2025 Conference Speakers

Mike Adelstein is the President and CEO of Potomac Photonics, a leader in digital microfabrication technologies. With over 27 years at the helm, Mike has guided Potomac Photonics to the forefront of micromanufacturing, enabling clients in the medical, biotech, aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries to develop and bring innovative devices to market.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Maryland University College. He was named UMBC’s Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 2014 for his professional achievements and contributions to the field of engineering.

Bio coming soon…

Feras is the Vice President of Research and Development at Pragmatic Semiconductor, where he has spent the past decade advancing flexible integrated circuit technology and leading innovation in next-generation thin film electronics. He holds a Ph.D. in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Southampton, with expertise in silicon quantum computing and VLSI microelectronics design. In addition to his industry leadership, Feras is a Visiting Fellow at Durham University and serves on advisory boards at both national and international levels.

Huma Ashraf received the MA degree in Engineering from Cambridge University, the MSc. degree in Semiconductor Science &Technology and the Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from Imperial College of Science and Technology, London.

In 1993, she joined Surface Technology Systems as a Process Engineer and led early pioneering development of silicon DRIE process and dry etch equipment, contributing to a number of technical papers and patents, over many years.  She is currently Director R&D/Consortia, Industry & Customer Collaborations, KLA.

Mike Bell an experienced Applications Lab Manager with a strong background in materials processing, specialising in grinding, polishing, and surface finishing techniques. With 13 years in the industry, he has worked extensively with advanced sample preparation routes, automation, and process optimisation to improve efficiency and quality. Passionate about innovation and problem-solving, Mike collaborates closely with engineers, technicians, and customers to drive continuous improvement.

Dr.ir. Alex Van den Bossche has done his doctoral thesis on the development of an automatic implantable defibrillator. He was founder and Managing Director of Krypton Metrology until its trade sale to Nikon Metrology. Since 2016 he serves as Managing Director of GrindoSonic, developing QC and material characterization techniques based on impulse resonant testing for the Additive Manufacturing, Aerospace, Automotive, Microelectronics and Medical industries.

Keith is the CEO and co-founder of Infiniti Recycling, a deep-tech start-up pioneering direct recycling of lithium-ion batteries.

With 18+ years as a design engineer and experience at a robotics unicorn, he’s an innovator in sustainability and advanced manufacturing.

Under his leadership, Infiniti has developed proprietary robotics-enabled disassembly and patented delamination processes to recover high-purity active materials with low emissions.

Keith is driving the company’s entry into LFP & Graphite recycling, which Infiniti is uniquely positioned to recycle economically. He is committed to transforming battery waste into a valuable resource for a resilient, low-impact energy future.

Ivan Buckley is the Director, Business Development for Graphene@Manchester, which includes the National Graphene Institute (NGI) and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC).

Previously, he was the Project Manager for the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), the largest centre of its type within the UK national High Value Manufacturing Catapult Network. Originally from an industry background, he has championed the need for high value manufacturing and the role that advanced materials can play in its recovery, playing a prominent role in the development and implementation of both regional and national strategies for High Value Manufacturing and Advanced Materials.

Christian has built a diverse career at the forefront of multi-disciplinary innovation, drawing on expertise from a range of fields to deliver impactful solutions. For the past five years at the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, he has played a key role within cross-functional teams to scope, specify, and deliver next-generation applications across quantum technologies, power electronics, RF, and photonic engineering. His work spans both research and product development, with a strong focus on integrating ideas and capabilities from different domains to accelerate innovation into a deployable format. Working with the Catapult’s network of partners enable Christian and the teams he works with to help drive advances in sectors such as transport, energy, telecoms, and intelligent sensing, contributing to the UK’s leadership in Compound Semiconductor Applications

Charlie is the Technical Sales Manager for 3DCeram, and the Area Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland as well as Australia and New Zealand, having previously worked as a Research & Development Engineer at the company.

Soon after joining 3DCeram following his master’s degree in the science and engineering of materials obtained from the University of Limoges, Charlie worked on the development of new materials, new machines, and printing of benchmark parts to showcase 3DCeram’s SLA capabilities. Now he’s turned his attention to working with customers on developing their projects and adopting AM for their own benefit.

As the Aerospace, Defence & Nuclear Product Marketing Manager, Enya’s role looks at recognising new opportunities and implementing strategies to exploit Lucideon’s capabilities. Enya’s technology focuses include ceramic matrix composites, ceramic additive manufacturing, and ceramic processing.

Furthermore, Enya completed her MEng Aeronautical Engineering degree in 2022. With her technical background and commercial understanding, she ensures market needs are addressed, and new innovative and disruptive opportunities are identified.

Agnieszka Corley-Wiciak is a Business Developer at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), one of the world’s most powerful X-ray sources, dedicated to advanced materials research. She connects industrial innovators in semiconductors, quantum technologies, energy and advanced materials with cutting-edge synchrotron-based characterization tools. A peer-reviewed author with hands-on experience in synchrotron and laboratory experiments research. She is actively involved in the EU-funded Add More Power project which focuses on novel X-ray and electron probe methods for next-generation power electronics. With academic and professional experience across Poland, Germany, and France, she is well-versed in multinational scientific projects and cross-sector collaboration. Her mission is to bridge the gap between fundamental research and industrial innovation, making powerful scientific tools more accessible, usable, and impactful for companies. With a background in material physics and engineering management, she is passionate about enabling faster, smarter R&D through collaboration, insight, and technology transfer.

Mark Daniels leads the marketing, communications, and brand activities at Goodfellow. With over 20 years of experience in both B2B and B2C environments, spanning industries such as science, technology, and hospitality, he is known for his ability to build audiences by telling compelling stories. Mark also hosts the popular Innovation Discussed podcast for Goodfellow and is responsible for the marketing activities of Goodfellow’s recent acquisitions: Potomac Photonics, Suisse Technology Partners, and the Bureau of Analysed Samples.

