I studied engineering then chemical engineering as an undergraduate at Cambridge University graduating in 1999.  I then did a PhD with Prof Peter Fryer at the University of Birmingham looking into colour and flavour formation during the roasting of speciality malts (which are used in brewing beer), which was completed in 2003.

I worked as a teaching fellow, along with Dr Rachel Bridson in developing the MSc Advanced Chemical Engineering course, before taking up a lecturing position in 2006.

I am still heavily involved in course lecturing both on the MSc and our undergraduate programme and am the third year chairman.

My research interests are based around studying process systems to develop simplified models particularly in the area of food and pharmaceutical processing.

I am currently involved in the ZEAL project where my main role is in supervising three engineering doctorate students.  I also have an external PhD student looking at mono-sized particle production for use in the pharmaceutical industry.

Recent Publications:

Bridson, R.H., Robbins, P.T., Chen, Y., Westerman, D., Gillham, C.R., Roche, T.C., Seville, J.P.K. The effects of high shear blending on a-lactose monohydrate, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 339, 84-90, 2007.

Mackey, B.M., Kelly, A.F., Colvin, J.A., Robbins, P.T., Fryer, P.J. Predicting the thermal inactivation of bacteria in a solid matrix: Simulation studies on the relative effects of microbial thermal resistance parameters and process conditions, International Journal of Food Microbiology, Volume 107, Issue 3(1) April 2006, 295-303.

Fryer, P.J. and Robbins P.T., 2005, Heat transfer in food processing: ensuring product quality and safety, Applied Thermal Engineering, 25 (16), 2499-2510.

Robbins, P.T. and Fryer, P.J., 2003, The spouted-bed roasting of barley: development of a predictive model for moisture and temperature, Journal of Food Engineering, 59, 198-208.