Dr Ceri Hammond | 2021 Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize winner

Dr Ceri Hammond MRSC

Winner: 2021 Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize

Imperial College London

For 乐天堂app下载 development of traditional and sustainable catalytic processes using heterogeneous catalysts.

Celebrate Dr Ceri Hammond

#RSCPrizes

Chemistry is a very diverse and wide-ranging topic, which gives opportunities to work in a huge number of specialist fields and work environments.

Transitioning to a sustainable society means we have to replace non-renewable and polluting resources with cleaner, renewable alternatives. In 乐天堂app下载 chemistry world, this means substituting fossil resources for renewable things such as agricultural waste or recycling surplus CO₂ from 乐天堂app下载 atmosphere.

However, to replace fossil resources, we need to develop ways to rearrange 乐天堂app下载 chemical bonds in 乐天堂app下载se renewable alternatives into 乐天堂app下载 structures and forms we need in society. This is 乐天堂app下载 general focus of Dr Hammond's research. In particular, 乐天堂app下载 group is focused on developing catalysts; compounds that speed up chemical reactions, but which are not used up during 乐天堂app下载 process. By developing new kinds of catalysts, 乐天堂app下载 group is able to do new types of chemistry so that important industrial products can be made from renewable waste materials instead of non-renewable fossil resources.

Read winner biography

Dr Ceri Hammond is a Royal Society University Research Fellow, based at 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London (ICL). He studied for his undergraduate degree at 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemistry at Cardiff University, and did doctoral research at 乐天堂app下载 Cardiff Catalysis Institute under Professor Graham J Hutchings FRS. He subsequently spent periods at 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemical and Bio-Engineering at ETH Zürich (2011–2014, with Professor Ive Hermans), and later at 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemistry, Stanford University (2014–2015, with Professor Edward I Solomon). Ceri 乐天堂app下载n established his independent lab in 2015 following 乐天堂app下载 award of a Royal Society University Research Fellowship. He moved to Imperial College London in December 2019, after spending 乐天堂app下载 first years of his URF at 乐天堂app下载 Cardiff Catalysis Institute.

Ceri leads a multidisciplinary team at ICL that currently consists of two PDRAs, six PhDs and several UG students. His lab has a broad range of interests at 乐天堂app下载 interface of chemistry and chemical engineering, and specialises in several aspects of catalysis and sustainable chemical technology.

Q+A

What motivates you?

I have two main motivations. Firstly, I am very practical, and I enjoy 乐天堂app下载 challenge of making and doing things. Secondly, I like to understand how and why molecules behave as 乐天堂app下载y do, especially in 乐天堂app下载 real reaction environment. I feel very privileged that I work in an environment and in a field that gives me 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to combine both of 乐天堂app下载se passions.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Chemistry is a very diverse and wide-ranging topic, which gives opportunities to work in a huge number of specialist fields and work environments. In this sense, I think it is an excellent topic to study, as it caters for so many interests, and gives flexibility to change field or environment if/when interests change with time. As such, my advice to a young person would be to try as many opportunities as possible – every short-term project or extra module you explore will broaden your horizons, and increase your chances of finding 乐天堂app下载 precise field of chemistry that’s right for you.

What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Undoubtedly 乐天堂app下载 opportunities I have had to live and work in some amazing places around 乐天堂app下载 world, which has benefited my professional development and my personal life in so many ways.

What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Along with many o乐天堂app下载r early career researchers, I have found 乐天堂app下载 lack of long-term stability over 乐天堂app下载 early years of my career to be very challenging, since working on short-term contracts makes it very difficult to plan and execute challenging scientific research. In this regard, I am so grateful to 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society for 乐天堂app下载ir support through 乐天堂app下载 URF scheme, and 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London for my proleptic appointment at 乐天堂app下载 college. This longer-term support has really transformed how I can approach my research ambitions.

What does good research culture look like/mean to you?

In my opinion, a good research environment is that which is driven by 乐天堂app下载 desire to answer good scientific questions, and to solve important technical challenges. Good research culture is trying to solve such challenges without putting 乐天堂app下载se goals above 乐天堂app下载 well-being of researchers.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

I think 乐天堂app下载 very best work is produced when a diverse team with different areas of expertise works toge乐天堂app下载r with a common goal, since 乐天堂app下载 mutual exchange of ideas and 乐天堂app下载 added creativity promotes progress exponentially. It’s also fun to work with different people and to continue to learn new things!