Applications for our undergraduate vacation studentship scheme at the University of York are now open!
Closing date: 17:00, Tuesday 5th May 2026
Scroll down for details of available projects at the University of York.
About the scheme
The scheme aims to encourage students to consider a career in Chemical Engineering/Chemistry. During the scheme, selected undergraduate students will be based at either Newcastle University or the University of York for the duration of 6 weeks over the summer to complete a short-term research project within the Chemical Engineering or Chemistry discipline.
Eligibility
Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the scheme:
• Be undertaking their first undergraduate degree studies (or integrated Masters)
• Be expected to obtain a first or upper second-class UK honours degree
• Be eligible for subsequent EPSRC PhD funding within PINZ CDT (i.e., UK or right to remain in the UK)
• Be in their penultimate year of studies
Applications for Projects at the University of York
To be considered for the projects below at the University of York please complete the application form below by the closing date of 17:00 on Tuesday 5 May 2026
PINZ Summer 2026 Summer Internship – University of York – Application Form
Projects available at Newcastle University and how to apply for them can be found here. Please note there is a different application process for applying for projects at Newcastle University.
Selection process and timescales
Applications will be screened for suitability and nominated candidates will be shared with the PINZ CDT panel.
Successful candidates will be notified no later than Friday 5 June 2026 with an indicative start date for the project of Monday 15 June 2026.
Payment
Students will be paid for their placement via their host institution. Both partner universities pay hourly rates which are based on the national living wage. At York this is £12.60 per hour plus holiday pay.
Reporting
Following the placement, students will be required to prepare a summary report based on the outcome of their placement. You will also be asked to deliver a short talk on your project to staff and fellow students in Newcastle University’s Process Intensification Group (PIG) or the University of York Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE)
Available Projects at the University of York
Details of available projects at the University of York are listed below; details of available projects at the Newcastle University and how to apply for them can be found here.
Placement Title: Green chemistry: Valorisation of chestnut trees residues
Location: University of York, Green Chemistry Centre for Excellence (GCCE)
Industry Partner: Torry Hill Farm
Supervisors: Professor Avtar Matharu
Placement Description: The Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE) is a world-leading academic facility for pioneering pure and applied green and sustainable chemical research, providing innovative solutions for a circular, sustainable 21st century economy, specialising in renewable feedstocks, green synthesis, sustainable technologies and design for sustainable reuse/degradation/recovery. We are driven by a commitment to green chemistry education and training the next generation of researchers and citizens to have a better understanding of the environmental impact of chemistry. We are signatories of the Green Chemistry Commitment, ensuring Green Chemistry education is woven throughout our undergraduate curriculum for all students, not just those taking our Chemistry, Green Principles and Sustainable Processes degrees, or our specific Green Chemistry module.
Working in collaboration with Torry Hill Farm, the placement will focus on exploitation of chestnut tree residues for high value chemicals and materials. In weeks 1- 4 the proposed research will use conventional benign solvent extraction processes to isolate extractives from chestnut tree residues and then analyse and characterise extracts and residues using ir, nmr, gc, gc-ms, hplc, lc-ms, to produce specification and functionality profiles based on feedstock. In weeks 5 to 6 the project will develop a ‘first pass’ techno-economic assessment based on results during the first 4 weeks of the project.
Although training will be provided, this placement requires a student proficient in bench chemistry, setting up reflux, monitoring reactions by TLC, using a separating flask, using rotary evaporators and analysing IR and NMR data.
Placement Title: Chemical Characterisation of Barley Steeping Effluent Organics
Location: University of York, Green Chemistry Centre for Excellence (GCCE)
Industry Partner: Simpsons Malt
Supervisor: Professor Helen Sneddon
Placement Description: This project explores whether useful natural materials can be obtained from wastewater produced during the steeping (water‑washing) of barley. This effluent has already passed through biological treatment and membrane filtration, meaning it mainly contains small, stable organic molecules (around 100–1000 Daltons). These molecules are thought to originate from the natural waxy and polyphenolic compounds that coat barley grains and help protect them from rotting in soil. Such compounds may have potential uses, for example as water‑repellent coatings for natural fibres.
