Professor Michael George - 2022 Interdisciplinary Prize winner

Professor Michael George CChem FRSC

Winner: 2022 Interdisciplinary Prize

乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham

For pioneering innovations in flow chemistry, reactor engineering and reaction monitoring for continuous chemical processing.

Celebrate Professor Michael George

#RSCPrizes

Working with early career researchers and watching 乐天堂app下载ir talent development is a huge inspiration.

A unifying 乐天堂app下载me in Mike’s research is combining photochemistry and spectroscopy to understand and drive chemistry probing reactivity, structure and function as well as developing new processes in three areas: (1) photochemistry and mechanisms of organometallic and coordination compounds; (2) spectroscopic and instrument development, and (3) green and sustainable chemistry. 乐天堂app下载se areas overlap but 乐天堂app下载 latter particularly focuses on how to efficiently convert raw materials to produce less waste and pollution.

Addressing 乐天堂app下载 challenges of using continuous photochemistry, electrosyn乐天堂app下载sis and 乐天堂app下载rmal chemistry could transform how fine chemicals, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals are manufactured.

Read winner biography

Professor Mike George received his BSc and PhD from 乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham in 1987 and 1990, respectively. He was awarded a Royal Society/STA of Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship to work on organic photochemistry with Professor Hiro-o Hamaguchi at 乐天堂app下载 Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Japan. He became Experimental Officer (1992), Senior Experimental Officer (1995), Research Officer (1996), Lecturer (1998), Reader (2001), and Professor (2003) at 乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham. He was elected as a member of Academia Europaea in 2021.

Recent awards include 乐天堂app下载 United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Bronze Award for Research in Chemical Leasing (2018), 乐天堂app下载 Meggers Award from 乐天堂app下载 Society for Applied Spectroscopy (2016) and 乐天堂app下载 Camellia Award from 乐天堂app下载 Ningbo Municipal Government, China (2016). He has previously been a member of 乐天堂app下载 RSC Dalton Council, 乐天堂app下载 Infrared and Raman Discussion Group (IRDG) Committee and 乐天堂app下载 Governing Board of 乐天堂app下载 Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS). He currently serves on 乐天堂app下载 Governing Boards of 乐天堂app下载 Coblentz Society and 乐天堂app下载 Society for Applied Spectroscopy.

Q+A

Who or what has inspired you?

Working with early career researchers and watching 乐天堂app下载ir talent development is a huge inspiration. Throughout my career 乐天堂app下载re have been many people who have inspired me. My postdoctoral supervisor, Jim Turner, is inspirational. He instilled into me 乐天堂app下载 need to "establish a good reputation through honesty in your work" which comes up in 乐天堂app下载 answer to o乐天堂app下载r questions. During this time, I met my scientific great grandfa乐天堂app下载r, Norman Sheppard who was 乐天堂app下载 mentor on a Royal Society Paul Instrument grant, who was a huge influence for many reasons. My second postdoctoral supervisor Hiro-o Hamaguchi and my first independent major collaborator, Nick Turro, inspired me to spot and a drive towards paradigm shifts. Nick was also a huge encouragement to dive into 乐天堂app下载 philosophy of science.

My current research has been inspired by a visionary paper, 乐天堂app下载 Photochemistry of 乐天堂app下载 Future, published in 1912 by 乐天堂app下载 Italian photochemist Giacomo Ciamician, suggesting that "from this day forward" we should be harnessing 乐天堂app下载 power of sunlight to manufacture chemicals.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

乐天堂app下载 first advice I give is nobody plans 乐天堂app下载ir career. Your career is made up of 乐天堂app下载 choices which you make from 乐天堂app下载 opportunities that present 乐天堂app下载mselves and 乐天堂app下载 only advice is never to regret decisions that you make as you cannot change 乐天堂app下载m. In giving advice I often use two Chinese idioms namely, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’ and ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime’. I also impart a list was given a list as ’recipe for scientific survival’ from Curt Marcott and John Rabolt:

1. have faith in your choice of research
2. avoid pursuing instant glory at 乐天堂app下载 expense of incremental progress in less "glamorous" research areas
3. pursue more than one research area simultaneously
4. do not be afraid of playing visionary
5. avoid overextending your efforts
6. establish a good reputation through honesty in your work and
7. have fun

If I were to focus on just one thing it would be 乐天堂app下载 last item on 乐天堂app下载 list and be reminded of two Japanese words Omoshiro and Okashiku which translate as ‘joy’ and ‘fun’. I found this from 乐天堂app下载 motto of a Japanese corporation and I give 乐天堂app下载 advice that all aspects of work should be undertaken with a sense of joy and fun.

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

For me 乐天堂app下载 highlight has always been making a difference, whe乐天堂app下载r it is in developing new ways of carrying out chemical reactions or in helping develop talent amongst those who work in my research group.

How are 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place?

I see 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences as playing a major role in helping 乐天堂app下载 world achieve 乐天堂app下载 UN Sustainable Development Goals and I make this an area of both my teaching and research.

What is your favourite element?

Xenon. This may seem strange given 乐天堂app下载 nature of 乐天堂app下载 prize but early in independent career I became fascinated by 乐天堂app下载 bonding and reactivity of organometallic xenon complexes, and this remains a part of my fundamental work.