The Elemental community came together on 11-12 February 2026 in York for our annual two-day meeting, bringing together researchers to share progress, strengthen collaboration, and shape the future direction of the programme.
Highlights from Day One
The event kicked off with a warm welcome from Chair, Martin Warren, setting the context for the meeting and its goals. Attendees were introduced to the latest updates from BBSRC via Jane Garrad, and an overview of the Elemental programme was provided by Martin Warren and Vice-Chair, Peter Chivers.
In addition to summarising progress so far and outlining the Hub’s ‘Mission’ going forward, work package leads presented progress and future directions across all six work areas.
Short PDRA flash talks offered a platform for early-career researchers to showcase their work, and an interactive poster session encouraged discussion and networking, allowing participants to dive deeper into research findings and share ideas.
Coincidentally, Day 1 of the meeting was International Women and Girls in Science Day.
Insights from Day Two
Day 2 focussed on strategic planning, career development, and translating research into real-world impact. Closed sessions with the Strategic Advisory Board provided guidance on programme priorities, while panels and workshops explored:
- ‘Responsible Research and Innovation’, delivered by Joy Zhang
- ‘Understanding the Technology Level Readiness Framework’, presented by Mark Carver
- ‘Communications and Public Engagement’ with Emma Cook
- A Co-Investigator-led discussion panel with early career researchers about the challenges associated with scientific careers
The meeting closed with an engaging workshop led by WP6 members Julia Stegemann, Brenda Parker, Jhuma Sadhukhan, and Danting Chen. ‘LCA Scale Up and the Circular Economy’ was intended to help participants identify and visualise key components of their envisioned scaled processes, including inputs, outputs, energy and chemical flows, and process interactions, in preparation for performing a system diagram, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and scale-up. Discussions emphasised sustainability, scalability, and practical applications for research outputs.
‘Methodology for the Hub’ is excerpted from Sadhukhan et al. 2026. Green Chemistry, submitted. “PHA Biocomposites from Lignocellulose: Scalability and Sustainability Analyses through Dynamic Simulation, LCA, and TEA”
By bringing partners and stakeholders together in one place, the meeting reinforced our shared goals. It strengthened collaboration across the different work packages and helped further develop our community.
Building International Partnerships
The meeting highlighted Elemental’s growing international activity, particularly through expanding US-UK collaborations. Initiatives such as the UK-US Critical Minerals Research Travel Grants 2025 are supporting cross-Atlantic exchange and joint research on critical minerals, with further meetings planned.
Elemental also participated in the UK-Southeastern US Critical Minerals Symposium & Growing Partnership for Essential Minerals (GEMs) in Atlanta on 4 February 2026, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable and resilient critical minerals supply chains.
UK-Southeastern US Critical Minerals Symposium & Growing Partnership for Essential Minerals in Atlanta- Photos from Martin Warren
Together, these activities reflect Elemental’s expanding global engagement and commitment to collaborative solutions for essential minerals and bio-based innovation.
Supporting Our Researchers
The meeting also highlighted opportunities for early-carer researchers, including:
- BEST Challenge 2026- a programme where early career researchers collaborate to tackle real-world bioprocessing challenges, culminating in a “Dragons Den” pitch with industry recognition.
- Funding opportunities were outlined to support research, industry collaboration, and commercial development, including Business Interaction Vouchers, Business Case Development Fund, and Research Studentships.
Stay Connected
For more updates, follow Elemental on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and X.com.
We thank all attendees for contributing to a productive and inspiring two days and look forward to continuing to advance the Elemental programme together.