The UK Symposium on Materials for Sustainability 2026 (UK SMS 2026), hosted by Keele University in partnership with the Institute of Physics (IOP), is organised by Keele’s Advanced Materials Technology and Engineering Centre (AMTEC) together with several IOP Special Interest Groups.

Building on the success of the previous workshops and symposia held between 2022 and 2025, UK SMS 2026 will bring together leading researchers, industry partners, and early career scientists to share cutting edge advances and to explore emerging opportunities and challenges in the development of materials for a more sustainable future.

The symposium will be held in person at Keele University and welcomes participation from across the full breadth of materials science.

The scientific programme will include oral and poster presentations spanning a wide range of topics, including (but not limited to):
2D materials
Metamaterials
Nanomaterials and composites
Polymers
Materials for energy generation and storage
Carbon capture and utilisation
Materials recycling and circular economy
Quantum materials
Superconductors
Computational and ab initio methods

UK SMS 2026 provides an inclusive forum for interdisciplinary exchange, networking, and collaboration, supporting the materials community in addressing global sustainability challenges.