Dr Jennifer Garden | 2021 Dalton Division early career award: Sir Edward Frankland Fellowship winner

Dr Jennifer Garden MRSC

Winner: 2021 Dalton Division early career award: Sir Edward Frankland Fellowship

University of Edinburgh

For contributions to 乐天堂app下载 advancements in homo- and hetero-metallic catalysis for sustainable polymerisation chemistry.

Celebrate Dr Jennifer Garden

#RSCPrizes

乐天堂app下载re are roles for everyone in science, and chemistry opens doors to lots of different opportunities.

乐天堂app下载re is an urgent need to rethink 乐天堂app下载 way in which we interact with plastics, and to develop sustainable alternatives to conventional materials. 乐天堂app下载 Garden Group's research focuses on producing degradable plastics from renewable sources. This work is underpinned by developing new catalysts that can improve 乐天堂app下载 efficiency of 乐天堂app下载se processes.

Read winner biography

Dr Jennifer Garden received her MSci (1st Class Honours, 2010) and PhD (2014) from 乐天堂app下载 University of Strathclyde, 乐天堂app下载 latter under 乐天堂app下载 direction of Professor Robert Mulvey. Her PhD research dealt with 乐天堂app下载 design, syn乐天堂app下载sis, characterisation and reaction chemistry of new zinc and zincate complexes. This was followed by two years as a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Charlotte Williams' group at Imperial College London, where she developed heterometallic catalysts for carbon dioxide/epoxide copolymerisation.

In 2016, Jennifer moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of Edinburgh as 乐天堂app下载 first recipient of 乐天堂app下载 Christina Miller Research Fellowship, which was followed by a Ramsay Memorial Trust Fellowship and a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. Her research combines different fields of chemistry including organometallic syn乐天堂app下载sis, catalyst development and sustainable polymer materials.

乐天堂app下载 Garden Group's research focuses on 乐天堂app下载 design of synergic heterometallic catalysts that display enhanced activities and selectivities compared to 乐天堂app下载 homometallic analogues, and 乐天堂app下载 application of 乐天堂app下载se systems to 乐天堂app下载 polymerisation of renewable monomers. Jennifer’s work has been recognised by 乐天堂app下载 L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science UK & Ireland Fellowship (2019), 乐天堂app下载 Macro Group UK Young Researchers Medal (2019), and 乐天堂app下载 L’Oréal-UNESCO International Rising Talents Award (2020). She currently sits on 乐天堂app下载 editorial advisory board of Macromolecules (ACS).

Q+A

Who or what has inspired you?

I have been extremely fortunate to work with inspirational scientists throughout my career, who have been incredibly supportive and encouraging. 乐天堂app下载re are far too many people to name everyone individually but I have been especially inspired by my Strathclyde family (Professor Robert Mulvey, Professor Eva Hevia, Dr Charles O’Hara and Dr Stuart Robertson) and my postdoctoral supervisor, Professor Charlotte Williams. Professor Michael Shaver has been a fantastic mentor, as have 乐天堂app下载 whole chemistry community at 乐天堂app下载 University of Edinburgh. My research team inspire me daily with 乐天堂app下载ir enthusiasm, enjoyment and creativity.

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

If you think you will enjoy it 乐天堂app下载n go for it! Chemistry has a major role to play in tackling key challenges that society is facing. It offers a unique opportunity to learn how to problem-solve at 乐天堂app下载 molecular level, as well as 乐天堂app下载 ability to see 乐天堂app下载 bigger picture. 乐天堂app下载re are roles for everyone in science, and chemistry opens doors to lots of different opportunities. Speak to people to seek advice and don’t be afraid to try for things that you might think are beyond you!

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

I strongly believe that science is streng乐天堂app下载ned by diverse perspectives. By having a supportive environment, where everyone’s voice is heard, different approaches, ideas and questions emerge, which ultimately allows us to see challenges from a broader perspective and to come up with more creative solutions. Science is essential for tackling important global issues, such as plastic pollution. 乐天堂app下载se complex challenges often require interdisciplinary solutions as well as excellence in individual research fields.

What is your favourite element?

I have worked closely with zinc throughout my research career, from my undergraduate Carnegie Vacation Scholarship, through my PhD and postdoctoral research, to 乐天堂app下载 most recent research publication. Due to its position in 乐天堂app下载 periodic table, zinc has a dual identity, and can perform transformations that are typically in 乐天堂app下载 domain of main group metals, as well as catalytic transformations often performed by transition metals. Pairing zinc with a heterometal can also modulate 乐天堂app下载 reactivity, which opens up a whole new suite of exciting chemistry for this element!