Rate My Professor Kevin Galvin

Laureate Professor Kevin Galvin holds the position of Distinguished Laureate Professor in the School of Engineering within the College of Engineering, Science and Environment at the University of Newcastle. A chemical engineer by training, he earned his Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Newcastle, a Diploma in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, UK, and a PhD from the University of London at Imperial College under the supervision of Professor Brian Briscoe. His professional career includes ten years at BHP Research (1980–1987 and 1990–1993), followed by three years at Imperial College on a Commonwealth Scholarship. Since joining the University of Newcastle in 1993, he has progressed to leadership roles as Director of the Centre for Critical Minerals and Urban Mining, Director of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Advanced Technologies for Australian Iron Ore, research team member at the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources, and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals (2020–2026).

Professor Galvin specializes in mineral processing and particle technology, focusing on process intensification for the beneficiation of fine, ultrafine, and coarse minerals through gravity separation, flotation, and agglomeration. He invented the Reflux Classifier, a high-throughput gravity separation device installed worldwide since 2010, and the Reflux Flotation Cell, commercialized with partners including Ludowici and FLSmidth to enhance capacity and efficiency. These innovations address coal cleaning, iron ore production, tailings management, and critical minerals recovery, delivering economic and environmental benefits to the global resources sector. Key publications include "Fourth generation gravity separation using the Reflux Classifier" (Minerals Engineering, 2025), "Single stage production of ultra-high-grade iron ore using a novel fluidisation arrangement in a Reflux Classifier" (Minerals Engineering, 2025), "Mechanisms of gangue transport and recovery in Reflux flotation cells under varying bias flux and salinity conditions" (Minerals Engineering, 2025), and "Cleaning of coarse and small coal" in The Coal Handbook: Towards Cleaner Production (Elsevier, 2025). His achievements are recognized by awards such as Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2020), Antoine M. Gaudin Award (2018), Clunies Ross Award (2014), Sir Ian Wark Medal and Lecture (2012), and NSW Premier’s Prize for Science and Engineering (2016).