Street Talk: Research Ideas & Innovation

We are pleased to invite staff, students, and colleagues across UWTSD to the next Street Talk: Research Ideas & Innovation session taking place on:

When:  Wednesday 24 June 2026, 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Where: The Street, Innovation Matrix, Swansea Waterfront Campus

Street Talk is a relaxed series of informal talks focused on research, ideas and innovation.  Taking place in the central shared space within the Innovation Matrix, these sessions bring together staff, students, industry and the wider community to share interesting work, spark discussion and explore new thinking.

Each session features a series of short, engaging talks followed by open conversation and networking opportunities.

The session will feature:

Georgia McKie – Senior Lecturer, Wales Institute of Science and Art
“Laura Ashley 100 Years of an Icon”
Exploring a live project undertaken with the iconic British heritage brand Laura Ashley, including collaboration with the Laura Ashley Design Team and student engagement with the company archive in Hammersmith. The project was supported through the University’s Catalyst Fund and highlights opportunities for future teaching and learning within Surface Pattern and Textiles.

Yolanda Rendón Guerrero – REPAIR Project, ATiC
An introduction to the Retrofitting for the Future: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Adaptation (REPAIR) project, a collaboration between UWTSD, Swansea University and UCL alongside a range of societal partners. The talk will explore biophilic retrofitting, climate adaptation, and innovative approaches to sustainable social housing in Swansea.

David Barton – Director, Kaydair Ltd
Insights into Kaydair Ltd, an innovative medical device start-up specialising in offloading technology for pressure-induced wounds and musculoskeletal conditions. David will discuss the company’s journey, collaborations with major organisations and the development of patented orthotic technologies.

Who it is for: –

• Researchers
• Students and graduates
• Lecturers
• Creative and innovation communities
• Businesses and industry partners
• Anyone interested in new ideas

Street Talk is designed to be open, informal and collaborative – a space to share ideas, meet new people and explore innovation across disciplines.

If you would like to attend, please register using the booking link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/matrix-conversations-4825430

We are always looking for future speakers from across the University and wider community, if you are working on an interesting project, piece of research, collaboration or idea that you would like to share in a future session, please get in touch, the next sessions will be: –

• 28^th October 2026
• 25^th November 2026
• 16^th December 2026

Please get in touch if you would like to be involved in any of these sessions.   We look forward to hearing from you.