On the 7th February 2014 the School of Chemical Engineering chose to honour two colleagues who sadly passed away last year: former Technical Supervisor Hazel Jennings, who passed away, after taking early retirement in 2010, on 24th August 2013 and Senior Research Fellow Dr. Waldemar (Waldek) Bujalski who passed away on 30th January also last year.

Chem Eng Jennings
Chem Eng Jennings Plaque

For Hazel the School named a newly refurbished teaching laboratory in Biochemical Engineering the Jennings Laboratory and put a plaque on the wall in commemoration and gratitude to her for her dedication to the School from 1964 to 2010. Over her 46 years of service Hazel was an accomplished microbiologist and very keen on photo-microscopy and in 1989 became the highest graded female technician in the University. She was also renowned for her lovely nature and love of a good party. She helped, advised, supported and influenced thousands of Chemical and Biochemical Engineers from both home and overseas. Hazel also worked enthusiastically on many research projects and her skills were particularly critical during the period 1987 to 2001 when she provided the technical leadership for the multi-million pound SERC (later BBSRC) Centre for Biochemical Engineering in the Department.

Chem Eng Bujalski2
Chem Eng Bujalski plaque

They also erected a plaque in the Fuel Cell Laboratory in honour of Waldek who joined the School in 1983, after graduating in Chemical Engineering in 1977 from the Western Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland and gaining a PhD in 1987. He worked with Prof. Alvin Nienow, obtaining a PhD in 1987, on mixing in multi-phase in stirred vessels and the two continued to collaborate on a multiplicity of mixing research projects supported by SERC, AFRC, EU and industry until Alvin retired in 2004. The topics covered were very diverse and included seed priming, molten aluminium processing and micro-mixing, leading to over 80 refereed publications. During this time, Waldek was also very active in encouraging teaching and research involving CFD, from which students at all levels benefitted. Ultimately he became the Head of the Fuel Cell Systems and Modelling group and played a vital role in establishing the experimental laboratories G6 and later G5 which are today the main working places of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Centre. His supportive attitude and optimism were key in developing the Centre to its current status.

They will both be sorely missed.


Authors: Dr. Phil Newick (alumnus MSc Biological Engineering & PhD Chemical Engineering), Professor Alvin Nienow and Professor Robert Steinberger-Wilckens. Photographs courtesy of Dr. Phil Newick and Elaine Mitchell