Rachel Smith

Professor Rachel Smith is a full Professor of Particulate Manufacturing at the University of Sheffield, within the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. She serves as the School Research Impact Lead and leads a large, active manufacturing research group focused on advanced particulate processing and formulation technologies.

Education:

• BEng (Hons), PhD (discipline not explicitly stated)

Research Interests:
Her research spans the manufacture of lithium-ion battery electrodes, pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, and foods. She specializes in studying and quantifying dynamic inter-particle and particle-fluid interactions to develop computational models, design tools, and new processes for advanced manufacturing. Key research areas include:

• New methods for dry electrode manufacture
• Measuring and controlling electrode microstructure generation
• Manufacturing processes for lithium-ion electrodes, pharmaceutical manufacture, food processing, and consumer products
• Particle and powder characterization
• Experimental and computational techniques in particulate systems

Research Trends:
Her recent publications focus on mechanistic modeling of granulation processes, spherical agglomeration techniques, and the microstructural design of lithium-ion battery electrodes. There is a strong emphasis on sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing and energy storage solutions, integrating advanced experimental and computational methods.

Professional Activities:

• Member and Area Chair, Particle Technology Forum, AIChE
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)
• Editorial Board Member, European/African Board of KONA Powder and Particle Journal

Teaching and Leadership:
She integrates cutting-edge research into teaching, delivering modules on Chemical Engineering Design, Research Projects, and Particle Design and Processing. She is actively involved in the Particle Technology Group, MediForge (Industry 5.0 medicines manufacturing research hub), and the Centre for Doctoral Training in cyber-physical systems for medicine development.