Rate My Professor David Harbottle

David Harbottle is an Associate Professor in the School of Chemical and Process Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Leeds. He earned his MEng in Chemical Engineering in 2004 and PhD in Chemical Engineering in 2008, both from the University of Leeds. His doctoral research focused on the physical modelling of colloidal slurry flows. After completing his PhD, he spent five years in North America, first at the City College of New York in the United States and then at the University of Alberta in Canada. There, he led research projects on the chemical and structural characterization of asphaltenes, the synthesis of new functional polymers, and strategies for accelerated phase separation in complex fluid systems. Returning to the University of Leeds in 2014 as a Lecturer, he was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017. He also holds an Adjunct Professor position in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta. Previously, he served as Director of Rheokinisis Ltd., a technology start-up focused on developing tools for online rheology measurement.

Harbottle's research specializations encompass rheology, colloids and surface chemistry, suspensions and emulsions, surfactant science, and multiphase flows. His work at Leeds has established expertise in suspension and emulsion rheology, droplet dynamics on surfaces, asphaltene science, and functional polymers and membranes. He is the author of over 100 scientific articles, one patent, and three book chapters. In addition to his research, he plays key leadership roles at the University of Leeds, including Deputy Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Molecules to Products. He leads the MEng/BEng programs in Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering, as well as the MSc in Petroleum Production Engineering. Harbottle maintains professional affiliations as an Associate Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Energy Institute, and the American Chemical Society. His contributions extend to research groups such as Energy Leeds, Nuclear Leeds, and the Colloid, Polymer and Crystallisation Engineering group.