Teaching

CHEM1811 Engineering Chemistry

I coordinate and lecture CHEM1811 Engineering Chemistry, a core first-year engineering course 

My teaching and research supervision are closely connected. I aim to train students to move beyond laboratory performance alone and consider how materials, reactions and processes can ultimately be engineered, scaled and translated into practical technologies.

Available Research Projects and Areas of Supervision

Areas of supervision and current research opportunities

I welcome Honours, Master’s and PhD students interested in research at the intersection of chemistry, materials science and engineering. Projects in the PlasmaTech Lab span fundamental materials and reaction chemistry, reactor development, process design, techno-economics and technology translation.

A key feature of our group is that we encourage students to look beyond laboratory performance alone. Where appropriate, we support entrepreneurial activity, industry engagement, intellectual property development and commercialisation, allowing promising discoveries to progress towards prototypes, partnerships, spin-outs and real-world deployment.

1. Electrified nitrogen chemistry and sustainable fertiliser production

We investigate plasma, electrochemical and plasma-electrocatalytic routes for ammonia synthesis, nitrate and NOx conversion, urea synthesis and fertiliser production. Projects may involve catalyst development, reaction mechanisms, product capture, process integration and scale-up, with a particular focus on decentralised chemical manufacturing using renewable electricity.

2. AI-guided discovery of nanomaterials and high-entropy catalysts

We use AI, machine learning, computational methods and high-throughput experimentation to discover and optimise new catalytic materials. Research areas include nanomaterials, atomically thin and two-dimensional materials, high-entropy alloys and catalysts, and functional interfaces, linking digital prediction with experimental synthesis, characterisation and performance testing.

3. Plasma catalysis and next-generation reactor engineering

We study how non-thermal plasma drives molecular reactions and interacts with catalytic materials, and use this understanding to design more efficient reactors. Projects may focus on plasma chemistry, plasma-material interactions, diagnostics, power optimisation, modelling, reactor architecture and scale-up for sustainable chemical production.

4. Self-ordered and 3D-printed catalytic materials

We use solution processing, liquid-crystalline assembly and additive manufacturing to design structured catalytic materials. Our projects examine how nanoscale ordering and three-dimensional architecture can enhance catalytic activity, mass transfer and reactor performance in plasma and electrochemical systems.

5. Techno-economics, life-cycle assessment and technology translation

These projects examine whether new chemical technologies can progress beyond laboratory feasibility. Research may include techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, energy and carbon accounting, process modelling and technology-readiness evaluation. These tools are used to guide experimental priorities, performance targets and scale-up strategies.

Research culture and translation

We encourage students to understand the full pathway from discovery to deployment. Depending on the project, students may work with industry partners, contribute to intellectual property, develop prototypes, undertake techno-economic or life-cycle analyses, and gain experience in how research progresses towards commercialisation.

We place a high value on rigorous fundamental science, but we also want students to understand how good chemistry can be translated into useful technology. This means considering scale-up, manufacturability, cost, environmental performance, technology readiness and commercial potential alongside scientific performance.

Students from chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, physics, data science and related disciplines are encouraged to get in touch to discuss possible projects, scholarship opportunities and current research directions.