Payal joined the Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry (CEAC) department at Aston University in May 2019 as an ERDF Research Associate. Her work primarily consists of research and development, analytical laboratory testing, and consultancy delivered to Small-to-Medium Enterprises through Enabling Technologies and Innovation Competencies Challenge (ETICC) projects. She is additionally involved in providing business development, research project management, and teaching within CEAC.

Payal obtained her MSci in Applied Chemistry from Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, India (2010-2015) with two global internship experiences in (2015-2018). She spent some time at École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier with Prof. Patrick Lacroix-Desmazes and two years at the University of Nottingham focusing on the preparation of star-shaped amphiphilic polymers in supercritical carbon dioxide in the group of Prof. Steve Howdle. The performance of these unique green polymeric materials was assessed at Croda Plc during her placement year in 2018. 

Polymers

Supercritical fluids

Biopolymers

Materials

Surfactants

Self-assembly

Packaging

Eco-responsible polymers

Sustainability

Having received Five Years Integrated M.Sc Chemistry degree from Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India in 2015. Payal embarked EU-funded cotutelle PhD programme (SINCHEM, framework agreement N°2013-0037) between University of Nottingham, UK and ENSCM, France in collaboration with academic (MPIP, Mainz, Germany) and an industrial partner (Croda, Cowick, UK) (2015-2018).