BSc Safira Moura Barros has a PhD scholarship from the ARC ITTC for Green Chemistry in Manufaturing, under the supervision of Prof Colin Raston and Dr Youhong Tang. Her project involves organic chemistry and catalysis under high shear stress for the biofuel industry, through the application of the Vortex Fluidic Device (VFD). The aim of the project is to apply green solutions to the chemical process, with real industry applications, towards a carbon net zero. 

Previously, she received a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil in 2016. During this period, she was a researcher with scholarship for two years in a project called “potential industrial applications of protic ionic liquids,” aiming greener chemical process, and achieving some international publications. In addition, Safira was an exchange research student for one year at University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK in 2014. The project was conducted by Professor Dr Miguel Jorge in molecular dynamics, a modelling technique used to understand ionic liquids systems. The result was a better understanding of those materials surfaces for several applications, such as interfacial processes in chemical engineering.

Safira’s previous undergraduate knowledge in catalysts reactions is essential to completing her currently project. Additionally, she is supervised by experts in the field at Flinders University, while receiving mentoring and experience from her industry partner. BioWorks™ is an independent private company in Australia, with specialist expertise in producing Biofuels. Safira’s expectation with this project is to deliver a better understanding and knowledge in the field required for a less costly, green, and sustainable process.

Clean Technologies Laboratory:

• Prof Colin Raston https://www.flinders.edu.au/people/colin.raston
• Dr Xuan Luo https://www.flinders.edu.au/people/xuan.luo
• Badriah Alotaibi
• Amjad Alotaibi
• Adele Mastroyannis
• Zoe Gardner
• Fayed Alrashaidi
• Xuejiao Cao
• Anbarah Alzahrani
• Fayeh

Industry partner: Bioworks https://www.bioworks.com.au/