Chemistry postgraduates recognised for excellent work at 2024 PG Conference

The 2024 School of Chemistry Postgraduate Conference took place on the 11 and 12 June, showcasing the wide scope, high quality, and insightful outcomes of research within the School.

The conference featured oral presentations from third-year PhD students and posters by the second-year students. Discussions spanned the full range of chemistry, including the composition of the Venusian atmosphere; polymer vesicles and artificial cells for drug delivery applications; using X-ray tomography to monitor the formation of crystals from solution; and the development and mechanisms of carbon capture (CCS) technologies.

The event concluded with a plenary lecture by Professor Steve Howdle, Head of Chemistry at the University of Nottingham. Steve presented his research on environmentally friendly polymers for use in household goods and for 3D printing, and the program to develop a net-zero chemistry building on the Nottingham campus. The conference was followed by a staff-student ball.

Prizes for the best talks and poster presentations were voted for by the students and staff. The Dr Kate Furneaux Prize was also awarded at the event, which is given to PhD students making a notable contribution to the non-academic life of the School. Our prize winners were (clockwise from the top-left in image): William Ogle, Kathryn Burr, Jacob Webb, Han Yan, Gintare Petkeviciute, Joanna Egan, Zhao Jiang (inset), Casey Kavaliauskas, and Zara Arshad.

The conference was organised by Casey Kavaliauskas and her colleagues on the Post-Graduate Student Committee, and the Director of Postgraduate Studies Malcolm Halcrow. The School is very grateful to Avantor, C-Capture, and the Royal Society of Chemistry for sponsoring the event, which included two free memberships for prize-winners donated by the RSC.