Pouran’s research and professional experiences and interests span from highly technical studies focusing on the behaviour of engineered nanomaterials in the environment to collaborative innovation, renewable energies, climate change and science policy.

He is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Environmental, senior member of IEEE and chair of IEEE UK Climate Change and Environmental Technology Special Interest Group. He was a member of Transatlantic Initiative for Nanotechnology and the Environment (2011-2014) at Lancaster University (UK) where he developed the first commercially available technique to measure the bioavailable concentration of metal oxide nanoparticles in the environment (known as Nano-DGT).

Since 2015 Pouran has been guest editor of Middle East in London Magazine (SOAS, University of London), environment special issues. He was the convener of the MENA Environment Conference in 2016 (SOAS Centenary Conference), which for the first time brought together scientists and policymakers from multidisciplinary backgrounds.

Pouran is a subject matter expert (environmental science) for BBC World and Scottish Centre for International and Strategic Affairs. He was scientific consultant for a BBC World News scientific documentary called “Dust Storms”, which was transmitted in three languages by BBC World News and BBC Four in 2017. Pouran was visiting scholar with Princeton Environmental Institute and Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies at Princeton University in 2017.

After his 2^nd MSc (Licentiate Thesis) at Stockholm University, Pouran received a Ph.D. scholarship from the faculty of engineering, University of Sheffield (UK) to join a multidisciplinary research about bioremediation of contaminated aquifers at Kroto Research Institute (2005). He is currently a Research Associate at SOAS University of London and Lecturer in Environmental Technology at University of Wolverhampton.

Environmental technology and collaborative innovation.

Environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation.

Environmental geochemistry, and pollutants behavior in the environment.

Environmental policy.

Science Communication.

• Chartered Scientist (CSci)

• Senior Member IEEE (SMIEEE)

• Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv)

• IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society

• UK Energy Institute 

• Society for the Environment (SocEnv)

• IEEE Nanotechnology Council

• International Society of Trace Element Biogeochemistry

• Member of Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)

Publications

Pouran, H. M., Steve A. Banwart., Maria. Romero-Gonzales. (2017). “Effects of synthetic iron and aluminum oxide surface properties on the formation of bacterial biofilm”Environ. Sci.: Processes & Impacts, 19 (4), 622-634.

Pouran, H. M. (2016). “MENA, climate change and COP21”, The Middle East in London (Magazine of London Middle East Institute, SOAS, University of London), 12 (3): 5-7.

Pouran, H. M. (2016). “Air pollution and public health”, The Middle East in London (Magazine of London Middle East Institute, SOAS, University of London), 12 (3): 13-15.

Pouran, H. M. (2015). “Nanotechnology is a big risk if decision makers think small”, The Middle East in London (Magazine of London Middle East Institute, SOAS, University of London), 11 (2): 16-19.

Pouran, H. M. (2015). “Wars, depleted uranium and soil pollution”, The Middle East in London (Magazine of London Middle East Institute, SOAS, University of London), 11 (2): 6-9.

Pouran, H. M., Martin, F. L., Zhang, H. (2014). “Measurement of ZnO nanoparticles using diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT): binding and diffusional characteristics”, Analytical Chemistry 86 (12): 5906-5913.

Llabjani, V., Hoti, V., Pouran, H. M., Martin, F. L., Zhang, H. (2014). “Bimodal responses of cells to trace elements: Insights into their mechanism of action using a biospectroscopy approach”, Chemosphere 112: 377-384.

Pouran, H. M., Steve A. Banwart, Maria. Romero-Gonzales. (2014). “Coating a polystyrene well-plate surface with synthetic hematite, goethite and aluminum hydroxide for cell mineral adhesion studies under controlled environment”, Applied Geochemistry 42: 60-68.

Pouran, H. M., Llabjani, V., Martin, F. L., Zhang, H. (2013). "Evaluation of ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy with Multivariate Analysis to Study the Binding Mechanisms of ZnO Nanoparticles or Zn²⁺ to Chelex-100 or Metsorb", Environmental Science & Technology 47 (111): 15-21

Ojeda, J. J., M. E. Romero-Gonzales, H.M. Pouran, S. A. Banwart. (2008). "In situ monitoring of the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas putida on hematite using flow-cell ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to investigate the formation of inner-sphere bonds between the bacteria and the mineral." Mineralogical Magazine 72(1): 101-106.

Pouran, H. M., A. Fotovat, G. Haghnia, A. Halajnia and M. Chamsaz, (2008). “A Case Study: Chromium Concentration andits Species in a Calcareous Soil Affected by Leather Industries Effluents.”, World Applied Sciences Journal, 5,484-88

Pouran, H. M., A. Fotovat, G. Haghnia, A. Halajnia and M. Chamsaz, (2009). “Effects of Leather industries effluents on chromium concentrations and its species in soil.” Journal of Water and Soil, 23, 10-19

Conference papers and presentations (peer reviewed)

Pouran, H. M., Lofts. Steve., McGrath, Steve., Zhang, H.” Measuring available concentrations of ZnO NPs in soils using Nano-DGT”, From DGT Research to Environmental Assessment, P76, (2015), Spain.

Pouran, H. M., Lofts. Steve., McGrath, Steve., Zhang, H.” Measuring available concentrations of nanomaterials in contaminated soils”, From DGT Research to Environmental Assessment, P77, (2015), Spain.

Pouran, H. M., Zhang, H “Developing a dynamic technique (DGT) to measure available concentrations of nanoparticles in the environment”, Transatlantic Initiative for Nanotechnology and the environment (TINE) annual meeting, 2013, Centre for Hydrology and Ecology (CEH), Lancaster, UK.

