Chemistry Researcher Honoured for PhD Thesis

Egyptian-born scientist Ahmed Elmekawy based at Huddersfield University has been presented with a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for an Outstanding Research Degree Thesis, which was approved without corrections – a rare distinction.

Supervised in his three-year project by Professor Rob Brown, Dr Elmekawy’s research aims to develop new types of solid catalyst for chemical processes. The materials he works on hold two types of catalytic centre – acidic and basic – a combination not possible with a single liquid catalyst.

“The project is aimed directly at reducing the environmental impact of the chemical syntheses that are currently used in industry,” explains Dr Elmekawy.

“Over decades, thousands of liquid phase chemical processes have been developed using liquid acid and liquid base catalysts. These catalysts are very active, but they result in a large amount of effluent as they are removed from the processes. Replacing them with solid catalysts would immediately reduce the amount of effluent generated.”

The challenge, continues Dr Elmekawy, is to develop solid catalysts that are viable alternatives to liquids, so that the chemical industry would be willing to adopt them. Another dimension to his research is the incorporation of chiral selectivity into bifunctional acid-base catalysts. This would be of major importance to the pharmaceutical industry.

With a BSc degree in Physical and Chemical Sciences gained at Tanta University, Egypt, Dr Elmekawy was head of a chemical department for a Saudi-based company before he decided to continue his studies in the UK – “which has the best education in the world”.

Dr Elmekawy now continues with post-doctoral work at the University, and his career goals include collaboration with industry in tandem with academic research. He has found the University of Huddersfield to be an ideal base.