Roland Clift
Encyclopedia
Roland Clift, CBE
is a chemical engineering
professor widely known for his work and media contributions on the topic of sustainability
.
), achieving first class honours in 1964. He received a PhD
from McGill University
in 1970 for work on particle-fluid interactions, and this was his main research area (at McGill and Cambridge then Surrey University) in subsequent years. He became Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Surrey in 1981.
His growing interest in the application of engineering principles to environmental issues led him in 1992 to establish the Centre for Environmental Strategy (CES) at the University of Surrey, a multidisciplinary group of engineers, scientists and social scientists. In this Centre he was an advocate of Clean Technology
, Life Cycle Assessment
and Sustainable Development
. He is presently Professor Emeritus at the CES.
He has made a number of criticisms of government policy with respect to energy and the environment.
(1996–2005). Visiting Professor in Environmental Systems Analysis at Chalmers University, Sweden
. Expert Adviser to the House of Lords
Science and Technology Committee enquiry into Energy Efficiency (2004-5). Member of the Science Advisory Council of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra) (2006-). Vice-President of Environmental Protection UK
. President of the International Society for Industrial Ecology
2009-10.
of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
, the Royal Academy of Engineering
and the Royal Society of Arts
. In 1994 he was made an OBE for his initiative in promoting research in Clean Technology
, and a CBE
in 2006 for services to the environment. He received the Sir Frank Whittle Medal
of the Royal Academy of Engineering
for 2003, for 'an outstanding and sustained engineering achievement contributing to the well-being of the nation'. He received the 2007 Hanson Medal of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is a chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
professor widely known for his work and media contributions on the topic of sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
.
Career
Clift was born 19 November 1942 and studied Chemical Engineering at Cambridge (Trinity CollegeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
), achieving first class honours in 1964. He received a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1970 for work on particle-fluid interactions, and this was his main research area (at McGill and Cambridge then Surrey University) in subsequent years. He became Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Surrey in 1981.
His growing interest in the application of engineering principles to environmental issues led him in 1992 to establish the Centre for Environmental Strategy (CES) at the University of Surrey, a multidisciplinary group of engineers, scientists and social scientists. In this Centre he was an advocate of Clean Technology
Clean technology
Clean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
, Life Cycle Assessment
Life cycle assessment
A life-cycle assessment is a technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life from-cradle-to-grave A life-cycle assessment (LCA, also known as life-cycle analysis, ecobalance, and cradle-to-grave analysis) is a technique to assess environmental impacts...
and Sustainable Development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
. He is presently Professor Emeritus at the CES.
He has made a number of criticisms of government policy with respect to energy and the environment.
Positions
Member, Royal Commission on Environmental PollutionRoyal Commission on Environmental Pollution
The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the United Kingdom was created under Royal Warrant in 1970 to advise the Queen, Government, Parliament and the public on environmental issues...
(1996–2005). Visiting Professor in Environmental Systems Analysis at Chalmers University, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Expert Adviser to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
Science and Technology Committee enquiry into Energy Efficiency (2004-5). Member of the Science Advisory Council of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
(Defra) (2006-). Vice-President of Environmental Protection UK
Environmental Protection UK
Environmental Protection UK is a UK environmental Non-Governmental Organization working in the fields of air quality, noise and land quality...
. President of the International Society for Industrial Ecology
Industrial ecology
Industrial Ecology is the study of material and energy flows through industrial systems. The global industrial economy can be modeled as a network of industrial processes that extract resources from the Earth and transform those resources into commodities which can be bought and sold to meet the...
2009-10.
Honours
He is a FellowFellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
Institution of Chemical Engineers
The Institution of Chemical Engineers is a global professional engineering institution with over 33,000 members in over 120 countries worldwide, founded in 1922, and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957.-Structure:...
, the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
and the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
. In 1994 he was made an OBE for his initiative in promoting research in Clean Technology
Clean technology
Clean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
, and a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 2006 for services to the environment. He received the Sir Frank Whittle Medal
Sir Frank Whittle Medal
The Sir Frank Whittle Medal is awarded annually by the Royal Academy of Engineering to an engineer,normally resident in the United Kingdom, for outstanding and sustained achievement which has contributed to the well-being of the nation. The field of activity the medal is awarded in changes...
of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
for 2003, for 'an outstanding and sustained engineering achievement contributing to the well-being of the nation'. He received the 2007 Hanson Medal of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
Institution of Chemical Engineers
The Institution of Chemical Engineers is a global professional engineering institution with over 33,000 members in over 120 countries worldwide, founded in 1922, and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957.-Structure:...
.
Selected publications
- Clift, R., Grace, J. R., and Weber, M. E., (1978) Bubbles, Drops and Particles Academic Press
- Davidson,J. F., Clift, R., and Harrison, D., (eds) (1985) Fluidization, 2nd ed Academic Press
- Clift, R., and Seville, J. P. K., (eds)(1993) Gas Cleaning at High Temperatures Blackie ISBN 0 7514 0178 1
- Clift, R. (1993) Journal of Cleaner Production, 1, 3-4, pp 155–159 "Life Cycle Assessment and Ecolabelling"
- Clift, R., & Wright, L., (2000) Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 65, 3, pp 281–295 "Relationships Between Environmental Impacts and Added Value Along the Supply Chain"
- Azapagic, A., Perdan, S., and Clift, R., (eds) (2004) Sustainable Development in Practice – case studies for engineers and scientists, John Wiley & Sons ISBN 0-470-85608-4
- Wilson, K.C., Addie, G. R., Sellgren, A. and Clift, R. (2006) Slurry Transport Using Centrifugal Pumps (3rd ed.). Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. New York.
- Clift, R. (2006) Energy, 32, pp. 262–268 "Climate Change and Energy Policy: The Importance of Sustainability Arguments"
- Clift, R. (2006) Chemical Engineering Science, 61, pp 4179–4187 "Sustainable development and its implications for chemical engineering"
- Clift, R. and Mulugetta, Y. (2007) The Chemical Engineer, October, pp. 24–26 "A Plea for Common Sense (and Biomass)"
External links
- Centre for Environmental Strategy University of Surrey