Dr Andrew Foster

Biography

Andrew studied at Queen’s University, Belfast gaining a BSc in Chemistry in 1996. He remained there to complete a PhD in polymer science funded by Du Pont Dow Elastomers LLC, under the supervision of Dr. Allan Fawcett (completed in 2000). In 2001, he moved to Sheffield University to take up a postdoctoral position (PDRA) funded by ICI Paints working under the supervision of Prof. John Ebdon and Dr. Steve Rimmer. He then remained in Sheffield for a further PDRA (2003-2004) working with Dr. Patrick Fairclough on a project, funded by Dstl (Ministry of Defence). He then moved to Manchester University to work with Prof. Pete Lovell and Dr. Michael Rabjohns in the School of Materials, Manchester, as part of a larger EU consortium of academics and industrial companies funded under the Sixth Framework Programme (2004-2007). In 2009, Andrew completed a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) at Manchester University. From 2010 to 2017, Andrew was employed as a project scientist within the research group of Prof. Michael Turner, working on several projects in collaboration with companies as part of the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry (KCMC). He was employed (2017-2021) as a PDRA on the ESPRC Immortal Membranes project grant (SynFabFun) working in the research group of Prof. Peter Budd. He was appointed lecturer in polymer science in the Department of Materials in December 2021 (0.5 FTE) and remains doing membrane research in the Department of Chemistry in the other half of his time.