REACT centre welcomes Glasgow MP
Published: 13 April 2026
University of Glasgow researchers welcomed Martin Rhodes MP to the REACT Centre last week to view new sustainable electronics research and demonstrations of circular manufacturing and advanced e-waste recovery.
University of Glasgow researchers welcomed Martin Rhodes MP to the REACT Centre last week to view new sustainable electronics research and demonstrations of circular manufacturing and advanced e-waste recovery.
REACT stands for Responsible Electronics and Circular Technologies. Established in 2024 with more than £6 million of UK Government funding through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), REACT brings together industry and academia to design low-waste electronics and recover valuable materials from e‑waste.
During the visit, REACT researchers demonstrated a low-waste circuit-board manufacturing process and explained how REACT is embedding circular design into electronics products.
The MP also viewed environmental sensors which operate without batteries and a high-throughput e-waste recycling set-up designed to extract gold, gallium and other critical materials from discarded devices.
REACT is a cross‑university centre partnering the University of Glasgow with the University of Edinburgh, Heriot‑Watt University and the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult to develop low‑impact electronics, digital tracking systems and scalable recycling processes.
Professor Jeff Kettle, REACT’s principal investigator, said: “Today’s visit demonstrates that Glasgow is at the cutting edge of clean‑tech manufacturing.
“With UKRI investment, our team is building the UK’s capability in sustainable electronics, designing devices for reuse and recycling and recovering precious metals domestically. This is creating local green jobs and making our technology supply chains stronger and cleaner.”
REACT supports Scotland’s electronics cluster, which comprises more than 130 companies employing 10,300 people and creating an annual turnover exceeding and £2.8bn by strengthening domestic capability and supply chain resilience.
Dr Mahmoud Wagih, a reader at the University of Glasgow and REACT co-director, said: “We were pleased to welcome Martin to the University to see the work underway through REACT. Our focus is on developing practical solutions for sustainable electronics, from design through to end-of-life recovery.
“We are leveraging the UKRI funding to build a capability here in Glasgow that strengthens UK electronic supply chains, reduces environmental impact and supports high-value research and industry collaboration.”
Martin Rhodes MP said: “It was a pleasure to visit the University of Glasgow and see first-hand the work being carried out through the REACT programme.
“It is encouraging to see UK Government investment supporting innovation in Glasgow that has both local economic value and wider national importance.
“The research taking place here also has clear relevance to the work of the Environmental Audit Committee, particularly around resource use, waste reduction and supply chain resilience.”
Following presentations from the REACT team, Mr Rhodes toured the laboratories and met researchers, students and programme leads to discuss ongoing work and future opportunities.
The visit forms part of ongoing engagement between the University of Glasgow and parliamentary stakeholders to demonstrate the impact of research and innovation supported through UK Research and Innovation.
First published: 13 April 2026