Talk: The future of plastics
This event is part of the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition 2025.
From shampoo bottles to synthetic clothing, plastics are everywhere - but their environmental cost is growing. Cutting-edge research from Plastic Alchemy main exhibit explores how to make plastics more sustainable, from developing biodegradable alternatives to recovering microplastics from wastewater. Drawing on innovations like coatings derived from shellfish and advanced filtration systems, Dr Iman Mohagheghian will show us how scientists are working to reduce our dependence on petroleum-based plastics, improve recycling, and prevent pollution before it reaches our oceans, highlighting how material science and engineering can help us move towards a more environmentally friendly future.
Dr Iman Mohagheghian is Associate Professor in Mechanics of Materials at the University of Surrey. Dr Mohagheghian’s core expertise is around designing, manufacturing, modelling and testing the performance of novel lightweight structures achieved through hybridisation of materials.
Attending the event
The talk will be held on Thursday 3 July 2025, 1pm – 1.30pm.
- Free to attend, no ticket required
- The room has limited capacity, so we recommend that visitors arrive at least 10-15 minutes before the talks. We operate a first-come, first-served policy
- The talk will take place in person at the Royal Society and will also be livestreamed on the Royal Society YouTube channel
- Live subtitles will be available in-person and virtually
- Suitable for students (14+)
- Travel and accessibility information and details on planning your visit - contact us directly to arrange any specific accessibility requirements
- Food and drink will be available for purchase at our onsite café
For all enquiries, please email us.