The student will work on isolating these organic compounds from the effluent, separating them into individual components, and identifying their chemical nature using standard analytical techniques. Once characterised, the project will explore possible applications for these compounds by reviewing scientific literature and considering simple chemical modifications that could improve their usefulness, such as making them suitable for polymer or coating applications.
Applications for our undergraduate vacation studentship scheme at Newcastle University are now open!
Closing date: 17:00, Friday 24 April 2026
Scroll down for details of available projects. New projects added!
About the scheme
The scheme aims to encourage students to consider a career in Chemical Engineering/Chemistry. During the scheme, selected undergraduate students will be based at either Newcastle University or the University of York for the duration of 6 weeks over the summer to complete a short-term research project within the Chemical Engineering or Chemistry discipline.
Eligibility
Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the scheme:
• Be undertaking their first undergraduate degree studies (or integrated Masters)
• Be expected to obtain a first or upper second-class UK honours degree
• Be eligible for subsequent EPSRC PhD funding within PINZ CDT (i.e., UK or right to remain in the UK)
• Be in their penultimate year of studies
Applications for Projects at Newcastle University
To be considered for the projects below at Newcastle University, please apply to pinz.cdt@newcastle.ac.uk by the closing date of Friday 24 April 2026. You should provide the following:
• A cover letter with details of the project you would like to be considered for and reasons for applying
• A CV
• A reference from your personal tutor
• A copy of your latest transcript
You can find information on the projects available at the University of York and how to apply for them here. Please note there is a different application process for for projects at the University of York.
Selection process and timescales
Applications will be screened for suitability and nominated candidates will be shared with the PINZ CDT panel.
Successful candidates will be notified no later than Friday 5 June 2026 with an indicative start date for the project of Monday 15 June 2026.
Payment
Students will be paid for their placement via their host institution. Both partner universities pay hourly rates which are based on the national living wage (£15.51 per hour).
Reporting
Following the placement, students will be required to prepare a summary report based on the outcome of their placement. You will also be asked to deliver a short talk on your project to staff and fellow students in Newcastle University’s Process Intensification Group (PIG) or the University of York Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE)
Available Projects at Newcastle University
Details of available projects at Newcastle University are listed below. Details of available projects at the University of York are listed here. This page will be updated with details of further projects at Newcastle University as they are finalised.
Placement Title: Biorenewable Detergents
Location: School of Engineering, Newcastle University
Industry Partner: Procter & Gamble
Supervisors: Dr Fernando Russo Abegão and Professor Kamelia Boodhoo
Placement Description: Fast-moving consumer goods, such as fabric and home care products, have a high market volume and can contribute positively for industrial and consumer sustainability. This summer internship is co-sponsored by Procter and Gamble and will be focused on testing the viability of making a novel detergent building block through a circular economy approach. You will learn about catalyst preparation and test a green reaction to convert a biomass-based molecule into a biorenewable monomer. There will be opportunities to learn about analytical techniques to characterise the catalyst and/or reaction products.
Placement Title: Using particle simulations to predict milling performance
Location: School of Engineering, Newcastle University
Industry Partner: Johnson Matthey
Supervisor: Dr Colin Hare
Placement Description: Particle size reduction is a critical and energy intensive step in powder processing, in diverse sectors such as mining, catalysts, pharmaceuticals, foods and other fast moving consumer goods. Product performance is highly dependent on the particle size distribution, which should be controlled by the milling step. However, the dynamics of a mill are complex, meaning the influence of material properties and processing conditions on the resulting particle size distribution is not well understood in most applications. Therefore, this proof-of-concept project will use particle simulations (using the Discrete Element Method – DEM) to determine the influence of particle loading, impeller rotational speed and milling time on the resulting particle size distribution.
The DEM software we use is called EDEM, which is licensed by Altair. The software has a graphical user interface (GUI), meaning that coding is not required. If you scroll down to “Workflow examples” on the above link, and view the video for the first example, it shows what the software looks like.
The project would involve setting up and running simulations under different conditions, then analysing the results of the simulation output.
