Speaker Series (29 October 2026): Growing sustainable materials using fungi

SPEAKER SERIES
Speaker Series (29 October 2026): Growing sustainable materials using fungi

We are pleased to have with us Assoc Prof Hortense Le Ferrand, who will share how mycelium offers a sustainable alternative to plastics and metals. The resulting material from cultivating fungi on agricultural waste can be used for thermal insulation and fire resistance, and it can even be shaped using 3D printing.

Join us on Thursday, 29 October 2026, 4pm at Function Hall of Singapore Botanic Gardens (Level 1 of Botany Centre), to find out more!

Session is free-seating thus no advance registration is required.

Session synopsis
Mycelium – the root-like network of fungi – offers a sustainable alternative to plastics and metals, which rely on intensive mining, transportation, and polluting refining processes. Grown by cultivating fungi on agricultural waste, the fungi develop an interconnected 3D network that acts as a natural binder. The resulting material can be used for thermal insulation and fire resistance, and it can even be shaped using 3D printing.

About the Speaker
Associate Professor Hortense Le Ferrand develops sustainable processes to fabricate high-performance materials using bioinspiration. She believes that multidisciplinary and diverse teams create an environment conducive to creative and innovative research for a more sustainable future.


Round off your afternoon with a guided tour of the Funtastical World of Fungi exhibition, held at the CDL Green Gallery (a 2-minute walk from the Function Hall). This tour runs from 5.00 pm to 5.45 pm and is limited to 20 participants on a first-come-first-served basis. Please register your interest at the entrance of the Function Hall before Speaker Series begins at 4.00 pm.