At the Forefront of Innovation - Third NSG Group and University Symposium
Researchers and students from the University of Liverpool joined partner NSG Group at its European Technical Centre for the third NSG Group - University of Liverpool Symposium.
The event brought together academic researchers, PhD students, and industry experts to showcase a diverse portfolio of collaborative projects, highlighting the University’s strengths in advanced materials, artificial intelligence, and sustainable innovation. A particular focus was placed on work emerging from the Departments of Engineering and Chemistry, and the Materials Innovation Factory (MIF) – a unique facility accelerating materials discovery through the integration of robotics, AI and world-leading academic expertise.
Researchers shared progress on antimicrobial coatings, AI-driven product and process development, and intellectual property generation, underscoring the University’s role as a driving force in developing practical solutions with real-world impact.
Attendees also had the opportunity to tour NSG’s laboratories, further strengthening links between academic and industrial teams and exploring new directions for collaboration.
Su Varma, NSG Group’s Academic Director (R&D) said: “Almost two years since we signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise our partnership with the University of Liverpool, we were delighted to host the third symposium and hear about the excellent progress made in many areas which support us to be at the forefront of innovation in novel materials for advanced glazing. Our relationships with world leading academic research partners offer significant opportunities for ground-breaking advancements and discoveries, and this event was an excellent showcase of developments made through outstanding collaboration between the two institutions.”
Kevin Sanderson, Chief Technology Officer at NSG Group, added: “This symposium is a great example of how far our collaboration journey has come since 2017. The breadth of research topics under evaluation has expanded significantly over the years and now covers material discovery, AI as well as decarbonisation activities. The event also promotes discussion and provides NSG Group scientists the opportunity to raise new topics for future collaborations. This, and previous events, have already led to a number of new projects being established, and critically, we’re starting to see some of this work being transferred to internal programmes and add value to NSG Group.”
Professor Matt Rosseinsky, from the Department of Chemistry and the MIF, commented:
“The symposium demonstrated our deepening collaboration with NSG Group to address global challenges by bridging materials chemistry and artificial intelligence. It was particularly exciting to see the active engagement of early-career researchers and the clear momentum behind our shared goals.”
The symposium marked nearly two years since the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formalised the University’s strategic partnership with NSG Group. Since then, the scope of collaborative research has grown significantly, with tangible benefits already feeding into NSG’s innovation pipeline.