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faculty of engineering & the built environment
Professor Jack Fletcher
Head of Department - Director of the Centre for Catalysis
Research – Contract Director National Hydrogen Catalysis
Competence Centre (
Hy
SA/catalysis) - catalysis by
noble metals, zeolite catalysed conversion of phenol
and derivatives, wax hydrocracking, shape selectivity in
zeolites and molecular sieves, hydrogen processors and
fuel cells.
Professor Jean-Paul Franzidis
Director - Minerals to Metals Initiative, integrating and
expanding capacity in minerals beneficiation research.
Professor Duncan Fraser
Environmental and Process Systems Engineering –
synthesis of heat and mass exchange networks. Centre
for Research in Engineering Education - Student learning,
use of computer simulations, factors affecting student
success.
Honorary Senior Lecturer Martin Harris
Centre for Minerals Research – flotation, modelling,
simulation.
Adjunct Professor Peter Harris
Centre for Minerals Research - froth flotation.
Professor Sue Harrison
Director of the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering
Research – Fundamental studies in the interaction of micro-
organisms with the biochemical, thermal and hydrodynamic
environment. Microbial community dynamics in planktonic
and sessile environments. Biokinetics and metabolic
modelling of the biomass and bioproduct components,
applied to alkane biotechnology, human health products,
mineral bioleaching through heap and tank processes,
AMD prevention and remediation, algal bioprocesses
for bioenergy and fine chemicals. Bioprocesses for
sustainable process engineering.
Dr Adeniyi Isafiade
Environmental and Process Systems Engineering –
Process design and optimization.
Miss Linda Kotta
Academic Development Lecturer – Academic mentor;
Centre for Research in Engineering Education – student
learning and curriculum studies in engineering.
Professor Alison Emslie Lewis
Director of the Crystallization & Precipitation Research Unit
– Industrial Precipitation and Crystallization, product and
particle analysis; process control for optimised product
quality; crystallization process development; aqueous
chemistry modelling of speciation, thermodynamic
equilibria, hydrodynamic and population balance
modelling of precipitation systems; water treatment
through crystallization.
Dr Aubrey Mainza
Centre for Minerals Research – Comminution and
classification, PEPT, DEM, CFD.
Dr Sanet Minnaar
Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research - mineral
biotechnology, bioprocesses for pharmaceuticals.
Professor Klaus Möller
Process modelling and optimisation group – multiphase
reactor modelling, separator modelling, integrated
reaction – separation systems modelling, parameter
estimation, modular process and flowsheet feasibility
and optimisation. Centre for Catalysis Research – wax
hydrocracking modelling, FT process modelling.
Professor Cyril O’Connor
Director of the Centre for Minerals Research, flotation,
reagent evaluation, cell design. Centre for Catalysis
Research - heterogeneous catalyst and catalytic
processes, zeolites.
Dr Jochen Petersen
Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – Heap
bioleaching of low grade minerals, heap reactor modelling,
bio-oxidation kinetics, leaching hydrometallurgy.
Professor Jim Petrie
Honorary Professor UCT and Emeritus Professor University
of Sydney; environmental performance; technology
development; life cycle assessment and management
systems; waste management; site remediation and
recovery from waste.
Dr Randhir Rawatlal
Reactor Engineering with focus on modelling and
simulation. Mass transfer modelling in the activation
of alkanes, multiphase flow, population balances and
applications of segregation and compartment models in
flow reactors for minerals bio-leaching and polymerization
Dr Rob van Hille
Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research – mineral
biotechnology, algal biotechnology, microbial ecology,
carbon cycling, sulphide chemistry and bioremediation.
Professor Eric van Steen
Director Postgraduate Studies, Centre for Catalysis
Research - Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, catalysis by gold,
nano-materials, molecular modeling of heterogeneous
catalytic systems, reaction kinetics.
Associate Professor Harro von Blottnitz
Environmental and Process Systems Engineering
- environmental systems analysis using Life Cycle
Assessment, waste management.