History of Houldsworth School at the University of Leeds as produced for its 2006 Centenary celebrations

1. School of Process,
Environmental &
Materials Engineering
Commemorative Brochure
Celebrating
100 1906 2006
Years

2. Front cover illustration painted by James McKay
This brochure has been compiled by the SPEME
Centenary Committee:
Gordon Andrews
Andrew Bell
Chris Hammond
Kirn Jutlla
Simon Lawson
Karen Innis
James McKay
Kevin Roberts
Judith Squires
James Young
Published by Leeds University Press,
University of Leeds,
Leeds,
LS2 9JT, UK
© School of Process, Environmental and Materials
Engineering 2006
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced without prior consent.
ISBN 9 780 85316 255 1
Celebrating
100 1906 2006
Years

3. 3
Celebrating
Commemorative Brochure
100 1906 2006
Years
The School of Process, Environmental and Materials
Engineering (SPEME) has come a long way in the last
100 years and is now one of the largest integrated
multidisciplinary engineering schools in Europe.
So, to mark our centenary, we have compiled this short
commemorative brochure which looks back over our
history and then moves forward to the future.
We may be more familiar to you as the Energy Resources Research Institute
Houldsworth School of Applied Science, or (ERRI), the Institute for Materials Research
you may go back even further to the (IMR) and the Institute of Particle Science
Department of Coal Gas and Fuel & Engineering (IPSE). We are also involved
Industries (with Metallurgy). Whatever your in multi-disciplinary and collaborative
experience we hope you enjoy reading this teaching and research; the Centre for
brochure. Computational Fluid Dynamics and the
Particles Centre of Industrial Collaboration
Before we start our historical tour it is (ParticlesCIC) also sit within the School as
useful to take a few moments to describe multidisciplinary centres.
the key features of the School today.
Housed in the Houldsworth Building the In the last Government Research
School forms part of the Engineering Assessment Exercise (RAE) staff in the
IN THE LAST
quadrant of the University campus. With a
wide range of undergraduate degrees and
School achieved one of the highest ratings
of 5, confirming our status as one of the
“ GOVERNMENT
taught masters and research degree leading international centres for integrated RESEARCH
programmes, world class research from process, environmental and materials ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
three research institutes, plus extensive engineering. Our three world-leading (RAE) STAFF IN THE
industrially-targeted short courses, this is research institutes generate a substantial
SCHOOL ACHIEVED
truly a place where cutting-edge research proportion of the University’s research
ONE OF THE HIGHEST
brings the frontiers of science to generated income by forging strong, long-
undergraduate and postgraduate students term collaborative links with both national RATINGS OF 5,
and to scientific communities and industry and multinational blue chip corporations CONFIRMING OUR
through our publications and knowledge and other funding bodies. STATUS AS ONE OF THE
transfer activities. LEADING
This excellence in research, and our strong INTERNATIONAL
Our activities cover the broad disciplines links with industry, ensures that our courses
CENTRES FOR
of aviation, energy and environment, are relevant, topical and of high quality,
materials science and process engineering enabling our graduates to embark on
INTEGRATED PROCESS,
with our research organised in three enhanced career paths within organisations ENVIRONMENT AND
world-leading research institutes: the all around the world. MATERIALS
ENGINEERING.