Sumitesh’s (SD) ambition is to develop economically viable and environmentally friendly technologies through integrated research.

SD holds a post graduate degree in Manufacturing Science from IIT Kanpur and a doctoral degree from the University of Sheffield, UK. His research interests include – manufacturing technologies, computational materials and nano materials. Over the years, he has led diverse teams to deploy multi-site modelling and simulation tools for concurrent technology development.  He was instrumental in leading Tata Steel’s forays into (a) affordable housing through the NEST-IN brand (b) nanofluids technology for accelerated cooling (c) Carbon Nano Tubes and Graphene. SD has more than 30 papers and close to 20 patents to his credit.

SD has been instrumental in developing competent human resources required to work on advanced technologies. In particular, through the “Mind Over Matter” initiative and establishment of two Centers of Excellence in Advanced Materials at IIT Chennai and CeNS, Bengaluru. SD also played a pivotal role in the setting up of the Tata Steel Centers Of Innovation at Imperial College London and the Royce Institute Manchester.

SD is the recipient of the INAE Young Engineers Award from the Institute of Engineers, the AICTE-INAE Distinguished Visiting Professorship at IIT Guwahati, the Brunton Medal & Eshelby Bursary from The University of Sheffield and the Rolls-Royce Chevening Fellowship for studies at the Said Business School, Oxford. SD has led teams who have been recognised for excellence in Innovation through the prestigious Tata Group level Innovista Awards.

SD is currently Director, Research & Development at Tata Steel UK Limited.

Dr. Carsten Rußner is a seasoned expert in the ceramic industry with extensive experience in research and development. He holds a doctorate in materials science and has contributed significantly to innovative ceramic technologies. Throughout his career, he has worked on advanced ceramic materials for various applications, including industrial and technical sectors. Dr. Rußner is known for his dedication to improving ceramic processes and his commitment to sustainability. He is a respected professional, continuously pushing the boundaries of ceramic science to drive industry advancements.

Dr Conor O’Brien is a Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx, predominantly concerned with the topic of advanced materials. Having previously studied at Trinity College Dublin, Conor obtained a PhD from the University of Manchester, working at the National Graphene Institute.

Conor’s work at IDTechEx covers advanced materials research, including markets and technologies, with particular expertise in nanocarbons such as graphene and carbon nanotubes. Beyond 2D materials, Conor also holds an interest in the advanced materials that are underpinning the energy and decarbonisation sector, with a focus on the fuel cell industry.

Richard is Head of Innovation Policy in the Semiconductor Unit at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). He was one of the authors of the UK’s National Semiconductor Strategy and leads the Department’s work to support semiconductor research, innovation and start up growth as well as it’s approach to engaging the UK and global semiconductor industry. This has included working with Silicon Valley accelerator Silicon Catalyst to establish the ChipStart UK semiconductor startup incubator and setting up the UK’s Semiconductor Advisory Panel to enable the UK government to collaborate with industry on development and delivery of semiconductor policy.

Richard is a science and technology policy professional with extensive experience across a broad range of technology sectors and policy issues. His previous roles have included managing the strategy and evaluation of the UK government’s Science Capability Review programme at the Government Office for Science, developing innovation programmes at charitable foundation Nesta, and leading the Strategy Development Team at the Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s largest research foundations that aims to address the greatest global challenges in health and life sciences.

He holds an MCHEM Master of Chemistry from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Science & Technology Policy from the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex.

Ian Edmonds is a Senior Specialist and Technical Manager in High Temperature Materials at Rolls-Royce Plc with cross-sector experience in both Aerospace and Nuclear businesses. He is Rolls-Royce global high temperature metallics lead, strategy owner and technical authority on ceramic matrix composites. Recently he led the Civil Aerospace team with accountability for high temperature materials technology across the product lifecycle. Previously, Ian led the team responsible for all non-core materials development & in-service support to the UK naval nuclear reactor and R-R civil nuclear businesses. A Fellow of the Institute of Materials, he graduated from University of Sheffield with Masters in Materials Science and Engineering, and followed this with an Engineering Doctorate at University of Birmingham on the oxidation of thermal barrier coated and uncoated single crystal superalloys.

Prof Bala Vaidhyanathan (BV) is a Professor of Advanced Materials and Processing and was the Associate Dean for Enterprise (for 9 years) at the School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering at Loughborough University (LU). He leads the very active Advanced Ceramics Research Group in the Materials Department and has over 200 peer reviewed publications, named inventor on 17 patents, delivered >60 Plenary/keynote/invited presentations in international and national conferences and written six book chapters.

He has won many national and international awards:
Awarded K.P. Abraham Gold Medal for Best Doctoral Thesis from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore,1998. Twice the recipient of the Inventor Incentive Award by the Penn State Research Foundation, 2000 & 2002. Bronze Medal for Innovation from GE Global Research Corporation, 2006. Glory of India Award from The India International Friendship Society for contributions in the field of Science, Technology and Education for the year 2010.Verulam Medal and prize from IOM3, for distinguished contributions to ceramic materials, 2015. Pfeil Award for the best paper in ceramics field, IOM3, 2017
Nominated for Two Vice Chancellor’s Awards in 2024 – for International Reputation and Collaborative Research

Professor Nigel Brandon OBE FREng FRS is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Sustainable Development in Energy. His research is focussed on the science and engineering of electrochemical devices for the low carbon energy transition. He is a founder of Ceres Power, a FTSE listed fuel cell company spun out from Imperial College in 2000, RFC Power, a flow battery company spun out from Imperial College in 2018, and M-SPIN, a company developing & manufacturing low cost high surface area materials for electrolysers, fuel cells and batteries, in 2024

Ean works closely with employers at Axia to introduce and support apprenticeship and training programmes into their business. He understands the extensive pressures the ceramics industry has faced, and continues to face, particularly with skills development and succession planning.

