IChemE’s residency at CHEMUK 2025

IChemE’s goal is to help our members to engineer a sustainable world. To that end, we must show our members where and how they can use their skills to make a difference.

Our report, Engineering A Sustainable World – the Chemical Engineering Challenge, sets out which Sustainable Development Goals chemical engineers are best placed to help achieve. We identify the industry sectors, the enablers, and the cross-cutting issues that drive the change.

IChemE Mini-Conference

Our lineup of speakers at ChemUK 2025 will bring this vision to life, with examples of how chemical engineers are already shaping a sustainable future.

We will discuss some of the digital tools they are using to make this change, and how the training for chemical engineers needs to adapt to ensure we have the right skills to drive this change.

See below an overview of our two day programme at this year’s CHEMUK 2025

Next IChemE president’s keynote focuses on how to engineer a sustainable world

Keynote: Professor Raffaella Ocone OBE FRSE FREng FIChemE, Deputy President, Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)

IChemE’s Deputy President, Professor Raffaella Ocone, considers how chemical engineering will contribute solutions for a sustainable world, and highlights some of the themes of her upcoming year as president of IChemE.

Time & Date: Wednesday 21St May – 13.00 to 13.20, Stage 4

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IChemE CEO to speak at Education Roundtable

Speaker: Yvonne Baker OBE FIChemE, Chief Executive Officer of the Institution of Chemical Engineers

Yvonne Baker OBE FIChemE will be a key contributor to the roundtable on education taking place on Thursday 22nd May. The roundtable will consider ‘where is the UK now ? on supporting its science skills and science base requirements, to meet future ‘growth’ and ‘Net Zero Industrial transformation’ ambitions….’.

Time & Date: Thursday 22nd May – 12.00 to 13.00, Stage 2

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Day 1: Skills Session: The skills foundation

Speaker: Dr Kate Barclay OBE FIChemE

Building a strong foundation of skills and continuous education is key to driving innovation and sustainability in the chemical engineering industry. By nurturing new talent and fostering a culture of lifelong learning, we can empower engineers to tackle complex challenges and shape the future of global processes.

Time: Wednesday 21 May, 11-11:15

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Day 1: The AI Transformation

Rapidly evolving digital technologies, including AI, are transforming the process industries. IChemE will share some leading examples, with case studies from recent winners of the IChemE Awards and the Young Engineers Awards for Innovation and Sustainability.

  • Early Careers Contribution: EvoPhase HARPPP: AI-Driven Optimisation of Industrial Processes.
    • Speakers: Roberto Hart-Villamil (Modelling and Simulation Engineer, major defence contractor) and Andrei Leonard Nicusan (CTO and Founder of EvoPhase).
    • Time: Wednesday 21st May, 11:15 – 11:35

 

  • Industry Case study 1: Using AI to optimize fuels additives treatment.
    • Speaker: John Hung, Global Category Director for Operations Supply and Projects, BP.
    • Time: Wednesday 21 May, 11:35 – 11:55. The project was the winner of the Process Automation and Digitalisation Award at the 2024 IChemE Global Awards.

 

  • Industry Case study 2: Combining Deep Knowledge with AI in Advanced Process Operations
  • Speaker: Prof. Dr. Costas Pantelides FIChemE FREng, CTO, Siemens Process Automation Software
  • Time: Wednesday 21 May, 11:55 – 12:15

 

  • Digital Tools Roundtable Discussion: What is the potential for digital tools in the process industries? How might we use AI to monitor and help control processes? Can AI help in the creative process? Time: Wednesday 21 May, 12:15 – 13:00
    • John Hung, BP
    • Costas Pantelides, Siemens Process Automation Software
    • Andrei Leonard Nicusan, EvoPhase
    • Roberto Hart-Villamil, Major Defence Contractor

 

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Day 2: The Sustainability Challenge

The imperative to make production processes more efficient and sustainable is driving new innovation. IChemE’s case studies include a winner of the 2024 IChemE Awards and the Young Engineers Awards for Innovation and Sustainability.

  • Developing a future talent pool to engineer a sustainable world
    • Speakers: Jo Cox, Head of young people’s and student engagement & Ian Stewart, Senior regional engagement manager
    • Time: Thursday 22 May, 11 to 11.15
  • Early Careers Contribution: Recycling plastics that no one else can
    • Speaker: Brittany Emmett, Development Engineer with Plastic Energy
    • Time: Thursday 22 May, 11:15 to 11:35
  • Industry Case Study 1: Making carbon capture retrofits viable
    • Speaker: Dr James Hendry, Research Associate, Newcastle University.
    • Time: Thursday 22 May, 11:35-11:55. The project won both the Innovative Process and Industry Project Awards at the 2024 IChemE Global Awards
  • Policy Roundtable Discussion: The UK’s Industrial Strategy: With the industrial strategy expected soon, what do we most want to see in the finished document? What will be needed to make it a success? And how does this fit with our aspirations on sustainability?
    • Raffaella Ocone (Chair) – Professor of Chemical Engineering, Heriot-Watt University and Deputy President, Institution of Chemical Engineers
    • Lisa Craig – Director or Process, BakerHicks
    • Duncan Lugton – Head of Policy and Impact, Institution of Chemical Engineers
    • Gbemi Oluleye – Lecturer and Head of Market Interventions, Deep Decarbonisation Lab, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London.
  • Time: Thursday 22 May, 12:15 – 13:00
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Supercharge your career! Meet with the IChemE team on Stand C20

We are delighted to confirm the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) will be partnering the CHEMUK 2025 EXPO.

The IChemE team will also be on hand to speak with attendees and provide latest information regarding:

  • IChemE Professional Membership 
  • IChemE Accredited Training Courses