Special Sessions
Registration for Special Sessions will open closer to the conference date. A link will be sent to all registered delegates once it becomes available.
- AI in the Process Industries
- Chemical Recycling of Polymers
- EDI and Athena Swan
- Early Careers
- Chemical Engineering and Public Policy
AI in the Process Industries
This session will explore how cutting-edge AI is being introduced to the process industries, from micro-company to multinational. We will hear from Johnson Matthey, one of the world's leading green technology companies, who are rolling out AI at scale to make their processes more effective and more efficient, as well as from Innovate UK's BridgeAI scheme, which has helped many small and medium enterprises take their first steps toward AI adoption.They advise companies facing barriers to AI adoption and development.
Chemical Recycling of Polymers
Over 400 million tonnes of polymers are produced per year and to date only approximately 9 % have been recycled. Chemical recycling potentially offers a preferential route towards high-purity or value-added products as part of a circular economy. In this session we will:
- Discuss novel solutions to the plastics crisis via Chemical Recycling methods.
- Hear presentations based on novel research encompassing areas such as: glycolysis, pyrolysis and supercritical fluids.
- Review the role of catalysts in the chemical recycling process.
- Consider the way forward including future challenges, opportunities and process scale-up.
Abstracts are invited based on the above topics.
EDI and Athena Swan
The session
will consider Equality, Diversion and Inclusion in engineering, in particular
it will review:
- Progress made with regard to women, minority ethnic and LGBTQ+ engineers.
- How to apply for the next grade of Athena Swan Charter for Chemical Engineering Departments, with perspectives on 'How to get Gold' from University College London.
- Panel discussion considering challenges and opportunities for the future, in a changing global environment.
Early Careers
With the UN predicting global population to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, several global challenges arise in maintaining a more populated world. Chemical engineers will be at the forefront of solving some of these problems and, in particular, those who are currently in the early stages of their career. This informal, interactive session will discuss some of these key global issues from an early career's perspective, the major challenges faced at present, and some of the potential solutions. Our panel will introduce the area that they are working in and the challenges facing their industry. There will then be an opportunity to ask questions and have collaborative discussions with those in attendance.
Chemical Engineering and Public Policy
This session will introduce participants to the world of public policy and explore how engineers and scientists can play a crucial role in helping the government make better decisions. The session will consist of an introductory lecture followed by a roundtable discussion.
As part of the organisation of this conference, The University of Birmingham's Event Management Team is collecting income via registration fees and sponsorships on behalf of the University of Birmingham's School of Chemical Engineering.