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Principal Investigators

Our people

Professor Chris Bumby

Principal Investigator

Towards Zero Waste - Reconfigurable Systems

Phone:: +64 4 463 0071

Address:
Robinson Research Institute
P O Box 31 310
Lower Hutt 5040

chris.bumby@vuw.ac.nz

Biography

Chris Bumby is an applied materials physicist whose research spans a diverse range of materials engineering topics, including hydrogen steelmaking, ceramic semiconductors and superconducting machines. Born and raised in England, Chris completed his DPhil. in Physics at the University of Oxford in 2005. Shortly afterwards, he arrived in New Zealand to undertake a Royal Society (UK) Fellowship at Victoria University of Wellington. He has subsequently never left...

Today, Chris is a Principal Scientist at the Robinson Research Institute of Victoria University of Wellington, where he works on a range of commercial and industry-facing applied research projects. At present he leads two research programmes funded by the NZ Government (MBIE) and supervises a number of postgraduate students. Further details of these projects and post-graduate opportunities available with Professor Bumby can be found here.

The value of the MacDiarmid Institute to me is quite a personal thing. For the group as a whole it’s an extremely important link into the broader physical sciences community in New Zealand and particularly the fundamental and basic science community.
Professor Chris Bumby

In the news

News Article

MacDiarmid Institute researchers successful in latest MBIE round

September 20, 2024

The MacDiarmid Institute is pleased to share the following successes from its researchers in this year’s MBIE Endeavour Fund round.

Annual Report

2023 Regional Lecture Series - Annual Report 2023

April 14, 2024

Sustainability has been a theme throughout our Regional Lectures Series, and this year we focused on tangible sustainability tech.

Annual Report

Patenting - Annual Report 2023

April 14, 2024

Patent activity undertaken by our researchers in partnership with their respective Technology Transfer Offices.

Annual Report

Patent applications - Annual Report 2022

April 20, 2023

One of the early considerations on the path to market for materials science is what should be patented and why.

Annual Report

Funding successes - Annual Report 2022

April 19, 2023

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2022. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

In The Media

How to eliminate C02 emissions from industrial materials

April 28, 2021

Dr Chris Bumby is part of a team working on how to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from industrial materials including steel.

Annual Report

Adapting to the online environment

March 31, 2021

As classes and meetings moved online in March as Aotearoa New Zealand entered Level 4 lockdown, we adapted our community outreach activities to the virtual environment.

Annual Report

Awards - Annual Report 2020

March 24, 2021

This provides information about the range of awards received by MacDiarmid Institute Investigators in 2020.

Annual Report

Funding successes - Annual Report 2020

March 24, 2021

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2020. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Annual Report

Patents and Spinouts 2019 - Annual Report 2019

May 27, 2020

This article from our 2019 Annual Report provides information about the MacDiarmid Institute's latest inventions, patents and spinouts.

Annual Report

Taking essential metals into a zero-carbon future - Annual Report 2019

March 16, 2020

Steel and vanadium could be cleaned up thanks to our scientists.

In The Media

Hydrogen-steelmaking research wins Innovation Award

March 6, 2020

Dr Chris Bumby has received the HERA 2020 Innovation Award in recognition of his work towards developing a hydrogen-ironmaking process.

In The Media

How to reduce the carbon cost of building our world with steel

January 28, 2020

In today’s urbanised world, steel is everywhere.

News Article

MacDiarmid researchers successful in 2019 MBIE round

October 25, 2019

Seven MacDiarmid Institute Investigators have been awarded $20.29 million funding for their research through MBIE Endeavour fund.

Annual Report

2018 funding successes - Annual Report 2018

April 8, 2019

Funding successes for our investigators and their research programmes during 2018. This funding enables our researchers and collaborators to continue their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Annual Report

Patents and spinouts 2018 - Annual Report 2018

April 8, 2019

This article from our 2018 Annual Report provides information about the MacDiarmid Institute's latest inventions, patents and spinouts.

Interface Magazine

Stuart Wimbush: From materials to systems

July 13, 2015

Commercialising high temperature superconductors is what the 25 scientists and engineers at the Robinson Research Institute (RRI) do best. Formerly part of IRL, and called the Superconductivity and Energy Team, the RRI is now part of Victoria University of Wellington.