Steve Christie completed his BSc at the University of Strathclyde in 1990. He worked with Billy Kerr for his PhD on the Structure and Reactivity of p-allyl metallolactone complexes. He spent a year at Boston College working with Ross Kelly, before returning to the UK to work with Richard Whitby on chiral cyclopentadienyl metal complexes.
Research areas
Research in the group is focussed around the use of modern techniques and technologies to advance synthesis. We use additive manufacturing (3D printing) to make bespoke chemical reactors. Importantly, we design these to have additional elements over standard reactors. Thus we have embedded thermocouples to monitor temperature and fibre optics so we can do spectroscopy as the reaction progresses. As well as homogenous synthesis reactions, we can also prepare nanoparticles via these methods, in collaboration with Dr Mark Platt. We have also extended this work to bio-reactors (in collaboration with Prof Mark Lewis in the School of Sports, Health and Exercise Sciences). This work allows us to model biological models in 3D, an important advance over current methods.
Current active projects include:
- 3D printing of bespoke chemical reactors with embedded sensors
- Printed bio-reactors for biological modelling
- Bespoke glass reactors via additive manufacturing
- Reaction optimisation through automated feedback loops
- Module coordinator for CMD119: New Techniques and Technologies in Chemistry
- Steering group member for the EPSRC Grand Challenge Dial-a-Molecule
- EPSRC College Member
- External Examiner for numerous PhD examinations