Placement Title: Clearing the Air: Optimising Filtration Performance in Industrial Waste-to-Energy Systems
Location: School of Engineering, Newcastle University
Industry Partner: Durham Filtration
Supervisor: Dr Jonathan McDonough
Placement Description: Waste-to-energy plants typically use baghouse filtration systems to prevent the emission of harmful particulate matter into the atmosphere. While the build-up of particulate matter on the bags over time increases the filtration efficiency, the pressure drop also increases which eventually negatively impacts the overall energy efficiency of the plant. To maintain a desirable pressure drop, the bags must therefore be routinely cleaned. This is typically achieved using pulsed air jets, where compressed air is released in short bursts into the bags from a series of header pipes fitted with nozzles positioned above the bags.
The wider goal of this project is to investigate the trade-off between filtration performance and operational cost, with a particular focus on compressed air usage and cleaning/scheduling strategies.
Some key objectives are as follows:
• Develop a dynamic model of a typical baghouse
• Conduct a lifecycle cost analysis of compressed air use during filtration and normal operation
• Evaluate the impacts of different pulse-cleaning schedules on overall system efficiency
• Contribute to identifying optimal cleaning strategies for real industrial systems
This project is sponsored by Durham Filtration. Given the proximity of their site to the university, there will be opportunities to engage directly with Durham Filtration throughout the project, including potential site visits. Additionally, this project also aligns with an ongoing PhD project also sponsored by Durham Filtration, and so you will also work alongside this PhD researcher to inform on the development of CFD models of the pulse-jet behaviour.
This placement is ideal for students interested in energy systems, process optimisation/modelling, and industrially relevant research.
Placement Title: Food waste conversion via anaerobic digestion: improving the separation units
Location: School of Engineering, Newcastle University
Industry Partner: Suez
Supervisor: Dr Sharon Velasquez Orta
Placement Description: Anaerobic digestion is an attractive technology to convert organic wastes into a valuable biogas product. One of the challenges within the anaerobic digestion processes is separating the inorganic from the organic waste fractions. This becomes more relevant towards the end of the processing. Final separation refinements require the removal of small inert particles from the resulting digestate sludge. The student internship will evaluate the distribution of particles inside fermenters and stabilisation units, and their optimal removal via screening. This includes the characterisation of particles at different tank depths to propose possible changes in fluid/unit operation, and the modelling and testing of screening ranges to provide the procedures required for optimum segregation.
Placement Title: Promoting circular economy in filtration systems
Location: School of Engineering, Newcastle University
Industry Partner: PPT Filter Cycle Ltd
Supervisor: Dr Shayan Seyedin
Placement Description: Air filters are often utilised within industrial air pollution control systems that capture particulates from exhaust gases using fabric filter media, commonly made of materials such as polyester. These are often on the exhaust side of the system.
Exhaust filters are widely used in automotive paint processes to collect overspray during coating operations.
This summer internship project aims to promote the circular economy within filtration. This internship is co-sponsored by PPT Filtercycle Ltd. The main focus will be on the high calorific value of end-of-life paint exhaust filters, where polyester media is coated with dry paint overspray. The key area of investigation is the combustion behaviour of this material, for instance, whether it can be safely incinerated as a standalone fuel or requires blending and whether any explosive or other risks arise during combustion.
This project will also explore opportunities for the reuse or repurposing of filters to support circular economy approaches and reduce reliance on incineration or landfill.
Key objectives of the project include:
• Assess the explosive (or non-explosive) nature of dry paint-soaked filters
• Evaluate the feasibility of classifying the waste as a fuel
• Investigate reuse or repurposing routes for baghouse filters
• Review regulatory and compliance considerations
This placement is ideal for students interested in circular economy and sustainable chemical processing.
Placement Title: Optimisation of the acid esterification reaction of FFA for biodiesel production
Location: School of Engineering, Newcastle University
Industry Partner: Greenergy
Supervisor: Professor Adam Harvey and Dr Marija Vicevic
Placement Description: Studying the reaction of a high percentage FFA feed with sulphuric acid and methanol at different ratios, temperatures, residence times etc to determine the optimum operating conditions.
PINZ CDT has recently published its new Directory of Expertise, highlighting the extensive research strengths and capabilities across the Centre.
Bringing together two world-leading groups: Newcastle University’s Process Intensification Group and the University of York’s Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE), PINZ CDT represents a powerful collaboration at the forefront of sustainable chemical innovation.
