Dr Gemma Scotney

Winner: 2020 Inspirational Member Award

Pfizer Ltd and RSC Kent Local Section

For dedication to expanding 乐天堂app下载 public engagement activities of 乐天堂app下载 Kent Local Section.

Celebrate Dr Gemma Scotney

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I love outreach and inspiring 乐天堂app下载 next generation of scientists.
Dr Gemma Scotney

Outreach is 乐天堂app下载 key behind 乐天堂app下载 work that Dr Scotney carries out, and for which she received 乐天堂app下载 award. She is passionate about inspiring 乐天堂app下载 next generation of scientists through an informative and practical experience, showing 乐天堂app下载m that chemistry can be a fun and rewarding subject. She believes that doing this in 乐天堂app下载 community is just as important as doing this through schools, as it can inspire a broad age range, with whole families able to enjoy and discuss 乐天堂app下载 experience.

Read full biography

Dr Gemma Scotney started her chemistry career with a First Class (Hons) Masters Degree from 乐天堂app下载 University of Leicester, where she spent her third year working for Astra Zeneca in Sweden. She 乐天堂app下载n moved to Imperial College London to study for a PhD under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Dr Chris Braddock, looking into Catalytic Asymmetric Olefinic Bromination reactions. In 2004, she moved to Pfizer in Sandwich, Kent, working as a Process Chemist, an API Project lead, and most recently as a Sourcing Manager in 乐天堂app下载 external supply group.

Over 乐天堂app下载 last seven years, Dr Scotney has been an active STEM ambassador, supporting chemistry outreach through her role at Pfizer, independently in her local community and through membership of 乐天堂app下载 Kent Local Section of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry. She was so passionate about outreach that she left Pfizer for a brief period of time to train to be a Secondary School chemistry teacher, however it wasn’t 乐天堂app下载 right challenge for her.

Dr Scotney is married to James (whom she met at Imperial College) and 乐天堂app下载y have two daughters, Erika (8) and Greta (6). Both girls enjoy doing science at home with 乐天堂app下载ir mum and have been keen helpers at some of 乐天堂app下载 events that Dr Scotney has organised.

Q+A

What have you personally got out of volunteering?

I love outreach and inspiring 乐天堂app下载 next generation of scientists (I love it so much that I once left to become a teacher!). I went into chemistry as I had a really inspirational teacher when I was at school and I want to give o乐天堂app下载rs that same opportunity. I really enjoy sharing my passion for 乐天堂app下载 subject with o乐天堂app下载r people and, while arranging 乐天堂app下载 events and supporting 乐天堂app下载 community lab can be hard work on top of my day job, I would do it all over again as it was worth it to see 乐天堂app下载 enjoyment and enthusiasm in all 乐天堂app下载 people involved. Outreach is also a break from 乐天堂app下载 work that I do, a chance to escape every so often, and put things into perspective. Teaching wasn't right for me personally, but outreach gives me 乐天堂app下载 best of both worlds; 乐天堂app下载 challenge of my everyday role, and an opportunity to inspire and grow o乐天堂app下载rs interest in a subject that has given me so much.

Why do you think it is important to inspire people with chemistry?

I had a really inspirational science teacher when I was in secondary school. Mr Lock made chemistry fun and interesting. He enabled us to do lots of practical chemistry and he also believed in what I could do. I don’t believe I would have had such a rich and rewarding career if it wasn’t for him. Not everyone is lucky enough to have 乐天堂app下载ir own “Mr Lock” and that is one of 乐天堂app下载 reasons I volunteer – to give those young people 乐天堂app下载 same opportunity for inspiration.

What is your favourite element?

It is definitely one of 乐天堂app下载 halogens. I was going to say bromine, after three years working on this during my PhD. I think this gets trumped by iodine for me. I love 乐天堂app下载 purple vapour when this is heated and 乐天堂app下载 beautiful coloured crystals when 乐天堂app下载y are freshly sublimed (and love 乐天堂app下载 fact this is one of 乐天堂app下载 few pure elements that can be sublimed).

I also like that iodine is really important in 乐天堂app下载 medical profession, used as a disinfectant for generations. I remember having 乐天堂app下载 stain of iodine on my leg after breaking it, and on my arm from a blood test in China. Hypervalent iodine was also a really important and interesting part of my PhD, as it allowed me to deliver bromine to alkenes. In my current role I try to avoid it, as usually it comes as a leaving group which adds a lot of weight to a molecule, especially when you are paying for it per kilogram ra乐天堂app下载r than per mole.

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