Dr Ernesto Hernandez

Available to supervise PhD students.

I obtained my PhD at The University of Sheffield and I am a researcher, teacher, tutor, board member, outreach and recruitment coordinator, to cite a few.

I chose my field of work as I am interested in finding ways to help people and the environment with better bioinspired solutions to build sustainable societies.

I intend to keep helping society with bioinspired solutions.

European examiner of PhD works.

Modules in which I have taught:

• Design project in chemical engineering 
• Advanced Chemical Reaction Enginering  
• Chemical Reaction Engineering  
• Professional Chemical Engieering and Development  
• Advanced Chemistry for Chemical Engineers  
• Introduction to Chemical Engineering  
• Introduction to Chemistry  
• Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in Processes  Principles of Chemistry  
• Biochemistry  
• Microbiology  
• Natural Product Chemistry  
• Physical Laws of the Natural World  
• General Chemistry 

Research discipline: Biochemical Engineering  

Themes: Bioprocess Engineering and Biocatalysis.  

Our century is witnessing fast changes in the way we create chemicals and related services. Sustainable materials from waste, plants, microbes, animals and by-products will progressively replace petroleum materials. Besides, the processing of petroleum, minerals and biomass will gradually be more sustainable thanks to environmentally friendly biotechnologies. Chemicals and processes that are problematic for people, the economy and the environment will be replaced to achieve sustainable goals. This situation is an opportunity to create and apply bioprocesses and biocatalysis for sustainable manufacturing.

I research a variety of ways to use microbes, enzymes and other cellular chemicals to solve a number of problems currently facing society. For instance, these biocatalysts can convert a variety of wastes into natural gas (methane); decontaminate water, soil and sludge; capture smoky carbon dioxide; produce commodity chemicals in biorefineries; or ease the flow of oil in deep underground oil reservoirs at tremendously high temperatures and pressures.

I am investigating biocatalysis and bioprocessing and their applications to current sustainability challenges. For instance, to produce valuable chemicals, energy, water, nutrients and services. I am interested in deploying biology and engineering capabilities to create sustainable biorefineries. I intend to keep helping society with bioinspired solutions.

Research and knowledge exchange

Spired strategies collaboratively to produce useful chemicals while helping people and the environment. Some examples include -but are not limited to:

• Study the viability of real-time monitoring of healthy omega-3 production in micro-algae
• Evaluating the performance of a small-scale digester for decentralised bioenergy production and waste management
• Developing a model to measure fungal biomass growth in solid state fermentation
• A novel process for enhancing oil production in algae biorefineries through bioconversion of solid by-products
• Scaling-up work connecting molecular transformations to conception, design, construction and operation of a pilot-plant for biomass and CO₂ valorisation;
• A novel two-stage bioreactor using whey to produce streams of hydrogen, organic acids, methane and a fertiliser-like liquid at the same time;
• Adding value to cow-blood waste through sustainable bioprocessing strategies aided by life cycle assessment (LCA);
• Using a pilot-plant bioprocess as an evolutionary selection environment to tailor-make a superior carbonic anhydrase that works well in harsh conditions;
• A conceptual techno-ecological integration of a natural rubber production system (conceptualization, modelling and environmental assessment).
• Toxicity and biodegradability of caffeic acid in anaerobic digesting sludge
• Toxicity and biodegradability of caffeic acid in anaerobic digesting sludge
• A cost–benefit analysis of methods for the determination of biomass concentration in wastewater treatment
• New DNA sequences from bacteria converting phenol into acetate under strict anaerobic conditions

• First place in The National Olympiad of Biology
• Two national contests for summer internships at Ohio State University and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
• Chair at 3^rd International Conference on Food and Agricultural Sciences (ICFAS 2015), Dubai, UAE, 5-6 December, 2015
• Keynote speaker in professional events in China, Malaysia, UAE, Spain.
• Invited participant at policy level on carbon management in Malaysia and U.K.
• Invited oral speaker to present research in USA, Japan, New Zealand, Greece, Denmark, Poland, U.K., Spain…
• Poster presenter in professional events in Malaysia, Spain, Denmark, U.K., Greece, Italy
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers (Senior Member)
• Royal Society of Chemistry (Member)
• Institution of Chemical Engineers (Corporate Member)
• European Biotechnology Network
• European Network for Gastrointestinal Health Research
• European Federation of Chemical Engineering
•  European Society of Biochemical Engineering Sciences and other professional bodies.