The Directory showcases the wide range of research undertaken by academics across both institutions. It also provides an overview of the specialist facilities and equipment available at Newcastle University of University of York, supporting collaborative research and industry engagement.
We are delighted to share that Louise Amor-Seabrooke, one of our Cohort 1 students, recently joined a panel discussion at Newcastle University to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
During the event, Louise spoke about the diverse career pathways women take in science, sharing insights from her own journey and experiences working in industry and as an early-career researcher.
Louise’s PhD is delivered in partnership with Biofuel Evolution and Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and with academic supervision from Dr Sharon Velasquez Orta and Professor Adam Harvey. Her research explores the biological conversion of captured carbon dioxide and waste-derived feedstocks into renewable products, contributing to the development of more sustainable, circular approaches to resource use.
Are you a UK-based 3rd year MEng student interested in research and considering a future PhD? This summer you could gain hands-on research experience through the PINZ CDT Summer Vacation Studentships at Newcastle University.
We are offering six paid studentships, each lasting six weeks and starting on 15 June 2026.
What you will gain:
Paid experience working in chemical engineering research
The opportunity to contribute to a real research project linked to an industry partner
Valuable skills and insight into PhD study and academic research
The studentships are funded by the EPSRC Process Industries: Net Zero Centre for Doctoral Training (PINZ CDT), which aims to encourage students to pursue doctoral research careers in the process industries.
The centre is a collaboration between two world-leading research groups: the Process Intensification Group at Newcastle University and the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at University of York. Together, they will train 55 PhD students in annual cohorts through to 2028, helping develop the expertise needed to support the transition to net-zero process industries.
Interested?
Get in touch with us at pinz.cdt@newcastle.ac.uk by 17:00 on Friday 20 March.
Development of Water-Soluble and Biodegradable Detergent Ingredients from CO2 and Biorenewable Sources
How can sustainability be enhanced in the design and manufacturing of fast-moving consumer goods? This is the challenge driving a project co-funded by Procter & Gamble, which focuses on the development of novel renewable and biodegradable water-soluble ingredients for fabric and home care products.
PhD researcher Vaishnavi Jambhorkar, under the supervision of Dr Fernando Russo Abegão and Professor Kamelia Boodhoo at Newcastle University, is investigating biorenewable platform molecules, with a focus on catalysis, molecular functionality design, and production pathway development.
Gang Si, Director Principle Scientist at Procter and Gamble, sheds more light on this fascinating project, and why the company is partnering with the PINZ CDT.
What was the background to the project
P&G is committed to sustainability. Our ambition is to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across our supply chain and operations, from raw material to retailer, by 2040.
The company is interested in using recycled CO2 as a chemical building block for consumer goods. CO2 is already used as a feedstock in other sectors, ranging from circular chemicals to advanced materials. P&G sought to explore how this concept could be applied within its own industry.
Why did Procter and Gamble choose to engage with the PINZ CDT?
Renewable and circular feedstocks are a central theme of the PINZ CDT and align closely with P&G’s goals. However, developing efficient manufacturing processes using these novel building blocks and chemistries presents significant challenges. Beyond production routes, considerations include formulation stability, product performance, and environmental fate.
Newcastle University’s Process Intensification Group has extensive expertise in renewable feedstock conversion, catalysis, and intensified process technologies. The PINZ CDT’s focus on net zero technologies and sustainability makes it an ideal partner.
For complex upstream projects like this, the CDT provides a holistic framework to assess multiple technologies and platform chemistries, combining laboratory experimentation with product performance testing and sustainability assessment.
How are Newcastle University’s facilities contributing to the project?
Assembling the equipment and capabilities needed to undertake this research from scratch would require significant upfront investment. Newcastle University provides access to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment for reaction screening and process development, as well as molecular quantification and structural characterisation tools, such as high-field NMR, mass spectroscopy, and chromatography systems. These resources are vital to the success of the research.
How will a student benefit from undertaking a PhD through the PINZ CDT?
Doctoral training programmes like the PINZ CDT are university-led but involve strong industrial collaboration. They provide students with end-to-end experience. For example, a student may synthesise compounds at the university, then later formulate these into a product and conduct performance testing that simulates real consumer use.
