Chem Eng Academy has been founded by Dr Mo Zandi in 2016. Dr Zandi has been inspiring and motivating young people and students into Chemical & Biological Engineering since 2011 through his introduction of social media teaching, active learning methods, enthusiasm and dedication to supporting the academic and pastoral needs of young people.

In 2012-13 he received an Excellence in Learning & Teaching voted for by students from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sheffield. Under his leadership, he motivated many students to join MSc in Environmental & Energy Engineering. In 2014 he attarcted over 120 students into the programme becoming the most programme of its kind in the UK.

His impact also extends well beyond the Unversity. In 2016, he founded Chem Eng Academy to promote chemical & biological engineering to 17s using social media platforms. His social media teaching methods attracted many young people worldwide as by Feb 2018 over 10,500 young people have joined Chem Eng Academy on Facebook.

Dr Zandi has also been instrumental in the development of new teaching environments to support students to develop and apply new knowledge. In Sheffield, he has been working with local authority to increase awarness among different communities to learning about energy engineering anf to tackle fuel poverty in the city through his project ACE (Action on Community Energy).

He has been praised by many students for his enthusisasm towards engineering as one students said to him:

Dr Zandi, received Senate Award for Early Career Excellence in Learning and Teaching in 2016 from University of Sheffield Vice Chancellor, Prof Keith Burnett.