Centre for Biominetic Societal Futures

Biomimetics is an area of study that uses nature’s models and systems to inspire new sustainable innovations to solve human problems. To date, biomimetic models have been used in design engineering for the development of new materials and products and biomimetics has remained predominantly a STEM-based research area. So far, very little research has been undertaken to explore how these innovations go on to shape society through human innovation, use and application, and even less has looked at such impacts through an inclusive lens that identifies beneficiaries and societal and organisational impacts. To the best of our knowledge, no previous research initiatives have explored how learning from and adapting to nature-inspired and human-altered processes and designs shape human behaviours and societal futures.

An initial Expression of Interest was submitted for the Leverhulme Research Centre call in January 2021 and although not selected as the UoH submission, positive feedback was received and the applicants were encouraged to consider URF to develop UoH capability. Since this time, cross-institutional enthusiasm for the establishment of a new biomimetics centre has gained momentum. It has become clear that biomimetic research is already being carried out by some academic researchers but in isolated pockets and has not been brought together to develop critical mass or extend into societal/organisational applications. Note: This is not an ASRI URF application and has been invited as a separate application.