Undergraduate Modules

• CE3001 -  Process economics and Loss Prevention
• CE3104 - Process and Pollution Control
• CE3003 - Advanced Design Project (Project Supervisor)
• CE4011 - Research Projecr (MEng Project Supervisor)

Katie has a particular interest in the thermochemical conversion of biomass and wastes, biorefinery process synthesis and techno-economic evaluation. In particular Katie likes to make techno-economic and environmental assessment data more accessible for the non-expert. Katie has 17 years’ experience in the commercial and academic sectors working on bioenergy and process optimisation.

Katie has significant industrial experience, having worked in the paper industry and as a bioenergy consultant. Since returning to academia Katie has successfully won and completed a number of BBSRC and EPSCRC projects in bioenergy. 

Katie is involved in several research consortia and is currently working on a GCRF project working with Stellenbosch University developing a techno-economic model for the evaluation of a paper mill based biorefinery and a DFID project on sustainable energy access for sub-Saharan Africa.  

Katie is currently a Topic Group Representative for Conversion within the Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Regional Chair for the biomass and wastes special interest group of the Fuel and Energy Research Forum and is a committee member of the IChemE Clean Energy Special Interest Group.

August 2019 - present EBRI Director of Research Outputs Aston University, Birmingham, UK

March 2016 - present Lecturer in Chemical Engineering Aston University, Birmingham, UK

September 2014 - February 2016 Research Associate Aston University, Birmingham, UK

December 2013 - August 2014 Process Engineer WSP CEL, Coventry, UK

March 2011 - November 2013 Bioenergy Consultant CARE LTD, UK

June 2007 - February 2011 Research Assistant / PhD candidate Aston University, Birmingham, UK

September 2002 - June 2007 Process Development Engineer Smurfit Kappa SSK, Birmingham, UK

June 2001 - September 2001 Placement Engineer Smurfit Kappa SSK, Birmingham, UK

September 200 - May 2001 Placement Engineer Specialty Minerals, Birmingham, UK

• Topic Group Representative for Conversion within the Supergen Bioenergy Hub
• Regional Chair for the biomass and wastes special interest group of the Fuel and Energy Research Forum
• Committee member of the IChemE Clean Energy Special Interest Group.

PhD

• The creation of a methodology for the identification of the most promising biorefineries for the EU

BEng Chemical Engineering (with sandwich year)

• 1^st Class honours degree
• Chemical Engineering Prize awarded, for achieving the highest results in the year group
• Final year project on the Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass, including the design of a fluidized bed reactor.

Winning bids:

• BBSRC NIBB Proof of Concept – Biorefinery Advisory Model. Project partners Aston Uni, BCU, Croda, ReBio, ZuvaSyntha. [Total budget £55,000]
• School of Engineering and Applied Science PhD Studentship - Development of a techno-economic model to identify the optimum stage for biomass fractionation within European biorefineries [Fully funded PhD]
• BBSRC NIBB IB Catalyst Seed Funding – Techno-economics of spent grain biorefinery. Project partners Aston Uni, Exergy, The Austin Company. [Total budget £13,000]
• EPSRC - Process Development and Integration for Sustainable Bio-Jet Fuel Production. Project partners University of Manchester, Aston Uni. [Total budget £15,000]
• EPSRC – Supergen Bioenergy – Topic Representative for Pretreatment and conversion theme [£53,000, Total budget £6,000,000]

Phone number: 0121 204 4088
Email: k.chong1@aston.ac.uk
Room number: MB110A