Email: neil.beattie@northumbria.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 227 4592
Topics: Photovoltaics, Earth Abundant Materials
About me:
I studied physics as an undergraduate at the University of Strathclyde and went on to do an experimental PhD in semiconductor physics at the University of Cambridge for applications in quantum information. Following my PhD, I worked as an Innovation Consultant on behalf of clients such as Procter & Gamble, Rolls-Royce, Boeing and Shell. This work involved lots of problem solving and working with people from different disciplines. Through this experience, I became interested in the energy sector and in particular, in solar photovoltaics, which led me to joining Northumbria University as an academic in 2009. Since working at Northumbria, I've led the launch of new physics programmes and performed research in thin film photovoltaics. Most recently, my research has evolved to focus on the manufacturing and sustainability of multi-terawatt photovoltaics. I’m motivated by enabling others, innovation and creating a sustainable world for future generations.
Email: vincent.barrioz@northumbria.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 349 5366
Topics: Smart Grid and Systems, Photovoltaics
About me:
I joined Northumbria University in 2015 as a Senior Lecturer within the Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering. I obtained my PhD funded by Thales Optics at the University of Wales, Bangor in 2002, developing a “laser-fibre system for in-situ stress monitoring of thin films”.
Over the last 20 years, I worked on photonic structures and devices, with special focus on photovoltaic devices. My research has led to the development of key layers in thin film photovoltaic structures for doped thin film CdTe solar cells achieving conversion efficiency ~15%, fabricated using an innovative patented all-MOCVD dry process. With the company partner Scanwel Ltd, the transfer of process was demonstrated, developing a patented high throughput inline chamberless design based on chemical vapour deposition. I was an active member of the Low Carbon Research Institute (LCRI), where multi-disciplinary research effort with university and industrial partners led to studying the feasibility of implementing renewable energy sources at residential and commercial scales (e.g. DC supply/storage/demand demonstration).
Email: elizabeth.gibson@ncl.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 208 5541
Topics: Solar Fuels, Photovoltaics
About me:
I am a Professor of Energy Materials at Newcastle University. My research group focuses on developing materials and devices for sustainable power, fuel and feedstocks. This involves materials development, device assembly and characterization of the underpinning photophysics and electrochemistry. My current roles include being the academic lead for the Northern Net Zero Accelerator PB-IAA, the EPSRC Northeast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy & Microscopy Facility, Institution Director of the EPSRC CDT Renewable Energy at Northeast Universities (ReNU and ReNU+), and I am the engagement lead for the UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy. I am also the Co-Director of Post-graduate Research in the School of Natural and Environmental Science at Newcastle University.
Email: chris.groves@durham.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 334 2495
Topics: Energy Conversion and Transfer, Photovoltaics
About me:
I grew up in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, attending my local state primary and secondary schools before going to Sheffield University to study Electronic Engineering. I graduated with a 1st class BEng degree and stayed on for another 3 years to do a PhD in optical photodetectors and was lucky to have a pair of supervisors who trained me in both experiments and simulations. Afterwards I lectured for 18 months at Sheffield’s Electronic Engineering department before leaving to work at Cambridge University’s Physics department on simulation of charge transport in organic electronics for 3 years. Following this I spent a short period of time in Seattle in the Chemistry Department of the University of Washington as a postdoc before joining Durham’s department of Engineering in 2009.
Email: anh.phan@newcastle.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 208 5212
Topics: Conversion Technologies, Green Hydrogen, Biofuels
About me:
I am a Professor, Chair of Circular Chemical Engineering at Newcastle University with special research interests in transforming waste, residues, unwanted by-products into chemicals, fuels, and valuable materials e.g. carbon quantum dots, aerogels etc. by applying process intensification concepts and emerging technologies. My research group has a strong focus not only on environmental challenges driven solutions but also on circularity and sustainability. This involves chemical and material recycling from plastic waste, hydrogen production, resource recovery, energy storage, biomaterials and chemicals from 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation feedstock.
Email: guillaume.zoppi@northumbria.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 243 7013
Topics: Earth Abundant Materials, Photovoltaics, Transparent Electrodes
About me:
I grew up in Annecy (France) where I gained a technical degree in Physics (1998). At a crossroad I decided to move to the UK to improve my English and completed a BSc (1999) and MSc (2001) in Applied Physics at Northumbria. With keen interest in optoelectronic devices I joined Durham University to study for a PhD in Physics on thin film solar cells (2005). I returned to Northumbria as a research associate as part of a UK national programme on Photovoltaics for the 21st Century before integrating the academic team at Northumbria in 2013 as a Senior Lecturer. I was promoted to Professor in 2020. I am a former running coach and co-founder of a local athletics network, competed at international triathlon events and now focusing on regional short distance time trials.
