Biography

A/Prof Lucas has lead a team of researchers in the development of a novel process for the treatment of contaminated soils and polluted sediments. Based on their fundamental and applied research, Lucas and his team have designed, developed and commercialised a Thermal Desorption Treatment Process, capable of treating 30 Tonnes/hour of soils polluted with organic wastes such as tars, oils, pesticides and other environmentally hazardous chemicals. The development (over 12 years) has gone through the various phases of fundamental research, design and analysis, pilot plant trials, prototype fabrication and development to commercial ready process. The work has lead to a University Spin-Off company (Innova Soil Technology Limited) which is in the advanced` phase of commercialisation, with an Australian Stock Exchange listing planned for 2007. Highlights of the development include: AusIndustry R&D START Funding - Technology Demonstration (Lucas, 2001, $1,093,000), Recipient of Engineers Australia NATIONAL Award for Environmental Engineering Excellence (2003), US/AUS/CAN Patents granted 2006, Europe and others pending; in excess of $5 million private equity raised for the Start-Up, International interest in licensing of the technology. In addition to the contributions made to the field of advanced thermal desorption technology, Lucas has established a track record of research excellence in thermal process engineering, with particularly interests in waste processing/utilisation, coal utilisation (ignition and devolatilisation phenomena) and direct coal-iron ore reduction. In recognition of the quality and significance of his research, A/Prof Lucas received various prestigious awards;

• Distinction Award for the Conference Paper Strezov V, Lucas JA, Osborn SR, Strezov L, Measurements of the Heats of Coal Devolatilisation, 16th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, October 1999.
• Distinguished 2002 John Brodie Medal for the best paper at the CHEMECA 2002 for the work: McGann G, Evans T, Strezov L, Strezov V, Lucas JA, Iron Ore Characterisation during High Temperature Thermal Processing CHEMECA 2002, Christchurch, New Zealand, September 2002.
• Engineers Australia (Hunter Region) Award for Engineering Excellence Innovation Award and Overall Winner (2003) for the project The Development of an Innovative Soil Remediation System
• Engineers Australia National Award for Environmental Engineering Excellence (2003) for the project The Development of an Innovative Soil Remediation System

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Newcastle, 1994
• Bachelor of Engineering, University of Newcastle, 1986
• Bachelor of Science (Chemistry/Mathematics)(Hons), University of Newcastle, 1986

Research

Research keywords

• Energy Generation
• Soil Remediation
• Waste Utilisation

Research expertise

• Contaminated soil remediation, metals processing, energy systems, waste minimisation

• Co-founder and MD Innova Soil Technology, a start-up technology commercialisation company

Fields of Research

Centres and Groups

Centre

• Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER)
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Energy

Awards

Distinction.

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Chemical Engineering
• Commercialisation
• Entrepreneurship