{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The Long Game of Impact | Dr. Shirley Gallagher","description":"Today you meet Dr. Shirley Gallagher. She\u2019s an Irish scientific communicator and sustainability professional with over 25 years of experience, someone who has spent her entire career asking one core question: how do we actually make systems more sustainable? Her journey started early. In 1986, the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl sparked her awareness of environmental issues, a moment that would go on to shape her life\u2019s work. Since the 90s, she\u2019s been working across contaminated land, water, energy, and now the circular economy, with a PhD focused on contaminated land. But this conversation doesn\u2019t start in a lab. It starts on a small Irish island, \u00c1rainn Mh\u00f3r, where Shirley grew up. She shares how island life shaped her: the deep sense of community, the self-reliance, and also the quiet confidence to think differently. To not just follow the system, but question it. And yet, her world is also deeply technical. We talk about what it means to work within (and sometimes push against) European directives, ISO standards, and highly regulated systems, while still holding onto a human, values-driven approach to sustainability. Shirley is someone who doesn\u2019t just talk about community, she lives it. From biodiversity initiatives like Future Orchard in Cork, to sea swimming groups, to her work with EU Climate Pact Ambassadors, Voices for Climate Action, and Toastmasters, she\u2019s constantly part of spaces where ideas turn into action. She\u2019s also the COO of Second Life Battery Services Limited, where she\u2019s working on a patent-pending approach to reusing waste batteries, turning what we discard into something usable again through digitally controlled systems. A real-life example of the circular economy in action. We also talk about Greenworks, a \u20ac1.6M European Social Fund programme she was part of\u2014training over 1,500 people and helping launch 30 companies\u2014and what it taught her about impact, sustainability, and what happens when funding ends. And then, at the end, we zoom out. Shirley shares what impact means to her (\u201cmaking a difference\u201d), who inspires her, and the one thing she keeps coming back to.&amp;nbsp; Start listening to hear it all. Connect with our guest:  Dr. Shirley Gallagher:&amp;nbsp;LinkedIn | www.secondlifebattteryservice.ie (will go live soon)  Mentioned in this episode:  Voices for Climate Action futureorchard.com https:\/\/toastmasterclub.org\/viewagenda.php?t=105370&amp;amp;pr=1 https:\/\/futureofutilities.com\/ Irish Talkers Podcast Greenworks worked with https:\/\/cultivate.ie\/, https:\/\/glas.ie\/, https:\/\/woodrow.ie\/ and of course www.syspro.ie and Shirley also spoke about www.nce.ie which still does wonderful educational programmes  Connect with the #impact team: Reach out to us at hello@hashtagimpact.com Want to get your voice heard on #impact: Share your voice HERE: https:\/\/www.hashtagimpact.com\/more\/ ","author_name":"#impact: Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Social Good","author_url":"http:\/\/hashtagimpact.libsyn.com\/podcast","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/41058135\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/f6677b\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/201309825"}