Dr. Harper brings his expertise to the Cambridge Industrial Resilience Group as an Academic Collaborator, a role he holds alongside his substantive position as a Critical Materials Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham’s Birmingham Business School, where he co-founded the Birmingham Centre for Strategic Elements & Critical Materials in which he is based. The shared role aims to unlock synergies between the respective strengths of these two portfolios, acting to bridge the two institutions in collaborative endeavours.

With a distinguished track record in critical materials and the circular economy, Dr. Harper’s work focuses on architecting resilient value chains for the green energy transition. He specializes in the complexities of "technology metals"—such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earths—analysing how geopolitical, economic, and technical factors influence the security of supply chains essential for Net Zero.

Dr. Harper’s research portfolio addresses the systemic vulnerabilities of global supply chains. At the IfM, his collaboration contributes to the broader understanding of Industrial Resilience, specifically how nations and industries can fortify themselves against disruptions in the supply of critical minerals.

• Critical Mineral Supply Chains: Evaluating the flow of strategic elements from extraction to end-of-life to mitigate supply risks.

• Circular Economy & Sustainability: Developing pathways for the recycling and reuse of lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicle (EV) components.

• Technology Policy: Bridging the gap between engineering innovation and government strategy to secure UK industrial competiveness. 

Dr. Harper is an active contributor to the academic discourse on systemic risk and continuity of critical materials. He has authored and contributed to articles in leading journals, including Nature, Science, Nature Sustainability & Nature Reviews Clean Technology He is currently leading a special issue as Guest Editor, of Continuity & Resilience Review for this Emerald Publishing journal.

Dr. Harper is a recognized voice in both policy and public engagement:

He has provided evidence to the House of Lords and served on policy commissions (including those chaired by Sir John Beddington) regarding the security of technology-critical metals for the UK. His work supports international initiatives, including the UK-India Critical Mineral Supply Chain Observatory, fostering bilateral resilience in high-tech manufacturing sectors.

An accomplished author and speaker, he translates complex technical challenges into accessible insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and the public. His commentary and insight have featured extensively in newspapers of record, business and professional publications and he has been interviewed extensively on radio and television for media outlets around the world.