<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s really important to have a local, bioregional, and regenerative approach to material research and development,\u201d Sam says. \u201cIt\u2019s about considering both cultural and technical aspects.\u201d[\/vc_column_text]
![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sam-edens.jpg\")
<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nSam Edens<\/span><\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nAccessible thinking<\/b><\/h3>\n
What drew Sam to Aalto was the unique combination of scientific and designerly approaches to material experimentation.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI really enjoyed working in the CHEMARTS lab, making materials, going on excursions, and learning from the incredibly friendly staff and other participants. I\u2019d definitely love to do more.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>![\"CHEMARTS](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Sam-Edens-making-process.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nSam was combining recipes to achieve a foamy cellulose leather.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Cellulose](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Sam-Edens-cellulose-leather-samples.jpeg\")
<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nCellulose leather samples, which got their color from various fillers such as pine bark or lignin.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>![\"Cellulose](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Sam-Edens-cellulose-variations-b.jpeg\")
<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nSam tested different ingredients and processes to achieve leather-like materials.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]Normally Sam divides her time at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences between research on biobased fa\u00e7ade materials at the Circular Architecture research group and education for the Faculty of Digital Media and Creative Industries, where she coordinates the Biomaterials Studio, a biolab\/studio for design and engineering students.<\/span><\/p>\nHer CHEMARTS project focused on exploring locally sourced alternatives for ingredients in the CHEMARTS Cookbook, a study of how accessible, abundant materials might replace harder-to-obtain ones.<\/span><\/p>\n“I reviewed all the recipes in the Chemarts Cookbook and earlier summer school publications, sorting them by category (hard, flexible, soft, etc.). My goal was to see whether ingredients could be substituted to achieve similar results. I tested this with the Cellulose Leather and Soft Sponge recipes (Jui-Fan Yang, 2019), which are popular in our lab in Amsterdam but can be tricky because we don\u2019t always have ingredients like MCC or MFC. By comparing recipes, students often find they can use a bit more CMC and pulp instead. In my workshops, this helps them understand what each ingredient contributes without needing to dive too deeply into the chemistry.”<\/span><\/p>\nBroadening vocabulary and networks<\/b><\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>![\"AUAS](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AUAS_Biomaterials-Studio_9workshop-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nStudents working in the Biomaterials Studio, which Sam runs in the Netherlands.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\u201cCHEMARTS helped me structure the approach of our studio in practical terms,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt expanded my vocabulary and helped me connect with other professionals in the field.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nHer teaching now echoes the same principles she experienced at Aalto, bridging science, design, and sustainability through hands-on experimentation.<\/span><\/p>\nLooking ahead, Sam hopes to grow and expand her Biomaterials Studio into an international hub for biodesign and regenerative materials research.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cEven if you already work in this direction or know the basics, the Nordic Biomaterials by CHEMARTS course is such an enriching experience,\u201d she says. \u201cSo many things just fall into place. I learned so much in those two weeks.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]Follow Sam’s work on Instagram<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text]
Accessible thinking<\/b><\/h3>\n
What drew Sam to Aalto was the unique combination of scientific and designerly approaches to material experimentation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI really enjoyed working in the CHEMARTS lab, making materials, going on excursions, and learning from the incredibly friendly staff and other participants. I\u2019d definitely love to do more.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text] Her CHEMARTS project focused on exploring locally sourced alternatives for ingredients in the CHEMARTS Cookbook, a study of how accessible, abundant materials might replace harder-to-obtain ones.<\/span><\/p>\n “I reviewed all the recipes in the Chemarts Cookbook and earlier summer school publications, sorting them by category (hard, flexible, soft, etc.). My goal was to see whether ingredients could be substituted to achieve similar results. I tested this with the Cellulose Leather and Soft Sponge recipes (Jui-Fan Yang, 2019), which are popular in our lab in Amsterdam but can be tricky because we don\u2019t always have ingredients like MCC or MFC. By comparing recipes, students often find they can use a bit more CMC and pulp instead. In my workshops, this helps them understand what each ingredient contributes without needing to dive too deeply into the chemistry.”<\/span><\/p>\n Her teaching now echoes the same principles she experienced at Aalto, bridging science, design, and sustainability through hands-on experimentation.<\/span><\/p>\n Looking ahead, Sam hopes to grow and expand her Biomaterials Studio into an international hub for biodesign and regenerative materials research.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven if you already work in this direction or know the basics, the Nordic Biomaterials by CHEMARTS course is such an enriching experience,\u201d she says. \u201cSo many things just fall into place. I learned so much in those two weeks.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<\/a><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nSam was combining recipes to achieve a foamy cellulose leather.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nCellulose leather samples, which got their color from various fillers such as pine bark or lignin.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nSam tested different ingredients and processes to achieve leather-like materials.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]
Broadening vocabulary and networks<\/b><\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text]
<\/a><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nStudents working in the Biomaterials Studio, which Sam runs in the Netherlands.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]