More than 55 presenters demonstrated their research at the Textiles Research Symposium hosted by the Textile Association for Graduate Students (TAGS) on April 10, 2026. 

This year’s symposium focused on “investigating the future of textiles through the lens of innovation, sustainability and technology.” All graduate students conducting research within the Wilson College of Textiles were welcome to present, whether they were new to the program or in their final year as Ph.D. candidates. In return, they received valuable feedback from peers, faculty and industry professionals. 

“The symposium is a great opportunity to think critically about the work that we are doing and synthesize it into a public-facing story,” said Isabel Albelo, who tied for first place in the oral presentations. “This is an important exercise in thinking ‘big-picture’ about the project and how it fits into the greater context of the industry and its grand challenges.” 

Albelo’s research focuses on giving textile waste a sustainable second life. She is currently working to convert products of enzymatically recycled cotton textile waste into raw materials that can be used for 3D printing.

Inspiration from differences   

“It’s always so inspiring to learn about the incredible research being done around the college,” Albelo said. “Even projects that don’t relate to your own work can be sources of inspiration.” 

Yiduo Yang, who received first place in poster presentations, shared a similar sentiment. 

“This symposium was a great opportunity for me to showcase and reflect on my research, receive feedback from the community, connect with peers and learn about the diverse research being conducted within our college. As both a presenter and attendee, I was able to further develop my scientific communication and presentation skills,” Yang said. “Interacting with other presenters and researchers also exposed me to different experimental methods, perspectives and problem-solving strategies that could potentially be applied to my own work.”

Yang’s research focuses on developing smart textile-based pressure sensors that can be embroidered directly into fabrics using conductive yarns. She is working to create customizable, comfortable and wearable solutions for things like health monitoring, human-machine interaction and secure wearable technology.

Rewarding and meaningful work 

TAGS modeled the symposium after professional conferences, so it included both poster presentations and oral presentations with accompanying slides. The oral presentations were ten minutes in length with an additional five minutes for questions and answers. The poster presentations were conducted within three minutes plus an additional two minutes for questions. Faculty and staff judges then evaluated presenters on the content and appearance of the presentation. The top three winners in each category were awarded a monetary prize. 

“I am deeply honored to have received recognition for my work, making the experience especially meaningful,” said Mukta Mirlekar, who tied for first place in the oral presentations. “My research on smart thermoelectric fabrics explores a novel and sustainable approach to personal thermal regulation, aiming to reduce energy consumption while enhancing everyday comfort. Experiences like this remind me how collaborative, impactful and forward-looking textile research can be.”  

The symposium took a team of nine officers from TAGS to put together, including a lot of hours behind the scenes to ensure it ran smoothly. But in the end, it was all worth it for those involved. 

“I got to work with a fantastic team of officers, and watching everyone come together to execute our vision was amazing. No event ever goes perfectly, but we tackled every challenge that came up efficiently and effectively,” TAGS president Madeline Wilson said. “At the end of the event, during the award ceremony and ice cream social, we saw the culmination of our hard work from the past year pay off, which was incredibly rewarding.”