RGU Technician Recognised in Prestigious Times Higher Education Awards
Phil Chaplain, Engineering Services Manager at RGU, has been nominated in the Outstanding Technician of the Year category at the 2025 Times Higher Education Awards.
He was recognised for his ground-breaking work on a bespoke oil and water separator and overall contribution to research and innovation at the School of Computing, Engineering and Technology.
Phil’s excellence over his 21 years at RGU is widely recognised by his colleagues. His award nomination came from Professor Mamdud Hossain, who has worked closely with Phil on several large-scale research projects. Despite his well-established reputation, Phil never expected to be nominated for a national industry award:
“It was a complete surprise, right out of the blue - Professor Mamdud Hossain asked me months ago if he could put me forward for some kind of technical thing but he didn't tell me it was the Times Higher Education Awards.
To be nominated by Mamdud is a real honour, but to be then shortlisted in the final eight is unbelievable.”
Phil’s nomination centres on his exceptional work building and designing a bespoke £100K flow-loop system in RGU’s Thermofluids Laboratory. His complex setup enabled performance testing of the revolutionary BSC Turbo Separator, a cutting-edge technology set to improve offshore oil platform operations by separating oil from produced water at high volumes with unprecedented efficiency. Phil’s technical expertise ensured the flow-loop was delivered ahead of schedule, an incredible feat for a system of this scale and complexity.
Beyond the building phase, Phil went above his day-to-day role duties to work alongside colleagues to collect and analyse data, develop safety protocols and provide expert insight throughout the testing period. During a four-day industry demonstration event in March 2024, he supported the successful showcasing of the technology to sponsors and operators.
Among many other contributions, the nomination also highlighted Phil’s role in building an experimental geothermal cooling system replicating RGU’s interdisciplinary work in Kenya. The system aims to reduce heat stress for low-income communities living in informal housing, showcasing the real-world impact of his work.
But Phil’s contribution goes far beyond the lab, and his nomination reflects that. Phil has been described as a respected leader who fosters an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative environment where academics, students, and researchers can freely exchange ideas, leading to early-stage concepts blossoming into viable experiments. He also contributes strategically to research committees at both school and institutional level, influencing laboratory design and policy.
In Phil’s own words:
“I spin many plates in my role; this is just a snapshot. There's always something going on that I'm involved in to some degree.”
And Phil is far from being finished. At the moment, he is spearheading the establishment of a dedicated Hydrogen Laboratory at RGU, aligning with institutional goals that will help support the University in its research development.
Phil’s nomination in the highly competitive Times Higher Education Awards highlights the critical role technical staff play in driving research excellence and innovation. His work is an inspiration and continues to shape the future of engineering at RGU.
The ceremony for the 2025 Times Higher Education Awards will take place on Thursday 13 November in Edinburgh, where the winner for the Outstanding Technician of the Year category will be announced. Best of luck to Phil!
