Research team
Meet the Orchestrate community — a diverse group of researchers, practitioners, and collaborators driving circular fashion forward.
Tulin Dzhengiz
Tulin Dzhengiz is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainability at Manchester Metropolitan University and Principal Investigator of the BAM/SAMS-funded Orchestrate project, which explores circular textile and fashion ecosystems and their societal impacts.
Her research focuses on innovation ecosystems, partnerships, and circular economy transitions, with particular interest in how collaboration drives sustainable change. She has worked on projects across Europe, including research on circular business models and place-based circular society innovations, and has previously studied informal circular economies and recycling systems in Turkey.
Tulin has published widely in leading journals and brings extensive experience in sustainability, innovation, and ecosystem-based approaches.
Alaa Abed
Alaa Abed is a Lecturer in Innovation and Sustainability at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on innovation, R&D investment, and the circular economy, with a particular emphasis on ecosystem dynamics and ESG principles.
She is a Co-Investigator on the Orchestrate project, which examines the evolution of the UK’s circular fashion ecosystem and the role of ecosystem orchestration. Her work applies advanced quantitative methods to generate data-driven insights into sustainability and business innovation.
Sana Afzal
Sana Afzal is a Research Assistant within the Orchestrate community and a PhD candidate in the OTEHM group at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. She brings an extensive background in academia, having spent several years as a lecturer before transitioning into advanced research. Her current work focuses on the intersection of generative AI and operations management, specifically examining how these technologies can enhance green supply chain capabilities and support circularity within the fast fashion industry. Her research aims to develop solutions that foster both sustainability and efficiency, with a particular emphasis on analysing consumer behaviour. With a strong background in data science and research, Sana contributes to the Orchestrate group by supporting the team through qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods.
Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott is a Research Assistant within the Orchestrate community and a PhD scholar at Manchester Metropolitan University, she has a deep rooted interest in circular fashion. Originally with a practice-based background, experimenting in zero waste fashion and showcasing at Northern Fashion week. To undertaking MA research that investigated fabric utilisation within SMEs. Her current PhD research develops solutions to pre-consumer fabric waste that are aligned to real world challenges faced by fashion micro-businesses. As a predominantly qualitative researcher, her thesis intends to contribute to knowledge in the fields of micro-scale garment production, low waste pattern cutting and innovative methods.
Niamh Cusack
Niamh Cusack is a Research Assistant within the Orchestrate community and a PhD scholar at Manchester Metropolitan University. She supports interdisciplinary collaboration across fashion, textiles, and sustainability-focused research.
Her work sits at the intersection of design research, human–computer interaction, and wearable technology, with a focus on developing smart garments that are socially responsible, ethically considered, and sustainable in long-term use. Her research explores women’s perceived safety in urban environments through context-aware wearable systems, positioning fashion and textiles as functional, adaptive interfaces in everyday life.
Alongside her research, Niamh manages collaborative industry projects, coordinating stakeholders, facilitating communication, and supporting interdisciplinary teams. Her role combines research and project coordination to support the delivery of collaborative initiatives within the Orchestrate community.