Kapish Gobindlal
Kapish has completed a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry.
This PhD will allow me to straddle the line between academia and industry, bridging the gap between high-quality research output and industrial application.
The industrial application of research
“I’ve always been concerned about the effect we humans have on the environment, especially in our treatment highly toxic waste.
“After completing my honours degree in 2013, I decided to work for a year in industry before starting my PhD. One year in industry quickly became six and I realised that there was a huge gap between the high-quality research output of institutions and the industrial implementation of those ideas.
A new treatment for waste
“Pursuing a PhD has allowed me to progress my fundamental understanding of an emerging sector in chemistry, with the goal of directly informing treatment processes for toxic pollutants.
“My area of research centres around developing a novel and scalable technology, known as high-energy ball milling, to effectively destroy toxic chemicals at a molecular level.
“This method is seen as a green solution for persistent pollutants as no hazardous by-products are generated by the process and there is no need for noxious solvents or large energy input. The process therefore provides a sustainable alternative to current industry practices.”