Dr Theodoros Papalas
Dr Theodoros Papalas
Principal Investigator and Group Leader
Assistant Professor in Hydrogen Energy
Executive board member of European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) | Chair of Early Career Chemical Engineers Section
Keywords: Reaction Engineering, Process Intensification, Heterogeneous catalysis, Hydrogen Energy, Industrial Emissions Abatement
Email address: t.papalas@bham.ac.uk
Work experience and studies
April 2026 - Today: Assistant Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK
January 2024 - March 2026: Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, UK
December 2018 - November 2023: PhD in Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
September 2013 - November 2018: Integrated Master in Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Biography
I am a chemical engineer who graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in November 2018, ranking 3rd in a class of 120 students. In December 2018, I started my PhD in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the same institution, under the supervision of Prof. Angeliki A. Lemonidou, from where I graduated in November 2023 with distinction, an honor awarded on very rare occasions in the department’s 50+ year history. From January 2024 to March 2026, I worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge, UK, in the research groups of Dr Ewa J. Marek and Prof. Laura Torrente Murciano. In April 2026, I started my role as assistant professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham.
Through my career, I have developed expertise on sustainable energy technologies through a synergetic experimental and computational approach. My work integrates synthesis and advanced characterisation of materials and catalysts with the thorough evaluation of their performance in bench-scale fixed or fluidised bed reactor systems. These efforts are complemented by kinetic modelling and in-depth analysis of reaction mechanisms. My experimental work is further supported by computational studies, including thermodynamic analysis and process simulations coupled with energy, exergy, techno-economic and environmental assessments.
Apart from my research work, in September 2025, I was elected Chair of the Early Career Chemical Engineers Section of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE). The section supports young professionals as they transition from university to academia or industry, organises events that showcase the career pathways available to chemical engineers and works to bridge the gap between academia and industry in the field of chemical engineering. In April 2026, I was further appointed as charity trustee and executive board member of EFCE.
Quirks & Facts
Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, playing role-playing and massively multiplayer online video games, knitting and hiking.
You can see the rest of the team members here