Division of Chemical Engineering and Renewable Energy

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• Academic Members
• Postdoc Research Assistants
• Professional Services
• Current PhD Students
• PhD Graduates

Academic Members

Dr Yamin Abdouni PhD, MSc Honorary Lecturer Organic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry  yamin.abdouni@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Folashade Akinmolayan Taiwo MEng, PhD, SFHEA Senior Lecturer in Engineering Education Primary research interests are: Student experience of teamwork as an indicator for employability skills; Engagement and retention of students within Engineering through active learning techniques; Cultural and social impacts on the approaches to learning; Diversity and inclusion within Engineering. Secondary research interests are: Process modelling and simulation; Clean Water Treatment processes.  +44 (0)20 7882 7281      f.akinmolayan@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Paul Balcombe MEng, PhD, CEng, MIChemE Lecturer in Chemical Engineering and Renewable Energy Specialises in developing unique technology-specific, probabilistic emissions/cost modelling of energy supply chains, particularly relating to methane emissions from natural gas, as well as hydrogen and ammonia supply chains.  +44 (0)20 7882 6279      p.balcombe@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Edo Boek PhD Reader in Chemical Engineering Research in the group of Dr Edo Boek focuses on energy engineering. One of the greatest challenges of our generation is the supply of energy in a sustainable, secure and affordable manner (Energy-Trilemma). Our group investigates novel technologies to achieve this goal, including 1) design of carbon electrodes for electrochemical devices, including Redox Flow Batteries, using pore-scale imaging, reactive multi-phase flow modelling and MD simulation; 2) bio-fuel extraction from micro-algae, using Photo-Bio-Reactor (PBR) / soft matter experiments; 3) sustainable drinking water treatment, including water softening and GAC filtration, using Fluidised Bed Reactor (FBR) experiments (with Waternet Amsterdam); 4) novel drilling fluids for geothermal heat recovery.  +44 (0)20 7882 2964      e.boek@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Adrian Briggs BSc (Eng) PhD (Lond) Reader in Mechanical Engineering Enhanced Heat Transfer, Two-Phase Flow, Condensation  +44 (0)20 7882 8876      a.briggs@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Joe Briscoe MSci (Hons), PhD, FHEA, CSci, MIMMM, MInstP Senior Lecturer in Functional Materials Nanostructured materials for renewable energy applications: Semiconductor photocatalysts, photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) & solar fuels; Nanostructured photovoltaic devices; Ferroelectrics for solar energy conversion; Piezoelectric energy harvesting. Chemical synthesis of nanomaterials and nanostructured thin films, material characterisation, device fabrication and testing.  +44 (0)20 7882 3552      j.briscoe@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Andrew Buchan BSc MSc PhD Senior Lecturer in Engineering Science I design numerical models for predicting the behaviour and understanding the uncertainties in the operation of nuclear reactor cores and other nuclear processing facilities. In particular I develop mathematical models to accurately predict neutron and gamma transport within nuclear reactors, and couple these to thermal hydraulic codes that model coolant flows and heat transfer within a core. I am particularly interested in analysing both current nuclear reactors as well as those due to be built within the UK in the coming years, in particular the boiling water reactors. I am also heavily involved in the design of new mathematical models that predict the progression/state of a nuclear reactor's core in the event of severe accident scenarios.  +44 (0)20 7882 6087      a.buchan@qmul.ac.uk

