Projects per year
Personal profile
Profile
Basu Saha is the Head and Director of Studies for Chemical Engineering at Lancaster University and an Associate Director of the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of Brunel London, and an External Examiner for the Chemical Engineering UG and Master's courses at Swansea University, the University of Bradford and the MSc Sustainable Energy Engineering PGT Programme at the University of Nottingham.
Before joining Lancaster University, he worked as a Professor of Chemical and Process Engineering at LSBU for over 10 years. He held various leadership roles, including Head of the Centre for Energy and the Environment Research, Founding Director of the Centre for Green Process Engineering, and Research Lead of the Applied Sciences Department at LSBU. Previously, he worked in the Chemical Engineering department of Loughborough University (as a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader in Chemical Engineering) for about 14 years. He was an External Examiner for the Chemical Engineering UG and Masters courses at the University of Hull and Canterbury University.
He was awarded a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Secondment with Syngenta Ltd in Huddersfield to study catalysis, kinetics, and chemical reaction engineering aspects for the industrially practised catalytic processes. He won a prestigious “Royal Society Brian Mercer Award” for developing an innovative epoxidation process technology. Recognised internationally, he held Visiting Professorships at the University of Barcelona, Spain; Saga University, Japan; and the University of Burgos, Spain, as well as an Adjunct Professorship at UCSI University, Malaysia. He maintains active research collaborations with Cairo University, The British University in Egypt, and Port Said University.
He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), a Fellow of The Institution of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), and a 2024/25 Bonington Leadership Fellow.
He has successfully trained 24 PhD students, 11 post-doctoral researchers, 1 MPhil student, and 6 visiting research students. He has examined 29 PhD theses from the UK and overseas institutions (e.g. Imperial College, University of Manchester, University of Sheffield, University of Newcastle, Queen’s University Belfast, Loughborough University, Swansea University, University of Bradford, University of Barcelona, Spain, University Politecnica de Catalunya-Barcelona TECH (UPC), Spain, IIT Bombay, India, etc.). He has published over 220 research articles (including peer-reviewed journal and conference papers), 7 book chapters, 1 authored/edited book, and is co-inventor of 7 patents [h-index of 42, with ~5,900 citations (Google Scholar)].
He has delivered about 100 invited and keynote lectures at national and international conferences, the House of Commons (UK Parliament), universities, research institutes, and industry. He has been invited as a member of the International Advisory and Scientific Committees of international conferences, Session Chair at national and international conferences, and a research grant reviewer of national (EPSRC Peer Review College and Engineering Panel member) and international funding bodies. He has co-organised sessions at national and international research events, conferences, and symposia.
He is an Editor of Green Processing and Synthesis Journal, an Advisory Board Member of Reaction Chemistry and Engineering Journal, an Editorial Board Member of Energies Journal, Reactions Journal, and Theoretical Foundations of Chemical Engineering Journal.
He is an active member of the IChemE Research Publications (Journals) Medals Committee, and a Committee Member of the IChemE Fluid Separations Special Interests Group (FSSIG) (2002 - present; Vice Chair of FSSIG from 2011 - 2022). As an IChemE Accreditation Assessor and member of the Education Subcommittee (EdSub), he is actively involved in the professional accreditation of Chemical Engineering degree programmes in the UK and overseas universities (2013 - present). He successfully led the IChemE accreditation process at Lancaster University in 2025, resulting in all Chemical Engineering programmes being awarded accreditation without conditions.
He has received many national and international awards (e.g. from The Royal Society, The Royal Academy of Engineering, British Council, IChemE, NRI Welfare Society, etc.) in recognition of his research excellence. He received a prestigious "Jewel of India Award" from the NRI Welfare Society of India in recognition of outstanding services and scholarly achievements in Chemical Engineering.
SUMMARY of research interests (100 words)
His research focuses on innovative greener and sustainable processes and renewable and sustainable energy solutions for which he has established an international reputation. His research team aims to tackle the climate change challenge and contribute to the net-zero emission target. His research involved developing hydrogen storage using bio-based LOHC (liquid organic hydrogen carriers) technology, microwave plasma for novel processing and gasification, waste-based bioenergy and value-added products through various systems including transesterification and supercritical methanolysis (biodiesel production), biomass conversion, pyrolysis (fuel oil) etc. Several research projects have been conducted in his research group in collaboration with various researchers and industries – e.g. sustainable aquaculture leading to marine opportunities; process intensification for synthesis of industrially important building blocks; conversion of CO2 to high-value chemicals using heterogeneous catalysis; synthesis and modification of porous boron nitride materials for application in carbon dioxide capture; sustainable waste valorisation; biomass valorisation and process integration; decarbonisation and process optimisation; oxidation stability enhancement of biodiesel by extracting biological antioxidants from lignin etc.
His research has been supported by UKRI STFC grant, the British Council UK – Egypt HE Partnerships for Climate Change Programme, Newton Fund Impact Scheme, Newton Institutional Links Fund, Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK), EPSRC CO2-Chem Network, EPSRC, the European Union, The Royal Society, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), GCRF (Co-I), The Royal Academy of Engineering, Commonwealth Scholarship, the Spanish, Nigerian, Malaysian and Pakistan Governments, Knowledge Transfer Collaboration and industry. He has successfully delivered a number of enterprise-related projects in collaboration with SMEs. He is a member of Supergen Bioenergy Hub, EPSRC-funded UK Catalysis Hub and CO2Chem Network.
