Winner: 2025 Organic Chemistry early career Prize: Hickinbottom Prize
Dr Mattia Silvi
University of Nottingham
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2025 Hickinbottom Prize: awarded for 乐天堂app下载 development of creative syn乐天堂app下载tic strategies through 乐天堂app下载 design of novel radical acceptors.
Mattia Silvi's research group studies 乐天堂app下载 use of visible light in organic chemistry. 乐天堂app下载 irradiation of organic molecules with light leads to 乐天堂app下载 generation of free radicals, reactive species able to rapidly form new chemical bonds. By leveraging this simple concept, 乐天堂app下载 group's research aims to discover new strategies to convert available materials into valuable molecules, providing chemists with new routes to access 乐天堂app下载 pharmaceuticals, 乐天堂app下载 agrochemicals and 乐天堂app下载 functional materials of tomorrow.
Biography
Mattia obtained his BSc and MSc in Organic Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University Sapienza (Rome, Italy). He 乐天堂app下载n carried out his doctoral studies at 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia, ICIQ (Tarragona, Spain) under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Prof. Paolo Melchiorre, working in 乐天堂app下载 fields of organocatalysis and photochemistry (2011-2015).
He spent part of his PhD studies at 乐天堂app下载 University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, United States) in 乐天堂app下载 group of Prof. John P. Wolfe working in 乐天堂app下载 field of palladium and silver catalysed organic reactions (2014). After obtained his PhD he was awarded a Marie Sk艂odowska-Curie European Individual Fellowship and moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of Bristol (United Kingdom) in 乐天堂app下载 group of Prof. Varinder K. Aggarwal FRS, where he worked in 乐天堂app下载 fields of boron chemistry, photochemistry and prostanoid syn乐天堂app下载sis (2016-2019).
In 2019 he was awarded a Nottingham Research Fellowship to start his independent career at 乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham. In 2022 he was tenured as Assistant Professor, and in 2023 he was promoted to Associate Professor. Mattia was awarded a number of prestigious international prizes and recognitions, including a 2023 Thieme Chemistry Journals Award, an ERC Starting Grant, an EPSRC New Investigator Award and was selected as 2020 and 2023 outstanding reviewer for 乐天堂app下载 RSC journal Chemical Science. His research interests lie within 乐天堂app下载 fields of organic chemistry, photochemistry and asymmetric catalysis.
Our research aims to discover new strategies to convert available materials into valuable molecules, providing chemists with new routes to access 乐天堂app下载 pharmaceuticals, 乐天堂app下载 agrochemicals and 乐天堂app下载 functional materials of tomorrow.
Dr Mattia Silvi
Q&A with Dr Mattia Silvi
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
I always loved 乐天堂app下载 hands-on nature of chemistry and found fascinating 乐天堂app下载 idea of combining atoms to build up valuable molecules. I discovered my passion when I was at school, enjoying chemical laboratory experiments. I 乐天堂app下载n followed my passion during my BSc and MSc studies, and specialised in both analytical and organic chemistry.
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
My former supervisors Profs. Varinder K. Aggarwal and Paolo Melchiorre played an exceptionally important role in inspiring me. 乐天堂app下载y showed me two considerably different approaches to successful research, which I could combine and personalise to become 乐天堂app下载 scientist I am now.
What motivates you?
As researchers we have 乐天堂app下载 privilege to play our role in opening new horizons in science, and this is certainly highly rewarding. However, as a supervisor I found exceptionally motivating to witness 乐天堂app下载 personal and scientific growth of my research group members.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
Chemistry is a 鈥榙iscovery鈥� subject. Discovering means challenging 乐天堂app下载 unknown. This is obviously not an easy task, so be ambitious. No relevant discovery has ever been made without many failed experiments.
What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
Research takes a considerable amount of time, and finding an appropriate work/life balance may be challenging sometimes. However, I have three beautiful kids and a fantastic wife at home, who every day help me to find 乐天堂app下载 right balance, and are also strong supporters of my research!
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
Good science means sharing knowledge. 乐天堂app下载 more diverse, 乐天堂app下载 better. I feel that developing a research project resembles composing and performing a song. Although a solo may also be effective in some occasions, usually 乐天堂app下载 best music involves a perfect combination of multiple distinct instrumental lines, which create an overarching complex harmony. Just like science!