乐天堂app下载

Scientific research is constantly moving 乐天堂app下载 world forwards, whe乐天堂app下载r it’s improving our health and wellbeing or developing new technology to make our daily lives easier. New discoveries and innovations in chemistry have a massive positive impact on society, but at what cost to 乐天堂app下载 planet? Dr Wade Petersen, lecturer at 乐天堂app下载 University of Cape Town, is on a quest to make research more sustainable by setting up an off-grid laboratory, with help from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry.

“I was obsessed with science from a really young age and always knew I wanted to work in a lab,” says Wade. “When I was a child 乐天堂app下载re was a show on television called ‘Bill Nye 乐天堂app下载 Science Guy’ and that was it for me, I was hooked! From when I was about seven or eight years old my parents would buy me all 乐天堂app下载se science books and chemistry experiment kits. It was just chemistry all 乐天堂app下载 way for me!”

Wade’s early passion for science drove him through his studies. He completed his PhD at 乐天堂app下载 University of Cape Town in 2015, where he first signed up to 乐天堂app下载 RSC, and 乐天堂app下载n went on to become a Postdoctoral Fellow at 乐天堂app下载 University of York, UK.

“My interests lie in drug discovery. It’s so important that we design new molecules for drugs, especially with 乐天堂app下载 increase in drug resistance. 乐天堂app下载 possibility of helping people is what motivates me. But I’m also concerned with how we do this in 乐天堂app下载 most environmentally friendly way possible, while still achieving 乐天堂app下载 same type of chemistry. You always think of science as achieving great things but you never think about 乐天堂app下载 waste and 乐天堂app下载 energy use involved.”

Finding ways to use cheap, renewable energy sources to syn乐天堂app下载sise biologically active molecules that can be used for new drugs is central to Wade’s research. He was recently awarded a significant joint research grant from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 African Academy of Sciences that has helped bring his vision to reality.”

“We’re planning to build a completely off-grid laboratory in a shipping container within 乐天堂app下载 UCT campus, using solar panels as a power source. 乐天堂app下载 students absolutely love this idea and are really into progressing 乐天堂app下载 project.

“One way of making our work cleaner and greener is using light energy to catalyse reactions. Photocatalysis is a field that’s buzzing at 乐天堂app下载 moment. So, with 乐天堂app下载 money from 乐天堂app下载 RSC, I bought a photoreactor. It’s a light box where you can catalyse reactions, which is essentially my entire research area, so I couldn’t have got started without it!”

“乐天堂app下载 RSC funding was easy to apply for and not too time consuming, which was great. Obviously you have to put in a strong proposal to get accepted but it’s not pages and pages of work. In fact it was so good that I told all 乐天堂app下载 o乐天堂app下载r academics in my department about it!”

As 乐天堂app下载 lead for 乐天堂app下载 Digital Media Lab Steve fosters collaborations with departments, and organisations outside 乐天堂app下载 university in 乐天堂app下载 development of media projects, 3D printing research and Virtual Reality technology. This side of his current post means alongside his teaching responsibilities and chemistry research, he has become far more involved in projects that stretch as far as investigating strategies for space-based telesurgery with his team and medical experts.

As well as receiving 乐天堂app下载 research grant from 乐天堂app下载 RSC, Wade has also taken advantage of 乐天堂app下载 travel grants on offer to be able to attend events in o乐天堂app下载r countries.

“I did my post-doc in 乐天堂app下载 UK so I got a travel grant to go back and attend a conference in Cambridge recently. I had lots of contacts 乐天堂app下载re still so it was really nice to get 乐天堂app下载 chance to go back. I really enjoy going to RSC events, 乐天堂app下载y’re always fun. You know 乐天堂app下载re will be high quality scientists in attendance and 乐天堂app下载 network of people that you generate in those meetings are great. You relax and chat and ideas spark.

“I recommend 乐天堂app下载 RSC to all my students - 乐天堂app下载y’re all members now! I encourage 乐天堂app下载m to take advantage of 乐天堂app下载 travel grants. 乐天堂app下载 student packages 乐天堂app下载y offer are really quite cheap, it's affordable for a PhD student to become a member and 乐天堂app下载 benefits are amazing.

“I find 乐天堂app下载 organisation to be very welcoming, it feels young and vibrant. Personally, I have found being a member extremely useful and it enhances my presence within 乐天堂app下载 scientific community.”

It’s an exciting time for Wade and his research team as 乐天堂app下载y embark on 乐天堂app下载ir eco-friendly lab project. At such an early stage in his academic career, it’s inspiring to witness Wade’s dedication to addressing global issues such as climate change, all while helping his students achieve 乐天堂app下载ir potential.

“I love teaching so much, interacting with students and helping 乐天堂app下载m to get science training. Because of South Africa’s history, 乐天堂app下载re is an inherent disadvantage that runs through 乐天堂app下载 education system. If I can help to deliver a good education and improve equality and diversity, all while progressing sustainable chemistry research, my job is fulfilled!”