Profile

I am interesting in using resources like waste to make useful materials, in particular new degradable plastics that would then be less polluting and would not use any of our plant precious resources. I for example research the use of carbon dioxide and food waste sugars as building blocks to make long chain molecules (or polymers) that are the main component of plastics.

My day starts early, before 8.

My wife drops me off at the University and I usually starts the day by making a list of things I need or want to do on that day. I then  enjoy an early coffee in my office while I answer my emails and read the scientific news on the internet. It is very important to be up to date  when you’re a scientist : you do not want to reinvent the wheel… It is also good for inspiration and very motivating to see all the fantastic research that is done around the world.

I usually then drop by the lab to check on the reactions we put on the day before with my students. This is usually when we analyse the results of our experiments and discuss together what would be the next step to get better results.

After a break for lunch with friends from other labs and even other departments, I go back to the lab and do more reactions with my students.

BUT… there are no such day as a typical normal boring day! A day is usually turned upside down by things like:
– tutorials to undergraduate students
– supervising an experimental module in the teaching labs
– research seminars where an invited speaker from another University comes to give a talk
– meetings with colleagues regarding a collaboration
– meeting with students to discuss the progress of their project
– fixing a piece of equipment that has just broken
– ordering some new chemicals or new equipment
– writing a article to get our results published in a scientific journal
– trying to get some money from the government or some companies to continue doing our research

This extends my day to around 6-6:30 when I usually decide to go home because despite my love for my job, my family life is the most important thing to me!