The Department of Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch University recently celebrated a major milestone in the academic career of Prof Robbie Pott, who delivered his inaugural lecture titled From laboratory to lecture hall: growing bioprocesses and graduates on 5 June 2025. The lecture not only marked his appointment as full professor but also offered a glimpse into his decade-long journey of research, teaching, and innovation in the field of bioprocess engineering.
Academic journey
Prof Pott began his academic career at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he completed his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in 2008. After briefly working in the same laboratory, he pursued his PhD at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Following his doctoral studies, he returned to UCT as a postdoctoral research fellow before joining Stellenbosch University’s Department of Process Engineering (now Department of Chemical Engineering) as a lecturer in 2015. Since then, he has built a large and active research group in bioprocess engineering.
The focus of the inaugural lecture
In his lecture, Prof Pott explored the wide scope of bioprocess engineering, which involves developing processes to harness organisms to produce valuable products – from laboratory-scale studies to industrial applications.
“Organisms surround us, and they produce vastly more materials than we could hope to understand. Many of these materials have the potential to improve lives and generate new industries,” he explained.
But realising this potential requires more than just identifying useful organisms. The bioprocess engineer must design processes that work on multiple levels – from the microscopic scale, to the reactor scale, to the broader economic, societal, and environmental scale. Prof Pott guided the audience through key stages of bioprocess development: bioprospecting for organisms, designing bioreactors, developing separation systems to capture products, and creating commercially viable process designs.
“With the help of fantastic students, driven and supportive colleagues and collaborators, and often a bit of luck, bioprocess engineering can offer implementable solutions to real-world problems,” he said.
His lecture reflected on a decade of research that involved the contributions of more than 20 postgraduate researchers, illustrating how curiosity-driven research can be both rewarding and challenging.
Contributions to research and teaching
Prof Pott’s research contributes to bioprocess engineering by advancing technical knowledge in process development and optimisation, while also training the next generation of bioprocess engineers.
“My primary expertise lies in bioprocess engineering – which we can think of as the overlap between biological sciences and chemical engineering,” he explained.
On the technical side, his work addresses challenges in the design, scale-up, and optimisation of bioprocesses for the sustainable production of bio-based products. This includes work in fermentation process development, reactor design, and bioprocess integration – areas central to supporting the shift towards a circular bioeconomy.
“We have designed new bioreactors, new separation systems, applied old ideas in new spaces, and all the while evaluated value creation,” he added.
In parallel, Prof Pott is actively involved in research on engineering education, particularly how to prepare postgraduate students for the complex and interdisciplinary nature of modern work.
“I am investigating how supervisors can intentionally foster grit and resilience, which are critical attributes in postgraduate research and the world of work,” he said.
Personal reflections
Achieving the rank of full professor is a significant milestone for Prof Pott, though he emphasises that recognition has never been his primary motivation.
“It is, of course, very nice to be recognised and congratulated for successes, but my motivation has never really been driven by accolades or financial rewards. I find the work I do fascinating, and I enjoy the pursuit of knowledge and problem solving with my research students.”
Still, reaching full professorship before the age of 40 was a personal goal – one that was achieved not by chasing the title directly, but by focusing on good work and mentorship day after day.
Inspiration and future goals
Prof Pott’s interest in bioprocess engineering was influenced by his family background, where ecology, biology, and environmentalism were part of daily life.
“The living world has always been a fascination. And with engineering eyes, the living world is a rich source of inspiration and potential,” he shared.
Looking ahead, Prof Pott hopes to see some of his lab’s work evolve into commercial ventures.
“One of the next big goals I have is to see a spin-off company emerge from my lab’s work. I would love to see our products on the shelves, making a real difference in communities and industries.”
At the same time, every successful student remains a milestone in itself.
“Each student I take on and successfully supervise to graduation is a milestone I look forward to.”
Prof Pott’s inaugural lecture highlighted not only his academic journey, but also the broader impact of bioprocess engineering and postgraduate mentorship in shaping the future of sustainable technology.
From left to right: Prof Robbie Pott and Prof Sibusiso Moyo (Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies)
From left to right: Prof Corne Schutte (Vice-Dean Research and Industry Liaison), Prof Christie Dorfling (Chair: Department of Chemical Engineering), Prof Robbie Pott, Prof Wikus van Niekerk (Dean: Faculty of Engineering), Prof Celeste Viljoen (Vice-Dean Teaching and Quality Assurance)
Prof Robbie Pott delivering his inaugural lecture titled: From laboratory to lecture hall – growing bioprocesses and graduates
Prof. Robbie Pott lewer sy intreerede: Van laboratorium tot lesingsaal – die ontwikkeling van bioprosesse en studente
Die Departement Chemiese Ingenieurswese aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch het onlangs ’n belangrike mylpaal in die akademiese loopbaan van Prof. Robbie Pott gevier toe hy op 5 Junie 2025 sy intreerede gelewer het, met die titel Van laboratorium tot lesingsaal – die ontwikkeling van bioprosesse en studente. Die intreerede het nie net sy bevordering tot volprofessor amptelik bevestig nie, maar ook ’n oorsig gebied van sy dekadelange reis van navorsing, onderrig en innovasie in die veld van bioprosesingenieurswese.
Akademiese loopbaan
Prof. Pott het sy akademiese loopbaan aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad (UK) begin, waar hy in 2008 sy voorgraadse kwalifikasie in chemiese ingenieurswese voltooi het. Ná ’n kort tydperk se werk in dieselfde laboratorium, het hy sy doktorsgraad aan die Universiteit van Cambridge in die Verenigde Koninkryk gaan voltooi. Daarna het hy na UK teruggekeer as nadoktorale navorsingsgenoot, voordat hy in 2015 as lektor by die Departement Prosesingenieurswese (nou Departement Chemiese Ingenieurswese) aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch aangesluit het. Sedertdien het hy ’n dinamiese en groeiende navorsingsgroep in bioprosesingenieurswese gevestig.
