Becky Lunn
University of Strathclyde
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professor
Personal webpage
Tell us a little bit about you
I am married with three children – now aged 24, 22 and 19. I enjoy cycling, particularly in the mountains and along coastal routes. At some point, I would love to spend several weeks cycling through Europe with my husband, enjoying the wine, food and the scenery on the way. I run and occasionally swim to keep fit, and I when I turned 50, I completed a half iron man – never again! I played classical violin until my son, Sam, was born 24 years ago and then just ran out of time to fit things in. So perhaps I’ll pick it up again at some point.
What is your area of research and what project(s) are you working on now?
My research is wide ranging – I get too interested in new things and probably spread myself a bit thin. I currently work on: a new mechanochemical carbon capture technology to trap CO2 into rocks during aggregate production, new low carbon biotechnologies for ground engineering; characterising subsurface flows through geological faults; monitoring very tiny (microseismic) earthquakes in the subsurface; novel methods for tracing groundwater flows at-depth. I work with the nuclear industry, the civil engineering industry and the oil and gas industry. I currently hold a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair, sponsored by the civil engineering contractor BAM Nuttall, to use bacteria to precipitate a mineral (calcium carbonate) that can turn loose soil into rock. We hope to develop this technology as a low carbon alternative to concrete in geotechnical infrastructure, such as flood embankments and coastal defences, as well as to reduce the volume of concrete in structural foundations.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in Energy Research?
My advice for young people who are interested in energy research would be that this is one of the most important areas for the future of humanity. We have to find a way of having a good standard of living that we don’t have to give up, but doing it in a sustainable way. We have to find ways of living the life that we want to live, in a way that doesn’t damage the planet, doesn’t destroy biodiversity and will allow us to meet net zero. And we need to do it without depleting resources for future generations. Energy technologies must reuse and recycle materials, rather than simply burn hydrocarbons which is a finite resource that will run out for future generations. I would say energy is a really exciting area to move into, there’s a huge range of disciplines that you can come in through. Everything from storing our energy as hydrogen gas, microbial fuel cells and nuclear power, through to public acceptability and energy policy. All these things are really important. It’s an exciting area to move into, and yeah go for it!
Nuclear Energy
EDI Issues in Energy/ STEM