Organised by IOM3, the Young Persons' Lecture Competition invites students and early career professionals (from 18 up to the age of 28) to deliver a short lecture (12 to 15 mins) on a materials, minerals, mining, packaging, clay technology, wood science or engineering related subject.
PhD student Heena Faulder has won both the local (Cleveland) and regional North East heats and will be competing in the finals on 21 May alongside five other finalists where she will give her lecture: New Tricks for Old Threads: The Ever-Evolving Story of Silk.
New Tricks for Old Threads: The Ever-Evolving Story of Silk
What if today’s most sophisticated material had been discovered in a teacup 5,000 years ago? For millennia, silk has been more than a luxurious fabric; it was guarded as an imperial secret in Ancient China and was a global currency that built and sustained dynasties. We are now experiencing a silk renaissance, fuelled by silk's inherent qualities: biocompatibility, sustainability, toughness and tunability. Since 2000, the global silk market has grown at ~8% annually, reaching £20 billion in 2026.
This talk explores some of silk’s undiscovered properties: how is it so tough, how can it be used in smart packaging and biomedical devices? Join us as we unravel silk to weave a sustainable, high-performance future and witness first-hand how the Queen of Fabrics is reclaiming her throne in the modern world.
Professor Chris Holland, Heena’s PhD supervisor, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and exemplifies her personal and professional development whilst highlighting the interest and importance surrounding Heena’s research.” He then went on to comment “As a team our entire research group enjoys supporting non-technical skills training, with a former PhD student winning in this competition and others regularly winning poster competitions and presentation awards”.