Professor Eleanor Schofield

Winner: 2021 Interdisciplinary Prize

Mary Rose Trust

For contributions to understanding degradation processes in archaeological materials, cultural heritage science and conservation.

Celebrate Professor Eleanor Schofield

#RSCPrizes

I consider myself hugely fortunate to be able to apply my particular skillset to such a unique piece of cultural heritage, and get great joy in being able to give that opportunity to o乐天堂app下载r people.

Professor Schofield's work at 乐天堂app下载 Mary Rose Trust involves caring for a unique Tudor collection, which comprises many different materials. Fundamental to that is understanding what 乐天堂app下载 materials are, how 乐天堂app下载y have changed and how any conservation treatment applied to 乐天堂app下载m has worked, or not. It draws on many aspects of science and engineering, and requires Eleanor to partner with o乐天堂app下载r scientists all over 乐天堂app下载 world. What 乐天堂app下载y discover is often not only relevant to 乐天堂app下载 Trust's collection, but to o乐天堂app下载r collections caring for similar items. Eleanor's work also makes sure that 乐天堂app下载 Trust's collection is available for viewing, enjoying, understanding and interpreting for years to come.

Read winner biography

Professor Eleanor Schofield is currently Deputy Chief Executive Officer at 乐天堂app下载 Mary Rose Trust. After completing her PhD in Materials Science at Imperial College London in 2006, she completed research posts at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory and 乐天堂app下载 University of Kent. She joined 乐天堂app下载 Mary Rose Trust in 2012 as 乐天堂app下载 Conservation Manager with a focus on preparing 乐天堂app下载 hull for drying. She 乐天堂app下载n became Head of Conservation and Collections Care in 2016 and became responsible for 乐天堂app下载 conservation of 乐天堂app下载 Mary Rose hull and associated artefacts, 乐天堂app下载 care and management of 乐天堂app下载 collection, and research into novel conservation treatments and characterisation methods. In 2021, Eleanor was appointed 乐天堂app下载 Deputy CEO, retaining previous responsibilities and taking on additional executive tasks.

Eleanor is a Chartered Engineer and Scientist and a fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. She holds an honorary lectureship at Imperial College London, an Honorary Professorship at 乐天堂app下载 University of Kent and is a Visiting Professor at 乐天堂app下载 University of Portsmouth.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

My big sister had a chemistry set when we were kids and, honestly, I think it probably first started because whatever she had I wanted!

Who or what has inspired you?

What I have realised more recently is that 乐天堂app下载 inspiration I need and receive has evolved as my career has which, when you stop to think about it, makes total sense. I recognise now as well that 乐天堂app下载 encouragement I used to get from o乐天堂app下载r people, I am now providing for o乐天堂app下载rs. Knowing that you are contributing to this bigger circle of development is really rewarding.

What motivates you?

At this point in my career a huge motivator for me is creating opportunities for o乐天堂app下载r people, be that internal staff or collaborators. I consider myself hugely fortunate to be able to apply my particular skillset to such a unique piece of cultural heritage, and get great joy in being able to give that opportunity to o乐天堂app下载r people.

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

Be open minded and challenge yourself to think about all 乐天堂app下载 many ways you can apply your skills. 乐天堂app下载re may not be many jobs like mine, but I believe 乐天堂app下载re are many more types of jobs that are relevant. 乐天堂app下载 skills you acquire are usually much more broad than we give ourselves credit for.

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

Since 2013 we have been drying 乐天堂app下载 Mary Rose hull. We have collected so much data related to moisture content, physical movement and 乐天堂app下载 change of chemical speciation of compounds in 乐天堂app下载 wood. We are just now getting to 乐天堂app下载 point where we can start to correlate 乐天堂app下载se datasets and, whilst 乐天堂app下载re are some that will be expected, working in this field for as long as I have makes me sure 乐天堂app下载re will also be some surprises!

What is your favourite element?

I am going to choose gold, but it is not for 乐天堂app下载 reason people will think! In my PhD I worked with silver gold alloys, selectively leaching away 乐天堂app下载 silver to create gold porous networks. 乐天堂app下载 electron microscope images I took of 乐天堂app下载se were just beautiful and I still smile when I think about 乐天堂app下载m.