Our Research

PROCESS

Research Themes

The overarching research theme of PROCESS is advanced manufacturing of high value-added products and engineering solutions for related industries, with emphasis on particulate product processing for new products within the dairy and pharmaceutical sectors.

Fellowships will be offered in a broad range of research areas incorporating but not limited to, process modelling and integrated process control, Process Analytical Technologies (PAT), bulk solids processing, heat, mass and momentum transfer, and hybrid processing, and subsequent smart data management, to promote processing agility and flexibility within an Industry 4.0 framework.

Fellowships will include mandatory non-academic secondments (3 to 6 months). Secondments must be relevant to the Fellow’s research project and to his/her own career development. The industry partners will also contribute to industry-relevant training. Projects proposing fundamental or applied research will be eligible, and inter-or multi-disciplinary proposals will be strongly encouraged.

A core focus of the Programme will be on sharing knowledge and findings between academia and industry. The research theme of continuous processing and advanced manufacturing is likely to attract researchers with relevant experience in process engineering, chemical engineering, data management, statistics, modelling, and IT.

Research Process Block

PROCESS MODELLING, CONTROL AND PAT Relevant PIs: Dr. Emmet O’Reilly	MASS TRANSFER PROCESSES Relevant PIs: Dr. Luis Padrela; Dr. Sarah Hudson	HEAT AND MOMENTUM TRANSFER Relevant PIs: Prof. Harry van den Akker
BULK SOLIDS PROCESSING Relevant PIs: Dr Damien Thompson; Dr Jakki Cooney; Dr Maurice Collins; Prof. Mike Zaworotko; Professor Gavin Walker	HYBRID PROCESSING Relevant PIs: Dr Jakki Cooney; Dr Maurice Collins; Dr. Luis Padrela; Prof. Kevin Ryan

EXPLOITATION OF RESEARCH

Exploitation of results and UL IP policy

We aim to create a highly motivating and entrepreneurial research environment for the Fellows. The Programme will adhere to H2020 manual for IP and the Intellectual Property Policy of UL, which specifies principles and practices for determining and safeguarding the interests of inventor(s)/originator(s) of intellectual property; the University; and external organisations.

The UL Intellectual Property Policy (2015) focuses on developing a positive culture of discovery and enterprise aimed at generating tangible benefits for the University, its researchers and the community at large, and contributing to the national knowledge economy. UL and the Centres are committed to managing and commercialising Intellectual Property in a manner that ensures optimum benefit to society, the national economy and the University, and provides financial reward and recognition to Creators and the University.

IP will be monitored formally on a quarterly basis throughout the Fellows individual project by the supervisor, researcher, and the Technology Transfer Office.