Dr Krys Bangert

During my career I have had experience working in both industry and academia within the field of multi-disciplinary engineering. I obtained  my undergraduate degree in Engineering Design from  Sheffield Hallam University, which included working for one of the UK’s food/pharmaceutical packaging machine manufacturers for a year as a part of the Shell STEP program (http://www.step.org.uk/). This led to a final year collaboration with the company performing R&D on their prototype heat sealing systems using ANSYS FEA and thermal imaging. The experience whetted my appetite for research and eventually led to me becoming part of the first cohort of Students to enter the University of Sheffield’s E-Futures Doctoral Training Program (DTC) (http://e-futures.group.shef.ac.uk).

At the DTC, I studied many different areas relating to engineering, including; energy from waste, renewable energy, energy utilisation, conventional power generation, energy from waste and materials for energy. The first year of studies also featured three 2 month mini-projects collaborating with various departments; ‘Production of Optimised Metal Foams for Stirling Engine Regenerators’ (http://e-futures.group.shef.ac.uk/publications/pdf/43_14.%20Krys%20Bangert.pdf) with Dr Russell Goodall (https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/materials/staff/rgoodall#tab00) and Dr Robert Woolley (https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mecheng/staff/woolley), ‘Radiator heat transfer augmentation by changes to wall surface roughness and emissivity’ (http://e-futures.group.shef.ac.uk/publications/pdf/53_Krys%20Bangert.pdf) with Prof Stephen Beck (https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mecheng/staff/sbeck) and ‘Identifying and Characterising Microalgal Strains as Potential Sources of Biodiesel’ (http://e-futures.group.shef.ac.uk/publications/pdf/62_Krys%20Bangert%20algae.pdf) with Dr Jim Gilmour (https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mbb/staff/jimgilmour/jimgilmour#tab00).

I then progressed to 3 Years of interdisciplinary research based in the departments of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (MBB) and Chemical & Biological Engineering (CBE) studying ‘Photo-Bioreactor Modelling And Development Of Methods For The Optimisation Of Micro-algal Biodiesel Production' (http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/5570/). Working alongside three different research groups my studies encompassed a broad range of topics including; Photo-bioreactor geometry design and its impact on multiphase flow (w/CFD modelling - COMSOL), the effects of microbubbles generated by fluidic oscillation on algal growth and mass transfer (w/salinity modelling), special ‘smart skin’ coatings to aid in reactor light ingress, Algal stress factors and their relation to increased lipid production (w/Nile Red fluorescence, NMR), Algal biodiesel yield and FAME profiles (w/GC-MS) and the design/development of novel miniature prototype photo-bioreactor systems. During this time period the Sheffield Algal Biotechnology Sheffield Network (https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/algae) was also formed, which I was one of the original members(https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/algae/researchers/1.272098). In addition to my PhD I also completed a Post-Graduate Diploma (PGDip) in Professional Skills over the four years at the DTC.

Upon completion of my PhD I went into industry working for a consultancy specialising in hot process plant equipment, maximising energy saving, waste heat recovery and reducing the environmental impact of existing and new designs. As a part of the project team I performed thermal and combustion system calculations, 2D & 3D CAD design, flow/heat transfer simulation studies (FEA/CFD) and design project management, working routinely with large well known multinational companies in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

After a few years (2017), I decided to return to academia to pursue an opportunity to work in the University’s recently established department of Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE) as a Senior Teaching Technician / Laboratory Lead. During this period I ran the MEE’s fluid engineering laboratory and worked with the team to provide fluid flow experiments using equipment such as hydraulic workbenches, wind tunnel facilities and a 10m water flume channel. The job was a fantastic and unique mix of supporting and delivering practical teaching and skills training to undergraduate and postgraduate students, coupled with designing and building equipment.

In 2022, I gained promotion to become the Technical Team Leader (TTL) of the Materials, Biological and Chemical Engineering (MBCE) theme in MEE. Overseeing a team of 7 highly skilled technical members of staff, I am responsible for 5 laboratories in the department, including the; Bio-Bacterial Lab, Bio-Tissue Lab, Materials Lab, Analytics Lab and the Diamond Integrated Pilot Plant (DiPP). Alongside the day to day management of the theme, I also conduct pedagogical research and perform the role of MEE’s Extended Reality (XR) champion, which involves creating and designing 3D/XR content augment departmental teaching.