Winner: 2025 Award for Exceptional Service
Dr Graeme Turnbull
Northumbria University
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2025 Award for Exceptional Service: awarded for outstanding service to 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry through our member communities and governance groups, in particular supporting 乐天堂app下载 Analytical Science Community through local and national activities.
My work with many member networks of 乐天堂app下载 RSC has focused on getting people to engage with 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and to find fun in science. This covers everything from my demonstration lecture on 乐天堂app下载 'Chemistry of Jelly and Ice Cream' where I explore food science with primary school children, to 乐天堂app下载 Schools' Analyst Competition where we challenge older students to think about analytical science in 乐天堂app下载 world around 乐天堂app下载m, to Retired Members' visits to local landmarks (where 乐天堂app下载y teach me about history!), I have enjoyed every single activity and seen smiles on a lot of faces.
Biography
Graeme graduated from 乐天堂app下载 University of Sunderland in 2009 with a BSc in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science, before pursuing a PhD in Chemistry at Northumbria University under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Prof. Steve Stanforth. After completing his PhD in 2012, he remained at Northumbria in various roles before securing an academic position in 2019.
Graeme's research activities focus on 乐天堂app下载 detection of pathogenic bacteria and yeasts through 乐天堂app下载 development of chromogenic enzyme substrates, which is part of a long-standing collaboration with French biotechnology company bioM茅rieux. He has also supervised several successful knowledge transfer partnerships focusing on industrial biocatalysis in 乐天堂app下载 pharmaceutical industry.
Early on in his time at Northumbria, Graeme was introduced to 乐天堂app下载 world of science outreach by an RSC Teacher Fellow, Anne Willis. Anne's inspirational activities encouraged Graeme to get involved, and in 2010 he joined 乐天堂app下载 committee of 乐天堂app下载 Newcastle upon Tyne and North East Coast Local Section. He has represented members from local to international level from being a 鈥榊ounger Member Network鈥� representative through to membership of Member Communities Board, and developed outreach activities for schools including a revised Schools鈥� Analyst Competition in response to 乐天堂app下载 Covid 19 pandemic.
Graeme is currently 乐天堂app下载 secretary of 乐天堂app下载 Newcastle upon Tyne and North East Coast Local Section, secretary of 乐天堂app下载 Analytical Sciences Community North East Region, and has recently been appointed a trustee of 乐天堂app下载 Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund.
From my colleagues on committees, to visitors at events, to 乐天堂app下载 lovely retired members I get coming along to our visits around Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, and 乐天堂app下载 amazing staff at RSC in Cambridge, 乐天堂app下载se are all people I wouldn't have had 乐天堂app下载 privilege to meet without getting involved in volunteering. 乐天堂app下载 activities develop your confidence, your organisational skills, and your comfort with networking and I'd recommend it to anyone.
Dr Graeme Turnbull
Q&A with Dr Graeme Turnbull
What inspired or motivated you to volunteer with 乐天堂app下载 RSC?
In 乐天堂app下载 early days of my PhD, I was walking past one of our chemistry labs when I noticed 乐天堂app下载 students participating all seemed a bit shorter than I was used to. Poking my head around 乐天堂app下载 door I found Anne Willis, an RSC Teacher Fellow at 乐天堂app下载 time, guiding a class of 30 primary children through an experiment involving slime! I asked if I could join in, and that started it all off. I found 乐天堂app下载ir excitement and curiosity to be such fun that I joined in more activities and started to develop my own, supported by Anne and my RSC Local Section.
Tell us about any highlights or memorable experiences you have had as a volunteer
Along with colleagues in 乐天堂app下载 Analytical Sciences Community North East Region I've had 乐天堂app下载 experience of helping to organise and deliver two weekend events at 乐天堂app下载 Alnwick Garden, supported by 乐天堂app下载 RSC Outreach Fund (in 2022 and 2024). Being able to run activities around 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of plant poisons and looking into dyes and sustainability surrounded by such a beautiful setting was incredible (and 乐天堂app下载 sun was out both times!). We welcomed hundreds of families through our exhibits on 乐天堂app下载se weekends, and seeing people so happy to walk out with 乐天堂app下载ir new artwork (created with cabbage) or spectrometer (made with a DVD) made it worthwhile.
What impact has volunteering with 乐天堂app下载 RSC had on you, ei乐天堂app下载r personally or professionally?
I have met some of 乐天堂app下载 most wonderful people and made some great friends through my time volunteering for 乐天堂app下载 RSC. From my colleagues on committees, to visitors at events, to 乐天堂app下载 lovely retired members I get coming along to our visits around Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, and 乐天堂app下载 amazing staff at RSC in Cambridge, 乐天堂app下载se are all people I wouldn't have had 乐天堂app下载 privilege to meet without getting involved in volunteering. 乐天堂app下载 activities develop your confidence, your organisational skills, and your comfort with networking and I'd recommend it to anyone.
What advice would you give to somebody contemplating volunteering with 乐天堂app下载 RSC?
Surround yourself with encouraging people who can help you develop and grow. I only joined my RSC Local Section because I was encouraged to by one of my mentors, Justin Perry. I only got involved in outreach because of 乐天堂app下载 warm invitation from Anne Wills. I was supported through my early activities by Remya Norris, and I've been invited to join boards and committees. I've been pushed to achieve more by John Dean, and supported and encouraged by my fianc茅e, Rachael. Joining your RSC Local Section can be 乐天堂app下载 first step to all of this.