ProfessorDaniel Holland

I studied at the University of Canterbury (UC) in chemical and process engineering as an undergraduate. I then went overseas to complete a PhD at the University of Cambridge, including a semester at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following my PhD, I remained at the University of Cambridge, first as a postdoctoral researcher and then as a lecturer. I returned to UC in 2015 to raise my family here in New Zealand.

My research focuses on understanding the fundamental behaviour of chemical processes using advanced experimental techniques. Chemical and process engineering often depends on simplified models and heuristic equations to design processes whether for the production of fine chemicals (such as pharmaceuticals) or bulk chemicals (such as fertilisers). While these methods work well for established technologies, they are not always optimal for new manufacturing routes or innovative process designs. As we move to developing new, sustainable chemical and process engineering systems, it is important we develop a deeper understanding of what's going on inside the systems. This is where my research contributes.

Despite a strong interest in fundamental understanding, my research also has strong connections with industry. I have worked with a variety of companies around the world, ranging from major chemical companies, such as BASF, to IT companies like Microsoft Research.

Current research interests include:

• the development of novel structures that exploit additive manufacturing (3D printing) technology to design the next generation of sustainable process engineering systems.
• using machine learning to help elucidate the composition of chemical mixtures, especially for the analysis of illicit drugs.