Research Project: Collaborative production for the circular economy; a community approach - Pop-Machina
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Contributors
Funders
ID
EC.00120
Authors
Coşkun, Aykut
Faculty Member
Publications
Circular makerspaces as alternative employment platforms for circular jobs
(Springer Nature, 2024) Coşkun, Aykut; Hofgärtner, R.; Metta, J.; Schmidt, A.; Tsolakis, A.C.; Department of Media and Visual Arts; KUAR (KU Arçelik Research Center for Creative Industries); Yes; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; Research Center
Transitioning towards a circular economy requires holistic consideration encompassing environmental, economic, and social dimensions. This perspective paper explores circular makerspaces as innovative platforms for fostering social integration and creating employment opportunities within the circular economy, as makerspaces can offer a more inclusive alternative to traditional employment platforms. They have the potential to unveil unrecognised talents, bridge access to under-utilised human capital, and act as pivotal conduits to a decent and inclusive circular labour force. Drawing insights from the European Horizon 2020 project: Pop-Machina, this perspective paper emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts among policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to unlock the full transformative potential of circular makerspaces. By prioritizing the social aspect of sustainability and leveraging the network of circular makerspaces, circular makerspaces can unlock unexplored human capital, provide employment opportunities and cultivate inclusive, sustainable communities, while highlighting their potential for societal empowerment and innovation. Finally, this perspective paper underscores the need for ongoing research and collaboration to comprehensively understand and evaluate the role of circular makerspaces in the inclusive circular labour market, ensuring that the social dimension remains central to sustainable development endeavours and informing effective policy making. This project focused on the gene PFKFB3, a pivotal regulator of the Warburg effect, which facilitates enhanced glycolysis in cancer cells, including MCF7 human breast cancer lines. The objective was to investigate the effects of PFKFB3 knockout on the metabolic profile and proliferative capacity of MCF7 cells, hypothesizing that disruption of this gene would significantly impair cellular energy production and, consequently, cell growth. Through the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, PFKFB3 was specifically targeted and knocked out, followed by a meticulous process of selection to enrich for cells bearing the knockout. Growth assays, particularly MTT, were conducted to evaluate the impact of PFKFB3 deletion on cell proliferation. Contrary to expectations preliminary results indicated no significant difference in the growth rates between PFKFB3-knockout and control groups. This outcome suggests possible metabolic flexibility within MCF7 cells, allowing them to bypass the blockade of one glycolytic pathway—a concept supported by current understandings of cancer metabolism. Despite the lack of expected growth inhibition, this study provides critical insights into the adaptability of cancer cells to metabolic interventions and highlights the importance of targeting multiple metabolic pathways. Future directions will consider exploring the combined knockout of PFKFB3 and other glycolytic genes to overcome the metabolic resilience of cancer cells, thereby offering a more effective strategy for crippling cancer cell energy supplies. © The Author(s) 2024.
Circular synergy city: designing an online board game to foster collaboration in the circular economy
(Association for Computing Machinery, 2024) Yantaç, Asım Evren; Coşkun, Aykut; Cay, Damla; Bakirlioglu, Yekta; Department of Media and Visual Arts; KARMA (Koç University KARMA Mixed Reality Technologies Training, Implementation and Dissemination Centre); KUAR (KU Arçelik Research Center for Creative Industries); Yes; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; Laboratory; Research Center
Makerspaces have emerged as potential facilitators of the transition from the linear economic model to a circular economy (CE). This transition necessitates collaboration among diverse stakeholders to create sustainable, yet resilient systems. However, fostering effective collaboration faces numerous barriers, including misaligned interests, competition dynamics, limited knowledge experience, power asymmetry, and lack of trust. Our paper addresses these challenges and proposes an alternative tool for fostering collaboration: an online board game called Circular Synergy City. Unlike existing games, Circular Synergy City focuses on collaboration, allowing players to interact, negotiate, and plan with each other to explore potential synergies. We tested this game with 160 players in two play sessions. Based on the feedback gathered during these sessions, we present recommendations for developing collaboration-focused content, and board games.
Make it a circular city: experiences and challenges from European cities striving for sustainability through promoting circular making
(Elsevier, 2022) Çay, Damla; Coşkun, Aykut; Metta, Julie; Bakırlıoğlu, Yekta; Bachus, Kris; Department of Media and Visual Arts; KUAR (KU Arçelik Research Center for Creative Industries); Yes; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; Research Center
A growing number of cities are deploying circular economy practices to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Makerspaces are community-driven initiatives enabling the collaboration between a city's diverse stakeholders in that objective. They can enhance the citizens' contribution to circularity by engaging them in circular ''making'' activities (e.g., reuse, repair, sharing) and by providing them with novel means, skills, and knowledge in these activities. However, cities face various challenges during the process of engaging citizens to create a vibrant circular city. Based on an in-depth analysis of experiences and challenges in seven European cities, which attempted to embrace the SDGs through circular making activities, this paper presents ten engagement-related challenges and five strategies to overcome them. Integrating these challenges and strategies in a strategy-challenge matrix offers several recommendations for cities striving to address SDGs through establishing and maintaining circular makerspaces.
Dreaming of immersive interactions to navigate forced distributed collaboration during Covid-19
(Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2020) Bakırlıoğlu, Yekta; Coşkun, Aykut; Ramirez Galleguillos, María Laura; Department of Media and Visual Arts; Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities; Yes; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
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Data-driven innovation for sustainable practice in the creative economy: ecological, social, and cultural aspects
(Taylor and Francis, 2024) Coşkun, Aykut; Panneels I., Lechelt S., Schmidt A.,; Department of Media and Visual Arts; Yes; College of Social Sciences and Humanities
Can data-driven innovation support the shift towards a more sustainable future? In this chapter, we present case studies from eight European cities to demonstrate how the creative sector is moving towards economic models that expand beyond the notions of growth alone and include ecological, social, and cultural benefits. Our focus is to highlight the opportunities and challenges for sustainable futures in the creative industries based on examples of data-driven innovation drawn from maker communities, small creative entrepreneurs, and creative organisations. Specifically, the case studies within this chapter highlight how creative, data-driven innovation processes can support 1) efforts to change patterns of ownership and consumption, 2) tools and training to support understanding of sustainability and 3) platforms for empowering sustainable and circular economy communities. Through this lens, we showcase some of the ways that the creative industries have used digital solutions to lead the way towards sustainable (and therefore social) innovation. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Melissa Terras, Vikki Jones, Nicola Osborne and Chris Speed. All rights reserved.