Prof James Busfield MA, PhD, CEng, FREng, FIMMM, FHEA Professor of Materials Examining the physical behaviour by experiment and modelling techniques of soft matter such as elastomers and rubber materials. Properties of interest include abrasion, friction, fracture, creep, fatigue, viscoelastic behaviour, modulus enhancement and composite filler reinforcement. Developing smart soft materials that can sense their environment and soft actuating materials that can change shape in response to a physical stimulus.  +44 (0)20 7882 8866      j.busfield@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Patrick Cullen PhD Lecturer in Renewable Energy My expertise is in synthesising scalably made nanomaterials and embedding them into energy devices for increased perfomance.  p.cullen@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Xi Jiang PhD, CEng, FIMechE Director of Division of Chemical Engineering and Renewable Energy / Professor of Mechanical Engineering The expertise of Prof Jiang is primarily in sustainable and cleaner energy utilisation, which includes but not limited to the applications of high-fidelity modelling and simulation to the following research areas: (1) combustion utilisation of alternative and renewable fuels including chemical kinetics studies, (2) greenhouse gas mitigation technologies including combustion mitigation of low-concentration methane; (3) flow in porous media and geological carbon storage, and (4) battery thermal management and thermal management in computer systems.  +44 (0)20 7882 5009      xi.jiang@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Ana Jorge Sobrido PhD, FHEA Senior Lecturer in Energy Materials Ana's research focuses on the development of new electroactive materials for energy conversion and storage devices. Her group's expertise ranges from the synthesis of new compounds through multiple synthesis approaches to electrode ink formulation strategies and assembly and testing into real electrochemical devices.  +44(0)20 7882 6782      a.sobrido@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Martin Knight BEng, MSc, PhD, FHEA Professor of Mechanobiology, Director of Research My research is focussed on 'mechanobiology' or how living cells and tissues respond to physical forces. In particular I am interested in the role of the fascinating cellular structure known as the primary cilium (cilia in plural). My work also explores the development of organ-on-a-chip models incorporating biomechanical stimulation for predicting the performance of pharmaceuticals. I work on a variety of different diseases including osteoarthritis, tendonopathy and cancer and the development of novel therapeutics.  +44 (0)20 7882 8868      m.m.knight@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Andrew Livingston PhD Vice-Principal (Research)  a.livingston@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Hazel Screen BEng MRes PhD(Lond) CEng Professor of Biomedical Engineering My research aims to understand how our tissues are built to be able to withstand the loads they experience in the body. I am particularly interested in understanding tendon and heart valve; how and why they get injured, and ways to prevent this happening. By looking at the ways a tissue is supposed to work when it is healthy, we can identify how small changes in the structure, such as those which occur with age, can make injury more likely and look to prevent or treat these specifically.  +44 (0)20 7882 8875      h.r.c.screen@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Radomir Slavchov PhD Lecturer in Chemical Engineering (i) Adsorption of surfactants and electrolytes; (ii) capillary shapes, capillary flows, wetting, biomechanics; (iii) theory of surface electric phenomena; (iv) chemical physics of mixtures, fuel chemistry; (v) combustion engines.  +44 (0)20 7882 8938      r.slavchov@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Stoyan Smoukov Reader in Chemical Engineering  +44 (0)20 7882 5305      s.smoukov@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Yi Sui PhD, MInstP, Fellow HEA Reader in Fluid Mechanics  +44 (0)20 7882 7763      y.sui@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Petra Ágota Szilágyi PhD, MRSC, FHEA, MSc, MA Co-director of Division of Chemical Engineering and Renewable Energy / Lecturer in Functional Materials I am interested in developing materials for energy applications, in particular for fuel synthesis. When solid materials are of very small particles their properties (such as colour, electric conductivity. etc.) starts to depend on the particle size. My main goal is to achieve control of the properties of materials by controlling their particle size and shape. There are various ways to control particle size, and in my approach templates of well-defined size and shape are used. The above templates are pores of a kind of material called metal-organic frameworks. This is a relatively new kind of materials and they can enter very diverse interactions with guest materials, which I aim to explore to further tailor the latter's properties.  +44 (0)20 7882 7948      p.szilagyi@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Roberto  Volpe PhD Lecturer in Chemical Engineering I design pyrolysis and gasification experiments to study the fundamental aspects of biomass thermal decomposition. My expertise ranges from the investigation of the pathways to thermo-chemical breakdown of solid biofuels to the synthesis of renewable carbon materials via thermal processes and the development of sustainable gasification technologies for small-scale applications in Decentralised Renewable Energy Systems  +44 (0)20 7882 7748      r.volpe@qmul.ac.uk

Prof Wen Wang PhD, CEng, FIMechE, FHEA, FAIMBE, FREng Vice-Principal and Executive Dean for Science and Engineering Vascular endothelial mechanics, cell mechanobiology, flow and solute transport in extracellular matrices, microcirculation, arterial haemodynamics, cell & tissue mechanics  +44 (0)20 7882 3031      wen.wang@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Han Zhang MEng, PhD, PGCAP, FHEA, CEng, CSci, MIMMM Lecturer in Materials Science My current research areas mainly focus on smart multifunctional materials, hierarchical composites and nanomaterials. The multifunctionalities in composites I am interested including strain and damage sensing, self-healing with preserved mechanical properties, integrated energy harvesting and storage, and sustainable manufacturing based on self-regulating heating. My experiences cover from design and processing to advanced characterisation and interpretation of polymer and composite materials.  +44 (0)20 7882 2726      han.zhang@qmul.ac.uk

Postdoc Research Associates

Dr Stephen Burrows MEng, MSc, PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant  s.burrows@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Stoyan Smoukov

Dr Carlos Correia Braga Postdoctoral Research Assistant  c.braga@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Stoyan Smoukov

Dr Tian Du Postdoctoral Research Assistant Dr. Tian Du's preliminary research focus is the understanding and control of bulk and surface recombination in solar cells based on metal halide perovskites, using a combination of materials, spectroscopic and optoelectronic characterizations. His research also focuses on developing scalable and universal post-treatment methodologies for metal halide perovskite thin films that are not reliant on complex chemical modifications.  t.du@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Joe Briscoe

Dr Simon Grossemy Postdoctoral Research Assistant  s.grossemy@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Hazel Screen

Dr Weiqi Li BMed, MMed, PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant My research focuses on the vascular biology and vascular engineering. Particular interest goes to the endothelial glycocalyx, a protective layer along the luminal surface of the blood vessel. I aim to elucidate how the glycocalyx develops and sheds under healthy and diseased vascular conditions. I also work on endothelial mechanics and directional cell migration on different types of substrate, with the ultimate gold of understanding the process of vascular stiffening and aging.  +44 (0)20 7882 7821      wei-qi.li@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Wen Wang

