Catalysts 1023
News stories, events and media that link the work of chemical engineers to the culture at large. Educational, emotive, entertaining or simply amusing, these snippets are potential triggers for readers to explore further. Let us know if you’ve seen something that should feature here next issue
Introduction to particle technology
This well-loved textbook, now in its third edition, introduces the underlying scientific principles of particle technology, together with examples of how these principles can be used in practical design and operation of industrial processes. Based on feedback from students and users of the earlier editions, this new edition comprises revised and expanded text with introductory chapters on particles as products and on computational methods. It’s described as an excellent source for practising engineers and scientists looking to establish a working knowledge of the subject.
- ISBN: 978-1-119-93110-2
- b.link/Wiley-particle-technology
Disaster dinners: Piper Alpha
The Piper Alpha disaster was the world’s deadliset offshore oil rig accident, killing 167 people in the North Sea in July 1988. Disastrous Dinners are a series of informal events combining a short dinner with a presentation on past incidents, focusing on human factors and lessons learned. The Piper Alpha dinner is scheduled for 4 November and you can sign up at this link.
How Chemical Engineers Are Building a Star
We typically leave the IChemE-specific events for the guide over the page, but we couldn’t help but bring this one to your attention. This 6 October webinar will cover the fundamentals of fusion energy and demonstrate why it is essential to our sustainable future. UKAEA’s various projects will be discussed and chemical engineers will describe their career paths into fusion.
Forever is Now
This documentary follows Eamon Ryan, former leader of the Irish Green Party, in his last 18 months in government and juggling care for his autistic son. The film illustrates the vagaries of political life and the hurdles involved in enacting global agreements on climate change. The documentary concludes at COP29 in Baku and the signing of the New Collective Quantified Goal whereby developed countries agree to financially support climate efforts in developing countries with at least $300bn a year by 2035. It’s a win, but Ryan warns there is still a lot more to be done.
Archie Goodburn
This summer, University of Edinburgh student Archie Goodburn graduated with a first-class master’s degree in chemical engineering. He also swam for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. And he did all this after being diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. Archie went on national television during the games with a tearful plea for greater investment into understanding and treating his condition, as well as other conditions like it. More on Archie in a future TCE.
Chemical processing distilled
Host Traci Purdum’s weekly half-hour podcast hits a sweet spot in terms of optimum length and depth of material. Episodes – each aimed at serving engineers designing and operating plants in the chemical industry – consider single process stories or major industry events, with variety definitely the spice of this podcast’s life. Check out the episode on “how chemistry made the Declaration of Independence possible”. Sound intriguing? (Clue: it’s gunpowder related.)
Chemical Engineering Guy
“I’m just a guy teaching chemical engineering online,” is the self-deprecating stance of Emmanuel Ortega, aka Chemical Engineering Guy. Ortega has a infectious energy as a podcast host. Episodes range from talks with industrial and craft brewers and consultant engineers in the food and beverage sector, to deep dives into the application of digital twins in the chemical engineering sector.
The Chemical Engineer podcast, ep01 - Aida Rafat
As part of our refresh, we too are branching out into the audio and visual world. This extended ‘Profile Extra’ interview with our own Aniqah Mahid talking to Aida Rafat is our first such foray. A digestible 20 minutes in duration, Aniqah asks Rafat, the chemical engineer and CEO of DyeRecycle, to expand on how her clothes recycling company is gearing up to move into the next phase of operation and how the company’s journey has faced down its challenges. (Needless to say we welcome ideas for future profile candidates.)
Chemical engineering principles applied to medicine
Chemical engineers are increasingly working on medical problems, but so far there is no text that brings together such contributions for inspiring more research and as the basis for advanced courses. That’s authors David Bogle and Tomasz Sosnowski’s pitch for this book comprising contributions on the ways chemical engineering approaches medical problems, particularly using modelling alongside experimentation and data analysis, to explore medical behaviours. Chapters explain how engineering principles have been developed to aid diagnosis and treatment of disease such as cancer, diabetes, Von Willebrand disease, and conditions associated with the lungs.
Access the tce archive b.link/TCE-archives For IChemE’s training and events
Recent Editions
Catch up on the latest news, views and jobs from The Chemical Engineer. Below are the four latest issues. View a wider selection of the archive from within the Magazine section of this site.
