- Day & Time:
- 2nd September 2026
- Location:
- University of Salford
Organised by: FIVE-C Network, University of Salford
Executive Summary
The FIVE-C Network one-day symposium will focus on the theme ‘Circular Materials and Lifecycle Innovation across FIVE-C Sectors.’
This event will explore how circularity in materials can accelerate sustainable transformation across digital, construction, fashion & textiles, renewable energy and healthcare, bringing together both STEM and SHAPE researchers to address technical, social, economic and cultural dimensions in equal measure.
Confirmed speakers and panellists:
Faye Smith (Composites UK)
Professor Fiona Charnley (EPSRC’s DICE Network+ lead)
Amy Peace (UK Research and Innovation)
Tim Griggs (ARUP)
Tbc (WRAP)
Thomas Addison (Greater Manchester Combined Authority)
Rachel Garner (Vision Linen)
Rationale
Circular materials research is inherently cross-disciplinary: breakthroughs in chemistry, engineering and materials science must be understood alongside shifts in behaviour, governance, business models and cultural adoption.
This symposium will therefore create a rare platform where scientists, engineers, social scientists, designers and policy specialists engage on equal footing to examine how materials can be re-imagined, reused and reintegrated into sustainable value chains.
Aims
Showcase innovative technical research in circular materials — such as bio-based alternatives, recyclability by design, smart materials enabling reuse, and advanced recovery technologies.
Highlight social sciences and humanities perspectives — including lifecycle assessment, industrial ecology, behavioural drivers, cultural acceptance, procurement practices, and governance frameworks.
Foster integrated dialogue across STEM and SHAPE, ensuring lifecycle analysis and socio-economic evaluation inform technical development, and conversely that social frameworks are grounded in the realities of materials science and engineering.
Identify opportunities for cross-sectoral learning: how lessons from construction deconstruction can inform healthcare procurement, or how digital tools and data infrastructures can support circularity in textiles or renewable energy.
Key Themes
Lifecycle Thinking Across Disciplines – environmental, economic and social assessment of circular strategies, drawing from both engineering models and social science methodologies.
Designing for Circularity – material innovations and design approaches that enable reuse, repair, remanufacture, and recycling.
Recovery, Recycling and Reuse Technologies – STEM advances in recovery processes coupled with SHAPE insights into infrastructure, supply chains, and labour implications.
Policy, Governance and Cultural Change – exploring how regulation, business models, consumer behaviour, and equity considerations enable or hinder circular adoption.
Cross-Sector Innovation – systems approaches that connect circular practices across FIVE-C sectors, supported by both technical advances and social frameworks.
Agenda
| Time | Item |
| 9:30am | Registration and refreshments |
| 10:00am | Welcome Professor Katy Mason, University of Salford |
| Session one: The Future of Circular Economy Chair: Silvia Tedesco, University of Salford | |
| 10:10am | Professor Fiona Charnley, University of Exeter |
| 10:40am | Amy Pearce, UK Research and Innovation |
| 10:55am | Tim Griggs, ARUP |
| 11:10am | Panel discussion: barriers and enablers of circularity to aid valorisation opportunities Sheryl Lee (WRAP) Thomas Addison (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) Rachael Garner (Vision Linen) Faye Smith (MIDAS) |
| 11:55am | Session two: Embedding circularity in industry: From strategy to implementation Chair: Mark Miodownik, University College London |
| 1:10pm | Lunch and networking |
| 2:00pm | Session three: Place-based Circular Innovation: City Regions as Testbeds Chair: Lucy Wishart, University of Edinburgh |
| 3:15pm | Consortium Formation Activity |
| 4:15pm | Closing Remarks Professor Mandy Parkinson, University of Salford |
| 4:25pm | Closure |
| 4:30pm | Coffee and networking |
Want to be part of the action? You can submit your abstract to present your research.
Registration Fees
| Category | Costs | |
|---|---|---|
| Network members | Students | £20 |
| Academics | £100 | |
| Business / other | £120 | |
| Non-members | Students | £50 |
| Academics | £120 | |
| Business / other | £150 |
Places are very limited, so book your ticket now.
Frequently asked questions
What are the different rates?
- Member rates are existing members of the FIVE-C Network.
- If you aren’t sure, get in touch with us and we can help.
When are tickets on sale?
I can no longer make the event, what are my options?
- If you have booked a ticket and can no longer make it, you can transfer your ticket to a colleague (and advise us of who will take your place), or you can apply for a refund up until 14 days before the event. If you cancel your place within 14 days of the event, we are unable to offer a refund.