Damian Palin

"Some see nature all ridicule and deformity, and by these I shall not regulate my proportions; and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of a man with imagination nature is imagination itself" –William Blake I have studied and worked for a number of years in the pursuit and development of sustainable technologies. I believe that biologically inspired technologies will play a key role in the development of future sustainable societies and it is my aim to increase his knowledge and skill in this area. Current research is allowing me to assess the ability of microorganisms to precipitate and accumulate minerals (including metals) out of solution. Part of this research includes the use of microfluidic devices to better understand the chemical and kinetic interaction between certain bacteria and their inorganic precipitates. This knowledge will be invaluable–as part of continued evidence–for the development of low energetic production technologies and how if employed or mimicked nature has the potential to provide industry with radical production alternatives.