Prof Craig Banks

Prof Craig Banks

Professor / Personal Chair in Chemistry



Office location
John Dalton, John Dalton Building, Manchester Campus


Office hours
Email me


Who am I?

Professor / Personal Chair in Chemistry

Research focus on Electrochemistry, both Fundamental and Applied.

Papers > 500; H-index 78; i10-index 415; Citations > 27,000

Various projects on:

1. Next generation screen-printed and additive manufactured electrochemical platforms for sensing and key electrochemical reactions;

2. The innovative use of additive manufacturing in next generation batteries (FFF and SLA technology) and supercapacitors;

3. New insights into supercapacitors and battery development (e.g. Li/Na/K with Professor Xiaobo Ji, Changsha University, China);

4. Rapid diagnostics based on electrochemistry: sepsis sensor development (with Dr Nina Dempsey and Dr Ascanio Tridente; other areas that need our help, please contact me);

5. Water splitting (hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions);

6. Circular Economy;

7. Breath sensing (there are over 300 markers in breath that are clinically useful);

8. Electrosynthesis (with Dr Alan Jones, University of Birmingham, UK);

9. Molecular Imprinted Polymers (wtih Dr Marloes Peeters, University of Newcastle, UK);

Craig has established unique areas of electrochemistry, including: Forensic ElectrochemistryRegal ElectrochemistryCircular Economy Electrochemistry; Cosmetic Electrochemistry, Electrochemical Breath Sensing; Rapid Diagnostics Based on Electrochemistry and Electroanalytical Overviews. 

Craig has pushed the boundaries of screen-printing, the first to report novel screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) such as: shallow recessed SPEs, pentagon-shaped recessed SPEs, arrays; CNT SPEs, graphene SPEs, back-to-back SPEs, paper based SPEs and bulk modified SPEs through incorporating electrocatalytic materials into the bulk of the SPEs for important electrochemical reactions used in energy (batteries and supercaps)/water splitting such as the OER, HER, ORR, for pH sensing and also providing benefits in the field of electroanalysis towards a range of target analytes. 

Our latest papers can be found on my profile or:

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=4KtYaCgAAAAJ&hl=en

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Craig-Banks

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0756-9764

  • Founder and former Academic Lead for PrintCity:

PrintCity was established by Professor Craig Banks in March 2018 supported from the “top down” and guided by the PVC for RKE, Professor Richard Greene. PrintCity grew from an initial academic idea and one funded project to a nationally leading innovative hub of additive and digital manufacturing. Under Craig’s leadership, PrintCity has evolved into an established brand, which is now home to over 20 members of staff, the UK’s first MSc programme (MSc Industrial Digitalisation) and a large quantity of high-value additive manufacturing equipment, and several EU, industry and Research Council funded projects. Note that Dr Carl Diver is now (Nov 21) the operational lead for PrintCity but Craig still provides strategic vision and oversight plus a solid research foundation. Watch this space for further developments!

  • Co-founder and lead of Circular Economy Network (with Professor Paul Hooper)

The Circular Economy Network leads the way in circular economy best practice and innovation across our University, all underpinned by core science in material science. For an overview please see:

Words of wisdom

“When seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea”                             – E. Cantona.

You are only as good as your last paper – Oxon.

Academic and professional qualifications

BSc (H) Chemistry, DPhil (Oxon), PGCHE, FHEA, FRSC

Other academic service
(administration and management)

  • Previously Head of Department of Life Sciences (at the time, known as the School of Healthcare; rotational)
  • Previously Faculty Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange (rotational; research culture driven forward, research grants and KE substantially increased exceeding Faculty targets; high calibre research individuals appointed; adviser on research and K strategy and investment)
  • Previously Associate Dean (rotational; the role then transferred to Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange)

Research Expertise, Publications & Grants

Research expertise

Craig’s expertise is in materials science, electrochemistry, electrosynthesis, nanotechnology, additive manufacturing, water splitting and multidisciplinary research with particular emphasis on science underpinning the transition from a linear to a circular economy .

Craig has in the last 2 years bought in over £14 M in external grant income related to circular economy. Craig is joint academic lead of Circular Ecomony Network a cross-University initiative to collate expertise around the delivery of the circular economy . Craig is the lead academic PI on the following live projects:

TRANSFORM-CE:  https://www.mmu.ac.uk/environmental-science-research/waste-to-resource-innovation-network/activity/transform-ce/

CIRMAP: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/environmental-science-research/waste-to-resource-innovation-network/activity/cirmap/

Bioplastic Europe: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/environmental-science-research/waste-to-resource-innovation-network/activity/bioplastics/

SHAREPAIR : https://www.mmu.ac.uk/environmental-science-research/waste-to-resource-innovation-network/activity/sharepair/

and is running 3 KTPs.

Anyone interested in applying for Fellowship Schemes and self funded PHD students should contact me directly.

 

Academic collaborations

We are interested in academic collaborations anywhere and everywhere. 

Currently we work with people from a range of countries such as: China, Russia, Serbia, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, India, Malaysia, Mexico, France, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium. If interested, drop me an email.

We regulary host visiting PHD and PDRAs from various countries. Please contact me if you wish to visit and work with us.

