Lisa Taylor

I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Materials at the University of Manchester, holding a Teaching and Scholarship role and service role as a Line Manager. I am an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Teaching and Learning, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Textile. I hold an MSc in Advanced Product Development and a PGCert in Education. My dedication to education has been recognised through multiple accolades, including two Teaching Excellence Awards from the Institute of Teaching and Learning in 2022 and 2024, and a team award for achieved Highly Commended in 2024.

I am an enthusiastic and a proactive member of the school of materials. My extensive experience of establishing, managing and running a business has enabled me to transfer my knowledge, experience and industry standards within my role as a lecturer at the School of Materials. I have a keen focus on embedding employability and professional skills in the curriculum.  Forging links with industry, inviting guest speakers, organising field trips to businesses, and oversea trade shows.

Other activities include serving as a paid business consultant on multiple occasions and being invited as a guest speaker for a series of technology lectures overseas.  I am a member of a scholarship steering group led by Professor Hannah Cobb and an active member of the Textiles Institute Northwest Committee, a reviewer for the Advance HE fellowships. 

My scholarship research and innovation activities explore how sustainability, education, and cross-sector collaboration can drive transformative change within the global fashion and textiles ecosystem. I focus on the intersection of digital innovation, circular economy practices, and social responsibility, developing research that is both community-informed and industry-engaged. My projects span diverse global contexts  from co-designed sustainability education in Africa and community empowerment initiatives with Oxfam in Greater Manchester, to circular-economy research with Emirates Engineering in the UAE. Together, these activities exemplify my commitment to practice-based inquiry, partnership-led knowledge exchange, and the University of Manchester’s civic and global mission, contributing directly to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 9, 12, 13, and 17).

2024–Present – Empowering Fashion Sustainability Education in Africa through Digital Innovation

Funded by the Sustainable Fashion and Retail Innovation Lab (£4,800), this interdisciplinary exploratory project addresses overconsumption, education gaps, and socio-economic barriers to circular fashion in Africa. It involves co-design with a Nigerian brand (Bittany) and focus groups with African designers, consumers, and policymakers. The project promotes educational equity and culturally responsive digital learning, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 6, 9, 12, 13, and 17). Findings will inform the development of a minimum viable product (MVP) for a digital sustainability education app aimed at fostering circular fashion literacy and behavioural change across the African continent.
Collaborators: Fikayomi Agbola, Dr Chris Smith, Nondini Dhawan, Chandhana Kolluru Chalapathi.

2023–Present – Co-Designed Research with Oxfam: Reframing Fashion Futures
Co-Lead Researcher

Ongoing co-designed research project with Oxfam exploring second-hand fashion, sustainability education, and community empowerment in Greater Manchester. Delivered a series of participatory workshops and initiated qualitative data collection through participant surveys and interviews. The project investigates how community engagement and storytelling can foster circular fashion systems and inclusive sustainability education. Findings form the basis for the conference paper “Reframing Fashion Futures: Co-Creating Sustainable Fashion Narratives with Community,” accepted for oral presentation at IFFTI 2026 (RMIT Vietnam, April 2026).
This collaboration strengthens university–third sector partnerships, supports the University of Manchester’s civic mission, and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals).
Collaborators: Aurelie Le Normand, Oxfam North West team.

2024–Present – Emirates Engineering Upcycling, Circular Economy and ESG Case Study

Co-Investigator
University of Manchester–led research and knowledge-exchange collaboration with Emirates Engineering documenting and analysing the airline’s upcycling initiative for aircraft interior materials, initially focusing on seat fabrics. Phase 1 involves developing a rigorous, citable case study exploring the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) value of Emirates’ circular-economy practices. The project integrates student participation (≈200 students across Fashion, Textiles, and Materials Science) to generate research-informed concepts and sustainability solutions.

The study will be featured at the University Industry–Academia Research Impact Forum (12 February 2026) and aims to produce academic outputs and teaching materials while laying the groundwork for phase-2 research on materials characterisation, traceability, and expanded material streams.

This collaboration exemplifies cross-disciplinary research, industry engagement, and global sustainability leadership, aligning with UN SDGs 9 (Innovation and Infrastructure), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Collaborators: Charlene Gallery, Dr Nada Jammoul Messaikeh, Amin El-Kholy, Lisa Taylor.