讲座嘉宾：Dr Kumar Biswajit Debnath，Chancellor’s Research Fellow

School of Architecture，Faculty of Design and Society，University of Technology Sydney (UTS)，Australia

讲座时间：2025年7月30日 14:00-14:30

讲座地点：同济A楼508教室

Summary of the seminar/lecture/talk

This seminar explores the exciting world of mycelium-based composites, a groundbreaking class of bio-fabricated materials that are grown, not manufactured. As we face mounting pressures from climate change, material scarcity, and plastic pollution, these “living” materials offer a truly regenerative and low-energy alternative to traditional building materials like plastics, foams, and even wood. Moreover, they naturally sequester carbon and completely biodegrade at the end of their life cycle.

We’ll dive into the science, fabrication techniques, and engineering potential of these innovative composites. Discover how different fungal species, growth environments, and substrate

chemistries influence their structural and thermal performance. We’ll also highlight cutting-edge techniques, such as bio-digital fabrication, additive manufacturing, and hybrid bio-composites,

which are unlocking new possibilities for functionality and scalability.

Through compelling real-world case studies in architecture and beyond, you’ll see how mycelium-based composites are already reshaping industries. This seminar isn’t just about material

performance; it’s about showcasing mycelium as a powerful model for circular, carbon-negative design, helping us shift from a wasteful, extractive model to a truly regenerative one.

By blending biology, materials science, and engineering, mycelium-based composites aren’t just an ecological necessity—they’re a significant opportunity for innovation, paving the way for the

next generation of sustainable construction and architectural technologies.

Bio of the speaker

Dr Kumar Biswajit Debnath is a Chancellor’s Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney, where he leads the Advanced Bio-Architecture Cluster (Bio-X). His research pioneers

Bio-Intelligent Building Systems, an interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of building physics, biotechnology, AI, energy systems, and materials science, with a focus on developing

passive, self-regulating, and climate-resilient structures on Earth and beyond.

His work with living materials—including mycelium-based composites, bacterial cellulose, and microbially induced calcite precipitation—integrates bioclimatic and biomimetic principles with

cutting-edge bio-digital fabrication, instrumentation, and AI-driven design. Dr Debnath has held research and teaching positions at leading institutions across the UK and Australia, including

Newcastle University, Heriot-Watt University, and Cardiff University. He has secured over AUD 2.5 million in competitive research funding and has delivered invited talks for the U.S. Department of State, SXSW Sydney, and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

His research spans applications from extreme climates and building cooling to space habitats, advancing a new generation of sustainable, regenerative, and circular building materials for a

rapidly warming world. His 50+ peer-reviewed publications, including journal papers in Nature Energy, Applied Energy, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, and Sustainable Materials and Technologies, have contributed to shaping international policy (World Bank, UNEP-FAO), bridging materials science, climate adaptation, and regenerative design.