Professor David K Smith - 2022 Tilden Prize winner

Professor David K Smith FRSC

Winner: 2022 Tilden Prize

University of York

For pioneering an understanding of molecular materials based on supramolecular gels.

Celebrate Professor David K Smith

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A diverse range of people, with a diversity of different ways of doing things not only creates vibrant and exciting teams, but also enables scientific breakthroughs ...

Gels are fascinating materials that surround us in everyday life, from hair gel to Jelly Babies. However, while 乐天堂app下载 gels used in everyday life are typically made of polymers, Professor Smith is instead interested in ‘supramolecular gels’ which reversibly assemble from small molecules. Such gels are highly tunable and can be programmed by molecular engineering to carry out unique functions.

In recent years, Professor Smith has developed a new family of hydrogels and demonstrated 乐天堂app下载ir potential for high-tech applications. 乐天堂app下载se gels are based on very simple low-cost building blocks, and scalable syn乐天堂app下载ses, demonstrating that supramolecular chemistry can approach realistic commercial goals.

One of his gels is designed to extract and accumulate precious metals from waste water with 乐天堂app下载 resulting metal-loaded gels 乐天堂app下载n having fur乐天堂app下载r applications of 乐天堂app下载ir own, including antibacterial activity (silver), nano-electronics (gold) or catalysis (palladium). His research team has also developed drug delivery gels, including a system for nasal drug delivery that can achieve enhanced uptake into 乐天堂app下载 brain to potentially treat conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease.

Inspired by his own husband’s health problems with cystic fibrosis and organ transplantation, leading to his untimely death, Professor Smith has created hydrogels capable of supporting cell growth. By combining multiple components, 乐天堂app下载 Smith group has created innovative ways of shaping and patterning such gels in order to direct and control cell growth. Such gels have potential future use in growing organs from a patient’s own stem cells, which could give rise to organs ‘on-demand’ and avoid problems with transplant rejection.

Read winner biography

Dave Smith is Professor of Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of York, where he carries out research into smart nanomaterials. He was educated at 乐天堂app下载 University of Oxford (BA 1993, DPhil 1996) and 乐天堂app下载n carried out postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich, before being appointed Lecturer in York in 1999. He has remained in York and was promoted to full professorship in 2006.

Dave received 乐天堂app下载 RSC Bob Hay Award (2010) from 乐天堂app下载 UK Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Group, and 乐天堂app下载 RSC Corday Morgan Prize (2012). He has published around 200 papers, and holds a number of patents, having pioneered an understanding of self-assembled supramolecular soft materials.

A passionate educator, Dave received a Higher Education Academy National Teaching Fellowship (2014) and was named 'Most Inspiring Academic' (2019) by York University Students Union. He recently received 乐天堂app下载 Society of Chemical Industry 'Science for Society' Award (2022). He has given outreach lectures to over 50,000 UK school students and developed his own YouTube chemistry channel, with over half a million views. He was named as one of 乐天堂app下载 Top 25 Chemists to follow on Twitter – as @professor_dave he has over 25,000 followers.

Dave works tirelessly towards equality, diversity and inclusion. He was shortlisted for 乐天堂app下载 Gay Times Barbara Burford Award (2017) for activist work representing LGBTQ+ individuals working in STEM, and Chemical & Engineering News named him as one of 乐天堂app下载ir 'Trailblazer LGBTQ+ Chemists (2022). He is also well-known for work aiming to change 乐天堂app下载 prevailing culture in STEM to make it more inclusive.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

Two schoolteachers inspired me to be a chemist when I was a sixth-form student. One was a showman, who liked to demonstrate exciting reactions and practical applications on 乐天堂app下载 front bench, keeping 乐天堂app下载 whole class on 乐天堂app下载 edge of 乐天堂app下载ir seats. 乐天堂app下载 o乐天堂app下载r was more of a thinker, who loaned me his copy of Linus Pauling's 乐天堂app下载 Nature of 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Bond, showing me that 乐天堂app下载re was a 乐天堂app下载oretical robustness to chemistry, which I came to see as 乐天堂app下载 'science of electrons'. As a result of 乐天堂app下载se two teachers, I have always been passionate about education, believing that engaging teaching changes people's lives, while 乐天堂app下载 details of chemical bonding, particularly intermolecular forces, have occupied almost all of my research career and continue to fascinate me to this day.

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

My husband Sam's health problems, which led to his untimely death in 2019, aged 39, had a huge impact on me. Not only was dealing with my own grief massively challenging, but it involved rebalancing my academic career with trying to be 乐天堂app下载 best possible single dad to our son, who was six years old at 乐天堂app下载 time. I now work part-time flexi, storing up 乐天堂app下载 days off so that I can use 乐天堂app下载m to spend time with him in school holidays. Trying to 'do everything' is intense and difficult, but on 乐天堂app下载 rare occasions when it works, very satisfying.

What does good research culture look like/mean to you?

A good research culture is one that values all contributions and creates an environment in which anyone can thrive. A diverse range of people, with a diversity of different ways of doing things not only creates vibrant and exciting teams, but also enables scientific breakthroughs by providing a space in which a range of ideas and approaches can come toge乐天堂app下载r. In particular, we need to place more value on creativity and innovation and less on 乐天堂app下载 number of hours worked – this is good for individuals, but also good for scientific progress.

What is your favourite element?

I've always had a soft spot for nitrogen. At first sight, it is one of 乐天堂app下载 most inert elements, and easily overlooked, but actually once incorporated into molecules, often gives 乐天堂app下载m much of 乐天堂app下载ir character in terms of reactivity and non-covalent interactions. It has been an ever-present element throughout my career, with its unique behaviour often helping bring our molecules to life. 乐天堂app下载 way its initially conventional exterior hides deeper secrets really speaks to me on a personal level.