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Staff Profile

Dr Jane Scott

NUAcT Fellow

Background

Dr Jane Scott is aNewcastle University Academic Track Fellow (NUAcT) who leads The Living Textiles Research Group in the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment in the School of Architecture Planning and Landscape. Her interdisciplinary research is located at the interface of programmable materials, knitted fabric design, architecture and biology. Her research positions textiles as a critical biofabrication strategy in the transition to sustainable and circular construction.  


Her group enables interdisciplinary research collaborations with experts from design, science and industry, leading to innovation across scales and applications. Her work has been exhibited internationally including recently in The National Museum of Scotland, The Design Museum, London, The Farrell Centre, Newcastle and the Saint Etienne Design Biennale.


Before joining Newcastle University, Jane was a Senior Teaching Fellow in The School of Design at The University of Leeds and held a Visiting Fellowship in biomimicry at Central Saint Martins (2016-2020). She completed PhD through the Textiles Futures Research Centre at Central Saint Martins, where she developed the award winning research Programmable Knitting.




Research

Dr Jane Scott is contributes to a portfolio of interdisciplinary research. She collaborates with scientists, technologists, engineers and architects to position textiles as a critical biofabrication strategy in the transition to sustainable and regenerative construction, and to investigate how biotechnology can address circularity in future textiles.


Knit Mycelium Architecture.


Through large-scale prototyping her group has established the protocols for knit/mycelium architecture and the precedents for 100% waste resource strategy for biofabrication. This research is exemplified in recent projects BioKnit(2022), The Living Room (2023) grown for the inaugural exhibition at the Farrell Centre, Newcastle, BioKnit Arch(2023), developed as precision knit/mycelium biofabrication for the Future Observatory Gallery at the Design Museum London and The Growing Room (2024) exhibited in the National Museum of Scotland. In 2022 Jane completed an AHRC Design Ecosystem Fellowship through Future Observatory to map the emerging Living Textiles Ecosystem in the UK.


Biotechnology for Circular Textiles.


Jane acts as Co-I (textiles) in two BBSRC funded interdisciplinary collaborations. Fibre Fusion: Circular Manufacturing of Water Repelling Bacterial Cellulose through a Biological Approach and Upcycling of Textile Waste into Biodegradable Mycelium Leather. Jane also contributes to the NERC network+ Back to Baselines in Circular Fashion and Textiles as subject expert for biotechnology textiles.


Responsive Material Systems


Jane’s interest in programmable and responsive material systems has evolved from her PhD research Programmable Knitting (2016). She is currently Co-I for RESPIRE: Passive, Responsive, Variable Porosity Building Skins funded by Leverhulme Trust (2021-2024), and completed Fibre Highways (2020-2022) as Co-I developing shape-changing fabrics to demonstrate macro-scale applications of research findings identifying the translocation of bacteria on textile fibres observed at the micro-scale on individual fibre.


Current PhD Supervision


·       Romy Kaiser 


·       Paula Nerlich 


·       Ahmet Topcu 


·       Natalia Pynirtzi 


Recently Completed PhD Students


·       2017-2020 Emmanuel Adoyle  (University of Leeds) 

Teaching

Jane has extensive teaching experience at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including postgraduate supervision across design, engineering and architecture. She has specialist knowledge in the field of textile design and technology including Shima Seiki programming and design systems for 3D knitting. She has experience leading practical classes and lecture programmes in the areas of studio practice and design research methodologies.

As a designer Jane has demonstrated how making can become a powerful tool for education and engagement. In collaboration with partner organisations she has delivered a range of public events using textiles as tool for thinking about science and design. This has included participating as a contributing designer at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition and designing and delivering textiles content for the Craft Council’s Make Your Future Programme. In 2016 her public engagement work at The University of Leeds was recognised in the role of Public Engagement Champion, and in 2018 her work, alongside colleagues from knit design, received the Public Engagement with Research Award.


Publications