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Staff details

 

Personal photograph uploaded by Roy Lowry

Dr Roy Lowry

  • Job title: Teaching Fellow, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • Address: B506, Portland Square, Drake Circus,
    Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA
  • Telephone: +44 (0)1752 584562
  • Facsimile: +44 (0)1752 233035
  • Email: R.Lowry@plymouth.ac.uk


Role

 

Qualifications & background

Education

Initial education at Isleworth Grammar School, West London

BSc Chemistry - University of Southampton

PhD "A Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Study of the Electrode/electrolyte Interface" - University of Southampton


Industrial Experience

British Gas: London Research Station

Chemical Plant and Processes Section

I was responsible for research into an H2S removal process called the Stretford Process. This used a mixture of organic and inorganic redox catalysts to remove H2S from coke oven or hydrothermal gas streams and convert it to elemental sulphur. Techniques included ion chromatography, HPLC, UV/vis spectroscopy and stopped flow apparatus together with bench scale batch processes. Also, laboratory automation and QA functions together with diagnosis of large scale plant problems via the analysis of process liquors.

Manager of the QA function for six months.


I have also undertaken consultancy work relating to large/medium scale plant, particularly advising on problems associated with process water.

 

Professional membership

Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry(RSC): CChem MRSC

Committee member of the Tertiary Education Group of the RSC

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

 


Teaching interests
At university level, I am interested in e-learning, assessment and the link between the two.  I am a constant innovator and use on-line assessment as both a learning tool and a method of gaining marks.

I also have interests in the both the public understanding and perception of science.  Hence, I regularly perform demonstration lectures and am part of the Royal Institution's Science Events for Schools programme.  I have been a scientific advisor for TV and have done numerous radio, TV and newspaper interviews.  I have been a British Association Media Fellow (1999) and organise schools events at the university such as the Salter's Festival of Chemistry.

I am the current holder of the Guinness World Record(TM) for the most firework rockets launched in 30 seconds.  The record-breaking event was part of the UK Firework Championships held in Plymouth on 15/16August 2006.  Video clips of the event are available via the university server or BBC news 24.  More pictures and details are available via the Fantastic Fireworks website. 



Publications

Refereed Journal Articles

R.B. Lowry

"Computer Aided Self Assessment - an Effective Tool"

Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 6(4), 2005, 198-203

R.B. Lowry, C.E. Williams & J. Braven

“Initial studies of an immobilised, regenerable chemiluminescent sensor”

Talanta, 63/4, 2004, 961-966

R.B. Lowry

“Essential Molecular Orbital Theory for the Study of Pyrotechnics”

J. Pyro 19, 2004, 32-36

C.E. Williams, R.B. Lowry, J. Braven & S.T. Belt

"Novel synthesis and characterisation of ruthenium tris (4-methyl-4'-vinyl-2,2'bipyridine) complexes"

Inorg. Chim. Acta 315, 2001, 112-119

R.B. Lowry

"You can't see the join - combining techniques to achieve realism"

New Academic 8(2), (1999), 3-5

M.J. Atkins, D.J. Harwood & R.B. Lowry

"Synthesis and characterisation of a novel ruthenium organometallic cis-[Ru(bpy)2(npp)(Cl)].BF4 where bpy=2,2'-bipyridyl and npp=4-(N-pyrrolyl)pyridine"

Inorg. Chim. Acta 244, (1996), 277-280

A.L. Newbury, R.B. Lowry & D. Short

"The use of low resolution NMR to monitor the extent of cure in an epoxy resin system"

Adv. Compos. Lett. 4(6), 1995, 189-193

D. Heath, B. Moffatt, R.B. Lowry & S. Rowland

"Quantification of the C30+ fraction of North Sea gas-condensates by high temperature capillary gas chromatography"

Anal Proc 32, 1995, 485-487

R.B. Lowry

"Electronic presentation of lectures - effect upon student performance"

U. Chem. Ed. 3(1), 1993, 18-21

R.B. Lowry

"Fourier transform SERS studies of the chemisorption of ferricyanide on gold electrode surfaces"

Spectrochimica Acta 49A(5/6), 1993, 831-836

R.B. Lowry

"SERS and fourier transform SERS studies of the hexacyanoferrate(III)-hexacyanoferrate(II) couple on gold electrode surfaces"

J. Raman Spec. 22, 1991, 805-809

S.A. Campbell, R.B. Lowry, R.D. Newmark & L.M. Peter

"207Pb NMR and Raman spectroscopy of lead ethanoate and lead perchlorate in aqueous solution"

Chem. Phys. Lett. 155(1), 1989, 89-92

M.M. Musiani, G. Mengoli, M. Fleischmann & R.B. Lowry

"An electrochemical and SERS investigation of the influence of pH on the effectiveness of some corrosion inhibitors of copper"

J. Electoranal. Chem. 217, 1987, 187-202

Non-refereed articles

R.B. Lowry

"Formative assessment via the web using ELEN"

CAL-laborate October 2000
Roy Lowry and Glenn Plume
"How to Break a World Record"
Fireworks 51, 2007, 17-18