Royce kicked off a brand-new year with a flurry of activity; from flagship conferences such as MRE to insightful events such as our AI for Materials Science Showcase. We had a strong start to 2026, continuing to highlight the breadth of innovation supported by Royce. A selection of events which are driving collaboration and insights are spotlighted here.
We also took time to continue our fantastic outreach activities, celebrating British Science Week and International Women’s Day this quarter.
Leading the Charge in Materials Innovation
In February, Royce was delighted to once again take part as the headline sponsor of the Materials Research Exchange (MRE) 2026, a key biennial event in the UK materials calendar.
The event opened with a Welcome Address from Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister for Science, who set out the government’s vision for materials and the new National Materials Innovation Programme and reaffirmed advanced materials as a frontier industry within the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. The Institute also hosted its conference session, “From Lab to Business: Turning Deep Tech Research into Real-World Impact”, with brilliant speakers highlighting the critical role of materials in driving economic growth and addressing national challenges.
Click here for our full report of Royce at MRE 2026.
Hot on the heels of MRE, Royce colleagues headed to the important National Manufacturing Summit 2026 at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC). And in March, Royce researchers and academics travelled to San Diego to attend the TMS Annual Meeting which brings together more than 4,000 business leaders, engineers, scientists and other professionals for an exchange of technical knowledge.
In February, Royce team members also engaged with the international research community at innoLAE -Innovations in Large-Area Electronics Conference in Cambridge. Through its Atoms to Devices (A2D) research area, Royce supports the development of next-generation technologies spanning semiconductors, photonics, energy systems and biomedical devices. Events such as innoLAE provide an important platform to strengthen collaborations in this space.
In March we hosted our inaugural AI for Materials Science Showcase in Manchester – bringing together leading experts in academia and industry to explore how Artificial Intelligence is transforming how we conduct research, manage projects, and drive productivity in science.
This event brought together some fantastic speakers from across the materials research community to share cutting-edge work, exchange knowledge, and crucially, encourage collaborations to keep the innovation momentum going. Discussions spanned topics including battery innovation, advanced microscopy, materials modelling and process optimisation in manufacturing.
What stood out most was the strength of the community forming around AI in materials science, bringing together expertise, ideas, and ambition to tackle shared challenges.
We’re excited to build on this momentum with future events and continued collaboration, so watch this space!
Celebrating Inclusion
In early March, International Women’s Day was marked at the Hub with an inspiring public event celebrating the achievements and experiences of women across research, technical and leadership roles.
Organised by Royce’s Outreach Officer Dr Ruby Morel, the event brought together speakers and panellists from across the higher education sector to share honest reflections on career journeys, challenges and successes.
The evening encouraged open and candid discussion, highlighting the importance of visibility, support networks and inclusive cultures in enabling diverse talent to thrive within the materials science space.
The popular Rising Stars workshop returned to the Henry Royce Institute in January. Developed and delivered by early-career researchers and academics, this annual workshop supports rising stars within under‑represented groups across the materials science and engineering community in the UK.
During a day of talks, panel discussions and interactive sessions, participants explored career pathways, built their professional networks and developed skills that will help them shape their own research vision.
Inspiring Next-Generation Materials Innovators
In March, our Outreach team hosted a stand at the annual British Science Week event held at Manchester Museum, celebrating the fantastic advances in science with local schools.
The Royce stand included practical activities and demonstrations, including hands-on optical microscopy and a model wind turbine and colouring station for visitors to design and make their own DIY turbine. These activities were partnered with Discover Materials, who take the research themes from Royce into schools, where a display of different material properties, ferrofluids, UV-reactive experiments, and much more was on display.
In January, the inaugural cohort of Royce Catalyst came together at Alliance Manchester Business School to launch a bold new chapter in UK materials innovation.
Following a successful launch night, participating teams attended a multi-day Lecture Intensive hosted at AMBS. Across four packed days, participants heard from founders, venture builders, investors, patent attorneys, sustainability leaders and communications experts.
Cohorts 2 and 3 of Royce Catalyst are currently open for applications – click here for further details.
Find out more about Royce Events here.
Find out more about Royce Outreach here.
