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19 Apr 2021

Our experts to lead virtual event discussing Greater Manchester’s leadership in advanced materials – and how this could shape cities of the future

University experts are leading a virtual event to discuss Greater Manchester’s leadership in advanced materials and how this could shape cities in the future.

The event, hosted jointly by the University, Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership and inward investment agency MIDAS, Material Gains: Building cities that are better for people and the planet is being chaired by science correspondent for The Economist, Alok Jha, and features a panel of industry and research leaders discussing how the new technologies being pioneered in the city could play a role in building greener and more equal cities in the future.

Pre-pandemic, Greater Manchester had already set an ambitious target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2038. The city-region now has an opportunity to influence global innovation through its specialist expertise and world-class assets in advanced materials.

Panellists will fast-forward to 2038 to explore the new products and services built around advanced materials that have enabled green growth and addressed inequalities in the city.

Professor Nancy Rothwell, our President and Vice-Chancellor and GM LEP board member, who is one of the event’s speakers, said: “Our Local Industrial Strategy envisions Greater Manchester becoming one of the world’s leading regions for researchers and businesses to develop and adopt advanced materials.

“The city-region already has world-leading capabilities and facilities and we have an important role to play as we look to a low carbon future.”

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, also a speaker, added: “Graphene and advanced materials have a huge role to play in making our buildings, our infrastructure and our transport not only significantly greener but demonstrably smarter.

“As we look to the meet the climate change challenge and aim to ‘build back better’, I am convinced we need to explore with more urgency on how advanced materials can provide the building blocks for an exciting new future.”