History
The London Metropolitan Polymer Centre was formed in August 2002 following the formation of the London Metropolitan University. The London Metropolitan University was itself the result of a merger between the Universities of North London and Guildhall. Prior to August 2002, the London Metropolitan Polymer Centre was known as the School of Polymer Technology.
The School of Polymer Technology was formed in 1982 by merging the National College of Rubber Technology, based at the Polytechnic of North London (then becoming the University of North London), with the Polytechnic of the South Bank's Polymer School. In both institutions, plastics materials had been part of the curriculum for the previous 50 years, with the Polytechnic of North London having developed a specialisation in adhesive science and technology.
Both Polytechnics were established during the 1890's, as colleges for local communities within London. In 1896, the Borough Polytechnic (later South Bank) introduced courses in varnish technology (later developing into paint technology courses), and these ran until 1982. Meanwhile, the Northern Polytechnic (which became the Polytechnic of North London in 1968) introduced polymer science courses at the turn of the 20th Century and developed an expertise in rubber technology. In 1948 the Northern Polytechnic was appointed as the National College of Rubber Technology, where it enjoyed a strong reputation for teaching and research.
The merger of the two departments was a logical progression to form a single centre in London with strengths in plastics and rubber materials science and technologies. More recently, the School has widened its remit and developed what is now an international reputation in teaching and research in Polymer Technology.
Back in 1998, the then School of Polymer Technology celebrated its 50th Jubilee with a conference and dinner. To commemorate this event I have put together a montage of pictures taken of our students over the years. If you were a past student you may like to see if you appear in any of these photos.
