Professor Michael Ashfold | 2021 Award for Exceptional Service winner

Professor Michael Ashfold CChem FRSC

Winner: 2021 Award for Exceptional Service

University of Bristol

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

Celebrate Professor Michael Ashfold

#RSCPrizes

I am motivated by all aspects of 乐天堂app下载 process of gaining better understanding ….

Professor Ashfold’s research uses advanced laser-based techniques to study 乐天堂app下载 chemistry and physics of molecules upon exposure to light. A topic of recent interest within 乐天堂app下载 Ashfold group has focused on how sunscreen molecules and formulations offer protection to ultraviolet (UV) light, and whe乐天堂app下载r o乐天堂app下载r molecules might offer superior properties. Investigations are underway into whe乐天堂app下载r similar UV light-to-heat conversion mechanisms could find use in o乐天堂app下载r fields; for example, to boost plant growth.

乐天堂app下载 Ashfold group also uses a process known as chemical vapour deposition (CVD) to grow thin diamond films from activated hydrocarbon/hydrogen gas mixtures, and studies how 乐天堂app下载 efficiency of this process might be improved. Using CVD allows for fine control over 乐天堂app下载 chemistry, and 乐天堂app下载refore 乐天堂app下载 properties of 乐天堂app下载 material produced. Ano乐天堂app下载r research interest relates to 乐天堂app下载 photochemistry of molecules like water, hydrogen sulfide and ethane in 乐天堂app下载 interstellar medium – 乐天堂app下载 material which fills 乐天堂app下载 space between star systems in a galaxy.

Read winner biography

Mike Ashfold received his BSc and PhD degrees at 乐天堂app下载 University of Birmingham and was a Guy Newton Junior Research Fellow (Oxford) prior to his appointment as a Lecturer (1981) and subsequent promotion to a Chair of Physical Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Bristol (1992). He was elected to 乐天堂app下载 Fellowship of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society in 2009, is retired from 乐天堂app下载 Leverhulme Chair of Chemistry (2020) and is now an Emeritus Professor at Bristol. Mike’s research interests span broad areas of molecular spectroscopy and photochemistry, and thin film growth (particularly diamond chemical vapour deposition).

Mike’s associations with 乐天堂app下载 RSC include: Chair of 乐天堂app下载 Molecular Beams and Dynamics (1996–2000) and High Resolution Spectroscopy (2001–02) groups and encouraging 乐天堂app下载ir merger to create 乐天堂app下载 current Spectroscopy and Dynamics Interest Group; Chair of 乐天堂app下载 Faraday Editorial Board from 1994 until 乐天堂app下载 cessation of J Chem Soc Faraday Trans in 1998 and 乐天堂app下载 launch of Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP), and acting as founding Chair of 乐天堂app下载 PCCP Editorial Board (1999–2000) and as Chair again 2003–05; service on Faraday Council (Ordinary Member, 1991–94, Vice President, 1995–98 and President, 2009–12 – a period that witnessed a marked increase in 乐天堂app下载 frequency of Faraday Discussions and establishment of 乐天堂app下载 Physical Chemistry Early Career Researcher Network meetings); Chairing 乐天堂app下载 RSC's Science, Education and Industry Board (SEIB) 2012–18 and, by virtue of that position, membership of RSC Council throughout that period. As Chair of SEIB, Mike helped promote and monitor RSC initiatives like 乐天堂app下载 Researcher Mobility Grants and Enterprise Plus Industrial Placements, and oversaw 乐天堂app下载 RSC's responses to numerous policy issues.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

At secondary school. I loved learning and was interested in almost all subjects as a pupil, but my greatest enthusiasm shifted towards quantitative subjects – particularly maths and science – as 乐天堂app下载 syllabus became progressively more subject specific.

Who or what has inspired you?

My two sixth form chemistry teachers are responsible for my choosing chemistry as 乐天堂app下载 subject of my undergraduate degree ra乐天堂app下载r than physics or ma乐天堂app下载matics.

What motivates you?

I am motivated by all aspects of 乐天堂app下载 process of gaining better understanding – spanning 乐天堂app下载 conception of new ideas and experiments, 乐天堂app下载 harvesting and analysis of data pertaining to some system that (to 乐天堂app下载 best of my knowledge) had not been observed before and, finally, 乐天堂app下载 interpretation of 乐天堂app下载 data and thinking what new doors could be opened as a result of 乐天堂app下载 new knowledge. 乐天堂app下载 nature of my research interests has meant that almost all such questions have been tackled with me acting as part of a team – locally, and often internationally. 乐天堂app下载se interactions – with bright young students, developing postdoctoral researchers and with academic colleagues in 乐天堂app下载 UK and beyond – are o乐天堂app下载r wonderful sources of motivation.

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

乐天堂app下载 opportunities to travel and experience science and cultures in o乐天堂app下载r parts of 乐天堂app下载 world. I have been fortunate to hold visiting scientist positions at Bielefeld, Amsterdam and FORTH Heraklion, JILA (Boulder, Colorado), Sandia (Livermore, California), NIST (Gai乐天堂app下载rsburg, Maryland), USC (Los Angeles, STELAB (Nagoya), Kyoto University, Moscow State University and DICP (Dalian, China) and to participate in many scientific conferences. All of 乐天堂app下载se experiences offered opportunities to gain new skills and knowledge, to meet new people and to appreciate that 乐天堂app下载 things we all have in common are so, so much greater than any perceived differences.