As projects progress toward application testing, collaboration with industrial colleagues becomes critical. This exposure to cross-functional teamwork mirrors real industry practice.
For students aiming for careers in industry, programmes like the PINZ CDT offer excellent preparation and valuable professional experience.
Process intensification – defined as “a significant reduction in the size of process equipment without affecting production targets” – can play a major role in the UK’s drive to Net Zero. Put simply, it means ‘doing the same thing’, but with process equipment 10s or 100s of times smaller, generating many benefits for industry and the environment.
The original concept was developed at ICI during the 1970s, where the goal was to reduce the capital cost of production systems.
But the benefits are far wider: process intensification can make process plants more environmentally friendly, flexible and adaptive to market demand. Lower CapEx and OpEx, reduced energy and resource use, less waste, a minimised plant footprint, safer operations and improved process control are just some of the advantages.
The Process Intensification Group
Established in 2005, Newcastle University’s Process Intensification Group – part of the School of Engineering – is leading the way in supporting industry in adopting process intensification methods and technology.
The group specialises in many areas of process intensification. These include reaction, separation and heat exchange technologies, plus the application of process intensification approaches to equipment design and process synthesis.
Carbon Capture: An example of its work is the development of Rotating Packed Bed (RPB) technology for intensified CO2 capture, which is now commercially available. It reduces the size of carbon capture columns by a factor of ~30. A conventional column might be tens of metres tall, and need substantial civil engineering support – however that need becomes redundant due to the scale of RPB technology.
The Process Intensification Group’s work has applications across all process industries, including chemical manufacturing, food and beverage processing, energy, pharmaceutical manufacturing and utilities, notably the water industry.
As one of the two collaborative partners behind the PINZ CDT along with the University of York’s Green Chemistry Centre for Excellence, the Process Intensification Group is providing a unique blend of academic expertise and state-of-the-art facilities, and enabling researchers to develop their skills at the leading edge of process industry innovation.
A hub of process intensification knowledge
Led by Professor Adam Harvey, Professor of Process Intensification at Newcastle University, the Process Intensification Group has grown from seven team members at its inception to a group of more than 60 active researchers: 18 academic staff, 10 PRDAs and more than 40 PhD students.
Companies partnering with the PINZ CDT on co-created projects can therefore tap into a deep well of process sector knowledge, spanning multiple disciplines across energy, feedstocks and data.
These areas of expertise include:
3D printing
Algae processing
Biocomposites
Biorefining
Biofuels
Brewing
Data modelling
Flow chemistry
Heat transfer
Heterogeneous catalysis
Non-thermal plasmas
Process control
Reaction engineering
Thermal management
Thermochemical processes
Waste heat recovery
Water treatment
State-of-the-art facilities
Engaging with the PINZ CDT on a project opens up a vast array of specialist equipment to industry partners, and provides access to world-leading facilities at Newcastle University.
For example, through the Process Intensification Group, researchers can access Newcastle University’s pilot plant scale rotating packed beds and CO2 absorbent screening technology: this can be of major benefit to companies working in industrial carbon capture.
Another key technology available at Newcastle University is the oscillatory baffled reactor (OBR), which is used to accommodate long residence time processes, and is a more efficient alternative to continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) and plug flow reactors (PFRs). Its applications include fermentation, biodiesel production, wastewater treatment and liquid-liquid, liquid-gas and liquid-solid reactions.
Newcastle University’s OBR is part of a suite of reactor technology that includes spinning disc reactors, Multicell 8 high pressure reactors, a CoFlore agitated cell reactor, non-thermal plasma reactors, a batch photoreactor, a gas bubbling column photoreactor and a Taylor-Couette reactor.
Additional core facilities supporting the Process Intensification Group’s research include a dedicated 3d printing lab, Micro Fluidized Beds/a Micro-TORBED for CO2 adsorbent screening, foam flotation columns, a heat pipe extruder, and a comprehensive array of analytical equipment, such as UV-Vis Diffusive Reflectance Spectroscopy equipment, UV/Vis Spectrophotometers and FTIR Spectrometers.
