Dr Neil Burnside

Dr Neil Burnside

Chancellor’s Research Fellow
University of Strathclyde

Dr Neil Burnside is a Chancellors Research Fellow in geoscientific engineering at the University of Strathclyde. His research mainly focuses on sustainable energy development and environmental resilience. He has led UK institutions in three EU H2020 projects- LoCAL: ‘Low Carbon Afterlife’ (RFCR-CT-2014-00001) focused on the use of flooded, abandoned mine workings for geothermal heat generation; DESTRESS: ‘Demonstration of soft stimulation treatments for geothermal reservoirs’ (H2020-LCE-2015-2-691728) investigated creation of deep reservoirs with sufficient permeability, fracture orientation and spacing for economic production of geothermal energy; SHEER: ‘Shale gas Exploration and Exploitation induced Risks’ (Η2020-LCE-2014-1-640896) advanced environmental monitoring protocols for unconventional hydrocarbon activities. Burnside has led Global Challenge Research Fund scoping projects that investigated energy development and water resource management in Kenya and Ethiopia. This led to significant Co-I involvement with the EPSRC Combi-Gen: ‘Combined fresh water and power generation in East Africa’ (EP/P028829/1) project, which seeks to provide a disruptive technology to address the long-standing twin challenges of water and energy shortage in East Africa. Burnside is also involved with socioenvironmental impact assessment of illicit gold mining operations in Africa and Latin America (e.g. ES/S001883/1). He is currently working on appraisal of mine water geothermal resources and development of efficienta low-carbon district heating systems.