Research Interests
- Greener and Sustainable Chemical Processes
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Solutions
- Hydrogen Storage by Bio-based Molecules
- Carbon-dioxide Capture and Utilisation
- Circular Chemical Economy
- Process Intensification
Current Teaching
ENGR 285 Reaction Engineering I
ENGR 302 Chemical Process Design Project – Module Convenor
ENGR 360 Advanced Process Transfers – Module Convenor
ENGR 490 Advanced Reaction Engineering (until 2024-2025)
ENGR 495 MEng Dissertation Project
ENGR 445 Industry-linked Group Projects
External positions
External Examiner, Swansea University
1/09/2024 → 31/08/2028
External Examiner, University of Bradford
1/12/2022 → 30/11/2026
Honorary Professor, Brunel University London
1/08/2021 → …
Adjunct Professor , UCSI University
1/01/2021 → …
Visiting Professor, London South Bank University
1/10/2020 → …
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
ETLAS-DAsE: Eco-Technologies, Landscape Adaptation and Sustainable Desert Futures in South Asia and Eastern Africa.
Sutton, D. (Principal Investigator) & Saha, B. (Co-Investigator)
1/09/24 → 31/08/26
Project: Research
-
Novel and efficient microwave plasma furnace for processing and syngas
Dexter, A. (Principal Investigator), Saha, B. (Co-Investigator) & Gupta, G. (Co-Investigator)
1/04/24 → 31/03/27
Project: Research
-
LUCULENT: Lancaster University and Cairo University partnership for cLimatE chaNge miTigation
Saha, B. (Principal Investigator)
1/04/22 → 31/05/26
Project: Research
-
Sustainability Institute’s Pump Priming Grant
Saha, B. (Principal Investigator)
17/04/23 → 31/07/23
Project: Research
-
Talent and Research Stabilisation Fund
Saha, B. (Principal Investigator)
1/02/23 → 31/03/23
Project: Research
Research output
-
Comparative Study of Greener Alkene Epoxidation Using a Polymer-Supported Mo(VI) Complex: Performance Evaluation and Optimisation via Response Surface Methodology
Bhuiyan, M. M. R. & Saha, B., 24/03/2025, In: Reactions. 6, 2, p. 1-19 19 p., 22.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Open AccessFile21 Downloads (Pure) -
From bamboo to biochar: a critical review of bamboo pyrolysis conditions and products with a focus on relevance to the developing world
Chambers, E., Hassall, M., Johnson, D., Mcgoran, C., Williams, O., Blair, A., Catlow, F. & Saha, B., 1/07/2025, In: RSC Sustainability. 7, p. 2712-2732Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Review article › peer-review
Open Access -
Marine Innovation for Climate Action: Decarbonisation & Sustainable Aquaculture
Saha, B., 25/10/2025.Research output: Contribution to conference - Without ISBN/ISSN › Speech
-
Scale-up applicator for microwave plasma gasification
Duong, L., Dexter, A., Wilkinson, M. & Saha, B., 9/06/2025, Proceedings of the 33rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE) 2025. EUBCE, p. 301 1 p. (33rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE) 2025; vol. 2025).Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSN › Conference contribution/Paper › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Sustainable Epoxidation of 1,5-Hexadiene in a Continuous Flow Reactor: Process Optimisation Using Response Surface Methodology
Bhuiyan, M. M. R., Cormack, P. & Saha, B., 24/04/2025, p. 1-2. 2 p.Research output: Contribution to conference - Without ISBN/ISSN › Abstract › peer-review
Open AccessFile32 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
-
External Examiner for the MSc Sustainable Energy Engineering PGT Programme at the University of Nottingham
Saha, B. (Examiner)
21/11/2025 → 20/11/2029Activity: Examination types › Examination
-
IChemE Partner Networking Event
Saha, B. (Participant)
20/11/2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Other
-
Recognised for Excellence: Finalist for the IChemE Global Awards 2025 in the Sustainability Category
Saha, B. (Participant)
20/11/2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Festival/Exhibition/Concert
-
IChemE Fellows’ Luncheon Event
Saha, B. (Participant)
20/11/2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Other
-
IChemE Fellowship Professional Applications Reviewer
Saha, B. (Advisor)
11/2025Activity: Expert Knowledge and Consultancy types › Expert Opinion
Prizes
-
Awarded an EPSRC grant (GR/S26576/01) for the ‘Young Academics Network for Chemical Engineering (YANCE)’, UK with colleagues of other UK Chemical Engineering departments
Saha, B. (Recipient), 2003
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
-
-
Finalist at the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) 2015 Global Awards in the “Dhirubhai Ambani Award for Outstanding Chemical Engineering Innovation for Resource-Poor People” category
Saha, B. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Finalist at the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) 2016 Global Awards in two categories – “Energy” and “Resource-poor Technology” Awards
Saha, B. (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)