The IOM3 Polymer Group (formerly the Polymer Society) is a community of professionals with a shared technical interest in polymers, led by a team of volunteers. The group supports the development of future sustainable polymer supply chains by facilitating knowledge exchange and actively engaging in consultations and policy shaping. The group seeks to embed sustainability and circular principles into all aspects of production, processing, application and recovery and covers all technical, educational and professional considerations related to polymers. The group includes the former Polymer Processing & Engineering Committee.
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Meet the Polymer Group Leadership Team
Matthew Thornton
Prior to joining the University of Lincoln as the Commercial Manager for The Bridge in February 2023, Matthew was the Chief Innovation Officer for Polymateria Ltd based in London, where he was responsible for new product development in partnership with commercial customers to ensure that the companies research is commercially focussed and meets the requirements of our customers to deliver value for the business in the short, medium, and long-term, with a focus on strategic direction and innovation.
Matthew has a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry with Chemical Engineering from the University of Huddersfield, UK (2001) and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Nottingham, UK (2005). Following his studies Matthew spent 18 months as a KTP Associate at the University of Reading, researching novel materials for the removal of mercury from crematoria flue gases, before spending 7 years at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining as both a Materials Advisor and the Polymer Sector Leader for the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network. He joined NetComposites Ltd in August 2013 as a Project Manager and was responsible for the management of several UK Government and EU funded collaborative research and development projects. In April 2016, Matthew joined Haydale Composite Solutions as UK Site and Innovation Director and was responsible for both the Haydale Group Innovation Department and the Resins, Polymers and Composites Business Unit.
Matthew is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, a Chartered Environmentalist, and a Leadership Team Member of both the Elastomer Group and the Polymer Group of the IOM3. He has a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the Open University, UK (2022), and is the Secretary-General for the International Rubber Conference Organisation.
Biqiong Chen
Biqiong Chen is a Professor of Polymer Engineering at the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast. She obtained her PhD in Materials Science from Queen Mary, University of London. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, and the Royal Society of Chemistry. Her current research interests are mainly focussed on the synthesis, processing and characterisation of smart sustainable polymers and multifunctional polymer nanocomposites for both engineering and biomedical applications.
James Busfield
James has been the Head of the Soft Matter Group at Queen Mary University of London since 1994. His research group is currently the largest elastomer materials group in the UK. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2020 and a National Teaching Fellow in 2009. He has been in a leadership role of the IOM3 Elastomer Group for more than 25 years, with whom he has organised nearly 100 discussion meetings and conferences of interest to the rubber community. He is the associate editor of the IOM3 Journal "Plastics, Rubber and Composites: Macromolecular Engineering" and has been on the leadership team of the IOM3 Polymer Group for more than two decades.
George Davies
Hi, I’m George Davies. My interests lie in polymer lamination and processing. I am currently a Quality Specialist in Tata Steel, working on their polymer-coated steel, Protact®. In my current role, I am heavily involved in food contact compliance of the products that we produce, new product developments and process improvement. Prior to starting at Tata Steel, I completed an Engineering Doctorate, looking at the mobility of polymer coated steel. My spare time is taken up with spending time with my family. I also enjoy DIY, when I get the time!
Velram Mohan
Dr. Velram Mohan CSci. is an experienced Polymers and Composites Engineer with significant experience developing functional composites for a range of applications. Velram has his base degree in Polymer Technology from Anna University, India and a research master's degree in Materials and Process Engineering, specialising in polymer rheology, from the University of Waikato, New Zealand. He then went on to complete his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the Centre of Advanced Composite Materials, the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His PhD thesis focused on developing graphene-based polymer composites for applications including electrically triggered sensors and electrodes. Following his PhD, He worked as a Research Associate at the Plastics Centre of Excellence at the University of Auckland, where he managed industry-based projects and served as the programme convenor for post-graduate courses in Polymer Engineering. Presently, he is working as an R&D Scientist at DEC International, New Zealand, focusing on developing thermoplastics-based slow-release products/devices.
Velram is a member of several engineering professional bodies and institutions, such as the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) , Engineering New Zealand (EngNZ), Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) and Professional Management Institute (PMI). He is a reviewer for several materials engineering-based scientific journals and served as a consultant for the Royal Society of New Zealand's 'Plastics: Rethinking' initiative. Velram is an avid fitness enthusiast who enjoys cross-fit training and archery, while photography and carpentry are his main hobbies.
Farai Carter
Dr. Farai Carter MIMMM specialises in research and development of coatings and colloidal systems within the Formulation platform; providing support and delivering technical input for collaborative and commercial projects. Farai has experience in a variety of nanomaterial processing techniques and developing functionalised nanoparticles for use in different industrial applications.
Farai graduated with a Doctorate in Micro and Nanomaterials Technologies at the University of Surrey (UK), focussing on polymer synthesis, formulations and characterisation of colloids for application within the coatings industry. Farai has years of experience developing concepts and ideas into successful commercial products. He is also a STEM ambassador, an active member of the IOM3, committee member of the Polymer Group and a corresponding member of the Student & Early Career Committee (SECC).
