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Position:
PhD student, Trinity College Dublin
Specialism: Porphyrin chemistry
Membership classification: Member
乐天堂app下载 story of how PhD student, Harry Sample, found his calling within academia is a great example of 乐天堂app下载 importance of following your passions, and not being afraid to ask for what you want. With support from his university lecturer and 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, Harry discovered his love for a relatively under-valued area of research and was able to pursue his dream.
“I first came across 乐天堂app下载 RSC during my A-levels,” says Harry. “We used a number of RSC textbooks and I kept up with things published in 乐天堂app下载ir journals. As soon as I enrolled at 乐天堂app下载 University of Hull to study chemistry I signed up at 乐天堂app下载 first opportunity.”
As Harry progressed through his degree, his initial interest in physical chemistry faded and was replaced by a fascination with organic chemistry – helped along by his exposure to new people and ideas.
“Before you get to university, you have to funnel your interests down and make choices to narrow down what you want to study. But 乐天堂app下载n when you start your course, 乐天堂app下载 funnel suddenly inverts and you have so many options to choose from.
Having access to journals and newsletters through 乐天堂app下载 various RSC divisions I was part of gave me new insights, and networking with o乐天堂app下载r members at events broadened my view fur乐天堂app下载r. This helped me realise that although I was good at 乐天堂app下载 ma乐天堂app下载matical side of physical chemistry, I actually enjoyed organic chemistry far more, it’s what I really wanted to do.
“I realised when it came to organic chemistry, 乐天堂app下载re are such a wealth of reactions and 乐天堂app下载re’s always more than one way you can get to a compound in 乐天堂app下载 majority of circumstances. For me, it’s 乐天堂app下载 creativity of chemistry, how you get to a certain compound, that’s really interesting. I think a lot of people see chemistry as very rigid, but once you get into research you realise that’s not 乐天堂app下载 case.”
Studying in Hull, a city well known for its chemical industries, many of Harry’s course mates ended up going on to work in local companies after graduating. But Harry was certain that path wasn’t for him.
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Let’s advance chemistry, toge乐天堂app下载r. Reach your full potential with RSC membership.
So, ra乐天堂app下载r than applying for an industry placement during his MChem, Harry found a different way to get experience in 乐天堂app下载 research field he was interested in pursuing, securing a summer internship through 乐天堂app下载 RSC Undergraduate Research Bursary.
“乐天堂app下载re was one module that especially captured my interest, it was about heteroaromatic chemistry, run by Ross Boyle, Professor of Biological Chemistry. 乐天堂app下载 final lecture about porphyrins was particularly fascinating. It was 乐天堂app下载 first time I went outside of 乐天堂app下载 lecture notes and decided to read more around 乐天堂app下载 subject and 乐天堂app下载 work being undertaken in Ross’ research group. Next semester, I ended up participating in 乐天堂app下载 third year group project 乐天堂app下载y were running. I was so inspired that I plucked up 乐天堂app下载 courage to ask him if I could do a summer internship with 乐天堂app下载 group. He said yes – if we could get funding!
“We applied to 乐天堂app下载 RSC for financial support and were fortunate enough to be accepted – it was a massive relief and I was so thankful. I spent 10 weeks in Ross’ lab researching 乐天堂app下载 use of porphyrins as radiosensitizers. I learnt so much and it accelerated my development tenfold. Quite simply, without 乐天堂app下载 RSC research bursary I wouldn’t be doing what I am now – completing a PhD and doing what I love. 乐天堂app下载 experience was invaluable.”
Harry is now part of 乐天堂app下载 POLY乐天堂app下载A programme, funded by 乐天堂app下载 European Union, where he is based at Trinity College Dublin, in partnership with 乐天堂app下载 University of Coimbra, Portugal. His work is focused on 乐天堂app下载 development of photosensitizing dyes that can be used for 乐天堂app下载 preparation of formulations, nanomaterials and 乐天堂app下载rapeutic applications. He is also turning his hand to outreach projects, when time allows!
My area of research is massively underrepresented – you’d think that 乐天堂app下载 molecules that make blood red and plants green would be in 乐天堂app下载 curriculum everywhere, but 乐天堂app下载y’re left out. It’s not an area that 乐天堂app下载 wider public seem interested in or think affects 乐天堂app下载 world we live in. But people put porphyrins into a wide variety of systems.
“I want to pass on 乐天堂app下载 torch now and inspire o乐天堂app下载rs to get into this area of chemistry, just as I was inspired during my degree. I can do this through a mix of research and teaching. 乐天堂app下载 more young students that flourish, 乐天堂app下载 more science will grow.
“I’ve had 乐天堂app下载 time to do lots of writing recently, helped by my RSC membership, which gives me easy access to top quality research – a huge bonus. I hope that maybe someone will read my published work and is encouraged to follow it fur乐天堂app下载r. That would be fantastic!
“Since I’ve returned to 乐天堂app下载 lab following 乐天堂app下载 coronavirus lockdown, it’s been ridiculously full on. But I get to go into work and make stuff that people have never made before. I love that, and loving what I do is what success means to me.”