معرفی
Professor Richard Blackburn is a Professor of Sustainable Materials at the University of Leeds, School of Design. His research focuses on applying sustainability principles to materials science, textile coloration, and cosmetics. He leads the Sustainable Materials Research Group and co-founded Keracol Limited, a spin-out company developing natural cosmetic ingredients from plant extracts. His work includes innovations in dyeing technologies, reducing microfibre pollution, and sustainable textile processing.
- Education: BSc (Hons) and PhD in Colour Chemistry from the University of Leeds
- Professional Memberships: Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Royal Society of Chemistry, and Society of Dyers and Colourists.
Key research interests span sustainable textile practices, natural dye extraction, polymer chemistry, and green chemistry applications. He has pioneered methods for extracting actives from food waste for cosmetics and developed fluorine-free repellent coatings for textiles.
Awards:
- Silver Medal (Society of Dyers and Colourists, 2016)
- Fellowship (Society of Dyers and Colourists, 2017)
- Centenary Medal (2018 & 2019)
- Freedom of The City of London (2013)
Advising & Grants: Leads multidisciplinary projects on textile sustainability, including FoodWasteNet and the Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology partnership. His work bridges academia and industry through spin-offs like Keracol and RITE Group, focused on minimizing environmental impact.
Labs & Teams: Head of the Sustainable Materials Research Group and collaborator with global industry partners to advance sustainable materials innovation.
