• School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University

      B4 7ET Birmingham

      United Kingdom

    Accepting PhD Students

    PhD projects

    Bioenergy, climate change, waste, sustainability, techno-economics

    Personal profile

    Teaching Activity

    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)

    Research Interests

    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.

    Employment

    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

     

    Membership of Professional Bodies

    • 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.

    Qualifications

    January 2015 – January 2016

    Aston University

    PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

    • Modules on: Evolving your teaching practice, becoming a designer of academic programmes, becoming a research-led innovator in Higher Education

     

    September 2014 – December 2014

     

    Aston University

    Aston Modular Award – Introduction to Learning and Teaching Practice

    • Mark awarded 75%

     

    June 2007 – June 2011

     

    Aston University

    PhD

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

     

    September 1998 – June 2002

     

    Aston University

    BEng Chemical Engineering (with sandwich year)

    • 1st 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.

    Funding Applications and Awards

    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]

    Contact Details

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

    Education/Academic qualification

    PG Cert, Learning and teaching in higher education

    Jan 2015Jan 2016

    Award Date: 1 Jan 2016

    Aston Modular Award - Introduction to learning and teaching practice

    Sept 2014Dec 2014

    Award Date: 30 Dec 2014

    PhD, Methodology for the identification of the most promising biorefineries for the European Union

    Jun 2007Jun 2011

    Award Date: 24 Jul 2011

    Keywords

    • TP Chemical technology
    • Bioenergy
    • techno-economic assessment
    • Life Cycle Assessment
    • Pyrolysis
    • Modelling

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