His background includes 10 years as a co-owner and Operations Director for a digital marketing agency (working with global brands like Apple, Wedgwood and Garmin), giving him a strong understanding of business processes, client relationship management and global marketing in challenging circumstances.

Since joining Axia in 2018 Ean initially focused on delivering apprenticeship training before taking responsibility for Axia’s own marketing and client management. Now his focus is on building strong partnerships with employers and managing key business processes. He remains connected to training delivery, leading sessions on topics like Digital Skills and Artificial intelligence to support learners with skills for the future.

Gilda is the Director of Programmes at Lucideon and “Midlands Advanced Ceramics for Industry 4.0” Programme Manager. She has 16 years’ experience in product development, scale up and collaboration across a variety of high value manufacturing sectors. The “Midlands Advanced Ceramics for Industry 4.0” Programme is funded by UKRI through their flagship funding scheme “Strength in Places” and brings together 13 partners across the Advanced Ceramics sector supply chain. The aim of the programme is to bring economical and social growth for the Advanced Ceramics sector in the Midlands through the acceleration of new product development and of innovation commercialisation.

Bio coming soon…

Ben Gibbons, CEO, previously taught anthropology at the University of Oxford, before moving on to work for a range of international organisations in areas from water security, youth empowerment, and waste management.

Annalisa Gigante is an award winning innovator and Venture Capital investor, and board member of Cambridge Enterprise and IUP. She served as Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, launching and building multi-billion new businesses with global leaders across different industries from life sciences and chemicals to services and digital technologies. Annalisa started her career in consulting at Bain & Co in the consumer and retail practice, and is an advisor and thought leader in innovation, AI, leadership and corporate governance. She studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University (BA hons, MA hons) and holds an MBA from Bocconi.

Dr. Alex Goodhand is the Space Manufacturing Lead at the Satellite Applications Catapult and Technical Lead for the European Space Agency’s Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) Materials Accelerator. With a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and deep expertise in additive manufacturing, Alex works at the intersection of space infrastructure and terrestrial industry. He leads efforts to help non-space organisations — including those in advanced ceramics — access the unique conditions of microgravity to enhance material performance, unlock new behaviours, and scale innovations beyond Earth.

Richard has 30+ years of industry experience, working in myriad engineering, business development, and marketing roles in F1 (Tyrrell), Aerospace (Rolls-Royce), and Consultancy (Talisman). He progressed from engineer to executive at RR, latterly as SVP leading all Civil Aerospace marketing activities. In 2020, he founded Talisman, offering specialist expertise to companies developing complex technologies. He joined Lucideon in 2022 as CMO, leading all marketing & strategy activities across the Group. He has a Master’s in Engineering from Cambridge University and an MBA, is a Chartered Engineer, and is a member of The Royal Aeronautical Society and Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Tom Gould is the Managing Director for Verder Scientific UK, a background in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, he has worked for Carbolite Gero, a Verder company, for 15 years and has in depth understanding of Furnace and Oven processes and technology.  As Managing Director for Verder Scientific in the UK, he looks after a team of technical experts supplying equipment for solid sample analysis and sample preparation including Milling and Sieving (Retsch), Particle Characterisation (Microtrac), Elemental Analysers (Eltra) and Materialography & Hardness (QATM).

After completing his PhD in theoretical chemistry from VU University Amsterdam in 2005, Fedor undertook postdoctoral research at UCL and Leiden University before joining Software for Chemistry & Materials in 2012 as a Business Developer. Currently the Chief Customer Officer, he enjoys discussing how the Amsterdam Modeling Suite can help chemists and materials scientists accelerate their R&D while reducing resource usage. Always on the lookout for the latest research challenges, Fedor is passionate about leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet these challenges more efficiently.

Mike has worked for a number of large organisations in leadership roles in construction and civil engineering, including Laing O’Rourke and Landsec. He has extensive experience of leading teams in technically challenging environments. He has a proven track record of delivery, is a known and respected leader within the construction industry and has the relationships with key organisations to drive adoption of Concretene by the developers and asset owners that procure construction in the UK.

Dr Cathryn Hickey – Chief Executive of AMRICC, and Director of Lucideon, the Advanced Materials consultancy based in North Staffordshire. Cathryn led the successful bid and is now Programme Director of the Strength in Places (SIPF) wave 2 programme entitled ‘Midlands Advanced Ceramics for Industry 4.0’ which was started in 2021.  This comprises a 5 year research programme with MICG partners as well as the development of The AMRICC Centre as a go-to facility for ceramics innovation commercialisation.  Cathryn is also leading Lucideon’s contribution to the Foundation Industries Sustainability Consortium (FISC) through its participation in the Economiser Programme.  This activity involves the implementation of data science and machine learning to key ceramics manufacturing sites to enable manufacturing process optimisation, and share learning with other foundation industries. Cathryn has a first class honours degree and PhD in Chemistry from University of Sheffield, 18 years experience in the downstream oil business and 10 years experience in vocational skills development for a variety of industries.

Dr Stephen Hodge was appointed Versarien’s CEO in July 2023. He initially joined the board as Chief Technology Officer in 2021. Prior to this, he was Head of Research overseeing the company’s graphene and related materials R&D activities in the UK, Spain and South Korea, including participation in the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) at the University of Manchester.

Stephen has held post-doctoral research associate positions at the University of Cambridge and at Imperial College London, where he also completed a PhD in Nanomaterial Chemistry. Dr. Hodge is involved in various advisory panels and graphene regulatory committees and was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2022 Rising Star in Industry Award.

Company Overview

Versarien (AIM:VRS) is an IP-led advanced engineering materials group that utilises proprietary technology to create innovative engineering solutions. Versarien manufactures advanced materials such as graphene and utilises these materials across a number of sectors.

