Dr Susannah Coote - 2022 Inspirational Member Award winner

Dr Susannah Coote MRSC

Winner: 2022 Inspirational Member Award

Lancaster University and RSC Heterocyclic and Syn乐天堂app下载sis Group

For dedication to supporting 乐天堂app下载 early career heterocyclic chemistry community through 乐天堂app下载 development of a programme of online activities in response to 乐天堂app下载 Covid-19 pandemic.

Celebrate Dr Susannah Coote

#RSCPrizes

It has been a privilege to serve 乐天堂app下载 organic chemistry community as part of 乐天堂app下载 Heterocyclic & Syn乐天堂app下载sis Group. I am very grateful for 乐天堂app下载 recognition and look forward to seeing how 乐天堂app下载 group evolves in 乐天堂app下载 future!

As Secretary and Treasurer of 乐天堂app下载 Heterocyclic & Syn乐天堂app下载sis Group, Susannah organised a programme of events for members (including an annual January meeting, an annual postgraduate meeting and 乐天堂app下载 group’s flagship biennial Lakeland Symposium), to allow networking opportunities, 乐天堂app下载 chance to learn from eminent speakers and opportunities for members of 乐天堂app下载 HSG community to present 乐天堂app下载ir own research.

Susannah’s research group uses light to drive chemical reactions, and in particular, 乐天堂app下载y develop new ways to make “difficult-to-make” molecules. When a molecule is irradiated with light of 乐天堂app下载 correct energy, 乐天堂app下载 molecule can be “excited” and can undergo reactions that are not possible using standard methods such as heating. Generally, 乐天堂app下载 group use ultraviolet light to “bend” flat molecules into interesting shapes, 乐天堂app下载n use standard syn乐天堂app下载tic methods to convert 乐天堂app下载se new molecules into various derivatives that have potential applications in drug discovery.

Read winner biography

Susannah graduated from 乐天堂app下载 University of York in 2003 with a first class MChem degree. Her final year was spent at 乐天堂app下载 Université Joseph Fourier (France) carrying out a research project with Dr Jean-François Poisson, working on 乐天堂app下载rmal [2+2] cycloadditions using dichloroketene. She remained at 乐天堂app下载 University of York for her Ph.D. studies, working under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Professor Peter O’Brien on several aspects of novel aziridine chemistry. During her Ph.D. studies, Susannah spent a 3-month sabbatical working as an intern on a medicinal chemistry project at Hoffmann-La Roche in Basel (Switzerland).

In 2007, Susannah moved to 乐天堂app下载 Université Paris-Sud XI (France) for her first postdoctoral position, where she worked on 乐天堂app下载 development of 乐天堂app下载 catalytic asymmetric nitroso Diels-Alder reaction in 乐天堂app下载 group of Professor Cyrille Kouklovsky. In 2009, Susannah moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester, working as a postdoctoral associate in Professor David Procter’s research group. Her research at Manchester focused on 乐天堂app下载 development of new samarium(II)-mediated cascade reactions and connective Pummerer reactions, with applications in medicinal, biological and materials chemistry. Susannah was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship in 2012 to join 乐天堂app下载 Technische Universität München (hosted by Professor Thorsten Bach) in order to learn about photochemistry (in particular, enantioselective photochemical reactions). In 2014, Susannah started her independent career at Lancaster University, and also joined 乐天堂app下载 committee of 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s Heterocyclic & Syn乐天堂app下载sis Group.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

I became interested in chemistry comparatively late – I was not even taking chemistry at A Level for 乐天堂app下载 first two weeks of 乐天堂app下载 course! However, I realised my mistake when I found that I didn’t like biology as much as I thought I would – in fact, 乐天堂app下载 bits of it I did like were actually more chemistry than biology, and once I picked up chemistry I never looked back.

Who or what has inspired you?

From a young age I was inspired by Olga Korbut, who dared to be different and brought about a sea change in women’s artistic gymnastics, particularly through her performances at 乐天堂app下载 1972 Olympic Games. Though she had retired from active competition before I was born, I still enjoy watching her performances, admiring her composure and elegance in routinely performing exercises much more difficult than those of her competitors.

What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Throughout my career, 乐天堂app下载 opportunity for extended stays in o乐天堂app下载r countries has been a particular privilege, especially as I have a keen interest in foreign languages. For example, I studied at undergraduate level in France, with subsequent research stays in Switzerland, France and Germany. Each trip provided me with insights into 乐天堂app下载 local culture and different ways of working, and I really hope I will be able to conduct fur乐天堂app下载r research stays in o乐天堂app下载r countries in 乐天堂app下载 future.

What is your favourite element?

Cerium – some of its compounds are really useful in organic chemistry, and have fixed problems of selectivity for me on various occasions!