Dr Jun Li
Reader
Chemical and Process Engineering
Personal statement
Dr Jun Li is a Reader in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He received his PhD from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden in 2014 and subsequently worked as a Research Associate at the University of Glasgow. He joined the University of Strathclyde as a Lecturer in 2015, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2022 and then Reader in 2024.
Dr Li leads a research group working at the intersection of sustainable hydrogen production, bioenergy and the circular economy. His research focuses on the cost-effective valorisation of biomass, waste and industrial residues to produce low-carbon energy, fuels and chemicals. His work combines fundamental studies of reacting and conversion processes with advanced computational fluid dynamics modelling, process simulation, and techno-economic and environmental assessment.
His current research interests include green hydrogen production from biomass and waste, clean bioenergy systems, advanced biofuel synthesis, and sustainable resource-recovery pathways. He has made recognised contributions to emerging low-carbon technologies, including mediated biomass electrolysis and enhanced hydrothermal gasification. His group has also established research infrastructure, including supercritical water processing rig, pressurised catalytic fuels synthesis system, advanced multi-scale modelling capabilities, and bespoke lifecycle-monitoring tools.
Dr Li has led and contributed to funded research and knowledge-exchange projects supported by EPSRC, Innovate UK, ISPF, UK Research Partnership Investment Fund, and industry partners. Collectively, these projects have attracted over £6.5 million in funding. He currently leads an Supergen Bioenergy Hub project on biomass electrolysis for hydrogen production, progressing the technology from proof of concept towards kW-scale demonstration. His wider research portfolio includes projects on dairy-waste processing, rainwater-to-hydrogen, wastewater-sludge decarbonisation, and pharmaceutical-solvent recycling.
Alongside his research, Dr Li contributes to the development of the UK bioenergy community. He serves on the Project Management Group of the UK Supergen Bioenergy Impact Hub. From 2020 until the formal merge of ETP Scotland into SPREEI in 2025, he served as Deputy Theme Lead for Bioenergy. In 2026, Dr Li was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s pilot Research Leadership Scheme towards Building Scotland’s Green Future.
Dr Li serves on the editorial boards of Engineering, the International Journal of Green Energy, and Frontiers in Thermal Engineering. He also contributes to the scientific committees of the European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE).
Prize And Awards
Publications
- Finite-time thermodynamic optimal control of energy storage devices : a study of vanadium redox flow batteries
- Paterson Thomas, Li Jun, Lue Leo
- Journal of Physics: Energy Vol 8 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/ae6e32
- A thermodynamic framework for the thermochemical valorisation of biomass
- Sait-Stewart Robert, Li Jun, Lue Leo
- Energy Conversion and Management Vol 358 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121466
- Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy of phosphomolybdic acid redox mediators for electrochemical conversion of biomass to green hydrogen
- Price Robert, MacDonald Lewis, Keenan Luke Lawrence, Johnson William, Lyth Stephen Matthew, Li Jun, Brightman Edward
- Catalysis Science and Technology Vol 16, pp. 1444-1456 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1039/D5CY00763A
- Quantification of terahertz scattering in water-oil emulsion
- Jahangir Reehab, Markl Daniel, Li Jun, Naftaly Mira
- 2025 50th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz) 2025 50th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz) 2025 50th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz), pp. 1-2 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1109/irmmw-thz61557.2025.11319712
- Optimising supercritical water gasification of biomass : exploring heating strategy through a quantitative kinetic modelling approach
- Sait-Stewart Robert, Lue Leo, Li Jun
- Sustainable Energy & Fuels Vol 10, pp. 375-385 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1039/d5se00755k
- Biochar as an agrifood innovation : evidence and lessons for integration into agricultural landscapes
- Somorin Tosin O, Akanno Chukwuebuka Chigozie, Osei-Amponsah Charity, Gebrezgabher Solomie, Mupangwa Walter, Adamtey Noah, Nartey Eric, Lord Richard, Ennis Chris, Zhang Xiaolei, Fletcher Ashleigh, Lue Leo, Li Jun
- (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.5337/2025.253
Teaching
Currently taught modules:
- CP533: Clean Combustion Technologies
- CP102: ChemEng: Fundamentals, Techniques and Tools
Previously taught modules:
- CP206: Chemical Engineering Practice 1
- CP414: Particle Technology & Advanced Reactors
Research Interests
Dr Li's research interests include the fundamental investigation and understanding of problems associated with the complex interactions of thermo-fluids dynamics, thermochemical processes, and heat & mass thansfer in thermal/chemical processes, predominantly focusing on:
- Clean bioenergy technologies, such as clean combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, and wet waste-to-energy conversion.
