By Olivia F-C, Year 12

As part of our role as DT Reps we chose to invite a speaker to give a lecture to the sixth form on an area of design and technology. Our aim for this lecture was to help inspire the other students and to show them just how diverse the field of design can be and how it is able to interact with so many other subjects as well.  Initially, the idea of finding a lecturer seemed rather daunting and it was difficult to find a speaker that would be both knowledgeable on the areas of design relevant to A-level and would also be relevant and engaging to the students in our year who were studying other subjects. However, we then discovered Shellworks. Shellworks is a start-up from Imperial that combines material science and product design to produce products made from the biopolymer Vivomer. Vivomer is a biopolymer that is produced inside bacteria cells when they are allowed to respire in the presence of specific mineral ions and other nutrient sources. It is compostable in the average domestic compost heap (in fact it can be broken down by the very same bacteria that produce it) but it is also suitable to biodegrade in landfill or an aquatic environment, in case it is disposed of irresponsibly. 

It was a real privilege to be able to speak to Kat (who monitors sustainability) and Rob (who is Shellwork’s chief of manufacturing) as we were able to gain insight into not only how what we learn in DT is utilised in real world production and industry but also how it interacts with other fields such as material science and biochemistry. Moreover, we were able to gain insight into jobs that DT and product design can lead to. It was amazing to see all of our peers in the sixth form really engage with the lecture and ask lots and lots of questions. It was also nice to see how Rob and Kat appreciated our engagement and passion in the project that they had clearly put blood, sweat and tears into. Overall, the entire experience of hosting a lecture for the sixth form has been incredibly enriching and has not only opened our eyes to the organisation and management required to host a speaker, but also the knowledge that can be gained through contacting a wide range of industry professionals.