FFF Seminar: Designing with Biomaterials

Abstract:

In the last century, humans’ impact on our natural environment has become increasingly unsustainable. One way to potentially stop and reverse this trend is to prioritize sustainability in the design and production of materials and artifacts that we use every day. In this talk, I offer my personal design process for working with biomaterials (materials that are derived from living organisms that can easily biodegrade in the environment), which I exemplify through three different biomaterials: (1) Alganyl, an algae-based bioplastic, (2) ReClaym, a compost-based bioclay, and (3) SCOBY, a cellulose-based bioleather. By describing recipes, properties, methods, uses, and life cycles from generation to decay, I highlight how each biomaterial can be made and applied in a wide array of scenarios. Lastly, I speculate on how these biomaterials and corresponding making practices can lead to more sustainable futures.

Bio:

Dr. Fiona Bell is a visiting scholar at KTH and a postdoctoral researcher at the Hand and Machine Lab, University of New Mexico. She works at the intersection of biodesign, material science, and human-computer interaction, holding a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University and a PhD in Creative Technology and Design from the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on making and making-with biomaterials to foster more reciprocal and caring interactions between humans, nonhumans, technology, and the environment.