Research in Chemical Engineering at Bath
Chemical Engineering Research is one of the most crucial disciplines in the modern technological society as such societies need to move towards Sustainable Development, that is the attainment of economic, environmental and social progress. Chemical Engineering Research supports development and production of new materials, fuels, drugs, consumer products, health care products, foods and beverages, electronic components, medical implants etc. As the number and complexity of chemical, biochemical and biological materials used in consumer products and support-technologies increases, chemical engineering research will play an increasingly vital role in the development of modern societies across the World. To achieve our goals of Sustainable Development Chemical Engineers work ever more closely with other engineering and scientific disciplines, economists, sociologists and policy makers.
Research at Bath has always been multidisciplinary and covers a broad range of expertise. We collaborate proactively with pharmacists, chemists, mathematicians, physicists, biochemists and biologists, managers, economists, mechanical engineers and educators on many projects. We also collaborate extensively with businesses and educational establishments around the World. Recent and current reserch projects include stem cell research for regenerative medicine, drug delivery, microreactors, hydrogen production and storage, computational fluid dynamics, membrane separation processes, water treatment and activation of small alkane molecules, extraction of medicinal molecule precursors, amongst many others. All these topics are highly challenging technical and scientific problems that must be addressed if we are to move to a less carbon intensive and a more sustainable future.
Staff in the Department are involved in several multidisciplinary research centres:
Our research activities are grouped broadly into three main areas: Advanced Materials & Porous Solids, Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering, and Catalysis and Reaction Engineering. Most of our projects within these groups tackle complex problems underpinning Sustainable Development, Clean Technologies, Green Chemistry and developments in Health and Medicine.
Recently we have established the Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) in Sustainable Chemical Technologies which forms a major part of the interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies at the University of Bath. This innovative 4-year Doctoral Programme is funded by EPSRC, the University of Bath and a range of Industrial Partners. The DTC places fundamental concepts of sustainability at the core of a broad spectrum of research and training in applied chemical sciences. At least 10 fully-funded PhD places will be available in the DTC each year.
Our state-of-the-art research facilities are housed in a purpose-built building, opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on the 8th of March 2002. Research projects in the Department are funded from various sources, including industry, European Union, Charities, UK Research Councils and Government.
We actively promote translation of our research into our undergraduate teaching, with all students in the 3rd year of MEng degree programmes undertaking a 3-month full-time individual research project. Such short projects are ideal for testing novel ideas and solving well-structured problems, and many of these projects are undertaken in collaboration with industry.
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