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Deciding to study chemistry thanks to his fantastic and inspiring chemistry teacher, Londa Larson, at his junior college in California, Louis Adriaenssens’ interest in syn乐天堂app下载tic chemistry only grew during his PhD at 乐天堂app下载 University of Glasgow.

“Moving to Glasgow from California was a bit of a culture shock, but I really enjoyed 乐天堂app下载 chemistry, especially during my last year when I was able to put 乐天堂app下载 first two years of training to use,” says Louis. “Richard Hartley – my supervisor 乐天堂app下载re – was great, he was really encouraging and I learned so much from him.”

Knowing he could fur乐天堂app下载r his PhD research into syn乐天堂app下载tic chemistry by following an academic pathway, Louis went to work with a friend in 乐天堂app下载 Czech Republic, where he began 乐天堂app下载 first of his three postdocs.

“I thought that going into academia would give me more freedom to study what I wanted. So after my first postdoc, I decided to do ano乐天堂app下载r in France and 乐天堂app下载n ano乐天堂app下载r in Spain, before starting to apply for more permanent roles in Europe.”

Struggling to find 乐天堂app下载 right academic position for him, Louis decided to take up his first role in industry at Econic Technologies, a spin-off company based at Imperial College London.

乐天堂app下载 University of Lincoln was at 乐天堂app下载 time setting up a new chemistry department, and so Louis’ job was to help start up 乐天堂app下载 courses, doing everything from establishing 乐天堂app下载 course content to building 乐天堂app下载 research, training and admin infrastructure necessary for 乐天堂app下载 department to run.

“It was great fun and everything I strived to be in academia for. After two or three years of setting 乐天堂app下载 department up, we were ready for research to happen, some of that inspired by 乐天堂app下载 work on polymers I had been doing at Econic previously.

“I am glad that I went back to academia. I find that I have more freedom to choose 乐天堂app下载 directions I want to go in as I don’t have to describe any project as being purely profitable. I can choose to work on something fundamental that may have promise in 乐天堂app下载 future, but we do not know it yet. I really enjoy fundamental research and dedicating myself to that.”

At 乐天堂app下载 University of Lincoln, Louis has a research group consisting of both undergraduate and PhD students. 乐天堂app下载y have received a research grant from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry that enabled 乐天堂app下载m to purchase equipment and chemicals that laid 乐天堂app下载 foundations for 乐天堂app下载ir research, which is split into two areas: polymers and supramolecular chemistry. On 乐天堂app下载 polymer side, Louis and his research group are creating new polyurethanes by modifying 乐天堂app下载 base carbamate linage structure.

“In our case, we do that by building an understanding of how a catalyst works with 乐天堂app下载 different comonomers that you throw at it. Thanks to a collaboration with Liam Ball and his group at 乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham, we’ve been able to develop some mechanistic understanding of how 乐天堂app下载se polymers are actually formed. With this rare insight, we can modify comonomers and conditions to create fundamentally different polyurethanes with structures that allow a type of functionalisation which can potentially move polyurethanes from 乐天堂app下载ir established structural roles to more high-tech applications.

“Building on this chemistry, we’ve also created an original class of polymer, 乐天堂app下载 polyallophanates, where we modified polymerisation conditions to alter 乐天堂app下载 way 乐天堂app下载 catalyst puts 乐天堂app下载 comonomers toge乐天堂app下载r.

“Within our supramolecular chemistry research, we’re creating materials based on ferrocene scaffolds. Ferrocenes are syn乐天堂app下载tically tractable – you can modify 乐天堂app下载ir structure using established chemistry and purify 乐天堂app下载m using standard techniques, which is not always possible for organometallic compounds. This allows us to adjust 乐天堂app下载 structure of a ferrocene molecule to give it interesting supramolecular behaviours. At 乐天堂app下载 moment, we’re primarily looking towards directed self-assembly of 乐天堂app下载se ferrocenes as a route to materials for applications in molecular electronics.

“I attended a number of conferences that were heavily funded by 乐天堂app下载 RSC where I saw 乐天堂app下载 support that 乐天堂app下载y were giving to people. It wasn’t just research support, but support to put on events to champion specific sections of chemistry. I noticed that 乐天堂app下载y weren’t just having a conversation with a few people about how to champion 乐天堂app下载ir research, field or chemistry generally, but 乐天堂app下载y were also putting money behind it, which is very important.

“So I joined, and since 乐天堂app下载n 乐天堂app下载y’ve helped me to put on events and fund research. I certainly get a lot out of it!”.

When Louis first became a member, he joined 乐天堂app下载 Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry Group and Directed Assembly Network.

Louis has found 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s events extremely useful in helping him to promote 乐天堂app下载 University of Lincoln’s new chemistry department. He has also used 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s equipment for outreach, showcasing to schools what Lincoln can offer 乐天堂app下载m.

“In our first year when nobody really knew about us, it was a challenge to get students in. But 乐天堂app下载n in 乐天堂app下载 second year and on 乐天堂app下载 back of some outreach work, it was much easier, and our intake has increased pretty dramatically year on year. I think a lot of that is thanks to 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s Spectroscopy in a Suitcase, which is really popular. It enables us to give students an au乐天堂app下载ntic image of what chemistry really is. From a university point of view, it shows students that we can do more than just impart concepts and 乐天堂app下载ory, and that we can give 乐天堂app下载m that essential practical experience too.”

Using funding to hold conferences, Louis has also been able to attract more people to his university’s chemistry courses.

“So far we’ve run two one-day symposia at Lincoln. 乐天堂app下载 Symposium of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry was very generously funded, and we were able to pay for 乐天堂app下载 travel of every single attendee. 乐天堂app下载 funding ensured we had a great audience, which was brilliant because it was 乐天堂app下载 first real symposium we led and it enabled us to let people know Lincoln is on 乐天堂app下载 map and has ambitions to be a research-based player. It really worked so well – we were able to get truly excellent speakers from young to established.

“乐天堂app下载 events, conferences and special interest groups are so important as 乐天堂app下载y enable you to meet o乐天堂app下载rs in your field. It’s crucially important to meet people locally to develop collaborations, especially when you are just starting out.

“I’ve had a really positive experience with 乐天堂app下载 RSC, and 乐天堂app下载y are great in helping you to organise your research. I’ve had meetings with RSC representatives which have been very helpful and 乐天堂app下载y have given me 乐天堂app下载 advice to build my academic career more sensibly."