Laura Morgan

Laura Morgan is a Wallscourt Fellow in Design and Material Futures at the University of the West of England, affiliated with the ACE Faculty's Department of Art and Design and the Centre for Fine Print Research. With 15 years of industry and academic experience spanning design, product development, and research, she contributes to postgraduate education as a PhD Supervisor and Lecturer for the MA Design program.

Her educational qualifications include:

• PhD in Textile Design and Laser Engineering (2016)
• Ba(Hons) in Textiles
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (fHEA)

Dr. Morgan's research pioneers sustainable textile manufacturing through digital techniques, focusing on circular economy principles and material innovation. She integrates craft, design, and material science to develop eco-friendly processes, with significant work in laser materials processing for bio-material design and sustainable finishing. Her interdisciplinary approach involves stakeholder collaboration to advance textile sustainability.

Her research has driven international recognition, including presentations at specialized conferences in Textiles, Biotechnology, and Laser Applications, notably as an invited plenary speaker at The International Congress on Applications of Lasers and Electro-Optics.

Her scientific achievements include:

• Vice-Chancellor's Early Career Researcher Development Award (2020) for "Digital Processing for BioMaterial Design and Sustainable Material Finishing"

Academically, she serves as a PhD Supervisor and Principal Reviewer at UWE, previously teaching BA (Hons) Textiles Innovation and Design at Loughborough University with expertise in Woven Textiles and Integrated Digital Practice. She also co-founded the Textile Intersections Conference and curated its 2017/2019 exhibitions.

Her work centers on the Centre for Fine Print Research, where she leads design-driven material futures projects through interdisciplinary teams focused on sustainable innovation and circular economy solutions.