Postdoctoral Research Fellows

Dr Aysun Ipek Paksoy

Dr Paksoy is a strong research professional experienced with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. She is highly skilled in FTIR-DRIFTS, materials science, spectroscopy and catalytic reactor systems. Her track record includes a prestigious PhD fellowship award as well as publications in reputable peer reviewed journals such as Applied Catalysis B, International Journal of Chemical Kinetics, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy and Surface Science, on topics related to hydrogen energy and catalysis. Her research interests are focused on sustainability, carbon dioxide utilization and development of innovative materials/catalysts.

Dr Emre Kilic

Dr Emre KILIÇ is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Surrey. He received his PhD degree in 2016, from Izmir Institute of Technology, Turkey. He engaged some parts of his PhD studies during 6 months at Eindhoven University of Technology. Following his PhD, he joined Dr Degirmenci’s group (at School of Engineering, University of Warwick) for a collaborated project funded by Royal Academy of Engineering. After 6 years’ experience at Usak University as a Research Associate/Lecturer, he joined to University of Surrey. His research interests are focused on catalyst development for “Ammonia Oxidation”, “Hydrogenation” and “Biomass Conversion to Fuel Derivatives” reactions.

Dr Loukia Merkouri

Loukia Merkouri is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Surrey. She received her MEng in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Surrey with First Class Honours in 2020 and her PhD in 2024. During her degree, she did an industrial placement in Germany, working in an R&D department with catalysts in 2017-2018 and she was given the best placement student of the Chemical and Process Engineering department award in that academic year. Loukia also completed a summer internship at the University of Surrey in 2019, which was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Her research interests are focused on carbon dioxide recycling, and thus the development of innovative materials/catalysts, which will not only be able to capture carbon dioxide, but they will also convert it into valuable fuels and chemicals.

Doctoral Students

Ali Goksu

Ali Goksu is currently a PhD student at the University of Surrey. He obtained his master's in chemical engineering Department from Columbia University in NYC, USA. During his master’s degree he worked in Electro-Chemical lab on production of formic acid via Electrochemical reduction of CO2. Now, he is working on developing dual function materials (DFMs) that can capture carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the air and release it as a high-value fuel.

Silvia Parilla Lahoz (Research Assistant)Silvia Parrilla is a MSc student graduate in Chemical Engineering currently working as research assistant focused on carbon production at the University of Surrey. She received her MEng in chemical process engineering from University of Seville, Spain in 2019. At the end of her degree she did an Erasmus+ placement and one year of visitor research (2020/2021) at Surrey University acquiring expertise in synthesis, characterisation and testing of heterogeneous catalysts for energy related applications. Her research interests are focused on biofuel and high value chemical production from waste through different catalytic process, developing new methods and providing with new techniques to achieve circular economy system.

Silvia Parilla Lahoz

Silvia Parrilla is a PhD student in Chemical and Process Engineering currently focusing on carbon materials, and chemical production from plastic waste at the University of Surrey. She received he MSc in Process System Engineering from University of Surrey in 2021 with distinction and her MEng in Chemical Process Engineering from University of Seville, Spain in 2019. At the end of her degree, she did an Erasmus+ placement, one year of visitor research (2020/2021) and 6 months working as a research assistant at Surrey University acquiring expertise in synthesis, characterisation, and testing of heterogeneous catalysts for energy related applications. Her research interests are focused on biofuel and high value chemical production from waste through different catalytic processes, developing new methods and providing new techniques to achieve a circular economy system.

Soudabeh Bahrami

Soudabeh Bahrami Gharamaleki

Soudabeh Bahrami Gharamaleki is working on the investigation of Switchable DFMs' performance and stability  in carbon dioxide capture and conversion under realistic conditions (presence of impurities). Optimization of the process and DFMs' design are the other goals of this project.

Andong Yu

Andong Yu is a doctoral student at University of Surrey. He obtained his master's degree in Safety Science and Engineering from Nanjing Tech University in 2021. His research during his master's degree focused on the thermal runaway of chemical reactions. At present, he is in the joint doctoral program of University of Surrey and Nanjing Tech University. His current research interest is the catalytic methanation of carbon dioxide.

Angelos Konstantinos Bonis

Angelos is currently a PhD student at University of Surrey. He graduated from UCL in 2023 from MSc Global Management of Natural Resources with distinction and also received his MEng in Chemical and Process Engineering from University of Surrey in 2022. His research is focused on sustainability and CO2 utilisaton to methanol via hydrogenation and specifically the material challenges associated with it, such as kinetic limitations and poor stability. He aims to approach this challenge by designing a catalyst through exsolution that will promote the formation of methanol with improved efficiency and catalyst stability. 

