Profile – Chemicals Zone

Education:

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford, 1994-2001
Qualifications:

University of Bristol, MSci in Chemical Physics, 2001-2005, Imperial College London, PhD in Physical Chemistry 2005-2008.
Work History:

Before moving to Reading, I worked at Queen Mary University of London for a year. I helped develop a sensor for detecting gum disease for use at the dentist. When I was a University student I worked most summers at hospitals in my home town of Chelmsford, but I spent one exciting summer working in Norway at a company that produces solar power cells.
Current Job:

I’m currently working as a researcher, investigating a new method for producing hydrogels.

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My boss, Dr. Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, has developed a new method for producing hydrogels that could have benefits over existing methods. He is applying for a patent so I can’t reveal too much information about what I do! I am employed to investigate the new method and the gels that are produced. We hope that the new gels will be safe and inert so they could be useful for medical applications in things like wound dressings.
My Typical Day:

I spend most of my day doing experiments in the laboratory, but I do lots of other things like reading scientific journals, writing reports and going to talks.
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As a researcher, most of the work that I do is ‘hands on’ – I run experiments and analyse the results. Most of my current experiments involve synthesising hydrogels and then looking at their properties using equipment such as electron microscopes.
What I'd do with the prize money:

I’d like to use the money to attend a conference so that I can present my work to other scientists.

Joseph Cook