4. 4
Our heritage – Looking back, the first 50 years
The roots of our pedigree go back a long way, and in
fact pre-date 1906, as we have links to the founding
of the Yorkshire College of Science in 1874. However,
it is from 1906, and the formation of the Department
of Coal Gas and Fuel Industries (with Metallurgy), that
we really mark our creation.
This new department was created as a expansion of the Department. During
direct result of the proposal by the this time HJ Hodsman was also
Professor of Mining, GR Thomson, that appointed as lecturer, becoming a long-
the teaching of fuel and metallurgy serving and much appreciated member of
should be added to that of mining, and staff who is commemorated by a plaque
was strongly supported by the Professor in the School foyer. Other early members
of Chemistry, A Smithells. The of staff were HS Houldsworth who was
Department was housed in a new appointed in 1917 (more about
building to the rear of Colour Chemistry Houldsworth later) and GB Howarth
on the University campus (now the who left a legacy to the department, the
W A Bone: First Professor
Estates Office Building) where it income from which is still used as a
remained until 1958. The Department hardship fund for students in ERRI.
was highly innovative and modelled on AL Roberts was appointed in 1928 and
the German Schools of Applied Science, became the fourth Livesey Professor in
with an emphasis on achieving enhanced 1946.
practical engineering excellence.
In 1910, the fledgling department was
“ THE DEPARTMENT
WAS HIGHLY endowed by the Institution of Gas
Engineers with a Professorship in
INNOVATIVE AND
memory of Sir George Livesey, past
MODELLED ON THE
President of the Institute. WA Bone, who
GERMAN SCHOOLS
became the first Livesey Professor, left
OF APPLIED SCIENCE,
Leeds in 1912 to found the new
WITH AN EMPHASIS Department of Chemical Engineering at
ON ACHIEVING Imperial.
ENHANCED
PRACTICAL Bone’s replacement as Livesey Chair and
ENGINEERING Head of Department, JW Cobb, was then
A L Roberts
EXCELLENCE instrumental in the subsequent rapid

5. 5
Celebrating
100 1906 2006
Years
A L Roberts
Chemical Engineering, a core activity
within SPEME, had evolved into a
nationally strategic discipline during the
early part of the twentieth century, but it
was not until 1942 that the first Chemical
Engineering degree course was developed,
during the tenure of the third Livesey
Professor DTA Townend. Strong practical
support for this came from the Institution
of Gas Engineers, the National Gas
Council, the British Commercial Gas
Association and Dr Charles Ratcliffe
Brotherton (the nephew of Lord
Brotherton). Lord Brotherton, the chemical
company owner, provided substantial
endowments to the University, notably the
Brotherton Library and collection.
The creation of a Chemical Engineering
degree had been recommended by a
sub-committee of the Livesey Advisory
Committee set up in 1941 to consider
alterations to the degree structure. In
addition to Chemical Engineering, the
committee recommended degrees in:
Gas Engineering, Metallurgy, and Fuel
Science. In 1946 the Charles Brotherton
Chemical Engineering Laboratory was
opened marking the launch of the new
Chemical Engineering degree.

6. 6
IN 1955 CONSTRUCTION
“ BEGAN ON WHAT WAS TO
BECOME THE
HOULDSWORTH BUILDING
OF TODAY – WITH A TOTAL
BUILD COST OF £900,000, IT
ALSO INVOLVED THE
DEMOLITION OF TWO PUBS!

7. 7
Celebrating
100 1906 2006
Years
In 1944, due to the growth in staff
numbers (nine academic staff and six
research staff) and the expansion of
undergraduate provision, the Department
was split into three divisions: Gas and
Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy and
Ceramics and Refractory Materials.
A separate degree in Ceramics was
established in 1950, the first of its kind
in the UK.
In 1944 Dr Brotherton endowed the
Brotherton lectureship and research
assistantship in chemical engineering and
donated £55,000 for the erection of a
new building, which was the genesis of
the Houldsworth building.
With ever increasing numbers of staff
and students, the original Victorian
Terraces and other buildings had proved
insufficient, and the need for newer,
more commodious accommodation
became increasingly self-evident.
In 1955, using the Brotherton donation
along with other funds from HEFCE and
industry, construction began on what was
to become the Houldsworth Building of
today – with a total build cost of
£900,000, it also involved the demolition
of two pubs!