Newcastle University also has its own student-run brewery (Europe’s first), which works in partnership with the School of Engineering to act as a research unit for sustainable brewery design. It works closely with academics from the school and other microbreweries to improve processes and share best practice.
And partnering with the PINZ CDT opens the door to Newcastle University’s wider capabilities, from specialist laboratories hosted by the North East Centre for Energy Materials (including mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy) to high performance computing for data-intensive research.
Making processes safer, cleaner and more efficient
Through its work with the PINZ CDT, the Process Intensification Group is helping a wide range of organisations – from emerging innovators to major utilities providers – advance their work and explore new solutions.
Optimizing Pulse-Jet Cleaning for Sustainable Energy: A CFD Approach to Emissions Control, with Durham Filtration – this project aims to advance pulse-jet cleaning systems for flue gas treatment emissions control in waste-to-energy and biomass combustion plants, with a Net Zero goal of saving energy in particle filtration. It’s exploring Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methodologies for optimising filter cleaning processes, and leveraging tools such as generative design, CAD/CAM and 3D printing.
Towards Net Zero by optimising thermal energy recovery and management in the waste-water sector, with Northumbrian Water Ltd – this is an investigation into the feasibility of recovering low-grade waste heat in the waste-water sector, via a comprehensive modelling and optimisation study, with the Net Zero Goal of reducing energy use by optimising heat use.
Bioprocess Intensification for Carbon Dioxide and Waste-derived Feedstock Conversion to Bio-based Products, with Biofuel Evolution Ltd and CPI – this project is investigating the biological conversion of captured carbon dioxide and waste-derived feedstocks into renewable products. The Net Zero goal is the replacement of fossil fuel-derived feedstocks with CO2 or waste.
Optimisation of the cryogenic bulk liquid production and supply market, with BOC Linde – this project aims to create an optimisation strategy for bulk liquid production, accounting for the supply market for liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon, and factors including customer demands, electricity spot market prices, and Net Zero objectives. The Net Zero goal of this project is to reduce energy use, and optimise the use of renewable electricity.
Want to explore how you can uncover new solutions, develop your own industry-ready Net Zero specialists, and move your innovations forward with the support of The Process Intensification Group and The Green Chemistry Centre for Excellence?
Contact pinz.cdt@newcastle.ac.uk
Tackling global challenges – exploring The Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence
As the process sector’s Net Zero journey evolves, there is a growing need for the adoption of greener and cleaner processes, and green product design.
According to the International Energy Agency, the chemical industry is the third largest industry subsector in terms of direct CO2 emissions, and there is pressure on the sector to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as minimise other environmental impacts.
Building expertise in green chemistry – the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances – can play a key role in helping industry step up to these challenges.
The Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence
Part of the University of York, the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE) is a world-leading academic facility for pioneering pure and applied green and sustainable chemical research. It’s an international flagship, providing innovative solutions for a circular, sustainable economy, and works closely with the chemical, energy, food, pharmaceutical and related industries.
The GCCE is led by Professor Helen Sneddon, and has more than 20 years of experience in green chemistry, and is one of two collaborative partners behind the PINZ CDT along with the Process Intensification Group at Newcastle University. Their combined academic strengths and state-of-the-art facilities are at the heart of the PINZ CDT’s work in contributing to safer, cleaner and more efficient processes, and training the next generation of process sector talent.
The GCCE’s track record of interfacing with industry is extensive… and its recent work on polymer research is just one example of this. With backing from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)’s Prosperity Partnerships programme, the GCCE is collaborating with Croda International Plc and The University of Nottingham to develop novel, sustainable polymers for liquid formulations, and is partnering with Synthomer to develop biobased polymers using feedstocks that do not compete with food.
A hotbed of green chemistry expertise
More than 60 members make up the GCCE, with a team of academic staff supported by a group of postdoctoral researchers. And the centre is home to world-renowned green chemistry experts, who are at the forefront of their fields. The centre collaborates with academics across the Department of Chemistry and University more widely aligned with its research areas and purpose.
The GCCE’s core research areas are:
Renewable feedstocks The centre has built up a strong track-record of valorisation of biobased feedstocks into chemicals, materials and (bio)energy. It has pioneered research into the use of microwaves to selectively activate components of biomass, leading to more controlled decomposition processes.