In construction, Versarien has developed a water-based graphene admixture (Cementene™) that has been demonstrated to enhance the properties of a number of concrete mix designs, making concrete stronger, more durable and, overall, more sustainable. Trials with pre-cast concrete have demonstrated that 20% of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) can be removed from a typical mix using Cementene™, maintaining the mechanical performance whilst enhancing durability. Versarien is also supporting CementeneTM trials in Brazil through South American partner Montana Química which holds a manufacturing and know-how license agreement for the manufacture of Versarien’s graphene inks and dispersions.

Versarien is also pioneering 3D construction printing (3DCP) in the UK using a robotic arm type printer. 3DCP has advantages over traditional building methods such as the ability to easily produce complex geometries, thereby increasing design freedom, and the ability to produce slimmer structures

containing less material. Overall 3DCP reduces waste, improves resource efficiency and speeds up the construction process. Versarien has previously supplied National Highways with the UK’s first 3D printed headwall alongside partners Costain and University of Cambridge, and has recently embarked on a commercially funded project by Balfour Beatty to develop 3d printable mortars using local materials that will facilitate the 3DCP industry taking off in the UK.

Brenna Howley is a UK and European Patent Attorney at Gill Jennings & Every LLP – a specialist intellectual property law firm based in London.  She is part of the Chemistry and Life Sciences group, and her work involves patent drafting, prosecution and advising on portfolio strategy. She has a particular interest in contentious matters, especially oppositions before the European Patent Office.

Brenna’s areas of specialism are predominantly in the chemical, materials, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She works with a diverse range of clients from start-ups, SMEs, investors and universities, to multinational corporations.

Prior to GJE, Brenna worked in-house at a biopharmaceutical company that develop CAR T-cell therapies for the treatment of cancer.

Brenna holds a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Glasgow, and a MSc in Management of Intellectual Property from Queen Mary University of London.  Her research focused on solid-state graphene oxide-metal hydride composites for hydrogen storage applications.”

Jon Hughes is a Senior Scientist at the National Physical Laboratory. He has worked in the field of materials testing for around 15 years and has specialised in the testing of composites. From 2016 to 2018, Jon worked at Red Bull Racing and developed and tested carbon fibre composites for the RB12, RB13 and RB14 Formula 1 cars. Jon re-joined the National Physical Laboratory in 2018 where he has helped take typical non-contact materials test techniques such as Digital Image Correlation out of the laboratory and into the field, where it is used to monitor large structures such as railway tunnels and nuclear infrastructure.

Gerardo Igler is an accomplished sales professional at Lithoz, specialising in ceramic 3D printing solutions. With his extensive background in business development and customer relations, he plays a pivotal role in driving market growth and expanding Lithoz’s global presence. He specialises in identifying strategic opportunities, fostering partnerships and delivering innovative, industry-specific solutions. Gerardo is committed to advancing the adoption of cutting-edge technology through strong client engagement and effective sales strategies, and is dedicated to excellence.

Danny Kamenecka is a Senior Business Development Manager at Blueshift, a market leader in thermal protection systems for harsh environments within aerospace, defense, and specialty electronics. A resident of Denver, Colorado, Kamenecka earned a degree in Material Science and Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2020.

Danny has worked with composites, and in the Material Science industry for 8+ years and has experience in both composite manufacturing and aerodynamic analysis, helping companies solve some of their most complex business challenges with thermal protection systems. He has been a part of the Blueshift team for over 5 years, and assisted the transformation from an early-stage start-up into an advanced materials company with flight and space-proven commercial products developed in collaboration with leading OEMs.

Timothy Kamps is a Tribologist in the Advanced Engineering Materials group at NPL. He is experienced in the design and analysis of laboratory experiments that quantify the friction and wear of lubricated interfaces. Timothy received his MEng & PhD degrees from the University of Southampton. Timothy is currently developing in situ contact and non-contact topography measurement technologies for both unidirectional and reciprocating tribometers. This capability provides high value tribology testing by reducing both the number and duration of tests required to investigate friction and wear phenomena.

Dr. Nikolaos Katsikis is CTO at Kyocera Fineceramics Europe GmbH in Selb, Germany. His team is responsible for new material and process developments. In the last years, the focus has been on large monolithic SiSiC structural components up to 1.3 m in size as well as high strength Silicon Nitride material for ceramic parts and sheets as thin as 100 µm. Additive Manufacturing AM is also a key development activity, and this year, Kyocera has launched SiSiC produced via powder based binder jetting. Dr. Nikolaos Katsikis holds several patents and publications in the field of AM.

Robert Kay is the CEO of Hydra Manufacturing and Professor of Advanced Manufacturing at the University of Leeds. With over 20 years of experience in manufacturing research, specialises in hybrid additive manufacturing approaches and the translation of academic research into real-world applications. His work has led to multiple patent applications, spinouts, and licensing activities. Robert’s collaborative, multidisciplinary approach crosses both academia and industry, covering a broad range of sectors. At Hydra Manufacturing, he now leads the commercialisation of advanced hybrid 3D printing technologies for high-performance materials including ceramics, continuing his commitment to bridging research and industry to drive technological progress.

Simon Kenney is CEO of Goodfellow, a leading global supplier of materials for research and industry. With the company for nine years and appointed CEO in 2021, Simon has extensive experience honed over a long career dedicated to the materials sector, including significant international roles. His leadership at Goodfellow is characterised by a drive for innovative and progressive change, motivating teams to deliver measurable results, which has seen significant growth for the business, culminating in the successful acquisitions of Potomac, Suisse TP, and BAS, strengthening its position in the advanced materials market.

Head of Sales & Marketing at 3DControls, leads global business for full-process ceramic 3D printing across semiconductors, electronics, and medical sectors

David is the Advanced Materials Lead at the National Composites Centre and currently chairs the UK-Ceramic Matrix Composite working group.