Pouran, H. M., Zhang, H. Investigating ZnO NPs and Zn²⁺ retention mechanism by Chelex®-100 and Metsorb™”, International conference on the biogeochemistry of trace elements, 2013, Athens, Georgia, USA.

Pouran, H. M., Martin, L. F, et al. " Measurement of ZnO Nanoparticles with Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT)”, (2013).  Conference on DGT and the environment. P79-80, Lancaster, UK.

Pouran, H. M., Llabjani, V., et al. Application of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to analyse retention mechanisms ofZnO NPs and Zn²⁺ to Chelex®-100 and Metsorb™ as the DGT binding layers”, (2013). Conference on DGT and the environment. P78-79, Lancaster, UK.

Pouran, H. M., Zhang, H “Diffusive gradient in thin-films potential for measuring available concentrations of nanoparticles in the environment”, Transatlantic Initiative for Nanotechnology and the environment (TINE) annual meeting, 2012, Centre for Hydrology and Ecology (CEH), Warrington, UK .

Pouran, H. M., J. S. Andrews, et al. (2009). "Effects of surface charge and hydrophobicity of synthetic metal oxideson attached growth of environmental bacterial isolates." Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 73(13): A1048.

Andrews, J. S., H. M. Pouran, et al. (2009). "Multi-factorial analysis of surface interactions in single species environmental bacteria and model surfaces." Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 73(13): A44.

Ojeda, J. J., M. E. Romero-Gonzalez, H.M. Pouran, S. A. Banwart. (2009). "Investigating the chemical interactionsbetween Pseudomonas putida and hematite using in situ flow-cell ATR-FTIR with a hematite-coated Ge crystal."Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 73(13): A968.

Hamid.M. Pouran, Johanna S. Andrews, Maria Romero-Gonzalez and Steven A. Banwart, Effects of surface charge and hydrophobicity of synthetic metal oxides on attached growth of environmental bacterial isolates, Goldschmidt 2009, Davos, Switzerland.

J.S. Andrews, H.M. Pouran, J. Scholes, S.A. Rolfe and S.A. Banwart, Multi-factorial analysis of surface interactions in single species environmental bacteria and model surfaces, Goldschmidt 2009, Davos, Switzerland.

Hamid. M. Pouran, Johanna S. Andrews, Maria Romero-Gonzalez and Steven A. Banwart, Evaluation of surface charge and hydrophobicity effects of synthetic hematite, goethite and aluminum hydroxide on biofilm formation of environmental bacterial isolates, Environmental mineralogy research in progress meeting, May 2009, The University of Leeds, UK.

Pouran, H. M., S. A. Banwart, et al. (2008). "Preparation of coated polystyrene surfaces with hematitenanoparticles to study cell-mineral adhesion under well-characterized environment." Geochimica Et CosmochimicaActa 72(12): A758.

Jesus. J. Ojeda, Maria. E. Romero-Gonzales, Hamid. M. Pouran, Steven. A. Banwart, In-Situ Monitoring of the Biofilm Formation of Pseudomonas Putida on Hematite Using Flow-Cell ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy, 2008 Joint Meeting of The Geological Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies with the Gulf Coast Section of SEPM, October 2008, Huston, Texas, USA.

Hamid. M. Pouran, Steven A. Banwart, Maria. Romero-Gonzales, Preparation of coated polystyrene surfaces with hematite nanoparticles to study cell-mineral adhesion under well-characterized environment, Goldschmidt 2008, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Hamid. M. Pouran, Steven Banwart, Maria Romero-Gonzales, Thin film coating of polystyrene well plates with synthetic hematite nanoparticles for studying cell-mineral interface reactions, Faraday Discussion 139, The importance of polymer science for biological systems, March 2008, University of York, UK.

Hamid. M. Pouran, Steven Banwart, Maria Romero-Gonzales, Synthesis and characterisation3 of iron oxide nanoparticles for the study of cell mineral adhesion, 2nd Environmental Mineralogy Research in Progress Seminar, April 2007, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

Hamid. M. Pouran, A. Fotovat, Chromium Determination in Soils Are Subject to Leather Industry Effluents, 16^th Annual AEHS Meeting and West Coast Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water, March 2006, Mission Valley Marriott, San Diego, USA.

Invited Talks

“IEEE and mitigating the climate change impacts”, IEEE UK and Ireland Christmas Lecture, London, December 2017.

“IEEE and the environmental sustainability in the 21^st century”, Invited talk for IEEE, London, 2017.

“The dust we breathe: climate and public health in the MENA region”, (2017) Princeton Environmental Institute, Princeton University, USA.

“Major environmental challenges in the Middle East”, 2017, Conversations on the Environment, Responsible Energy and Life, Princeton Environmental Institute, Princeton University, USA.

“Air pollution and water shortage in Iran”, (2017), Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, Princeton University, USA.

“Role of floating solar farms in addressing water and energy challenges in the arid regions”, (Presentation for technology development council of water & environment), (2016), Iran scientific and technological department of presidential office, Iran.

“Bioremediation of contaminated aquifers and behaviour of nano materials in the environment”, (2016), Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Iran.

“Dust Storms in the MENA region; physicochemical properties of the suspended colloidal particles in simple terms”, (2016), Asia House, London, UK.

“Scientific collaboration for environmental sustainability and green technology development”, (Invited by Scottish Centre for International and Strategic Affairs), (2016), UN House, Edinburgh, Scotland.

"Middle East environmental challenges”, (Sponsored by British Academy), (2015), London Middle East Institute, SOAS, University of London, UK.

“An Introduction to soil pollution, International seminar series on Middle East environmental sustainability, (2015), London Middle East Institute, SOAS, University of London, UK.