Sustainable Engineering
Dynamic Lead: Dr Loraine Clarke (School of Computer Science)
Dr Clarke is a HCI (Human Computer Interaction) design researcher and lecturer in the School of Computer Science. Loraine’s background includes product design, interactive media, museum studies, design-based research and qualitative research methods. Loraine spends a lot of her time in FabLab environments creating interactive prototypes which involve digital fabrication methods like 3D printing and laser cutting, and using various microcontrollers such as Arduino. At the heart of Loraine’s research is the motivation to support meaningful experiences with interactive physical objects and to explore technology which supports people and communities.
Dynamic Lead: Dr Alfredo D. Bonaccorso
Dr Alfredo Damiano Bonaccorso joined to Prof, John Irvine at the University of St Andrews in 2008 as a PhD student. His research focused on the conversion of waste wood into electricity, using a novel concept of Direct Carbon Fuel Cell. During his career, he specialised in developing innovative technologies to convert waste products into bioenergy and high value products such as Biobased surfactants. He designed and scaled up different catalytic reactors, fuel cell unit for the direct conversion of solid waste into electricity and continuous flow reactor to produce diesel and Biobased surfactants. His expertise has been honed through numerous successful industrial collaborations, making him an industry-facing academic who can seamlessly navigate the research landscape. At the Moment, he is working as senior technology and commercialisation officer at ZEM, and he is a visitor researcher at the University of St Andrews.
Lead: Dr Gordon Florence (School of Chemistry)
In 2005, Dr Florence took up a Royal Society University Research Fellowship at the University of St Andrews, appointed to a lectureship in 2012 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2015. He is currently the School of Chemistry Director of Teaching. He was awarded a Leverhulme Research Leadership Award in 2012.
Research within the Florence group is currently directed towards the synthesis of rare bioactive natural products and exploiting their biological potential for the treatment of Neglected tropical diseases. Alongside our research in the synthesis of complex molecules, recognizing synthetic organic chemistry can play a vital driving role in new discoveries and applications for future healthcare and biological technologies Gordon has established multidisciplinary collaborations encompassing chemical biology and biocatalysis.