8. 8
Moving on – The later years, 50 to 100 years
In 1956 and before the new building
was completed, the Houldsworth School
of Applied Science was founded.
The building commemorates Sir Hubert
Houldsworth who was first appointed to
the staff of the University in 1917, was
the first Chairman of the National Coal
Board in 1947, and served the
University as Pro-chancellor from 1949
to 1956.
The aim of the School’s foundation was to in a different physical location until 1997.
establish departments for each disciplinary
constituent, each with their own Professor. All of these structural changes, along with
AL Roberts became the first Head of the changes in name, curriculum, and research
Department of Gas Engineering and activities were made as a direct response to
General Fuel Science. The Department of the changing societal and industrial
Metallurgy was instituted immediately environment, a forward-looking core
with Norman Petch as its first Professor tradition that continues today.
and Head. Chemical Engineering followed
in 1958, with its first Brotherton Professor Control, organisation and strategic
and Head, Geoffrey Haselden, being direction of the School was through
appointed in 1966. committee, with AL Roberts as its first
chairman. The practical work of allocating
Ceramics remained a part of Gas lecture theatres, negotiating with Estates
Engineering and Fuel Science until 1965 and the day-to-day running of the school
when it became a department with Pat fell to one man, Alan Pollard ‘Mr
Roberts as its first Professor. He was Houldsworth School’, never seen without
succeeded in 1974 by Richard Brook. his pipe!
In 1964 the Department of Mining was re- In 1971, on Professor Roberts’ retirement,
Richard Brook:
Professor of Ceramics 1974 organised as the Department of Applied Gas Engineering and General Fuel Science
Mineral Sciences and shortly after (under became the Department of Fuel and
its Head Professor HJ King) elected to Combustion Science, with the new Livesey
become a fifth Department within the Professor Alan Williams as its first Head
Houldsworth School, although it remained of Department.

9. 9
Sir Hubert
Houldsworth
“ THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE
OF THE SCHOOL’S
FOUNDATION WAS TO
ESTABLISH
DEPARTMENTS FOR The ‘cafe’
EACH DISCIPLINARY
CONSTITUENT, EACH
WITH THEIR OWN
PROFESSOR.
Alan Pollard

10. 10
IN 1968 AND 1972 THE FIRST
“ MSC COURSES WERE
LAUNCHED IN COMBUSTION
AND ENERGY (JOINT WITH
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
AND CHEMISTRY) AND IN
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
CONTROL (THE FIRST SUCH
DEGREE IN THE WORLD)
Final year students measuring the creep of refractories at high temperature
In 1968 the first MSc courses were Environment and in Fire Engineering.
launched in Combustion and Energy
(joint with Mechanical Engineering and In 1997, as part of a general trend of
Chemistry) and in Environmental universities throughout the UK towards
Pollution Control (the first such degree in having a smaller number of larger schools
the World). These MSc developments of study, the four remaining Houldsworth
were very successful and have been joined departments were combined, under the
by a wide variety of other MSc courses leadership of Professor PA Dowd, the
spanning all of our main research areas. Professor of Mining Engineering, into a
single School of Process, Environmental
Chemical Engineering prospered and and Materials Engineering (SPEME) and
grew through the 60s and 70s expanding co-located within the Houldsworth
its research into the new areas of building. This, together with substantial
computational process systems university investments in the new school,
engineering via the appointments during led to the appointments of Richard
this time of Colin McGreavy and John Williams as Professor of Mineral and
Pilot Plant 1955 Flower. In 1964 the department became Process Engineering in 1999 and Kevin
the first to purchase its own research Roberts as the second Brotherton
computer, an analogue Solartron 24 Professor of Chemical Engineering in
costing £326,000 with the computational 2001. Through this, activities and synergy
capabilities of a modern desk-top between minerals and chemical
calculator and, later in 1967, its first engineering (previously in separate
digital computer a 16K IBM 1130. buildings) were brought together for the
Professor McGreavy became head in first time. Substantial endowment from
1977, leading the department through the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd in the emerging
next two decades with strong student area of particle technology followed,
recruitment into the department. leading to the subsequent appointments
of Mojtaba Ghadiri and Simon Biggs to
There were many changes in name among additional chairs in the School.
the five Departments up to the late
1990s. Fuel and Combustion became Fuel Due to the modular approach to degree
and Energy, Applied Mineral Science programmes already established by the
became Mining and Mineral Engineering University, a wide range of both single
and the Departments of Metallurgy and discipline and increasingly
Ceramics amalgamated to form the interdisciplinary degree courses could be
School of Materials with Dr Geoffrey offered. The flexibility of degree
Pollard as its first Head. Throughout this programme construction meant that the
period the University grew rapidly with School and University could be more
New IBM 1130 the Houldsworth School contributing to responsive to market demand (student
Computer this with new degrees in Energy and the and industry) with wider options of study

