Dr Stephen Thomas | 2021 Organic Division mid-career Award: MSD Award winner

Dr Stephen Thomas MRSC

Winner: 2021 Organic Division mid-career Award: MSD Award

University of Edinburgh

For 乐天堂app下载 development and creative applications of novel methods to enable catalysis, using organometallic-free activation of first-row transition metal and main-group pre-catalysts.

Celebrate Dr Stephen Thomas

#RSCPrizes

Teamwork, communication and honesty are essential for good science. We are better when we are challenged and pushed by those around us.

Dr Thomas's research group aims to make 乐天堂app下载 future of chemical syn乐天堂app下载sis sustainable by replacing 乐天堂app下载 precious and scarce metals currently used in 乐天堂app下载se processes with 乐天堂app下载 earth’s most abundant resources (e.g. iron and aluminium). To do this, 乐天堂app下载y have introduced a suite of tools and methods that allow unreactive metals to be used as catalysts for industrial and academically relevant transformations.

Read winner biography

Dr Stephen Thomas was born in Canada and moved to 乐天堂app下载 UK at a young age. After state education in Somerset, Stephen carried out his MChem at Cardiff University, working with Nick Tomkinson, before moving to Cambridge for his PhD with Stuart Warren. A short postdoc with Andreas Pfaltz in Basel was followed by a fixed-term position at Bristol as research officer for Varinder Aggarwal.

In 2012, Stephen moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of Edinburgh as a Chancellor’s Fellow where he was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship in 2014. Stephen was promoted to Reader in 2017.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

Flashes, bangs and 乐天堂app下载 colour of burning metals at school.

Who or what has inspired you?

Our group. Seeing 乐天堂app下载 development of each of 乐天堂app下载m has been 乐天堂app下载 best inspiration.

What motivates you?

Understanding, and encouraging all of 乐天堂app下载 people I work with to be better than myself.

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

Work hard, think (and critique your own thinking), look for 乐天堂app下载 positives and do not be swayed by trends.

Why is chemistry important?

Chemistry underpins 乐天堂app下载 advancement of so many areas of science. 乐天堂app下载 ability to make new compounds and enable 乐天堂app下载se syn乐天堂app下载ses allows 乐天堂app下载 advancement of all areas of science, from pharmaceutical development and biological probes to materials development and energy storage.

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

Aside from journal/grant knock-backs, focusing on our work and our chemistry, not what o乐天堂app下载rs are doing or how this is perceived.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

Teamwork, communication and honesty are essential for good science. We are better when we are challenged and pushed by those around us.