By the Scottish Section

Gain insight into the latest research in the brewing and distilling industry at the CIBD Scottish section’s next event! Five PhD researchers from Heriot-Watt University, Queens University Belfast, and University of Nottingham will present their research, and there will be an opportunity to ask any questions at the end.

Read on to find out more about the PhD researchers and their research topics.

Speakers:

• Dr Nathan Skillen (Heriot-Watt University, Scotland): Artificial Photosynthesis: shining some light on the matter. Literally.

Dr Nathan Skillen is currently an Assistant Professor in Sustainability with a background in molecular biology (BSc Hons) and chemical engineering (PhD). Prior to joining Heriot-Watt, he worked at the University of Manchester and Queens University Belfast where he held a UKRI Supergen Bioenergy Hub Research Fellow and more recently was the Programme Director for PGT courses in Net Zero Engineering. His research focusses on artificial photosynthesis and emerging technology development for environmental remediation and energy production applications. He's also interested in the transition towards Net Zero and exploring the impact of sustainability within different communities.

• Padraig McDonagh (Atlantic Technology University, Ireland): Electroanalytical monitoring of photocatalytic processes: an overview and future opportunities.

Pádraig McDonagh is a PhD researcher at Atlantic Technological University focusing on the development of electroanalytical methods to monitor photocatalytic valorisation processes. Pádraig’s educational background includes a BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry and a MSc (Res) in Chemistry. His current research interests include analytical chemistry, photocatalysis and bioenergy.

• Shanine Smith (Heriot-Watt University, Scotland): Prediction of optimal strain pairs for co-fermentation under specific fermentation conditions using clustering algorithms and multidimensional experimental designs.

Shanine Smith Shanine is PhD student at the ICBD, based at Heriot-Watt University, where she aspires to support the Whisky industries sustainability goals, by focussing her research on Co-fermentation. She holds an undergraduate degree in Food Bioscience as well as a Master’s degree in Industrial Biotechnology and has previously worked in other Biotech disciplines, which has motivated her sustainable interests for the Food & Beverage industries.

• Todd Isbell (University of Nottingham, England): Traditional Norwegian Kveik: Novel Yeast Strains and Beer Fermentation

Todd Isbell is currently the Senior Brewing Technician at the University of Nottingham following a year of research with a dissertation detailing kveik stress tolerances and fermentation performance. He was a professional brewer in the United States for almost twenty years, is a graduate of the master brewer program at the University of California at Davis, was Technical Chair for the Master Brewers Association Carolinas District, and taught fermentation sciences as an adjunct for five years prior to moving to the United Kingdom.

• Take Hiura (Heriot-Watt University, Scotland): Identification of volatile compounds contributory to mango and tropical-type aroma in whisky

Take Hiura started his industry career at Mercian Corporation, now a wine section of the Kirin Group, after graduating with a Master's degree in Applied Chemistry. During his 20-year career at the two companies, he was involved in product development for whisky, wine, and RTDs as a blender. Since 2021, he has been researching the aroma components of whisky and the generation of the compounds at Heriot-Watt University. 

How to get there:

• Heriot-Watt Riccarton Campus is easily accessible from Edinburgh city centre by bus numbers 25 and 34. 

Why you should attend:

• Learn and ask questions on the latest research taking place in the sector
• Network and socialise with industry researchers and professionals
• Gain insight into the latest research carried out currently
  

How to attend:

• Attend in person (100 spaces): Attend in person: Current Research in Brewing and Distilling Tickets, Thu 20 Feb 2025 at 16:00 | Eventbrite
• Attend remotely (on Zoom): https://ibd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7iKFzrOCSf2BxMwqY6Ttpw 

-