Dr Ehsan Nourafkan Postdoctoral Research Assistant  e.nourafkan@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Stoyan Smoukov

Dr Ben Slater PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant I work with functional framework materials known as metal organic and covalent organic frameworks (MOFs and COFs). These materials possess porous channels which can be exploited for a variety of applications. My research looks at utilising these materials for lithium ion conductivity to increase the efficiency and safety of batteries by replacing the liquid electrolytes with a solid.  b.slater@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Petra Ágota Szilágyi

Dr Clare Thompson MBiochem, PhD Postdoctoral Research Assistant Mammalian cell culture, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy and image analyses, reverse transcription and real time PCR, molecular cloning, cell transfection, immunoprecipitation and western blotting, biochemical assays (various).  +44 (0)20 7882 3603      clare.l.thompson@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Martin Knight

Dr Charlie Waugh Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow  c.waugh@qmul.ac.uk  Supervisor: Hazel Screen

Professional Services

Dr Russell Bailey PhD, FRMS, T/SI Analytical Laboratories Manager Oversees the technical support provision within the analytical laboratories of the school. Facilitates support for research and teaching, in line with the university’s long-term strategic objectives. Primary areas of expertise are electron and scanning probe microscopies, and mechanical testing.  +44 (0)20 7882 8468      r.j.bailey@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Erica Di Federico PhD Mechanical Testing Technician Provides comprehensive technical support for the mechanical testing facilities for academic staff, postgraduate, and undergraduate students within the School to enable the achievement of teaching and research aims and objectives. This comprises supporting appropriate research projects, managing contract testing and assisting with practical classes, demonstrations and in the development of prototypes and experimental equipment for teaching and research. Responsible for the operation and upkeep of the materials processing and mechanical testing laboratories. Responsible for the instruction, guidance, and supervision of staff and students in the use of laboratory equipment and techniques as appropriate.  +44 (0)20 7882 5054      e.difederico@qmul.ac.uk

Mr Nick Duggan Workshop Technician I'm a mechanical production engineer with many years experience in all aspects of mechanical maintenance, manufacture and workshop practice. I have wide experience in working on a range of equipment and plant in the chemical, process and mechanical engineering fields, specifically those in research, teaching and pilot plants.  +44 (0)20 7882 6836      n.duggan@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Benjamin Gridley MChem, PhD Technical Facilities Manager  +44 (0)20 7882 8740      b.m.gridley@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Shoghik Hakobyan PhD Materials Characterisation Technician  +44 (0)20 7882 3119      s.hakobyan@qmul.ac.uk

Mr Dennis Ife Mechanical Workshop Manager Provides comprehensive technical support for staff and students in the School to enable the achievement of teaching and research aims and objectives. Responsible for the operation and upkeep of the laboratory areas of CAD-CAM. Responsible for the instruction, guidance and supervision of staff and students in the use of laboratory equipment and techniques as appropriate.  +44 (0)20 7882 6383      d.ife@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Armando Lacerda PhD Research Laboratories Manager  +44 (0)20 7882 7461      a.m.lacerda@qmul.ac.uk

Mr Maurizio Leo Laboratory Techinician (Materials Processing)  +44 (0)20 7882 2776      m.leo@qmul.ac.uk

Ms Jun Ma BSc, MSc, MPhil Laboratory Technician Provides comprehensive technical support for staff and students in the School to enable the achievement of teaching and research aims and objectives. To be responsible for the operation and upkeep of the laboratory area of Instrumentation. Responsible for the instruction, guidance and supervision of staff and students in the use of laboratory equipment and techniques as appropriate.  +44 (0)20 7882 5057      j.ma@qmul.ac.uk

Mr Andrew McDonald Mechanical Workshop Technician Apprentice trained mechanical engineer providing support to students and staff in manufacturing and CAD/CAM processes.  andrew.mcdonald@qmul.ac.uk

Mr Danny Neighbour BSc,MSc,CEng MIEE Laboratory Technician Provides comprehensive technical support for staff and students in the School to enable the achievement of teaching and research aims and objectives. To be responsible for the operation and upkeep of the laboratory areas of Robotics and Servo PBL. Responsible for the instruction, guidance and supervision of staff and students in the use of laboratory equipment and techniques as appropriate.  +44 (0)20 7882 5056      d.neighbour@qmul.ac.uk

Dr Giovanni Santagiuliana BSc, MSc, PhD Polymer Research Manager Thermoplastic polymer processing, nanocomposites, graphene-based composites, materials characterisation, analytical modelling, materials and products development, cycling  +44 (0)20 7882 2792      g.santagiuliana@qmul.ac.uk

Mr James Searles Mechanical Workshop Technician I have 20 years experience in the manufacturing industry primarily in the f1 and aerospace industry  j.searles@qmul.ac.uk

Current PhD Students

PhD Graduates