Applications open for chemical engineering Fellowship in UK Parliament
19th May 2025
Chemical engineering final year students and postgraduates are invited to apply for the Ashok Kumar Fellowship, a three-month placement at the UK Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST). Applications open on 19 May 2025, and close at 23:55 BST on 29 June 2025.
The annual Fellowship, launched in memory of former chemical engineer and Teesside MP Ashok Kumar, bridges chemical engineering and Parliament, and aims to improve political understanding of the value of science and engineering, and vice versa.
The successful candidate will focus on producing a parliamentary briefing POSTnote for MPs and Peers on an emerging science, engineering or social science topic that is relevant and timely for the UK Parliament.
The Fellowship is open to engineers who are in the final year, or have completed within the past year, an undergraduate Master’s degree in a discipline related to chemical engineering, process engineering, materials science, applied chemistry, or who have equivalent industry experience. This could include conducting a research project on a related topic. Applications will also be accepted from PhD and EngD students conducting research in a related field with permission from their supervisors to suspend their studies for three months. The timing of the placement will be agreed by the successful candidate and POST, and is expected to be between January 2026 and May 2026.
Andrew Foster, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Impact at IChemE, said: “This Fellowship is a unique opportunity to gain experience at the heart of the UK political system and produce work that goes directly to Parliamentarians and policymakers. For an early career chemical or process engineer, this is a chance to make a real difference to UK policymaking and to gain experience in a one-of-a kind environment.”
Dr Simon Brawley, Physical Sciences and Digital Lead at POST, added: "The Ashok Kumar Fellowship makes an important contribution to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) every year. The final briefings fellows produce support parliamentary debate and scrutiny through independent, balanced and accessible research. Recent fellows have tackled a diverse range of topics including the UK STEM skills pipeline, 6G mobile technology, and chemical weapons. The Ashok Kumar Fellowship offers a great opportunity to develop research, analysis, and communication skills, and former POST Fellows have used the experience as a springboard to varied careers across public policy, academia, industry and beyond."
Please visit the POST website for more information about the scheme and apply here.
Notes to editors
The fellowship was established in memory of IChemE Fellow Ashok Kumar, who, at the time of his sudden death in 2010, was the Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and Cleveland East and the only Chartered Chemical Engineer in the UK House of Commons. Prior to his career in politics, Kumar spent 14 years working as a research scientist for British Steel at the Teesside Technology Centre in Grangetown. From that background he developed a strong conviction of the importance of industrial R&D to the UK’s economy.
The Fellowship is jointly funded by IChemE and the Materials Processing Institute.
Links
Ashok Kumar Fellowship
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)
Materials Processing Institute
Contact
For more information please contact:
Dr Simon Brawley, Physical Sciences and Digital Lead, POST
e: brawleys@parliament.uk
What is chemical engineering?
Chemical, biochemical and process engineering is the application of science, mathematics and economics in the process of turning raw materials into everyday, and more specialist, products. Professional chemical engineers design, construct and manage process operations all over the world. Energy, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, synthetic fibres and clean drinking water are just some of the industry sectors and products where chemical engineering plays a central role.
IChemE
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) advances chemical engineering's contribution for the benefit of society. We facilitate the development of chemical engineering professionals and provide connections to a powerful network of around 30,000 members in more than 100 countries.
We support our members in applying their expertise and experience to make an influential contribution to solving major global challenges, and are the only organisation permitted to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status and Professional Process Safety Engineer registration.