11. 11
Celebrating
Fuel science teaching laboratory
100 1906 2006
Years
available than could be provided in a the frontiers of scientific discovery.
fixed programme regime. From the Indeed, research activity influenced by
establishment of a single department in industrial collaboration with real world
1906 which expanded to teach several commercial considerations reiterated this
disciplines, to the evolution of separate requirement.
defined departments we have now come
full circle to a unified and versatile So, alongside the fusing of the old
School. separate departments into one
interdisciplinary School for teaching came
In 2003, under Professor Mohammed the creation of three new interdisciplinary
Pourkashanian as the new Head of research institutes: the Energy and
SPEME, teaching in the School was Resources Research Institute; the Institute
re-organised into three broad discipline for Materials Research; the Institute of
areas; Aviation, Materials and Process Particle Science and Engineering.
Engineering. The materials programme is Research within the Houldsworth School
largely a continuation of the materials had always been strong and of world-
programme of the School of Materials, class standard, and with the creation of
but the re-organisation of the the three new Institutes, this tradition of
programmes in Fuel and Energy, excellence and industrial involvement
Chemical Engineering and Mining and became even stronger, drawing on the The Duchess of Kent
Mineral Engineering into Process considerable international renown and visits the Brotherton
laboratory
Engineering was much more radical, expertise of the academic members.
designed to facilitate efficiency in delivery
and to enhance interdisciplinary teaching.
The Aviation degree, the first of its kind,
was introduced in 2003 and is one of the
most successful undergraduate
programmes in the University. It was
Peter Dowd’s enthusiasm that helped the
degree to evolve into a practical degree
with flying instruction, very much the key
to its popularity with students.
With the disappearance of separate
departments, separate discipline research
also came to an end. This was necessary
to take advantage of the benefits of a
multidisciplinary approach demanded by
the research that was being undertaken at Graduation

12. 12
Today and into the future – 2006 and beyond
In 2006 the School is financially sound, The Energy & Resources Research
total student numbers are healthy and Institute (ERRI)
Under the direction of Professor Paul Williams, ERRI maintains
research income is at an all time high and
a thriving cutting-edge research culture, supported by state-of-
represents a major proportion of the Faculty the-art research facilities, which provides a vibrant research
of Engineering income. The outlook for the environment. The ERRI team comprises six Professors, four
Readers, three Senior Lecturers and two Lecturers with 25
next 100 years is looking great... Post-doctoral Fellows and 40 PhD students.
Education The group is well established and internationally recognised.
The modular nature of our teaching has ensured that common There are five main research areas within the Institute:
subjects between the programmes in Aviation, Materials and • Combustion, flames, fire and explosion;
Process Engineering teaching can be used across the school • Advanced energy engineering;
providing efficiencies in the delivery of teaching. • Environmental pollution control, monitoring and modelling;
• Renewable energy systems and future fuels;
The advent of Aviation Technology degrees has resulted in a • Sustainable management of resources.
number of changes to the curriculum available within the
School as well as giving us new aircraft simulator facilities. Our vision is: To be recognised for internationally leading
These state-of-the art facilities are providing students with an research in the sustainable development of natural resources,
exciting new range of projects which are taken as a part of the sustainable use of fossil fuels and the development of
these courses. renewable and future fuels.
Materials teaching has also undergone significant change both Our strategy includes measures to increase our international
in programmes and modules as a result of changing student links through visits and hosting researchers so that existing
demand. Traditional programmes in Materials and Metallurgy collaborations will be strengthened and new international links
have been replaced with a general Materials Science and fostered. Research grant funding will be used to support the
Engineering degree having variants in Sports Materials and development of our research equipment infrastructure. The
Biomaterials. Recent improvements have included a change to range of research reactors and equipment, advanced analytical
more problem-based learning within modules and an increased and diagnostic instruments that we build and expand will
emphasis on practical skills. vastly improve the physical infrastructure for our research and
contributes to our aim to be a world-class centre for research in
Within Process Engineering, there is now a largely common energy and resources.
first three semesters and the individual character of the
constituent subjects starts to develop in the latter half of the Energy and resource management is a major strategic research
second year. The third and fourth years are then spent mostly area for the UK, requiring integration and collaboration
on specific material of relevance to the degree course chosen by between the different science areas as well as recognition of the
each student. associated socio-economic and cultural changes that will ensue.
Postgraduate provision is also developing and, as is the case We are leading interdisciplinary research via the University of
with undergraduate provision, is reflecting changing trends, Leeds Interdisciplinary Institute in Earth, Energy &
demands and a changing landscape. New and innovative Environment. The Institute actively promotes knowledge
approaches to teaching and learning and developments to transfer to industry and other stakeholders with more than 20
enhance the student experience are at the heart of our thinking. industrially focused short courses, an activity which the