Prior to joining the NCC, David has worked in composite R&D at Solvay, Warwick Manufacturing Group, The University of Birmingham, and Rolls-Royce. His research has focused on both Ceramic and polymer matrix composites.

Tony Kinsella joined Lucideon in July 2004, bringing over 30 years’ experience in general management to his role. Tony is a qualified marketeer, strategist and leader and has a background in chemistry.  Tony has led Lucideon to its market-leading position as a development and commercialisation organisation (DCO), specialising in materials technology, processes, and testing.

His day-to-day role encompasses leading the Group and the Management Team and horizon scanning with a view to future proofing Lucideon alongside the CSO; and directing decisions on investments and spends.

Tony has lived and worked in the USA, Germany, South Africa, alongside the UK and brings his varied experience to his position as CEO and to his position as Director of Lucideon Group Ltd and all Lucideon companies.

Professor David Knowles joined the Henry Royce Institute as its CEO in early 2019, bringing with him a wealth of experience from senior roles in both academia and industry in the areas of materials and structural integrity. David is particularly experienced in leading the collaboration between higher education and industry, to accelerate energy sector-related research, knowledge transfer and implementation.

David is a Fellow of the Royal Academy, a Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Bristol University and was Co-Director of the South-West Nuclear Hub and Atkins Fellow. Through his career he has lead materials research at Shell Global Solutions, served as CTO at Quest Integrity (operating throughout Australasia and SE Asia) and lectured at Cambridge University; collaborating with Rolls-Royce as Assistant Director of their Ni-alloy UTC.

In recent years David has led industrial projects related to design and assessment of renewable energy offshore structures, oil and gas and nuclear plant. He holds and participates in several EPSRC/Innovate grants and is the PI on ‘SINDRI Prosperity Partnership’ which is developing cutting-edge digital technology for nuclear plant design and assessment.

Watercycle Technologies is a sustainable mineral recovery company that span out from the University of Manchester. They design and build end-to-end mineral recovery and water treatment systems, targeting core applications of lithium battery recycling, lithium brine mining and desalination. The company has an international profile and manufactures their systems in the UK.

Dr Seb Leaper, CEO of Watercycle Technologies, founded the company while studying for a PhD in Nanoscience from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Manchester. With a background in Materials Science and Engineering, Seb’s scientific and technological interests span advanced materials, critical minerals extraction and water purification. He has a desire to use this knowledge to make a positive impact and address global concerns around resource security and the transition to a circular economy.

Dr Matt Lunt is a Dstl Chief Scientist in the field of Advanced Materials, focusing primarily on structural materials; I have about 30 years’ experience working in defence materials S&T. I am a Principal Advisor to the UK MOD’s Advanced Materials Programme, where I lead Theme 1 Materials in Extreme Physical Environments, which include Ceramic Matrix Composites. I am the Associate Director of Dstl’s new Defence Materials Centre of Excellence and a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. My deep technical expertise lies in jet engine propulsion materials, manufacturing and lifing and light alloys technology (aluminium, magnesium, titanium and beryllium). In 1998 I received a DPhil from the University of Oxford for research on the creep deformation of nickel-based superalloy single crystals, which was co-funded by EPSRC and DERA.

Sofia Marchesini joined bp in January 2024 as Senior Material Chemist, Applied Physical Sciences, Advanced Bio & Physical Sciences for Low Carbon Energy, Innovation & Engineering, bp. Following her PhD in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London, Sofia spent the next five years of her career firstly as Higher Scientist then as Senior Scientist at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Here Sofia led the area of surface metrology for sustainable materials within Surface Technology.

After graduating with a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Sheffield in 2002, Ian has spent over 20 years within the construction chemicals sector in senior technical management positions overseeing the delivery of high-performance materials. Joining First Graphene in 2022 as R&D Manager, he now leads a Manchester-based team of material scientists focused on leveraging their specialist graphene nanoplatelets (PureGRAPH®) to develop advanced, sustainable solutions for critical global challenges like energy storage and carbon emissions.

Dr. Moser is a Senior Technical Advisor at Suisse Technology Partners, which recently became a part of Goodfellow. He is a materials engineer with a degree from ETH Zurich and a doctoral degree from EPF Lausanne. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT, focusing on nanostructured materials and their mechanical properties.

With over 20 years of experience in the industrial service sector, Dr. Moser supports customers in overcoming materials-related challenges. His expertise lies primarily in developing tailored materials testing applications to address specific customer needs, grounded in a broad understanding of materials and analytical methods.

Dr. Subhasish Mukerjee is the Chief Scientific Officer at Ceres Power, a leading clean energy technology company in the UK.  Dr Mukerjee has worked at Ceres for 13+ years in multiple technology leadership roles where he has led the R&D programs, managed the Energy Materials R&D teams and provided key technical leadership in the commercial growth of the company. Dr Mukerjee was part of the team at Ceres which won the prestigious MacRoberts award by the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK in 2023, the highest award for engineering innovation by the academy. He is also an honorary Visiting Professor at Imperial College, London.  Dr. Mukerjee has extensive (27+ years) experience in clean energy technologies and has worked previously at BP Chemicals and at Delphi Corporation.  He gained his PhD at Yale University and postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University.

Ash Owen is Head of Future Technology at Rolls-Royce. This team is focused on accelerating disruptive technology into the RR business, owns the Environmental technology brief including the support for ICAO’s CAEP process and owns the RR-University research network. He is the Rolls-Royce Director on the UK’s Sustainable Aviation Council.

Ash also supports the Rolls-Royce Heritage Flight as Chief Engineer for Griffon & Merlin engines.

His previous role was Chief Engineer – Civil Technology Programmes where his team delivered many gas turbine demonstrators and the ACCEL project which set the electric world speed record.  Before that he has been Chief Engineer Trent 700, Engineering Executive Compressor Engineering and Managing Director for a composite R&D centre.

