Dr Chalak Omar

I joined the University of Sheffield in 2012 to undertake a PhD in the Particle Product Group within the School of Materials, Chemical and Biological Engineering CMBE, specialising in particle science and powder technology with a focus on dry granulation. My PhD involved multiple industrial consultancy projects with companies including Nestlé, Alexanderwerk, and Hanchang Industries.

Following my PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral research associate in CMBE, where my research focused on roller compaction, powder flow characterisation, and process mapping, alongside further consultancy work with industry partners.

In 2018, I joined Multidisciplinary Engineering Education team when the Diamond Pilot Plant (DiPP) was launched. I am currently the academic lead for the Analytics and DiPP laboratories, responsible for the design, delivery, and assessment of practical activities. My role includes embedding the Programme Level Approach across practical teaching to ensure strong alignment between theory, practical skills, and learning outcomes.

My teaching approach emphasises Research led, open-ended, team-based practical activities, particularly within the DiPP, where students work on real-world engineering problems and take ownership of designing, executing, analysing, and reflecting on their experiments.