Division of Chemical Engineering and Renewable Energy

Research Highlights

SEMS Academics Perform Exceptionally in REF 2021 The scores have been announced for REF2021. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a 7 year cycle used to measure research and determine funding in UK universities. The result for SEMS is excellent as not only have we come seventh overall in Engineering amongst all 89 universities who were being assessed in … [more]

Professor Andrew Livingston elected a Fellow of the Royal Society The Royal Society has elected Professor Livingston, Queen Mary’s Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) and Professor of Chemical Engineering, as a new Fellow. The election is in recognition of Professor Livingston’s achievements in chemical engineering. During his distinguished career, he has worked to create new technology to … [more]

Dame Ann Dowling is awarded an honorary doctorate During the Graduation Ceremonies at Tobacco Dock Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FRS FREng was awarded a DSc(Hon Caus). Dame Ann is one of the most distinguished engineers in the UK. She was first female Professor in Engineering at the University of Cambridge in 1993 and is now … [more]

Scientists create stable materials for more efficient solar cells Crystalline silicon is the most widely used material for solar cells. However, over the last decade, perovskite solar cells, made from metal halide perovskite materials, have shown promise to make cheaper, and potentially more efficient solar cells than silicon. But whilst perovskite solar cells can now compete in terms of … [more]

Materials Celebrates 50 Years of Graduations 50 years of Materials graduates from the Mile End Campus in London and the first cohort from Queen Mary Engineering School (QMES) at our campus at Northwestern Polytechnic University in Xi’an China were celebrated on Friday 5th November. 120 people gathered in the Octagon with another 45 people on-line to … [more]

New insights into the design of RNA delivery vectors What happens to gene delivery vectors when they enter the cell cytoplasm? This question had remained understudied, in particular in the case of polycationic vectors. Yet it may have a significant impact on the timing and localisation of the release of RNA or DNA molecules to be delivered. The team … [more]

Dr Joe Briscoe contributes to COP26 special edition of Queen Mary's Energy and Climate Change Law Institute Review The Energy & Climate Change Law Institute at Queen Mary University of London are delighted to publish its law review focused on COP 26. With a foreword by Lord Carnwath CVO and introduction by guest editor Professor Stephen Tromans QC, the review takes a fresh look at what … [more]

New high-performance and durable textile-based wearable energy harvesters reported New research published by Qinrong He from Dr Joe Briscoe's group, in collaboration with Dr Han Zhang, demonstrates piezoelectric energy harvesters produced on e-textiles that can harvest energy from body movement to power portable electronic devices and sensors. The research, published in the journal Nano Energy, makes use of … [more]

Dr Joe Briscoe Receives Prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant Dr Joe Briscoe, a Senior Lecturer in Functional Materials in SEMS, QMUL, has been awarded a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) as part of the 'excellent science' pillar of the EU's current Research and Innovation programme, Horizon 2020. Dr Briscoe is one of only 327 individuals across Europe to … [more]

UK Materials Science Community delivers its strategic response to net-zero emissions challenge In May 2019 the UK Government became the first global economy to set a net zero emissions target for 2050, upgrading the previous target of delivering an 80% cut in emissions. The move followed the publication of the Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) ‘Net Zero’ report. In response, the Henry Royce Institute … [more]

Technology to capture energy from sea waves awarded funding A team from Queen Mary has been awarded funding to develop technology to capture energy from waves at sea. Wave Energy Scotland (WES) will grant £461,345 to the team from the School of Engineering and Materials Science to develop an adaptive hierarchical model predictive control framework for wave energy converters (WECs). … [more]

Queen Mary researcher helps develop rollercoaster which charges your phone A researcher from Queen Mary University of London has used his expertise in energy harvesting applications to help develop a rollercoaster which charges your phone. Dr Joe Briscoe, from the School of Engineering and Materials Science, was approached by Thorpe Park Resort to work on their latest ride ‘The Walking … [more]

QMUL awarded £1m grant to establish robotics centre for tackling nuclear waste The Centre for Advanced Robotics @ Queen Mary (ARQ) has been awarded a £1m grant to help set-up a world-leading centre of excellence for nuclear robotics in the UK. ARQ is a cross-faculty multidisciplinary research centre, bringing Queen Mary robotics activities under one roof. ARQ's activities span across the School of … [more]

Mexican solar steam project wins funding A revolutionary solar thermal technology is to be tested in Mexico, thanks to funding secured by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and industry partner Larkfleet Ltd. The funding, provided by Innovate UK, the Newton Fund and the National Science and Technology Council in Mexico (CONACYT) will allow an already … [more]