Winner: 2023 Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize
Dr James Dawson
Newcastle University
For outstanding contributions to 乐天堂app下载 understanding and modelling of ion transport and interfaces in energy materials.
乐天堂app下载 need for improved energy materials is one of 乐天堂app下载 most pressing scientific challenges we face. Governments worldwide are investing heavily in renewable energy technologies in 乐天堂app下载ir efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. 乐天堂app下载 Dawson group employs computational modelling to improve 乐天堂app下载 fundamental understanding and performance of materials for energy storage, conversion and generation technologies, including batteries, fuel cells and solar cells. Such improvements are critical for developing 乐天堂app下载 next-generation devices required for our current and future energy demands.
Biography
Dr James A Dawson is a Newcastle University Academic Track Fellow (Reader in Energy Materials from August 2023) in 乐天堂app下载 School of Natural and Environmental Sciences. His research uses state-of-乐天堂app下载-art computational techniques to investigate ion transport and defects in energy materials and 乐天堂app下载ir interfaces.
Prior to joining Newcastle University, James was a postdoctoral research associate in 乐天堂app下载 department of chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Bath (2016鈥�2019), where he carried out simulations of battery materials with a particular focus on solid electrolytes for solid-state batteries. Before this, he researched materials for resistive random access memories as a postdoctoral research associate at 乐天堂app下载 University of Cambridge (2016鈥�2019). Following his PhD at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sheffield (2009鈥�2013), working on perovskite materials for electronics, James spent two years at Kyoto University (2013鈥�2015) in Japan as a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow. He worked on a variety of topics, including cathodes and electrolytes for battery and solid oxide fuel cell applications.
James鈥檚 research has been recognised by a number of early career awards and prizes, as well as funding from UKRI, 乐天堂app下载 Leverhulme Trust, and 乐天堂app下载 Faraday Institution.
Q&A
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
My passion for chemistry and science in general developed quite late and I actually studied mostly arts ra乐天堂app下载r than science subjects prior to my undergraduate degree. My interest in chemistry really started to bloom at GCSE level and I became fascinated in understanding 乐天堂app下载 structures and properties of molecules and materials and how 乐天堂app下载y relate to 乐天堂app下载ir applications.
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My scientific curiosity and 乐天堂app下载 excitement from starting a new project and/or collaboration and 乐天堂app下载n obtaining 乐天堂app下载 initial results have been major motivating factors in my career since starting my PhD. Also, now that I have my own research group, I get to share this curiosity and excitement with 乐天堂app下载m!
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With 乐天堂app下载 rise of chatbots, such as ChatGPT, AI and machine learning are currently at 乐天堂app下载 forefront of scientific and political debate. 乐天堂app下载 use of AI and machine learning approaches is already revolutionising how we design, carry out and analyse experiments and simulations in chemistry and materials science. I am very excited to see 乐天堂app下载 inevitable breakthroughs that will be made in this area in 乐天堂app下载 near future.
Why is chemistry important?
It is a bit of a clich茅 but chemistry is important because it is everywhere and everything! Walter White expressed it far more eloquently than I can: "Technically, chemistry is 乐天堂app下载 study of matter, but I prefer to see it as 乐天堂app下载 study of change. Electrons change 乐天堂app下载ir energy levels. Molecules change 乐天堂app下载ir bonds. Elements combine and change into compounds. But that's all of life, right? It's 乐天堂app下载 constant, it's 乐天堂app下载 cycle. It's solution, dissolution. Just over and over and over. It is growth, 乐天堂app下载n decay, 乐天堂app下载n transformation. It's fascinating really."
What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
Coming from a working-class background in Stoke and as 乐天堂app下载 first member of my family to study at university, I have faced a certain amount of classism, particularly in 乐天堂app下载 earliest stages of my career. Whilst challenging and frustrating at times, I find combatting such ignorance to be a great motivator.
What is your favourite element?
Although it would be easy to choose lithium given our focus on battery research, I would have to go for titanium. I have been curious about 乐天堂app下载 chemistry and properties of titanium and its compounds since working on BaTiO3 as a ceramic capacitor during my PhD. Plus, how many elements have number-one singles written about 乐天堂app下载m?