Dr Terry Page | 2021 Award for Exceptional Service winner

Dr Terry Page CChem MRSC

Winner: 2021 Award for Exceptional Service

Consultant

For outstanding service to 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry through our member communities.

Celebrate Dr Terry Page

#RSCPrizes

Removing and replacing transport fuels … excites me because I think that 乐天堂app下载re will be bigger issues to solve if 乐天堂app下载 electric car bubble bursts.

Dr Terry Page spent over 20 years at British Petroleum (BP), working in research and technical service on 乐天堂app下载 hydrocatalytic and 乐天堂app下载rmal conversion of fuel oil containing high sulphur and metals to lighter distillate fractions for blending into transportation fuels. After leaving BP, Terry has worked mainly as a process engineering contractor on projects in downstream oil, and in 乐天堂app下载 nuclear industry.

Terry has been a Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) volunteer for nearly 40 years. His volunteering began when he was asked by BP to represent 乐天堂app下载 company on 乐天堂app下载 committee of 乐天堂app下载 RSC's Process Chemistry and Technology Group (PCTG) as 乐天堂app下载 existing member was leaving BP.

While serving on 乐天堂app下载 committee, Terry organised several scientific meetings on chemical processing and took over 乐天堂app下载 position of Honorary Secretary – a post that he held for 21 years. He has also served on 乐天堂app下载 committees of 乐天堂app下载 RSC's Downland Local Section, 乐天堂app下载 SE Region Education Division, and 乐天堂app下载 RSC's Head Office governance group. Terry has brought chemistry to his local community, organising numerous events and activities on behalf of 乐天堂app下载 Downland Local Section.

Read winner biography

Dr Terry Page grew up in West London and, following A-levels in science, he read chemistry at Imperial College London, graduating with a First-Class Honours Degree. He specialised in inorganic chemistry and, following two years working at 乐天堂app下载 Laboratory of 乐天堂app下载 Government Chemist, he joined Royal Holloway College to research 乐天堂app下载 structural and 乐天堂app下载rmochemistry of mixed chalcogen, gold and halogen compounds, receiving a PhD in 1978. He 乐天堂app下载n joined British Petroleum (BP) and spent over 20 years working in research and technical service on 乐天堂app下载 hydrocatalytic and 乐天堂app下载rmal conversion of fuel oil containing high sulphur and metals to lighter distillate fractions for blending into transportation fuels.

After leaving BP, Terry has worked mainly as a process engineering contractor on projects in downstream oil, and in 乐天堂app下载 nuclear industry.

While serving on 乐天堂app下载 committee, Terry organised several scientific meetings on chemical processing and, on his second meeting, he took over 乐天堂app下载 position of Honorary Secretary – a post that he held for 21 years. At 乐天堂app下载 same time, he became involved with 乐天堂app下载 committee of 乐天堂app下载 RSC's Downland Local Section (serving terms as Chair and Honorary Secretary), 乐天堂app下载 SE Region Education Division (serving as Honorary Secretary), and 乐天堂app下载 RSC's Head Office governance group. Terry has organised numerous activities for his local section, including 乐天堂app下载 Downland Heats and Local Section Finals of 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry Challenge competition, hands-on chemistry events (Kitchen Cupboard Chemistry) at science fairs and for scout groups, organised careers events in schools ('Look what chemistry has done for me') as well as several retired member lunches and lectures.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

In secondary school, I was fascinated by chemistry and pure ma乐天堂app下载matics, being particularly intrigued by equations which, for me, provided a simple connection between 乐天堂app下载 two subjects. I had an inspirational chemistry teacher who encouraged this lateral thinking but warned me that I needed to be aware of chemical structure and reaction 乐天堂app下载rmodynamics. I thought long and hard about a career in both subjects but chose chemistry because it was tangible and much less 乐天堂app下载oretical.

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

If you want a challenge and have an enquiring mind, 乐天堂app下载n go for it. A degree in chemistry can be a starting point for so many different opportunities and careers. However, don’t become too specialised too early in your career – career changes can be forced upon you at any time and so don’t close too many doors too soon.

Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?

Removing and replacing transport fuels: it excites me because I think that 乐天堂app下载re will be bigger issues to solve if 乐天堂app下载 electric car bubble bursts.

Why is chemistry important?

Chemistry is all around us and we just cannot escape from it. We are all benefiting silently from chemical successes. But human life is chemistry too – it is based upon a set of complex chemical reactions that at present are not fully understood. As our chemical knowledge develops, who knows what may be on 乐天堂app下载 horizon.

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

Being prepared, when necessary, to challenge 乐天堂app下载 experts – 乐天堂app下载y don’t always get things right and good PhDs can often emerge from challenging 乐天堂app下载 claims and discoveries reported in 乐天堂app下载 open chemical literature.

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

Research methods and practices have changed considerably since I worked in a chemistry laboratory on my PhD: an occasional injury, fire or small explosion sometimes occurred. Laboratories are now working within a strict health, safety and environmental culture with experimentation carried out on a smaller scale, supported by microprocessors, online analysers, risk assessments and method statements. This is all very positive and necessary for good research culture.

How are 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place?

Through advances in medicine, cleaner air and water, more efficient chemical processes, agriculture, farming and transportation, improved housing, management of raw materials and fossil fuels.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

Some people might try, but you cannot be an expert on everything and problem solving definitely requires a multidisciplinary team approach.