Email: b.g.mendis@durham.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 334 3554
Topics: Earth Abundant Materials, Photovoltaics
About me:
I grew up in Sri Lanka and moved to the UK for my higher education studies at the University of Birmingham. Through an Oversees Research Scholarship (ORS) award I studied for a PhD at the same institution, specialising in electron microscopy. I then took up post-doctoral positions at Johns Hopkins University in the US and the SuperSTEM national facility at Daresbury. I joined Durham University in 2009 as an Assistant professor in Physics and Manager for the newly created GJ Russell electron microscopy facility. I am currently Professor of Physics at Durham.
Email: helen.cramman@durham.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 334 4242
Topics: Skills in STEM education
About me:
I grew up in South Yorkshire and attended local state primary and secondary schools. Both of my parents were secondary school teachers and instilled in me a love of education and teaching. I studied for a degree in Physics with Astrophysics at the University of York, where I achieved a first-class honours degree. During my degree I worked in my holidays at Oxford Instruments Superconductivity in their technical development department. Discovering a great interest in Condensed Matter Physics, I undertook a PhD at Durham University in the superconductivity group. Upon completion of my PhD, I worked as a teaching fellow and Research Associate (RA) and subsequently spun out a company to commercialise the high-precision instrumentation I had developed whilst an RA. I then moved to the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) where I developed a passion for understanding what works in education and how students and staff develop skills. For the last 10 years, I specialised in science education research and evaluation of education programmes.
Email: mark.ireland@ncl.ac.uk
About me:
I joined Newcastle University in 2019. I am a Senior Lecturer in Energy Geosciences. Since 2022 I have been the Associate Dean of Global Partnerships in the Faculty Science, Agriculture and Engineering. I am a geologist by training, with a PhD in geology from Durham University and an MSci in Exploration and Resource Geology from Cardiff University. I started my career in the upstream oil and gas sector with BP, spending 9 years in technical roles across the upstream part of the business. I now work on the decarbonisation of energy systems, specifically the role of geosciences in low carbon energy systems and the use and application of seismic reflection data to understand geological processes. I have led geoscience projects across academia and industry and am currently involved in a diverse range of applied research projects, spanning geothermal energy, energy storage, and carbon capture storage.
Email: lu.xing@northumbria.ac.uk
About me:
I grew up in a small town near Wuhan, China, where I developed a strong passion for nature and sustainability. I obtained both my PhD and master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Oklahoma State University, USA. During my studies, I completed multiple research projects in renewable energy system design and software development, funded by the US Department of Energy in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
As a principal scientific advisor for the project funded by Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) Programme of Innovate UK, I participated in developing a spin out battery company as Chief Scientist. I have led or participated in over 20 research projects sponsored by government or energy companies in UK, US and China. My work spans three continents—North America, Asia, and Europe—where I have collaborated with diverse institutions, published over 70 scientific papers on sustainable energy, energy storage, energy material and system modelling, and AI for green energy. I delivered several invited talks, including “AI for Green Energy” at Oxford University Innovation and keynote speeches at the 29th CSCST-SCI Conference etc. I chaired symposiums or sessions at international conferences such as EcoMat 2024 and the 15th International Conference on Materials Processing and Characterization etc.
Email: li.khor@northumbria.ac.uk
About me:
I am the Manager of EPSRC ReNU+ CDT and previously the Coordinator for ReNU CDT. As someone from a Southeast Asian country with Chinese ethnicity, I was raised in a different cultural setting and education. During my undergraduate studies, I had to quickly adapt to the differences in teaching and learning (and also the different accent!). These differences in addition to living in a different country had an impact on my progress in learning and required a period of adjustment but I’m proud to say that’s a skill I quickly picked up, i.e. adaptability and resilience! I then worked in an Engineering Consultant Firm for a year before doing a PhD in Engineering. After my PhD, family commitments and moving countries led to a varied and unique career path that included research, administrative and project management roles (part-time and full-time), and career breaks, at different points of life and at different Universities.
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