- The production and utilisation of renewable hydrogen/hydrogen-rich syngas for decarbonising industry systems.
- The development and application of advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling for multiphase reacting fluids.
- The development and demonstration of innovative, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy systems.
- Techno-economic and environmental assessment of energy and chemical systems.
Accepting PhD student applications in the following topics:
- Hydrogen production from biomass and waste
- Advanced hydrothermal processing
- Biofuel synthesis and upgrading
Current RAs:
- Dr Lewis McDonnald (Project: Biomass electrolysis for green hydrogen production )
- Mr Thomas Paterson (Project: Iron-based hydrogen storage)
Current PhD students:
- Arslan Anwar
- Chigozie Akanno
- Nicola Voiculescu
- Haitian Chen
- Ali Rabeeah
- Fahad Alajmi
Formal PhD students:
- Robert Sait-Stewart (PhD thesis: Development of robust modelling and experimental methods to advance mechanistic insights into the
supercritical water gasification of biomass) - Asuquo Jackson Asuquo (PhD thesis: Development of Green Heterogeneous Catalysts For Sustainable Biodiesel Production From Waste Biomass)
- Dr Morgen Mukamwi (PhD thesis: Development of a sulphur-tolerant carbon-based catalyst for steam reforming syngas hydrocarbons to maximise hydrogen production in biomass gasification)
- Dr Jixiang Zhang (PhD thesis: Beyond Green Planet: A Comprehensive and Systematic Second-Generation Biomass Supply Chain Optimisation)
- Dr Teresa Marti Rossello (PhD thesis: Development of robust modelling methods for a quick evaluation of biomass pyrolysis performance and its transient behaviour at a particle level)
- Dr Wenhan Cao (PhD thesis: Experimental and modelling study on the release of potassium during biomass combustion)
Formal RAs:
- Dr Shuya Jia (2024-2025)
- Dr Robert Price (2022-2024)
- Dr Jakub Mularski (2020-2022)
- Dr Muhammad Uzair (2022-2023)
- Teresa Marti Rossello (2019)
- Robert Sait-Stewart (2022, 2024)
Professional Activities
- Engineering (Journal)
- Editorial board member
- 2026
- Hydrogen Production from Waste Biomass using Redox Mediators
- Contributor
- 11/6/2025
- 33rd European Biomass Conference & Exhibition
- Member of programme committee
- 9/6/2025
- Supergen Bioenergy Hub Impact Day
- Member of programme committee
- 13/5/2025
- University of Hiroshima
- Visiting researcher
- 7/4/2025
- PhD Viva - Dr Eloise Bevan - University of Edinburgh
- Examiner
- 27/3/2025
Projects
- EPSRC IAA: Feasibility Assessment of Iron-Based Hydrogen Storage for Decentralised Hydrogen Systems
- Li, Jun (Principal Investigator) Lue, Leo (Co-investigator) Liu, Bin (Co-investigator) Paterson, Thomas (Researcher)
- 01-Jan-2026 - 31-Jan-2026
- ThermalLance3
- Lue, Leo (Principal Investigator) Li, Jun (Co-investigator)
- 22-Jan-2024 - 21-Jan-2026
- Industrial CASE Account - University of Strathclyde 2024 | Jahangir, Reehab
- Markl, Daniel (Principal Investigator) Li, Jun (Co-investigator) Jahangir, Reehab (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 01-Jan-2028
- Supergen Bioenergy Impact Focused Hub
- Li, Jun (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2027
- Biosynthesis green hydrogen demonstration
- Li, Jun (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2025
- DTP 2224 University of Strathclyde | Johnson, William
- Brightman, Edward (Principal Investigator) Li, Jun (Co-investigator) Lyth, Stephen (Co-investigator) Johnson, William (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 01-Jan-2027