Dr Krys Bangert

I have built a career spanning both industry and academia within the field of multidisciplinary engineering. I earned a first-class BSc in Engineering Design from Sheffield Hallam University, which included a Shell STEP placement with a UK-based packaging machinery manufacturer. This led to a final-year research collaboration using ANSYS FEA and thermal imaging to analyse prototype heat sealing systems—an experience that inspired my interest in applied research.

I was part of the inaugural cohort of the University of Sheffield’s E-Futures Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), where I explored a wide range of sustainable energy topics, including energy-from-waste, renewables, and materials for energy. The first year included three interdisciplinary research mini-projects with departments across the Faculty, followed by a PhD jointly supervised in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (MBB) and Chemical & Biological Engineering (CBE). My doctoral research focused on the modelling and optimisation of microalgal biodiesel production. This included photobioreactor design and multiphase flow simulation (COMSOL), the use of microbubbles for enhanced mass transfer, algal stress–lipid relationships (NMR, Nile Red), smart light-permissive coatings, FAME profiling (GC-MS), and the development of miniature reactor prototypes. During this time, I also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Skills and helped establish the Sheffield Algal Biotechnology Network.

Following my PhD, I worked in industry as a consultant engineer for thermal and combustion systems. My work focused on improving energy efficiency and waste heat recovery in industrial processes, and involved thermal analysis, CAD design, FEA/CFD simulation, and project management for major clients in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

In 2017, I returned to academia to join the University’s newly established Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE) as a Senior Teaching Technician and Laboratory Lead. I managed the department’s fluid engineering lab, delivering practical sessions using wind tunnels, hydraulic workbenches, and a 10m open-channel flume. The role allowed me to blend technical design with hands-on teaching and skills training at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

In 2022, I was promoted to Technical Team Lead for the Materials, Biological and Chemical Engineering (MBCE) theme within MEE. I now lead a team of five technical staff and oversee five specialist labs, including the Bio-Bacterial Lab, Bio-Tissue Lab, Materials Lab, Analytics Lab, and the Diamond Integrated Pilot Plant (DiPP). In addition to managing lab operations and supporting teaching delivery, I lead innovation in Extended Reality (XR) for MEE—developing immersive 3D content to enhance engineering education—and contribute to ongoing pedagogical research in practical learning design.

I support teaching activities within the Materials, Biological and Chemical Engineering (MBCE) theme of Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE). Including the design and development of bespoke experimental systems for teaching, often incorporating IoT, data acquisition, and integrated technologies. I also create interactive and immersive learning resources, including XR-based simulations, to enhance student engagement and understanding. Alongside my technical contributions, I lead pedagogical research in laboratory learning and collaborate with industrial partners such as Ansys and Siemens to align teaching provision with current and emerging engineering practice.