Dr Paul Hellier is an Associate Professor and an engineer of future fuels and sustainable energy concepts for propulsion and power in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London. He held an EPSRC Research Fellowship entitled 'Design of advanced biofuels through optimisation of fuel molecular structure', which he was awarded following completion of his PhD thesis at UCL, a collaboration with BP Global Fuels. Paul graduated from Cardiff University with a 1st class MEng in Environmental Engineering, and has continued to consider holistically the impacts arising from the use of liquid and gaseous fuels as sustainable energy vectors. Paul and his group explore the potential for cleaner burning alternative fuels in the context of both fuel end use (combustion for the release of useful energy) and sustainable upstream production processes. His research interests include establishing links between the composition of renewable fuels and impacts on human health of toxic pollutants emitted in engine exhaust gases (in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency), combustion of advanced biofuels for heavy-duty transport and zero-carbon fuels for shipping, designer fuels from lignocellulosic biomass and micro-organisms with targeted structural reactivity, novel IC engine fuelling strategies, e.g. combustion of algal slurries, synergies between exhaust after-treatment systems and new renewable fuels, fundamental mechanisms and fuel effects on particulate formation during pyrolysis, and the production of advanced biofuels from waste biomass, for example spent coffee grounds and date pits.

His work includes collaborations with researchers from a range of disciplines and international institutions, and is supported by industry partners, UCL Grand Challenges and Public Engagement, the EPSRC and Innovate UK. He has published over 40 original research and invited review articles in leading fuels and combustion, and multidisciplinary, journals, and was awarded the 2015 Harold V Disney Prize for his paper on ‘The influence of biodiesel composition on compression ignition combustion and emissions' by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and “Outstanding Presentation Award for Young Researchers and Engineers" at the 2011 JSAE/SAE International Powertrains, Fuels & Lubricants Meeting, Kyoto, Japan. Paul is active in, and enjoys, engaging with a wide audience to communicate his research findings and has led schools outreach programmes, spoken at science festivals and invited lectures, and performed in immersive theatre and stand-up comedy.

Paul is currently accepting new PhD students, please write to him at p.hellier@ucl.ac.uk for opportunities in advanced biofuels, zero-carbon combustion and control of toxic emissions.