Meshkat Dolat

Meshkat Dolat is a PhD student at the department of Chemical and Process Engineering, university of Surrey. He received his MSc in Advanced process Integration and design from the University of Manchester with Distinction in 2018. During his degree, his studies and research involved the process design and integration focusing on energy efficiency and emission reduction in oil and gas processing applying optimisation techniques. His research at the university of Surrey focuses on the development of a state-of-the-art CO2 direct air capture technology aided by computational modelling and optimisation techniques.

Joseph Ellwi

 
 
 

Alumni

Loukia-Pantzechroula (Angie) Merkouri (PhD, 2024) - “Switchable Dual Function Materials: A New Generation of CO2 Capture-Conversion

Rohit Murali (MEng, 2023) - “Designing a net zero Sussex Brewery”

Irene Constantinidou (MEng, 2023) - “Designing a net zero Sussex Brewery”

Kieran McDonagh (MEng, 2023) - “Optimising beer brewing as part of a carbon neutral and zero food waste future”

Keshav Chudasama (MEng, 2023) - “Engineering catalysts for CO2 utilisation”

Adiva Peters (MEng, 2023) - “Engineering catalysts for CO2 utilisation”

Gul Hameed (MSc, 2023) - Research Assistant for the project “Designing tandem nanoreactor catalysts to convert carbon dioxide to olefins”

Francesco Barbata (MSc, 2022) - “Closing the carbon cycle: Technoeconomic analysis for emerging CCU technologies”

Jerin Jacob (MEng, 2022) - “Direct synthesis of Acetic Acid & SNG via the use of switchable catalysis from flared natural gas: A technoeconomic evaluation”

Jayson Mathew (MEng, 2022) - “The utilisation of switchable catalysis for methanol and synthetic natural gas synthesis: A techno-economic investigation”

Mbinaye Kauta (MEng, 2022) - “Techno-economic assessment of catalytic hydrothermal carbonization”

Stephen Mahebadevan (MEng, 2022) - “Technoeconomic assessment of catalytic pyrolysis”

Joseph Ellwi (MEng, 2022) - “Removing Nanoplastics from Marine Environments by Combining Coprecipitation with Electrochemical Carbon Capture”

Anas Moaz (MEng, 2022) - “Feasibility of Utilising the Fluor Pilot Plant for Large-scale Micro/Nano Plastic Removal from Water Using a Co-precipitation Method”

Iaroslav Bobrov (MEng, 2022) - “Optimising an integrated carbon dioxide capture and utilisation unit with respect to economic objectives”

Ken Paulo (MEng, 2022)- “A computational study on the use of superstructure optimisation to assess the environmental feasibility of a carbon capture plant utilising DFMs”

Ghafoor Hussain (MSc, 2021) - “Numerical Modelling of carbon dioxide capture and in situ conversion to methane on Dual-Functional Materials using Python”

Om Sabnis (Research Assistant, 2021) - “Feasibility of configuring the Fluor Pilot Plant as a novel water purification plant to remove micro/nanoplastics as part of the ENG3190 module

Hasnain Ali (MEng 2021) - “Technoeconomic analysis of the viability of upgrading syngas produced from biogas using the DRM process into ‘value-added’ downstream products such as acetic acid”

Kojo Asamoah (MEng 2021) - “Transformative approach for a carbon neutral future by utilising economically optimised DFM to initiate a small-scale methane production reactor design”

Huseyin Ahmet (MEng 2021) - “The Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Ether (DME) from Syngas via Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM): A Techno-economic Investigation”

Stephen Barker (MEng 2021) - “Applicability and Efficacy of Sustainability Assessment Methods in Simulators as Applied To A Saline Plant”

Abubakar Inusa (MEng 2021) - “Development of an operator training platform for the Surrey Fluor Pilot Plant”

Christopher Jensen (MSc 2020) - “Thermodynamic Analysis of Dry Reforming of Methane for Valorization of Landfill Gas and Natural Gas”

Matthew Bown (MEng 2020) - “Molybdenum Phosphide as a catalyst for the reverse water gas shift reaction”

Miriam Joyce (MEng 2020) - “Nickel Phosphide as a catalyst for the reverse water gas shift reaction”