13. 13
SPEME senior management team 2006
Institute plans to sustain and strengthen in the photonics and sensors;
future. The Institute combines expertise in the • Metallurgy – steel, non-equilibrium processing;
areas of environmental impact, socio-economics • Characterization and modelling – electron
and public perception with the traditional areas of microscopy and spectroscopy, ab initio and
engineering and physical sciences. thermodynamic modelling.
Such cross-university collaboration will be Our vision is: To undertake internationally
enhanced by the award of six Research Council leading research and postgraduate training in
UK (Roberts) Fellowships to the University of selected fields within materials science &
Leeds to create a frontline interdisciplinary engineering, serving the future needs of industry
research programme in the strategic area of and society.
Future Energy Scenarios. Six priority areas for the
recruitment of high quality Fellows have been The development of new areas related to the key
identified: carbon capture; CO2 sequestration & interdisciplinary themes of energy, the
utilization; biofuels, transport, engine efficiency, environment and health is high on our agenda
emissions and health; carbon abatement and clean and already new work in environmentally-
fuel technologies; public awareness, infrastructure, friendly extractive metallurgy, smart materials for
and uptake of low carbon culture; the role of low-carbon aviation and nano-biomaterials is
multinational enterprises in the migration to clean making an international impact.
future energies.
Our research is supported by a range of sponsors.
The Institute for Materials EPSRC awards include two prestigious Platform
Research (IMR) Grants and a Basic Technologies programme.
Under the direction of Professor Andrew Bell, However, an increasing percentage of work is
IMR aims to undertake applications-driven industry funded, either directly or through DTI
research on a distinctive range of engineering consortia; interaction through Knowledge
materials, strongly supported by research into Transfer Partnerships is also proving to be a
microstructural and nanochemical particularly effective method for influencing
characterization techniques. It embraces all industrial practice.
approaches to materials science & engineering,
IMR UNDERTAKE
from fundamental studies and modelling through The currency of our research is witnessed by the “ INTERNATIONALLY
to device fabrication, underpinned by the classical number of funded research collaborations, for
process-structure-properties paradigm. example through international programmes with LEADING RESEARCH
the US, Germany, India, China and Singapore, or AND POSTGRADUATE
The IMR team comprises five Professors, two in leading the 80 member UK Ferroelectrics TRAINING IN
Readers, two Senior Lecturers, two Senior Network. On average we welcome six SELECTED FIELDS
Research Fellows and three Experimental Officers international visitors a year who spend between WITHIN MATERIALS
with over 20 Post-doctoral Fellows and 25 PhD one and 12 months in the Institute to carry out
SCIENCE &
students. collaborative research activities.
ENGINEERING,
Research activities cover three main established The Institute has benefited from substantial SERVING THE FUTURE
areas: infrastructure investment over recent years, not NEEDS OF INDUSTRY
• Functional materials – carbon, ferroelectrics, only to establish a pleasant, modern environment AND SOCIETY.

