OUR TEAM
Devendra Saroj, PhD, CEnv, FHEA
Chief Strategy Officer
His work covers wide areas of water and wastewater treatment systems and processes. His recent works include modified membrane systems for organic micro-pollutants removal, membrane assisted bioreactors for domestic and industrial wastewater treatment and recycling, membrane technology assessment for urban water reuse scenarios, decision support in water supply, reuse and sanitation, adaptation of sewage treatment works for biological nutrient removal, removal of organic micro-pollutants, biofilm biotechnology for advanced wastewater treatment, microbial communities in bioreactors for wastewater treatment, recovery of phosphorus from sewage and anaerobic biodegradation of organic waste materials. He also is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Surrey being involved in RCUK-India project: SMArt CitIES Network for Sustainable Urban Futures (SMARTIES Net) and RCUK Philippines.
Hannah Simcoe-Read BA (Hons) MPhil/PhD, MBA
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
During her 30-year career in business and academia, Hannah’s international experience spans the US, India, Africa, eastern and western Europe. Hannah is by training a social and cognitive research psychologist, but mainly worked in the banking sector as Industrial Analyst. She developed and lead as MD a Brussels’s based venture fund set up to fund SMEs across Europe. She acted as MD for several high-tech spin – out companies in Germany and the UK. As an academic she taught entrepreneurship and developed as Founder Publisher an award-winning publishing house. Her work as Project Director includes a portfolio of successful delivered national and international development projects. Her multidisciplinary projects’ key deliverable has always been through community engagement leading to distinct regional growth.
Umola Majekodunmi – BSc., MBA
Africa Country Lead
Umola has over 20 years of business and brand marketing experience, working within the fast moving consumer group industry, insurance, and at a time founded and ran a children’s entertainment company. She has a first degree and Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a specialisation in Brand Marketing and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Umola currently sits on the Board of St Nicholas Hospital NIgeria and is co-founder and Director at USEL (Umola Solar Energy Limited).
Junbin Huang-BEng, MSc Chem.Eng
Technical Officer (sustainable technologies)
During his MSc programme, Jamie has been involved in the design and implementation of innovative sustainable technologies for wastewater treatment for a safer tomorrow. During his internship he worked India with our partner Sulabh International and Vasavya Mahila Mandali investigation effective low cost treatment systems for human waste and arsenic treatment. Junbin is now in the process as part of his PhD to develop a cost-effective commercialisation process for a cost-effective Microbial Electrosynthesis Systems (MES). His work is a collaboration between China and the UK. This research is very important since it aids the reduction of CO2 during waste water projects and timely, particularly now as UK tries to reduce its over-reliance on service industry and on fossil fuels for economic growth.
Dr Sutirtha Sahariah
Global Communication and Policy Adviser
As a communication and research specialist, Suti has worked as an independent consultant for a range of development projects across south Asia and the UK. He specialises in developing customised research uptake strategies, designing behaviour change campaigns, impact and policy analysis, strategic storytelling and documentation, qualitative and ethnographic research that informs development agencies. and businesses. He believes that a good communication strategy is often a mix of foresight, sound research and the ability to create impactful stories concisely. Suti has a post graduate degree in media management from Stirling University. He worked as a communication specialist for public relations firms in the UK before moving to India to work as a journalist and researcher focusing on women, work and violence in South Asia. He has previously covered stories on human trafficking and gender violence for The Guardian, BBC, Dutch Public Radio & Television and serves as head of communication and senior vice president for a reputed NGO in India. Sutirtha has Ph.D in International development from University of Portsmouth, and a post graduate degree in media management from Stirling University.
He is also the Senior Vice President and Head of Communications, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, New Delhi and a Qualitative Researcher and Journalist: BBC, Dutch TV & Radio, NewsDeeply, The Guardian; https://www.newsdeeply.com/womenandgirls/contributor/sutirtha-sahariah
Nasrin Ghaemi, BSc, MBA(HR), MRes
Chief Scientist
Nasrin’s expertise lies in Electrochemistry and Polymer research. She has done years of extensive research into Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) and hydrogen production using Solid Oxide Electrolysers (SOECs) at the University of Surrey. Nasrin, as the Chief Scientist, with an MBA in human resources is leading a small multidisciplinary research team including working with NVH Chief Technology Officer, and FLUOR Corporation Engineering consultants.
Dr Bahman Amini Horri
Adviser (Fuel Cells)
Dr Bahman Amini Horri is a Senior Lecturer of Chemical Engineering and the leader of MSc programme “Batteries, Fuel Cells and Energy Storage Systems” at the University of Surrey. He is a consolidated researcher in hydrogen energy, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and energy materials, holding five US/European patents, 40+ papers in top-tiered journals, four book chapters, and 20+ presentations in national and international conferences. Before joining academia, he spent seven years in the industry, working on cutting-edge energy and materials projects, developing and leading novel research in energy systems. He received his PhD from Monash University in Australia in 2012.
He was then appointed as a lecturer at Monash University Malaysia in 2013, and subsequently joined the University of Surrey in 2016. At Surrey, he runs a research group focusing on hydrogen, fuel cells, and energy materials. He has recently developed an innovative water splitting technique for the production of green hydrogen based on his patented research . His research interest mainly lies in the sustainable production of hydrogen and lowering the operating temperature of the solid oxide fuel cells through the development of new ceramic nano composites for both anode and electrolyte layers. He also has developed new approaches for the green synthesis of low-cost ceramic nano composites for SOFCs. With a multi-disciplinary engineering and research background, he is also a chartered engineer and scientist (CEng and CSci) by IChemE.
HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Fill in the form below to receive updates on our projects.