Ash studied Aeronautical Engineering in Manchester University.

Born in Wales, he lives in Derbyshire, UK. He is married with a 22 year old daughter and enjoys cycling, hill walking, swimming and scuba diving holidays.

Daniel Palme, CEO of HalioGen, is at the forefront of breakthrough battery technology aiding the green energy transition and addressing challenges in Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). He pioneers innovative solutions that empower clients to achieve sustainable energy goals. Based in London, Daniel specializes in ESG and sustainability transformations for private equity funds through comprehensive decarbonization strategies. Previously, he led the Metals, Mining & Advanced Materials advisory desk at a German bank and has experience at Schneider Electric, AlixPartners, UBS, and Morgan Stanley.

Bio coming soon…

• • Andrius Patapas is the Co-founder and CEO of 2D Nano, a cutting-edge production company specialising in graphene and other two-dimensional materials for deep tech applications. With a strong academic foundation in chemical engineering, Andrius holds a BEng, MSc, and PhD in the field, combining technical expertise with entrepreneurial drive to advance innovation in advanced materials.
    He is also a Research Associate at Imperial College London, working at the intersection of academia and industry to develop scalable, real-world technologies. His leadership at 2D Nano reflects a commitment to pioneering next-generation solutions that harness the unique properties of 2D materials across sectors including construction, energy, electronics, and biomedical engineering.

David has over 10 years’ experience of technology development and commercialisation of Flash Sintering (FS) technology. David holds an MSc in physics and a PhD in nanophysics, both from the University of Birmingham, and a diploma in Applied Business Management from Warwick Business School.

David worked on structural analysis of nanomaterials during his PhD at the University of Birmingham, where he used aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy to characterise the structure of nanoparticles for catalytic application within the automotive industry. Through technological discoveries within FS David has sought to target specific sector applications, striving for technology adoption within manufacturing in the shortest timescales possible.

David has experience in managing public-funded projects, both through InnovateUK, Strength in Places, and the Regional Growth Fund, and in overseeing academic collaborations and working directly with commercial clients and consortiums, working alongside many different clients within a diverse range of industries that manufacture and use both advanced and traditional ceramics.

Yiwen Pei is a Senior Scientist in the Surface Technology Group at NPL. Yiwen is a multidisciplinary scientist with over 15 years’ experience in the design, synthesis and characterisation of advanced polymeric (nano)materials. At NPL, she leads research into the development of chemical metrology underpinning innovative polymer technologies for medical applications and beyond, with a growing focus on sustainable materials and manufacturing.

Yiwen obtained her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Auckland (New Zealand). After her PhD she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at University of New South Wales and Curtin University (Australia). In 2016, she moved to the UK and worked at Kings College London and University College London before joining NPL in 2018.

Yiwen has been the main coordinator (PI) of European projects (EMPIR ISOCONCur) and led/participated on several other national and international collaborative R&D projects. She has been the recipient of the NPL’s Explorers’ Award in 2019, which recognises and supports excellence in science and engineering.

Yiwen has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications and regularly contributes to ISO and ASTM standards. She is the co-leader of nanomedicine focus group in Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences. She also acts as a UK expert for ISO/TC 229 (nanotechnologies) and CEN/TC 352 (nanotechnologies).

Yiwen is a charted chemist and a member of Royal Society of Chemistry.

Jonathan Phillips plays a key role in driving innovation and operational excellence within Morgan Advanced Materials. With a strong background in materials science and engineering, he specializes in the development and application of advanced materials for diverse industries. Jonathan’s expertise lies in optimizing processes, improving product performance, and fostering collaborative relationships with customers, academia, and suppliers to address complex challenges. At Morgan Advanced Materials, he is committed to leveraging cutting-edge technology to create sustainable, high-performance technical ceramic solutions that meet the evolving needs of customers across various sectors.

John Piller is the Managing Director of INNOVATEST UK, a specialist provider of advanced hardness testing solutions and the leading innovator in the field of advanced hardness testing machines.
John is a recognised expert in hardness testing and application engineering.

Prior to joining INNOVATEST UK in 2021, John spent in excess of 40 years working in the materials testing industry; advancing testing methods and supporting clients in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing with their materials selection and testing challenges.

Bio coming soon…

James is a Senior Technologist at the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and is currently leading the UK Aerospace Metallics Strategy through this role.  As part of the technology team within the ATI, James shapes the ATI programme to deliver the technologies that will achieve the ATI’s strategic goals as outlined in Destination Zero.  Before joining the ATI, James spent 12 years working for Rolls-Royce, delivering life improvements for critical rotating parts, developing new materials, and contributing statistical analysis to quantify safety cases.  James later managed the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centres for Materials, overseeing key research undertaken in the UK’s leading universities to bring about the next generation of materials technologies for gas turbine application.

Dr Ehsan Sabet is an associate professor of Ceramics AM at Loughborough University and the founder and CEO of Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, the biggest ceramic 3D printing facility in Europe with over two hundred ceramic printers and a full material development and a characterisation facility in Derby, UK.  Ehsan has twenty years of experience in research and manufacturing in material development and 3D printing. His track record of managing multi-million pounds industrial and research projects has made impacts in the supply chain of Rolls Royce (RR), SIEMENS, Jaguar & Land Rover (JLR), JCB Compact Systems, and General Motors (GM), as well as many small and medium-sized manufacturers in the UK and Europe.

At Ploughshare, Kalyan leads the commercialisation of inventions and innovation from Dstl, the wider MOD network and the UK government in the field of Climate, Environment and Sustainability. He has recently joined Arthur D Little as a Non-executive Advisor for their London office, and is an Advisory Board member for Innegev, a start-up technology incubator organisation where he advocates for the development of sustainable technologies across a wide range of sectors. Kalyan also manages Ploughshare’s partnership and service contract with The National Oceanography Centre and The Met Office.

