| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY JOURNAL |
| innovation |
Chemical engineers awarded prestigious fellowships Three chemical engineering researchers have been awarded the Andrew Fellowship by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) to advance the field of catalysis. Simon Freakley, Alexander O’Malley and Jack Williams have each been awarded the four-year fellowship to develop new catalysts, which are materials that speed up chemical reactions needed to produce the everyday products and fuels that society relies upon. The fellowship was established in 2012 to commemorate the prestigious work of IChemE Fellow Syd Andrew, a distinguished expert in catalysis. Successful candidates are awarded £10,000 annually and report their findings to IChemE’s Andrew Fellowship panel to progress through each year. They also have guidance from a mentor, an IChemE member with significant experience in the field of catalysis. The fellowship also aims to foster industry-academe relationships that support innovation. Simon Freakley, a lecturer at the University of Bath’s Department of Chemistry, begins his fellowship this summer. His project will focus on developing and testing new catalyst materials that consist of nanoparticles of metal
with 10–1,000 atoms that can absorb and use light to power a reaction instead of heat. This effect is called surface plasmon resonance. He said: “I was delighted to be awarded this fellowship not only because it will allow me to carry out interesting science in the catalysis research field, but also to engage with a leading company in the sector to gain a greater understanding of the wider market and needs of industry.” Alexander O’Malley started his project in June. He is designing catalysts and catalytic processes from ligninderived phenolic molecules (plant-based molecular chemical compounds). This is to improve the manufacture of sustainable aromatic chemicals and biofuels for the petrochemicals industry to produce bulk chemicals - such as plastics, solvents, resins and paints - as well as fine chemicals for fragrances and pharmaceuticals that are in high commercial demand. Using various classical heterogenous catalysis simulations, and working closely with leaders in petrochemicals, he seeks to understand how the phenolic molecules behave
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