#UKSB Travel Bursary Winner Arian McCallion

By Arian McCallion, Ulster University

Through the support of the UKSB travel grant, I had the opportunity to attend the UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) 2026 Conference in Birmingham. I was very grateful to receive this funding, as it gave me the opportunity to attend the conference, present my research and connect with others working in the biomaterials field. 

On the first day, I presented my work titled “Investigating the Relationship Between Real Time vs Accelerated Corrosion of WE43 Alloy Substrates.” It was a great opportunity to share my PhD research and discuss my findings outside of my own research group. I particularly appreciated the questions and feedback following my presentation, which gave me some useful perspectives to consider as I continue my research. 

Throughout the conference, I also had the chance to listen to a wide range of presentations covering different areas of biomaterials research. It was interesting to learn more about the work being carried out across the field and to hear about different research approaches and applications. 

One of the highlights of the trip was the opportunity to network with other attendees. After the first day, we had a BBQ, which was a great chance to chat with researchers in a more relaxed setting. I enjoyed meeting new people, discussing our research interests and making new connections within the biomaterials community. 

Overall, UKSB 2026 was a really enjoyable and valuable experience. It allowed me to build my confidence in presenting my research, gain useful feedback and expand my network within the field. 

I am very grateful to UKSB for providing the travel grant that made my attendance possible and for the opportunity to be part of such a welcoming and engaging conference.