Overview

Join us for an evening where you will hear about the varied chemical engineering careers of four different speakers. Drawn from a range of experience levels and industries such as bioprocessing, cosmetics, consulting and H2 production, they will describe their careers so far and each give insights on topics linked to their experience so far. There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the presentations followed by an informal networking session with drinks and snacks.

This event is targeted towards both undergraduate and graduate students as well as chemical engineers in the early part of their career who would like to explore possible future career options.

The material presented has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the London and South East Coast Member Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Speaker

Vaughan Thomas

Dr Thomas has over 35 years’ experience in the biopharmaceutical sector both in operating companies and design houses. His knowledge covers all aspects of the biopharma industry, including monoclonal antibodies, therapeutic proteins, vaccines, cell and gene therapy, plasma processing, diagnostics, and medical devices, covering both laboratories and process facilities. As well as leading process design teams on major capital projects for Biogen, Lonza, Genentech, Centocor (J&J), and Eli Lilly, Vaughan has expertise in laboratory design, capacity analysis, contractor selection, operational improvements and scale-up of processes. Since 2016, he has been a Visiting Professor in the Department of Biochemical Engineering at UCL where he teaches on the Design Project and has assisted in the development of new courses in the Regenerative Medicine field. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked as a Technical Advisor for the Vaccines Taskforce.

Adrian La Porta

Adrian has over 35 years experience leading organisations and projects in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and broader process industries. He has led the technical development and design on complex projects in large and small molecule drug substance, cell/gene therapy, blood plasma, vaccines, sterile, oral, and inhaled drug product. Outside of Life Sciences he has contributed to projects in batteries, fibres, food, fine chemicals nuclear decommissioning and emerging sustainable technologies in energy and chemicals. He has been lead process engineer and technology manager, head of process engineering, project manager and latterly technology/technical director leading the process-technical function at Bryden Wood. He was a member of the UK government Vaccines Task Force. Interests include systems thinking applied to chemical engineering and projects, decarbonisation and sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Joseph Frewin

Joe is a Chemical Engineer working on technologies to reduce carbon emissions, currently scaling a novel biomass electrolysis process for green hydrogen at Ki Hydrogen, leading areas of process design, safety and pilot delivery. He previously worked on cyanobacterial carbon capture at a biotech startup, CyanoCapture, and began his career as a stimulation engineer in North Sea oil and gas. He holds a first-class BEng in Chemical Engineering from Swansea University and an MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London

Stamatina Mitrou

Stamatina is a Chemical Engineer with a PhD from UCL, where she specialised in the rheology of complex formulations, with a particular focus on oral care systems. Her doctoral research centred on understanding the structure–function relationships of soft materials, building a strong foundation in formulation science and product performance. She has developed a diverse background across academia and industry, with experience spanning research, consulting, and product development within the beauty and personal care space. Currently, she is an NPD Associate at Beauty Pie, a fast-growing London-based beauty scale-up. In this role, she contributes to the development and launch of innovative skincare and food supplement products, combining technical expertise with commercial awareness to deliver high-quality, accessible beauty solutions.

The material presented has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the London and South East Coast Member Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Some information you provide may be given to the venue for booking purposes.

Time

18:30 - 20:30 BST.