Green synthesis The GCCE team are undertaking research to develop more benign reaction protocols for common synthetic transformations, and champion the synthesis of bio-derived platform molecules and their conversion to sustainable products.
Sustainable technologies The GCCE is exploring where technologies such as enzyme catalysis, microwave processing, flow chemistry, and mechanochemistry can provide tangible sustainability benefits over current manufacturing protocols.
Design for reuse / degradation / recovery The GCCE works with partners to design biodegradable polymers, and explore the impact of polymers in anaerobic digesters, and conducts research into the recovery of valuable and/or harmful components from the environment.
Facilities to transform research
Engaging with the PINZ CDT opens the door to a wealth of facilities at The University of York, giving industry partners the technology and equipment they need to expand and accelerate research.
The suite of specialist reactors available through the GCCE include high pressure, supercritical carbon dioxide reactor, microwave, membrane and multipoint reactors, and its analytical capabilities include: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; UV-visible spectroscopy; thermal analysis; IR spectroscopy; porosimetry; NMR; high performance liquid chromatography; gas chromatography; and powder and crystal X-ray diffraction.
Research into the application of microwave technology is supported by the centre’s dedicated laboratory scale microwave facility, where reactions can be taken from 1mL to 1000mL scale under hydrolysis or pyrolysis conditions.
In addition, PINZ CDT industry partners can access the Biorenewables Development Centre, a research, development and demonstration biorefining centre, founded from a partnership between the GCCE and the University of York’s Centre for Novel Agricultural Products. The Biorenewables Development Centre develops methods at the laboratory scale, and scales-up processes to demonstrate their commercial potential, typically at the 1-100 litre or 1-100 kg scale. Its capabilities are wide-ranging: raw materials characterisation, system development, processing and product evaluation are supported by a suite of equipment including pilot-scale continuous centrifuges, HPLC and ICP-MS systems, bioreactors, thermochemical equipment and a Flavourtech spinning cone.
And researchers can also draw on the instrumentation and expertise of the York Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry (CoEMS), and The Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories, a collaborative venture between the University of York and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) which enables studies relating to the science of air pollution, stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change.
Advancing the development of sustainable feedstocsk and innovative chemistries
The GCCE is supporting ground-breaking research projects through the PINZ CDT and is helping organisations – from specialist lab equipment providers to multinational consumer goods manufacturers – move innovations forward and unlock new opportunities.
Below are some of the projects which are drawing on the GCCE’s expertise and facilities.
Accelerating catalytic reaction optimisation through an innovative reactor design for high throughput experimentation, with Labman Automation – this project collaboration is developing novel metal-free catalysis for the preparation of functional fluorinated molecules, and involve synthesis, catalyst development and mechanistic studies.
Greener Solvents for more sustainable processes, with Reckitt – a PhD project which aims to modernise the practice of green solution chemistry by applying statistical thermodynamic fluctuation theory to the practice of solvent substitution.
Revolutionising High-Throughput Experimentation for Sustainable Catalysis, with Johnson Matthey – a project that addresses the challenges in reproducibility and scalability in HTE, by investigating the HTE workflow and focusing on Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling (SMCC) and Buchwald-Hartwig amination (BHA) reactions.
Ethyl Lactate as a Green Solvent – Processes, Performance and Air Quality Impacts, With Thomas Swan – focusing on the bioderived solvent, Ethyl lactate, this project will look at solvent benchmarking experiments across a range of applications, green synthetic chemistry and simulations.
Find out how you can uncover new solutions, develop your own Net Zero specialists, and move your innovations forward with the support of The Process Intensification Group and The Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence.
Contact: pinz.cdt@newcastle.ac.uk
Bioprocess Intensification for Carbon Dioxide and Waste-derived Feedstock Conversion to Bio-based Products
Coventry-based start-up Biofuel Evolution has a mission: to fuel a circular bio-economy and support the bio-based industry’s growth, with the ultimate aim of reducing global environmental impacts.
It wants to achieve this through BEBlock®, a solution which will integrate bioprocess engineering and bioelectrochemical systems to develop novel biological pathways for waste conversion: rather than relying on food crops, the technology will instead transform organic waste streams into valuable products.
