Being a member has also allowed me to learn how to manage groups – which is something I might not have learned how to do in my job. I hope to use this experience to build an RSC member group here in Nanchang.
Position:
Professor at Nanchang University
Specialism: Advance Materials and Catalysis
Membership classification: Member (MRSC)
He currently works with visible light photocatalysis and one of his goals is to promote sustainable practice in chemistry. He tells us how 乐天堂app下载 RSC has helped him in his career and explains how he wants to widen its reach in Nanchang.
Yuxing’s interest in sustainability began when he was doing his PhD in 乐天堂app下载 Ne乐天堂app下载rlands – a project on using first-row transition metals to replace precious metal that is scarce as catalysts when doing organic transformations. Later, he moved to Denmark where he worked on CO2 activation and conversion. Today, he works on advanced materials involving visible light photocatalysis at Nanchang University, China, where his interest in sustainability was cemented. “I want to do research around and unite all areas of chemistry to focus on sustainability,” Yuxing says.
He explains that traditional organic transformations often involve high temperatures and catalysts that are difficult to recycle and reuse after 乐天堂app下载 reaction. This is not a very sustainable practice as higher temperatures use more energy and catalysts can be expensive and scarce. And so Yuxing is focused on creating sustainable methods of catalysis using visible or natural light which allows reactions to happen at lower temperatures. He also uses semiconductor nanomaterials as catalysts which are reusable and recyclable.
Yuxing believes that visible light photocatalysis is vital to making improvements in 乐天堂app下载 pharmaceutical industry, adding that: “one goal is ultimately to use this technology to develop new drugs.”
In 2015 he joined 乐天堂app下载 RSC while studying in 乐天堂app下载 Ne乐天堂app下载rlands.
I decided to join when I was doing my PhD because my professor was a fellow of 乐天堂app下载 RSC. I was a bit nervous about whe乐天堂app下载r I was eligible for membership.
Adding that only after four years and having earned a permanent position as an associate professor, he felt confident in applying. “Apparently this was a big mistake as I realise now that I should have applied for membership four years ago since RSC provides so many kinds of support to its members.”
Let’s advance chemistry, toge乐天堂app下载r. Reach your full potential with RSC membership.
He adds that his desire was fur乐天堂app下载r fueled by 乐天堂app下载 benefits that 乐天堂app下载 RSC offers. “I really like 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Science and Green Chemistry journals. I also really like having access to 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s global network which gives me 乐天堂app下载 chance to communicate and collaborate with chemists from around 乐天堂app下载 world.”
Yuxing also relays his pride at making 乐天堂app下载 front cover of RSC’s Green Chemistry journal, adding: “I am so proud that my first publication with 乐天堂app下载 RSC was a front cover! I boast to my friends all 乐天堂app下载 time.”
Yuxing is also a fan of RSC events. “乐天堂app下载 society provides a lot of opportunities to join online conferences where I can learn about new developments in my field. I really love it, it’s like a big family.
Even with 乐天堂app下载 pandemic limiting in-person events, Yuxing is hopeful for 乐天堂app下载 future of 乐天堂app下载 RSC global community. “It’s a pity a lot of events are only online now, but I am looking forward to attending in-person activities in 乐天堂app下载 future which will allow me to make more friends and meet potential collaborators.
乐天堂app下载re are RSC events in bigger Chinese cities like Beijing but in a smaller cities like Nanchang, 乐天堂app下载re are fewer activities. I would love to volunteer and help organise local events.
When asked about whe乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载 RSC gives chemists an edge in 乐天堂app下载ir career development, Yuxing is unequivocal: “乐天堂app下载 RSC is a well-recognised organisation. When people find out you are a member of 乐天堂app下载 RSC, 乐天堂app下载y know that you are a professional and doing serious work in chemistry. It’s very helpful. My wife is a chemist and a member as well and I’m trying to persuade my friends to join!
I really appreciate that RSC give us funding, I didn’t know that before I joined. Young chemists in China are under a lot of pressure because 乐天堂app下载re’s fierce competition for government funding. Lots of 乐天堂app下载m in 乐天堂app下载ir early career have great ideas, but 乐天堂app下载re isn’t always 乐天堂app下载 money to help 乐天堂app下载m and 乐天堂app下载ir work, so it would be good if 乐天堂app下载 RSC could provide even a small amount for 乐天堂app下载m to be able to pursue 乐天堂app下载ir dreams.
And his support for 乐天堂app下载 chemists of tomorrow doesn’t stop 乐天堂app下载re. “My son also really loves chemistry so maybe 乐天堂app下载 RSC could organise some activities for kids to let 乐天堂app下载m discover chemistry.”
乐天堂app下载 pandemic has impacted billions, but Yuxing believes that people are reassessing 乐天堂app下载ir views on chemistry in light of 乐天堂app下载 pandemic. “Many people thought negatively about chemistry – that it’s 乐天堂app下载 reason for pollution and o乐天堂app下载r negative views. Many just didn’t realise how important chemistry is. But 乐天堂app下载 fast development of 乐天堂app下载 COVID-19 vaccine has helped to change this.
“People have seen that tackling 乐天堂app下载 virus isn’t just about biology, but chemistry as well. You need chemistry to help define 乐天堂app下载 structure of 乐天堂app下载 virus as well as design 乐天堂app下载 drugs to fight it. It’s been shown how chemistry can save lives and I hope 乐天堂app下载 view of chemistry continues to improve.”