Following his PhD in nanotechnology from the University of Cambridge, he worked across the UK, Europe, the USA, Israel, Singapore, China, and in Southeast Asia. He has also completed a senior executive programme in Strategy and Innovation from MIT and IMD, and is a fellow at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3).

Prior to joining Ploughshare, he headed the delivery of the CTO’s corporate venturing implementation strategy of a FTSE 250 chemical company. He developed open innovation assets, ecosystems and capabilities in various geographies to identify external projects, and built technology portfolios to support the development of future products and markets. He also worked for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as a Global Innovation lead. In this role, he was responsible for providing expert advice on European funding in Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, and represented the UK at the Programme Committee and High-Level Advisory Group of the European Commission’s (EC) Directorate of Research and Innovation. He had the opportunity to work on many strategic projects with various European government agencies, industries and research organisations.

Olivier joined Hitachi Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science Ltd. in September 2019 as the thermal analysis sales manager for EMEA.  He has since taken ownership of the global thermal analysis product manager role.  Before joining Hitachi, Olivier worked as a material characterization application specialist for PerkinElmer UK and Canada.  He obtained his baccalaureate in chemistry (B.SC.) from Université Laval (Québec City, Québec) in 2002, and his master in polymer chemistry (M.SC.) from Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia) working with Prof. Steven Holdcroft. In his thesis he worked on the synthesis and characterization of novel sulfonated polyimides for high temperature proton exchange member fuel cells.

Co-founder of NanoRegMed Ltd and Nanoloom Ltd. Alexander, Professor of Nanotechnology, worked at the Royal Free Hospital and University College London for over 26 years; during this time, he spent a year at Harvard Medical School working on the development of synthetic vascular compliance graft and one year at Johns Hopkins Medical School. He published more than 687 peer-reviewed research papers and registered 14 UK and International patents on materials and nanotechnology. On editorial boards of 45 journals. He supervised 121 PhD students, all successfully completed. Currently, he is working on graphene-based materials for industrial applications.

Adam Sells is Channel Partner Manager at Goodfellow Cambridge, where he supports a global network of distributors supplying specialist materials into high-performance sectors including medical, fusion energy, space, and high energy physics. His role spans partner relationship management, strategic market development, and direct involvement in technically complex customer projects.

Adam specialises in aligning commercial objectives with technical requirements, helping customers uncover the deeper context behind their needs to deliver effective, forward-looking solutions — from enabling breakthroughs in cancer treatment to supporting cutting-edge fusion research.

With a background in navigating technical and relational complexity, Adam brings a collaborative, long-term approach to building partnerships based on trust, precision, and shared success. He is passionate about enabling innovation where timelines are tight, requirements are demanding, and materials play a critical role. Connecting research, engineering, and end-use applications through thoughtful, high-impact collaboration.

Simon has 30 years’ experience within aerospace and manufacturing, working for SMEs and large aerospace organisations. Time served on the bench, he has extensive knowledge of manufacturing and engineering processes, providing a sound footing to progress through various engineering, project and commercial roles within the industry.

A passion for aerospace has driven Simon to build a network within aerospace spanning large organisations, OEMs, supply chain partners and trade associations. He plays an active role as a board member of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance and is committed to supporting the advancement of innovation, sustainability and competitive advantage across the aero-structures sector.

Bio coming soon…

Mandar Thakare is the Associate Director of ICAM. He joined bp in Sep 2019, as the Materials Science Programme Manager in Group Research, and is responsible for the operational aspects of the ICAM partnership. He has over ten years’ experience in materials engineering, innovation strategy and new product development. Prior to joining bp, he worked as an Innovation Programme Lead at Element Six Ltd., where he supported a multi-site global team of scientists in developing and commercialising novel polycrystalline diamond products for oil and gas applications. As part of this role, he was closely involved in developing cutters for a range of O&G drilling applications across the globe, working closely with field users and drill-bit manufacturers.

He holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering (Mumbai, India), MSc in Surface Engineering (University of Nottingham), a PhD in Tribology (University of Southampton, Schlumberger plc funded) and an MBA (Alliance Manchester Business School). Prior to Element Six Ltd., he held a post-doctoral research position at the Osney Thermofluids Lab, University of Oxford, working closely with Rolls-Royce plc on gas turbine seals. During this period, he also tutored undergraduates in Engineering Science at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. After his PhD, he worked for Schlumberger plc, developing wear-corrosion resistant solutions for downhole directional drilling systems. During this period, he was responsible for identifying and qualifying coatings and materials solutions for Schlumberger tools deployed globally, through new suppliers and technologies. He has published journal papers, book chapters and conference papers on the subject of tribocorrosion and is a member of the IMechE Tribology Committee as well as a reviewer for journals such as Wear, Tribology International, ASME Journal of Tribology.

Rachel is a Policy Manager at Ceramics UK and manages a range of areas including skills and employment. After studying Politics at Lancaster University, she went on to work in the political field for a number of years in London before moving back to Cheshire; she has been at Ceramics UK for 6 years.

Dr. Aphrodite Tomou, as the Head of Technical at Goodfellow, oversees a global team of scientists and engineers. Her role involves identifying and introducing innovative materials, while providing technical support to both customers and the company. With a diverse background in Materials Science, including a PhD and two Masters’ degrees, she has published scientific papers in peer-reviewed international journals and presented as an invited speaker at international conferences. She actively contributes to the fields of Science and Engineering, participating in organizations such as Innovate UK, IOM3, and driving material research standardization through BSI. In 2023, she earned recognition as an Exemplar (Top 20) in The Manufacturer’s Top 100 in the UK. Her aim is to radiate Goodfellow’s technical knowledge and bridge the gap between academia and industry sectors.

