David is a Professor of low carbon materials and the Associate Dean for Research and Innovation within the Department of Engineering and has worked at the University since 2013. Prior to joining Teesside University David worked as a design and development technician in the polymer industry winning the Society of Polymer Engineers national award in 2008. David works closely with local trusts and industries. David is the Chair of the national IOM3 Polymer Group and sits on a number of government steering groups related to plastics. He coordinates the University Circular Economy and Recycling Innovation Centre (CERIC) with TWI. 

David is also active in Industrial Digitalisation leading the Universities Industrial Digitalisation Technology centre (IDTC) and coordinating the universities membership of Siemens Connected Curriculum.  

• Circular Economy and Non-mechanical recycling
• Sustainable polymers 
• In-organic polymers and Geopolymers
• High Temperature (>700C) Functional Materials - Including sensitive materials and composite coatings
• Industrial Digitalisation 
• Composite Design - Specifically digital manufacture for optimised performance and waste reduction

I have a number of projects related to circular economy and materials development, particulalrly focusing on Geopolymers and polymer processing.

David is involved in a number of enterprise activities focused around materials technology. his includes KTP projects, consultancy and other funded streams of work.

The focus of his industrial work is around the development and processing of material solutions, this includes polymers and polymer processing, composite material development and materials testing and characterisation. He has specific interests around waste management and reduction in processing.