Overview

This year’s event will take place at Canterbury University in Christchurch and will be delivered in both in-person and online formats. The afternoon will begin with the Postgraduate Researcher of the Year competition, followed by the Kennedy Wunsch Lecture presented by Chris Bloore. The lecture will explore the topic “The Surprising Life of a Chemical Engineer.”

The event will be held in both in-person and online formats, before concluding with a dinner for attendees.

Speaker

Chris Bloore, Dairy Industry Systems Consultant

Chris completed a BSc in chemistry and a BE in chemical engineering at Canterbury University in 1971. He worked at the New Zealand Dairy Research Institute (NZDRI) in Palmerston North for 19 years across four different roles.

As part of the dairy industry’s push into computer control, Chris obtained an MSc in Process Control from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in the UK in 1974. He later completed a PhD through Massey University in 1981. His main specialty was milk powder production, while also being heavily involved in process automation and project management.

Highlights of his time at the NZDRI included designing, installing, and programming computer control systems for the pilot-scale butter, cheese, casein, and whey protein plants.

Since 1990, Chris has worked as a consultant to the worldwide dairy and food industries. In recognition of his contributions to the field, he received the J C Andrews Award from the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST) in July 2024.