Dr Harry Wright

School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Research Fellow, Polyurethane, growing media, polymers

Sustainable Foods Institute

Harry Wright
Profile picture of Harry Wright
Harry.Wright@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 9456
Dainton Building

Full contact details

Dr Harry Wright
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Dainton Building
13 Brook Hill
Sheffield
S3 7HF
Profile

I am a Research Fellow and Co-Investigator at the University of Sheffield (2024–Present), following my previous role as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the same institution. My academic background includes BEng and MEng degrees in Chemical Engineering and a PhD completed as a Grantham Scholar, all awarded by the University of Sheffield. My primary research interests include biobased polymers, horticulture, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA). As co-lead of the CEA cluster at the Institute for Sustainable Food, I coordinate interdisciplinary research into future farming systems. My current work centers on the BBSRC-funded "WHyGrow-in-Me" project, where I develop biobased adhesives to bind waste materials together into sustainable, hybrid growing media, with the goal of directly addressing the peat crisis in UK horticulture.

Research interests

Biobased & Biodegradable Polymers, Polyurethane Chemistry & Formulation, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Hydroponics & Soilless Growing Media, Peat Alternatives & Circular Horticulture, Design of Experiments (DoE) & Machine Learning for Polymers, Open-Source Scientific Hardware & Plant Phenotyping Software

Summary of Research Project(s)

WHyGrow-in-Me (BBSRC): As Co-Investigator on this £1.66M grant, I am leading the development of waste-based hybrid growing media for Protected and Controlled Environment (PACE) horticulture by utilizing bio-based polyurethane binders and biowaste fillers.

Disease Suppressive Microbes (BBSRC Bacterial Plant Diseases Programme): Working as a Research Associate, I designed and optimized synthetic polyurethane foams for hydroponic systems. These substrates were engineered to limit the growth of bacterial plant pathogens while integrating beneficial microbes to enhance crop resilience.

Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People (H3 Consortium): I contributed to the Hybrid Hydroponic Horticulture work package within this UKRI-funded project, researching how novel foam-based growing media and synthetic microbiomes can be combined to transform the sustainability and production capacity of UK agriculture.

Recycled Polyurethane for Green Infrastructure (Innovate UK KTP): Serving as Deputy Knowledge Base Supervisor on a £280K Knowledge Transfer Partnership with The Vita Group, I successfully translated academic polymer research into commercial prototypes, focusing on recycling polyurethane foam into functional substrates for green roofs and walls.

Publications

Journal articles

  • Harris MS, Wright HC, Lilly T, Seithel N, Hayes C, Walker J, Nickles J, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2025) . Polymers, 17(20).
  • Wright HC, Wilkinson SW, Morgan CW, Rolfe SA, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2025) . Frontiers in Horticulture, 4.
  • Wright HC, Lawrence FA, Ryan AJ & Cameron DD (2023) . Plant Methods, 19(1).
  • Wright HC, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2022) . Polymers, 14(23).
  • Wright HC, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2022) . HardwareX, 12.
  • Al Meselmani MA, Wright HC, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2020) . Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1(9).
  • Labuschagne FJWJJ, Molefe DM, Focke WW, van der Westhuizen I, Wright HC & Royeppen MD (2015) . Polymer Degradation and Stability, 113, 46-54.
  • Wright HC, Fountain L, Moschopoulos A, Ryan AJ, Daniell TJ, Cullen DC, Shaughnessy B & Cameron DD () . Nature Food, 4(8), 648-653.

Conference proceedings

  • Souza D, Bandemegala STP, Fountain L, Wright HC, Moschopoulos A, Lantin S, Kainu M & Buchli V (2024) Sustainable crop cultivation in space analogs: A BRIDGES methodology perspective through SpaCEA cabinets. 53rd International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES). Louiseville, KY, USA, 21 July 2024 - 21 July 2024.
  • Wright HC, Moschopoulos A & Fountain L (2023) . Acta Horticulturae(1369) (pp 141-148). Angers, France, 14 August 2022 - 14 August 2022.
  • Wright HC, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2021) . Acta Horticulturae, Vol. 1317 (pp 125-132). Ghent, Belgium, 22 August 2021 - 27 August 2021.
  • Wright HC, Zhu J, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2021) . Acta Horticulturae(1305) (pp 47-54). Milan, Italy, 24 June 2019 - 24 June 2019.

Datasets

  • Wright H .
  • Wright H .
  • Wright H, Ryan A, Rolfe S, Wilkinson S & Cameron DD .

Other

  • Wright H () .

Preprints

  • Wright HC, Wilkinson SW, Rolfe SA, Cameron DD & Ryan AJ (2025) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Harris M, Wright H, Lilly T, Seithel N, Hayes C, Walker J, Nickles J, Cameron D & Ryan A (2025) , American Chemical Society (ACS).
  • Harris M, Wright H, Lilly T, Seithel N, Hayes C, Walker J, Nickles J, Cameron D & Ryan A (2025) , American Chemical Society (ACS).
  • Wright HC, Lawrence FA, Ryan AJ & Cameron DD (2023) , Research Square Platform LLC.
Research group

RyMyk

Grants

• University of Sheffield, Festival of the Mind, April 2024, PI, Sci-Art collaboration with artist Anthony Bennett “Tar-Dish” (£5000).
• BBSRC (BB/Z514433/1), 2024, Research Co-I on the project “WHyGro-in-Me: Waste-based Hybrid Growing Media for PACE Horticulture using bio-based polyurethane binders and biowaste filler” (£1.66M).
• University of Sheffield, February 2024, WUN travel grant for collaboration with UCT (£2000).
• Innovate Knowledge Transfer Partnership (Innovate – 10028726) 2022, Deputy Knowledge Base Supervisor, KTP project with The Vita Group on recycling polyurethane foam into growing media for green roofs and walls (£280K).
• University of Sheffield – Institute for Sustainable Food, April 2021, PI, Pump Priming Grant “SpaCEA cabinets for crop growth” (£4000).
• BBSRC (BB/T010789/1) 2020, named research associate on the project “Harnessing and integrating disease suppressive microbes and synthetic soils for sustainable, low input horticulture” (£1.57M).
• RHS Coke Trust Bursary Fund, July 2019, bursary for the attendance of the International Symposium on Growing Media, Composting and Substrate Analysis (£542).
• University of Sheffield, Festival of the Mind, April 2018, Co-I, Sci-Art collaboration with artist Anthony Bennett “Refugerminate” (£5000).
• Fully funded PhD studentship with the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures (2016-2020) at the University of Sheffield.
• NRF Masters Extension Scholarship 2015, received for extension of MEng (Chemical) research to the value of ZAR 18000 (± £ 950). Grant No: 97726
• NRF S&F – Innovation Masters Scholarships 2014, competitive scholarship received for MEng (Chemical) research to the value of ZAR 70000 (± £ 3700). Grant No: 89014

Prizes and awards

  • 51²è¹Ý¶ù Faculty of Science Post Doc Prize 2025 (£500)
  • 51²è¹Ý¶ù Open Research Prize 2023 – Individual Staff Winner (£500)
  • SCI Agrifood Early Careers Twitter competition 2021 – Runner Up (£5