Publications

Invited roundtable discussions

Invited panellist at a recent EU discussion on Smart Cities: Global Science, Local Impact’ at the Manchester Science Festival (October 2017)

Conference organisation

  • General Chair IEEE ISPLC 2018, Manchester
  • General Chair of the IEICE ICTF international conference, 3-5 June 2015 
  • Co-Chair 6th IEEE Int’l Conference on Smart Grid Communications (2015)
  • Workshop Chair, 8th Int’l Conference on Wireless and Satellite Services (WiSATS), 2016
  • Program Chair & TPC member of conferences

Expert reviewer for journals and publishers

Reviewer of journals & conferences, e.g. IEEE Trans. on Power Del., IEEE Comm. Letters, IEEE TCOM, EUSIPCO, IEEE Smart Grid Comm, etc

Grants

Bamidele has worked on several commercial and government projects focusing on various aspects of wireline and wireless communications. He is particularly interested in Research and Development of communication technologies for electrical energy monitoring/management, transport, water, air quality, critical infrastructures protection, home automation, IoTs and Cyber Physical Systems.

Recent Projects:

Principal Investigator (PI) (MMU): Academic Lead: NIceEnergi – Nigeria Intelligent Clean Energy Marketplace, funded by Department for International Development (DFID), UK-Nigeria Partnership (3 UK/Nigerian Partners), £600K (£200K to MMU) 2019-2021.


PI(MMU) /Academic Lead:  Energy-IQ, funded by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS); UK-Canada partnership (7 UK/Canada partners); £2.2M ( £200K to MMU) 2019-2020,


PI(MMU) /Academic Lead:Greater Manchester SME Zero Carbon Accelerator, PI and Academic Lead funded by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), 5 partners, £57K (£7K to MMU). 2019-2019,

(PI) (MMU): Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading and Sharing – 3M (Multi-times, Multi-scales, Multi-qualities, EPSRC UK-Korea project; £1.2M total budget between MMU, Bath, Oxford, Imperial; MMU budget £187K; [2016-2019]

Lead Academic: Non-Intrusive Water Quality management System/ Mobile Water Metering Infrastructure Innovate UK – Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Project with Aquacheck Engineering Ltd, Greater Manchester, (£311K); [2017- 2020]

Lead Academic: Multi-input platform for vehicle controls, Innovate UK – Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Project with North West  based company,  (£230K); [2018- 2021]

Lead Academic: Cybersecurity for IoTs, KTP in partnership with a local RAAIT Ltd, Greater Manchester (£188K) [2017-2020]; funded by Innovate UK

Principal Investigator: a Innovate UK and EPSRC ‘Smart in-building micro-grid for energy management’ in partnership with two industrial partners (£730K total budget) [ 2015-2017].

Principal Investigator(MMU): ‘Triangulum’ – a EU H2020 Smart Cities and Communities solutions project integrating energy, transport, ICT sectors. Consortium of 22 partners across three EU cities – Manchester, Eindhoven and Stavanger (Total budget €23m); [2015-2020].

Co– Investigator: City Verve- Innovate UK IOT for Smart City project with 23 partners across Greater Manchester (Total Budget £10M; £380K (MMU) [2016 – 2018]

Principal Investigator: Non-Intrusive mobile Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) for Water Management in partnership with Aquacheck Ltd (£177K) [2015-2018]; funded by Innovate UK

PI: “Digital Signal Processing for Automotive Application (£80K).[2013-2014]; Funded by Jaguar Landrover

Work Package Leader of a successfully completed EU FP7 Smart Grid Project worth €5.5m; worked in a consortium of 12 organizations from 7 countries, including The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Italy, Israel, and the UK.[2010-2013]; funder by the EU FP7.

Research Investigator, Industrial funded project, ‘Wire integrity Testing Using Artificial Neural Network (£150K);[2007-2010].

Researcher: EPSRC funded project, ‘ High Rate Broadband indoor Power Line Communication’ [2005-2007]


Engagement & Knowledge Exchange

Projects and initiatives

External Examiner for PHD, MPhil etc at various institutions

Patents

Over 20 patents


Awards, Honours & Distinctions

Prizes and awards

RSC Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize 2011 Winner, awarded for his contributions to the understanding of carbon materials, in particular graphene and its application as an electrode material. Winners that year: MMU, Cambridge and Oxford.

Other distinctions

Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)

Former Associate Editor of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s journal Analytical Methods (maximum 9 years editorship)

Elected as a Highly Cited Researcher by Thomson Reuters; Listed in the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds 2014 and 2018

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

Expert reviewer for various external funding bodies, such as:

European Science Foundation Core Panel Membership (final deciding panel)

EPSRC Peer Reviewer Member

EU Graphene Flagship

Czech Academy of Science (2021)

REF2021 Output Assessor for General Engineering (UoA 12)

Visiting and honorary positions

Honorary Professor at:

1) Central South University, Changsha, China;

2) Xiangtan University, Hunan, China;

3) Thapar University, Patiala, India;

4) Henan University of Technology, Henan, China;

5) Xinyang Normal University, Henan, China;

6) Jianghan University, Wuhan, China.

Editorial board membership

Editorial board member of: 1) Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry (Springer); 2) Inventions (MDPI – Open Access journal); 3) SOP Transactions on Analytical Chemistry; 4) Applied Chemistry; 5) The Open Electrochemistry Journal. Editor in Chief and founding editor: Journal of Carbon Research, (Sept 2014 – ongoing); Lead editor of the RSC Specialist Reports in Electrochemistry (July 2014- ).

Editorial Board of ChemElectroChem (Wiley)

Editor in Chief and founding editor: Journal of Carbon Research, (Sept 2014 – ongoing);

Lead editor of the RSC Specialist Reports in Electrochemistry (July 2014- ).

Founding Editor Board member of the new Elsevier Journal, Talanta Open. Only UK person.

Outstanding peer reviewer for Analytical Methods (2021; out of over 51,000 peer reviewers from more than 120 countries, one of only 500 to be recognized).