14. 14
“ IPSE HAS AN INTERNATIONAL
REPUTATION FOR ACADEMIC
EXCELLENCE, SUPPORTED BY
A LARGE TEAM OF WORLD-
RENOWNED STAFF AND
SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL
SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP.
for our researchers, but to provide unique, world Engineering, and has expanded rapidly in
leading facilities particularly in electron Pharmaceutical Chemical Engineering and the
microscopy, laser processing of materials, crystal emerging area of Nano-Manufacturing,
growth, mesophase carbon processing and rapid addressing the following general themes:
solidification of alloys. The Institute is also one of • Colloid and Interfacial Engineering;
the founding partners in the SuperSTEM • Multiscale and Systems Modelling;
collaboration, a unique, aberration corrected • Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemicals Processing;
transmission electron microscopy facility based at • Mineral and Waste Processing;
the Daresbury Laboratories, with chemical • Powder and Formulation Engineering;
characterisation capabilities of spatial resolution • In-Process Measurement and Control of Process
approaching 1Å. Systems.
The Institute of Particle Science Research is strategically focused on three main
and Engineering (IPSE) technological domain areas: health and
Under the direction of Professor Mojtaba Ghadiri, pharmaceuticals; household and personal
IPSE has developed an international reputation for products; nuclear waste processing. Our industrial
academic excellence, supported by a large team of links are co-ordinated by three managers. The
world-renowned staff and significant industrial dynamic nature of our research is demonstrated
support and sponsorship. by the formation of eight spin-out companies,
together with the operation of a number of large
The IPSE team comprises six Professors, two research consortia with strong participation from
Readers, two Senior Lecturers and three Lecturers, over 29 industrial organizations as well as 13
with 30 Post-doctoral Fellows, and 60 PhD academic institutions worldwide.
students.
Approximately half of the Institute staff are
Research activities address the fundamental Visiting Professors to International universities
engineering science of particulate, multiphase and and IPSE itself has a large group of 24 Visiting
structured materials systems, together with their Professors. These are strategically appointed to
direct impact on modern societal need. We have a reinforce our international links and to provide an
group of about ten international visitors whose advisory contribution in emerging research areas.
work is targeted towards a number of key
industrial sectors with our primary methodologies As we move forward we will further enhance
being based on our unique breadth of expertise in our current capabilities in molecular engineering,
measurement, modelling and manufacture. nanotechnology and process analytical
technologies. This will be achieved via the
Our vision is: To be the world-leading centre in recruitment of senior academics through
particle science and engineering, and to be industrially-sponsored chairs. A number of our
recognised as such by our students and research seeding activities have been very successful and
sponsors while achieving sustainable growth in have already had technological and scholarly
order to address future societal needs. impacts, namely nanofluids, electroacoustic
tomography, and statistical methods applied to
IPSE is based on the traditional disciplines of process analytic techniques and sensor data
Chemical Engineering and Mineral Process processing.

15. And finally
As we celebrate our centenary, we reflect on past
characters, their achievements, and their legacies.
We can understand the changing circumstances of the
world in which they and the various evolutionary stages
of the constituents of SPEME found themselves.
The strategies which evolved and decisions which were Through our establishment of responsive undergraduate
made, inform and influence our present circumstances. and postgraduate degree programmes, we are in a
Underpinned by a tradition of excellence and world prime position to meet the needs of the higher
class academic achievement, we find ourselves in a education market place, endowing our graduates with
strong position to push forward the frontiers of science transferable skills which contemporary industry and
and engineering. business demands.
Significant research and teaching links with industry Our three world-class research institutes continue the
have been a key part of our history and of our current tradition of their predecessors in developing new
research and teaching. It was most unusual 100 years technologies, enabling new products, and reaching for
ago for universities to have such strong industrial links, new horizons. With industrial involvement and
but this has been a recurrent feature in many disciplines collaboration at levels envied by others, our future looks
at the University of Leeds, and the Houldsworth School bright and full of opportunity.
(now SPEME) led the way.
Celebrating
100 1906 2006
Years

16. Celebrating
100 1906 2006
Years
The School of Process, Environmental
and Materials Engineering
University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
t +44 (0)113 343 2444
ISBN: 9 780 85316 255 1 w www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/speme