Biofuel Evolution is now partnering with the PINZ CDT to move this solution forward.
PhD student Louise Amor-Seabrooke, under supervision from Dr Sharon Velasquez-Orta and Professor Adam Harvey of Newcastle University’s Process Intensification Group, is investigating the biological conversion of captured carbon dioxide and waste-derived feedstocks into renewable products.
In this project, data analytics will be used to map the composition of waste-derived feedstocks across domestic and global geographic regions to examine how seasonality might affect their characteristics, and how waste streams differ geographically. Highly characterised biocatalysts, microorganisms, and microbial consortia will then be designed, evolved and optimised highly to convert waste-based feedstocks into new products.
Jaymish Patel, co-founder and CEO of Biofuel Evolution, explains how the PINZ CDT project is helping the company break new ground…
How did the initial relationship with the PINZ CDT come about?
We worked on an Innovate UK Transformative Technologies project with a research team led by Dr Sharon Velasquez-Orta, which enabled us undertake the initial feasibility assessment of the technology and its potential.
What does this project mean for the evolution of your technology?
Having support from a renowned institution such as Newcastle University has given us the opportunity to elevate the technology and reach the next milestones that that we need to hit.
Our vision is to make sustainable resources and energy accessible to the world, through innovation, inspiration and education – and his project really emphasizes that.
What are the advantages of partnering with the PINZ CDT?
The academics involved are highly specialized. They are some of the best not only in the country, but in the world. Dr Velasquez-Orta, for example, has a great breadth of knowledge in bioelectrochemical systems, waste remediation and valorization, and that was one of the reasons why we decided to pursue this project with the PINZ CDT.
The involvement of York University is also a major benefit. Its Biorenewables Research Centre will allow us to translate the research findings to pilot scale.
Overall, the PINZ CDT offers a great blend of technical expertise and industry knowledge.
How is the project supporting Louise Amor-Seabrooke’s development?
In our first few conversations with Louise, we could see that she had the passion and drive to really make a difference, and this project is providing a platform for her to enhance her knowledge.
PINZ CDT has not only given Louise the opportunity to develop more in-depth capabilities in areas such as data coding and biochemical engineering processes but has also helped her to develop soft skills – for instance in public speaking.
Why should a start-up company, at a similar stage to Biofuel Evolution, engage with the PINZ CDT?
If you don’t have relevant resources in house, it can be very difficult to acquire them in a short space of time. The PINZ CDT provides access to those capabilities.
But in particular, it’s a doorway to an established ecosystem of expertise, and wide-ranging knowledge of how to scale-up projects and bridge the gap between academia and industry. That has been a huge help to us and will be to other companies who are on a similar journey in developing their own technologies.
On 21 and 22 January, the PINZ CDT Team from Newcastle University and University of York came together to hold our 2026 Conference. The event, held at Newcastle University’s Stephenson Building, was well attended, welcoming around 100 delegates from industry and academia.
Day One opened with technical overviews from PINZ CDT Co-Directors, Professor Adam Harvey and Professor Helen Sneddon. These talks showcased the work of the Newcastle University Process Intensification Group and of the University of York Green Chemistry Centre for Excellence. Following the technical overview presentations, there was an interactive session led by Dr Ryan Siddall, Innovation & Partnerships Manager. The session encouraged open discussion around net zero challenges and future plans within the process sector.
Day Two featured a keynote talk by Dr Mark Corbett, Director of the Biorenewables Development Centre, focussing on the BB-REG-NET project. This was followed by an industry perspective talk on the CarbonNation project, delivered by Joel Caragay, Senior Scientist at Procter & Gamble and Dr James Hendry, Researcher at Newcastle University.
Delegates also heard from EPSRC Portfolio Manager, Karen Davies, who provided valuable insight into the funder perspective.
Students from PINZ CDT Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 presented updates on their projects, sharing progress to date, early impacts and planned future work.
Thanks to everyone who attended the conference, delivered talks and contributed to discussions to make it an informative and vibrant event.
We were pleased to welcome Agilent, Asynt, Huber, Netzsch and Scientific Labs and as exhibitors on Day Two, helping to create a buzzing atmosphere in the foyer of the Stephenson Building throughout the day.
