Woolmark to sponsor two year research project
The UK's Woolmark Company has said it has secured sponsorship for a two-year wool research project at the prestigious School of Textiles and Design at The University of Leeds.
Funding for the post will be provided by The Wool Foundation, an independent charity closely associated with The Woolmark Company. The Wool Foundation Research Fellow will join a Group exploring, amongst other innovations, the use of wool extracts in medicine, industrial products and outdoor protection.
"We’re learning more and more about the fundamental properties of wool," explains Dr Stephen Russell, head of the School’s nonwovens research group. "Wool’s an extremely complex protein fibre, and we are now starting to learn how to manipulate its properties in order to use wool in non-traditional, exciting new ways."
Interviews for the post are continuing, with an appointment expected by Christmas. The new Fellow will join four other researchers in the Nonwovens group which have full access to research equipment and information. In addition to conducting research, the post-holder will represent the School of Textiles and Design at global conferences. "It’s important that the findings on new wool uses are made known to the international academic community," observed Dr Russell.
