Staff Profile

Expertise & Current Funding

I am a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in the Materials, Concepts & Reaction Engineering Group in the School of Engineering at Newcastle University. I am also a Work Package Leader in an EPSRC Programme Grant, Co-Investigator on a UK Catalysis Hub funded research grant and a Newcastle University Academic Track Fellow. My broad research interests include gas separation using membranes and sorbents, typically applied to carbon dioxide capture and storage. I am also interested in catalysis, surface chemistry, vibrational spectroscopy, tomography and micro-fabrication (see Research Tab for more details).

My publications can be found on Google Scholar, and you can follow my social media on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

If you are considering doing a PhD, please do get in touch using the email address above.

Biography

Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, 2020 - current.
Newcastle University Academic Track Fellow, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, 2019 - current.
EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, 2016 - 2019.
PhD in Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, 2013 - 2016.
MChem (1st Class) in Chemistry (elected Physics & Biology), Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, 2008 - 2013.

Prizes & Awards

Energy Environ. Sci. Lectureship Prize (Runner Up), Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021.
Energy Sector PhD Thesis Prize (3rd), Royal Society of Chemistry, 2016.
"Where Science Meets Business" Essay Prize (published in C&I magazine), Society of Chemical Industry, 2016.
William Rudolph Center Medal, University of Aberdeen, 2013.
David Christie Memorial Prize, University of Aberdeen, 2013.
Prize in Analytical Chemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2011.

Professional Memberships

2022 - EPSRC Peer Review College Member
2020 - Academic Member of UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre (UKCCSRC)
2020 - EPSRC Associate Peer Review College Member
2019 - Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, AFHEA
2017 - Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, MRSC
2017 - Associate Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, AMIChemE
2016 - Student Member of the Society of Chemical Industry, SCI
2016 - Graduate Member of the Energy Institute, GradEI

Citizenship & Professional Service

Steering Group Member of UK Government, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, CCUS Young Professional's Forum.
CCUS Expert for Northumberland County Council Emissions Capture & Land Management Thematic Group.
Theme Leader for Newcastle University Centre of Research Excellence (NUCoRE) in Energy.
Member of School of Engineering Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team.
Senate-Elected Member of Newcastle University INSIGHTS Public Lectures Committee.
Mentor for University of Aberdeen Alumni Mentoring Scheme
Reviewer for various funders, conferences and journals.
Regular contributor to outreach and engagement (see Research Tab for more details).

Research

I develop clean energy generation and catalytic processes across length scales and disciplines. My broad research interests include gas separation using membranes and sorbents, typically applied to carbon capture and storage. I am also interested in catalysis, surface chemistry, vibrational spectroscopy, tomography and micro-fabrication.

At the nanoscale I interrogate surfaces with an aim to control interfacial processes, and investigate molecular structure using vibrational spectroscopy. At the microscale I employ micro-fabrication and tomographic techniques (X-ray micro-CT) to fabricate and understand devices. At the macroscale I develop apparatus for in-situ studies of materials under reaction conditions and test their potential in bench-scale reactors. My work is underpinned by a first degree in Chemistry and a second in Chemical Engineering.

My work is currently, or has been previously, supported by the following grants and awards:

2022 - 2027, EPSRC Programme Grant, EP/V047078/1, "SynHiSel", WP Leader, ~£8.9M.
2021 - 2022, EPSRC UK Catalysis Hub, "CO₂ to MeOH: a supported molten-salt catalytic membrane reactor", Co-Investigator, ~£0.2M.
2020 - 2025, Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship, "Advancing facilitated-transport membranes for disruptive carbon dioxide capture", Principal Investigator, ~£0.6M.
2019 - 2024, Newcastle University Academic Track Fellowship, "Realising direct air capture of CO₂ with facilitated-transport membranes", Principal Investigator, ~£0.6M.
2016 - 2019, EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship, "Pore to process: Membrane gas separation for clean energy generation", Principal Investigator, ~£0.1M.

I have also received awards from Manchester University Near-Ambient Pressure XPS Service (2021), Newcastle University OnePlanet Research Fund (2020), British Council Newton Fund Travel Grant (2018), Royal Society of Chemistry Travel Grant (2015), British & Irish Association of the Properties of Water and Steam (2015), EPSRC Doctoral Training Grant (2013), and Erasmus Support Bursary (2013).

Outreach

I am passionate about public communication and outreach. Examples of my work include:

'Energies' Art Exhibition in Blyth, with Headway Arts and RePUBlic Gallery
Royal Society of Chemistry Education in Chemistry Magazine, "What's behind the CO₂ shortage?"
From Newcastle Podcast, "COP26 Special: The future of energy with Prof. S Walker and Dr G. Mutch"
Pint of Science Public Talk, "Iron lungs for Earth; carbon dioxide removal to reverse climate change?"
Science Media Centre Commentary, "Expert reaction to the government's 'ten point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution'"
Palace of Science Public Talk, "Scrubbing the sky; reacting to the carbon dioxide problem"
Science Media Centre Commentary, "Expert reaction to study looking at carbon capture and storage and climate targets"
Knowledge Transfer Network Industry Talk, "Nature Inspired Solutions: Clean Energy and Resource Efficiency"
Royal Society of Chemistry Chemistry World Magazine, "Self-assembling silver dendrites boost flux of carbon capture membrane"
Leading Britain's Conversation (LBC Radio), "Membranes for emerging global challenges"
Royal Society of Chemistry International year of the Period Table Invited Public Lecture, "Separation of carbon dioxide for climate change mitigation"
Society of Chemical Industry Chemistry & Industry Magazine, "Carbon capture and storage - can we change the way science and business work for us?"

Teaching

Lectures

Current

Principles of Chemical Engineering, CME1025, Stage 1 BEng/MEng (NU)
Plant Design, CME3039, Stage 3 BEng/MEng (NU)
MEng Research Project, CME8128, Stage 4 MEng (NU)

Past

Chemical Engineering Laboratory I, CME2030, Stage 2 BEng/MEng (NU)

Prior to joining Newcastle University, I was a tutor or demonstrator on the following modules at the University of Aberdeen, in the Chemical Engineering and Chemistry programmes: Process Engineering, Chemistry for Life Sciences, Chemistry for Physical Sciences, Energetics of Change in Chemical & Biological Systems, and Molecular Structure & Reactivity.

Supervision