a data acquisition computer in a backpack. The data was interpreted, using quantitative software outputs, as well as qualitative field notes, reports, and interviews to assist in interpreting the EEG data. Three emotional parameters were compared: “excitement”, “frustration”, and “engagement”. The results showed that green spaces were preferred, as it was calming and quieter than the busy street. On the other hand, the busy area required a higher cognitive load and had more negative associations, caused by litter and having to watch more carefully for obstacles. For more information on the study and key findings, watch this video and read more in a paper by S. Tilley, et al. [3].
The additional workshops, focus groups, questionnaires, and fieldwork analysis uncovered 13 key topics, including safety and security, access to nature, social opportunities, optimising mobility, and being in a mixed use area.
To create a safe and secure environment for the inhabitants of Hackney Wick, I developed a linear park as an elevated walkway on old railway tracts. The linear park stretches from Olympic Park to Victoria Park and consists of two levels with floating pocket parks: a straight route for fast transiting and a slow meandering route to promote health and wellbeing. Both routes include three different walkway variations: protected parts with louvres that serve as shelters against rain, wind, and sun, half open parts to protect against rain, and open parts to fully enjoy the views. Instead of building flood mitigation strategies, the linear park supports ‘making space for water’, an approach where the river Thames expands during times of flooding without harming the inhabitants, promoting green infrastructure, and reducing reliance on defence systems.
The linear park also houses new mixed-use amenities, creating the right balance of commercial, retail, and a greener environment for intergenerational activity. This promotes a safer and more secure environment, while keeping the historic and local character of Hackney Wick. Specifically, these amenities consist of:
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a 70 m tall tower as an orientation and way-finding point that includes the tube station as a link to London and a pass-through for the linear park. On the higher floors, the tower contains a community centre and offices that connect via a terrace.
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a central hub for Hackney Wick with a theatre and a cultural centre, both accessible through the park and the ground through stairs, lifts, and ramps. The theatre can hold up to 190 people and contains two workshops where young, elderly people, and artists can exchange their knowledge. The cultural centre consists of light industry with attached workshops in the ground floor and two shops, a café, a small open library, and a conference room in the upper floors.
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[2]
[3]
I. Scott, “Mobility, Mood and Place—Co-Designing Age-Friendly Cities: A Report on Collaborations between Older People and Students of Architecture,” Arts, vol. 6, no. 3. 2017. doi: 10.3390/arts6030012.
I. Scott, “Mobility, Mood and Place: Intergenerational Co-Design for Age Friendly Places”. The Housing Learning and Improvement Network, 2018. https://www.housinglin.org.uk.
S. Tilley, C. Neale, A. Patuano, and S. Cinderby, “Older People’s Experiences of Mobility and Mood in an Urban Environment: A Mixed Methods Approach Using Electroencephalography (EEG) and Interviews,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 14, no. 2. 2017. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14020151.
This work was supported by Research Councils UK under the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Cross-Council Programme (grant reference number EP/K037404/).