Die fokus van die intreerede
In sy intreerede het Prof. Pott die wye omvang van bioprosesingenieurswese verken, ’n veld waarin prosesse ontwikkel word om organismes aan te wend vir die vervaardiging van waardevolle produkte – van laboratoriumskaal tot industriële toepassing.
“Organismes is oral om ons, en hulle produseer veel meer materiale as wat ons ooit ten volle sal kan verstaan. Baie van hierdie materiale het die potensiaal om lewens te verbeter en nuwe industrieë te skep,” het hy verduidelik.
Maar om hierdie potensiaal te ontsluit, is meer nodig as net die identifisering van geskikte organismes. Die bioprosesingenieur moet prosesse ontwerp wat op verskeie vlakke funksioneer – van die mikroskopiese skaal, na die reaktorskaal, tot op ekonomiese, maatskaplike en omgewingsvlak. Prof. Pott het die gehoor geneem op ’n oorsig van die sleutelstappe in bioprosesontwikkeling: bioprospektering na organismes, die ontwerp van bioreaktors, die ontwikkeling van skeidingstelsels om produkte te herwin, en die skep van kommersieel lewensvatbare prosesontwerpe.
“Met die hulp van fantastiese studente, toegewyde en ondersteunende kollegas en medewerkers, en dikwels ook ’n bietjie geluk, kan bioprosesingenieurswese uitvoerbare oplossings bied vir werklike probleme,” het hy gesê.
Sy intreerede het teruggekyk op ’n dekade van navorsing waartoe meer as 20 nagraadse navorsers bygedra het, en het getoon hoe nuuskierigheid-gedrewe navorsing terselfdertyd lonend en uitdagend kan wees.
Bydraes tot navorsing en onderrig
Prof. Pott se navorsing dra by tot die veld van bioprosesingenieurswese deur tegniese kennis oor prosesontwikkeling en -optimalisering uit te bou, terwyl hy terselfdertyd die volgende geslag bioprosesingenieurs oplei.
“My primêre kundigheid lê in bioprosesingenieurswese – wat ons kan beskou as die oorvleueling tussen biologiese wetenskappe en chemiese ingenieurswese,” het hy verduidelik.
Aan die tegniese kant spreek sy werk uitdagings aan in die ontwerp, opskaling en optimalisering van bioprosesse vir die volhoubare vervaardiging van bio-gebaseerde produkte. Dit sluit onder andere fermentasieprosesontwikkeling, reaktorontwerp en bioprosesintegrasie in – alles kernareas in die ondersteuning van die oorgang na ’n sirkulêre bio-ekonomie.
“Ons het nuwe bioreaktors ontwerp, nuwe skeidingstelsels ontwikkel, ou idees in nuwe kontekste toegepas, en deurentyd die waarde-potensiaal van prosesse geëvalueer,” het hy bygevoeg.
Benewens sy navorsing is Prof. Pott ook aktief betrokke by ingenieursopvoedingsnavorsing, veral oor hoe om nagraadse studente beter voor te berei vir die komplekse en interdissiplinêre aard van moderne werk.
“Ek ondersoek hoe studieleiers doelbewus deursettingsvermoë en veerkragtigheid by studente kan kweek – eienskappe wat van kardinale belang is in nagraadse navorsing en in die beroepswêreld,” het hy gesê.
Persoonlike refleksie
Die aanstelling as volprofessor is ’n belangrike mylpaal vir Prof. Pott, maar hy beklemtoon dat erkenning nog nooit sy hoofmotivering was nie.
“Dit is natuurlik baie lekker om erkenning te kry en gelukwense vir jou sukses te ontvang, maar my dryfveer was nog nooit lof of finansiële belonings nie. Ek vind die werk wat ek doen fassinerend, en ek geniet die strewe na kennis en probleemoplossing saam met my nagraadse studente,” sê hy.
Tog was dit ’n persoonlike doel om volprofessor te word voor die ouderdom van 40 – ’n doel wat nie deur die titel direk na te jaag bereik is nie, maar deur elke dag gefokus te wees op goeie werk en ʼn mentorloopbaan.
Inspirasie en toekomsdoelwitte
Prof. Pott se belangstelling in bioprosesingenieurswese is beïnvloed deur sy familieagtergrond, waar ekologie, biologie en omgewingsbewustheid deel was van die daaglikse lewe.
“Die lewende wêreld het my nog altyd gefassineer. En met ’n ingenieursblik is die lewende wêreld ’n ryk bron van inspirasie en potensiaal,” deel hy.
Prof. Pott hoop om in die toekoms te sien hoe sommige van sy navorsingsprojekte omskep word in kommersiële ondernemings.
“Een van my volgende groot doelwitte is om die werk in my laboratorium te sien ontwikkel tot ’n nuwe onderneming. Ek sal graag wil hê dat ons produkte op rakke verskyn en ’n werklike verskil maak in gemeenskappe en industrieë.”
Terselfdertyd bly elke suksesvolle student ’n mylpaal op sigself.
“Elke student wat ek suksesvol tot graduering begelei, is ’n mylpaal waarna ek uitsien.”
Prof. Pott se intreerede het nie net sy akademiese reis uitgelig nie, maar ook die wyer impak van bioprosesingenieurswese en nagraadse mentorwerk in die vorming van die toekoms van volhoubare tegnologie.