Erin Valenzuela-Heeger (she/her) is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, specializing in the reformulation and processing of oxide ceramics for industrial applications. Her current work with the Midlands Industrial Ceramics Group focuses on alumina-based ceramics, including grain orientation, particulate morphology, and granule formation, with an emphasis on sustainable manufacturing. With a Ph.D. in Materials Science and strong industry ties, Erin bridges research and application, collaborating with partners like Rolls-Royce and Lucideon. She is also active in equality and outreach, promoting inclusive pathways into engineering and science

Lord Vallance KCB FRS FMedSci FRCP HonFREng was appointed Minister of State (Minister for Science) on 5 July 2024. He was previously Government Chief Scientific Adviser from April 2018 to April 2023. He was also National Technology Adviser and Head of the Government Science and Engineering Profession.

Lord Vallance was President, R&D at GlaxoSmithKline from 2012 until 2017. Prior to this, he was Senior Vice President, Medicines Discovery and Development. He joined the company in May 2006 as Head of Drug Discovery. He was a member of the GSK Board and the Corporate Executive Team.

PhD in Condensed matter theoretical physics from University of Birmingham, UK. Joined Solvay’s materials advanced materials research group. Here I worked in atomistic modelling of high-performance thermoplastics and thermosets for application to aerospace. The modelling focussed on predicting solubility of thermoplastics and reaction induced phase separation. My work broadened to include laboratory work such as, mechanical testing with IINSTRON, physical properties with DMTA, rheology, DSC. At University of Strathclyde, I worked on developing coarse grained models for crystal nucleation and growth in polymer thin films. Recently I joined materials consultancy Lucideon to lead their Data Science and Computational Modelling group.

Dr Tom Whitehead leads the Science Team at Intellegens. Tom has a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Cambridge and extensive experience of practical applications of machine learning in industry. His team works closely with R&D teams in the materials, chemicals, and manufacturing sectors to understand their product and process development problems and to apply the Intellegens technology to accelerate innovation. Tom is also active in the development of new machine learning methodologies to address high-value data analysis bottlenecks.

John’s career is characterised by his extensive experience and leadership in the analytical industry, particularly in electron microscopy and analysis applications. John is a chartered engineer (CEng) with 30 years of experience. He has held various roles in service and engineering management capacities. His expertise lies in working on specialised projects for electron microscopy and analysis in semiconductor, nuclear, and biological facilities.

Currently, John leads an industrial team of applied materials specialists. The team’s focus areas includes; materials characterisation, energy storage, materials deposition, coatings, and composites technologies.

John initially worked in the chemical industry before transitioning to the analytical sector. He managed multi-talented teams of engineering and application specialists, eventually progressing into engineering and project management roles.

In 2014, John joined The University of Manchester as the Technical Services head for Graphene@Manchester. He played a crucial role in developing and implementing cleanrooms and laboratory facilities for the National Graphene Institute (NGI). Currently, John serves as the Engineering Director for the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC). His responsibilities include overseeing all engineering matters for the centre, with a focus on expansion and project delivery with industry and SMEs.

John has been a member of the Faculty of Science and Engineering Professional Services Leadership Team and a member of the Technical Apprenticeship Board and collaborating with the Health & Safety Executive on Nano-materials safety. John is a strong advocate of risk and compliance management, as evidenced by his NEBOSH certifications.

In summary, John’s career showcases a blend of technical expertise, leadership in specialized projects, and a significant contribution to the development and success of graphene research facilities at The University of Manchester. His commitment to safety, compliance, and project delivery underscores his strategic role in the field.

Dr. Georgia Wood is a materials scientist focused on sustainable technologies. She earned her PhD at the University of Warwick, researching boron-doped diamond materials for electrochemical use. She later joined the University of British Columbia as a Postdoctoral Fellow, working on electrifying and decarbonising chemical production. Now Materials Science Manager at ICAM, Georgia leads project and portfolio management, driving the translation of academic research into business value.

Sebastian Wood joined NPL in 2015 following undergraduate and doctoral studies in the Physics Department at Imperial College London. His initial research was in the field of nanoscale structure-function characterisation of organic semiconductors for photovoltaic applications. In his role at NPL, Sebastian has developed a unique facility for nanometrology of emerging electronics including structural, functional, chemical, and optical measurement modes. He has applied these techniques to hybrid perovskites, nanostructured semiconductors, 2D materials, and compound semiconductors for a variety of device applications.

Sebastian is a member of the Institute of Physics, a Chartered Physicist, and contributes to British and International Standardisation committees on Surface Chemical Analysis and Semiconductors. He is an enthusiastic communicator of physics, with experience presenting his work to a wide range of audiences from primary school children to Members of Parliament.

Dr. Zeshan Yousaf is an Application Specialist within the Composites area at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), University of Manchester. His work at GEIC focuses on leveraging 2D materials to enhance the multifunctionality and lightweighting of textiles, polymer composites, metal matrix composites, and ceramics.

Dr. Yousaf earned his PhD in Materials Science from the University of Manchester in 2015. His doctoral research involved the development and characterization of novel lightweight glass/carbon fibre composites for automotive and aerospace applications. Following his PhD, he has collaborated on numerous research projects with industrial manufacturers and R&D organizations worldwide, developing ultra-lightweight composites for applications in aerospace, defence, marine, and other sectors. Prior to his PhD, he worked in R&D at a vertically integrated textile company for several years, developing textile structures for various applications.

Dr. Yu Yu is the Lead Researcher at Almath Crucibles Ltd.

With a background in Materials Science and Engineering (BSc, MSc, and PhD), she specialises in developing, characterising, and manufacturing advanced ceramics for applications in nuclear technology, energy conversion and storage, and green metal production and recycling.

She leads Innovate UK and industry-funded research projects at Almath and works closely with university partners to support innovation in these areas.