Daryl L. Thompson, Director of Scientific Initiatives, Global Research and Discovery Group

Plants represent some of nature’s most advanced material systems, evolved over millions of years to manage heat, moisture, structural strength, and environmental stress. From fiber architecture and surface microstructures to natural cooling and light management, plant biology offers powerful design principles that can inform the next generation of advanced textiles.
In this session, Daryl L. Thompson, Director of Scientific Initiatives at Global Research and Discovery Group (GRDG Sciences, LLC), explores how biomimicry—drawing inspiration from natural systems—can be applied to modern textile engineering. The talk will examine plant-derived strategies for passive cooling, energy interaction, and functional material design, and how these insights can translate into scalable textile technologies for performance, defense, and humanitarian applications.

Attendees will gain a new perspective on how nature’s original material engineers—plants—can inspire innovative textile solutions for the challenges of the future.