Ross Broadfoot

Professor Ross Broadfoot is a faculty member at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in the School of Mech., Medical & Process Engineering under the Faculty of Engineering. With over 40 years of experience in sugar processing, he specializes in process control, equipment design, and energy management. His research focuses on optimizing sugar recovery, massecuite crystallization, and evaporative systems.

Qualifications: PhD from the University of Queensland. Professional experience includes roles as Principal Engineer at Sugar Research Institute (1971–2005) and current position at Sugar Research and Innovation@QUT.

• Key areas: Biomass conversion, centrifugation, juice heating, and plant audits
• Overseas consulting in India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Ecuador

Publications emphasize advancements in process control technologies, sensor integration (e.g., Neltec purge sensors), and crystallization dynamics. Training courses in sugar factory supervision and operations have been conducted globally.

His work integrates machine learning for sugarcane quality analysis and advocates modernizing Australian sugar factory control systems. Active in industry partnerships, he contributes to improving energy efficiency and operational reliability in sugar processing facilities.