Michal Miekina

Glass Technologist - Glass Futures Ltd.

(2024-11 - 2026-06)

Led a 12-month, £45k multi-stakeholder industrial trial of an experimental IACM sensor system for in-situ NaOH detection and SO2 monitoring on live glass furnaces, supporting technology validation prior to wider implementation.
Built a new glass technology laboratory from empty space to operational readiness in approximately two months, supporting equipment procurement, installation planning, SOP setup, and QC readiness.
Procured and commissioned core laboratory infrastructure including a UV-Vis spectrometer and two Leica microscopes, accelerating analytical capability for live programmes.
Developed a biofuel handling and fuel planning strategy, resolving HSE blockers for high-temperature testing and supporting safe trial execution.

Product Development Specialist - Vibrantz Technologies Inc.

(2019-09 - 2024-11)

Led the Vesuvius refractory glaze programme over 2 years, taking a novel glaze system from formulation through qualification and industrial-scale customer trials using 2-tonne blended batches.
Co-developed a high-temperature anti-oxidation coating for carbon steel, formulated for service up to 1240 °C to reduce oxidative scale formation during hot-working and thermal processing.
Conducted QC and chemical analysis using AA spectroscopy, XRF, and wet chemistry titrations; interpreted results, presented technical findings to customers, and supported troubleshooting of live production issues.
Authored SOP and TDS documentation to support compliant manufacture and successful handover of developed products into production.
Supported flammability assessment of fine raw materials, including silicon powder, to inform ATEX-related equipment and handling requirements during scale-up activities.
Secured dual sourcing for critical raw materials and frits through supplier identification, testing, qualification, and technical approval across two continents.

Research Scientist (KTP Associate) - University of Sheffield / Prince Minerals Ltd.

(2017-07 - 2019-09)

Developed glassy anti-oxidation, lubricating, and protective coating systems for metallurgical hot-forming applications, including a low-melting frit for zirconium cladding extrusion and borosilicate coatings that extended SiC heating element service life.
Managed project budgets and delivered quarterly stage-gate reports, linking university-led R&D to industrial delivery requirements.
Supported customers in troubleshooting titanium-alloy forging challenges, applying coating and materials knowledge to improve process performance during hot-forming operations.
Procured metallic billets and raw materials for development programmes, conducting supplier comparisons and price negotiations to maintain project continuity within budget constraints.

PhD Researcher, Nuclear Fission Research, Science and Technology - DTC - National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) / University of Sheffield

(2012 - 2016)

Investigated the vitrification and crystallisation behaviour of complex molybdenum- and zirconium-rich waste streams in borosilicate glass systems.
Independently performed chemical durability testing, including leaching and Product Consistency Test (PCT) work during MSc and PhD research.
Conducted SEM/EDX and XRD corrosion analysis of Inconel and Nicrofer alloys exposed to aggressive glass melts, evaluating interfacial degradation and elemental diffusion at the metal-glass boundary and presented findings at conferences in China and France.

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