Orlando welcomes SCI bursar
Messel bursar Amjad Shaikh reports from the World Congress on Particle Technology, held in Orlando in April 2006
 The World Congress on Particle Technology held in Orlando on 23-27 April 2006 is one of the principal particle technology meetings in the world and had more than 700 participants and exhibiting companies.
The World Congress was made up of five full-day sessions on topics in the area of particle characterisation, particle design, particulate handling, fluidization and multiphase flow and particle technology education. The meeting was organised by AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers) and supported by the International Fine Particle Research Institute, InterAmerican Confederation of Chemical Engineering, Canadian Institute of Chemical Engineering, and the Center for Latin American Particle Research.
The event was well attended and participants from all over the world discussed such important areas as particle design, inline measurement of particulate processes, agglomeration and breakage, nanoparticles processes and granulation. My own research focuses on use of inline measurement and monitoring of phase transformation process. I spent most of the time in lectures and posters focusing application of PAT in particulate processes, control of particle properties. Through these talks, I was able to gain invaluable opinion and ideas from experts on the potential for greater control of particulate properties, for example, the shape and size of crystals.
In a large meeting like this with so many parallel sessions, I had the usual tough choice in choosing which ones to attend, but generally I stuck to my own research area (Inline measurement, crystal growth, particulate rate processes). In addition there were tutorials on such varied topics as flow properties and particle analysis, colloids and dispersion, particulate drug delivery, and functionalized nanoparticles which I found very informative. The session on ‘Recent development in powder technology – an Asian perspective’ was particularly useful as an excellent overview on the present and the future of particle technology in Asia.
Most of the oral presentations were scheduled in 2½–hour sessions, which usually ran until mid-afternoon, with posters available for viewing later on. The quality of presentations was exemplary, and I noticed the audience asked a lot of probing questions.
I had the opportunity to present of my work on ‘Scope and Limitation of Inline Particle Size Measurement’ in the ‘Online and Inline Measurement’ session chaired by Dr John Dodds and Prof. Michael Hounslow. This work is of practical importance to the particulate industry. Attending the congress provided me with a platform to discuss my work in detail with other researchers, exhibitors and peers in my research field. Most discussions and contacts made were really useful and helped me in focussing on the real aspects and challenges of inline measurement. Through this I was able to meet and discuss some of the vital facets of my work with the authors of scientific journals. Their guidance and discussion was of paramount importance towards my goal of obtaining a PhD.
The technical exposition amazed me with the state-of-the-art technology which makes the future research more exciting. The companies were ambitious to show me the recent technology available and patiently took my queries and perform demonstrations. I was impressed by the team of Mettler Toledo with their professionalism and in depth knowledge in online particle characterisation. I met people from GSK, Merck, Astra Zeneca, P&G and DSM which helped me to gain insight on the real life problems experienced at an industrial scale.
The conference helped me to find out more about the career opportunities available to me, and the theory and practical examples of particulate processes in industry will be useful for my work in the future.
It was also an ideal opportunity to network with peers and experts and an exciting and humbling experience to be able to meet and talk to them. This meeting was one of the best conferences I have attended.
Moreover, it was my first visit to United States which was culturally and architecturally rich. The people were vibrant and pleasant. The visit to Cape Canaveral organised by the congress is one of most beautiful and memorable visits in my life, and I found that witnessing the magnificent achievement by humanity to reach the sky was overwhelming.
I stayed on for one more day after the seminar to see the Disney Magic Kingdom and spent some time in New York and Boston and visited Harvard and MIT on my way back to Sheffield.
I would like to thank SCI for offering me a £150 Messel Travel Bursary as a contribution towards my expenses. I’d also like to convey my special thanks to Prof. Michael Hounslow and Dr Agba Salman of the University of Sheffield and Miss Gill Littlewood and Mr. Steve McNamara of Brunner Mond UK Ltd for their continuing help and support in my research.
Amjad Shaikh
University of Sheffield
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