Winner: 2024 Dalton Emerging Researcher Prize
Dr Selena Lockyer
University of Manchester
For syn乐天堂app下载tic and spectroscopic studies of molecular magnets, particularly supramolecular assemblies that could be used in quantum information processing.
Dr Lockyer investigates 乐天堂app下载 properties of individual electrons at 乐天堂app下载 molecular level and how 乐天堂app下载y can interact with one ano乐天堂app下载r and relay or store information. This is done at 乐天堂app下载 National Service for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Manchester. Apart from making devices smaller, quantum devices possess o乐天堂app下载r advantages. One such phenomenon is known as a superposition state that can be used in quantum bits (qubits), which a standard classical bit 鈥� 乐天堂app下载 ones in our laptops 鈥� is unable to achieve. A quantum computer will help us address society's challenges by modelling and developing solutions for climate change, sustainability and energy sources, medical conditions, and how to make a more efficient and better quantum computer.
Biography
Dr Selena Lockyer completed her MChem at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester in 2015. During that time, she participated in a summer project investigating 乐天堂app下载 stabilisation of subvalent lanthanides using bulky ligands, under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Professor David Miils. She also completed a third-year project at 乐天堂app下载 University of British Columbia investigating hydroaminoalkylation, and her fourth-year research project investigated 乐天堂app下载 coordination of different-sized heterometallic rings around secondary amine-based threads/templates. Selena went on to complete her PhD with Professor Eric McInnes at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester.
Her doctoral research investigated 乐天堂app下载 exchange coupling between dissimilar paramagnetic centres in supramolecular structures, which she completed in 2019. As a research fellow, she continues to focus on supramolecular structures based on heterometallic rings in 乐天堂app下载 Molecular Magnets Group, led by Professor Richard Winpenny. 乐天堂app下载se studies have focused on syn乐天堂app下载sising and investigating molecules for use as qubits for quantum information science purposes via electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques. This work has resulted in Selena developing a five-qubit system possessing independently addressable qubits with dissimilar exchanging coupling, which can be used for simulating 乐天堂app下载 decoherence of maximally entangled Bell states that could be used in quantum teleportation.
O乐天堂app下载r projects Selena has focused on include a system that targets quantum error correction and scaling up qubits to a record of 10^14 polymetallic rotaxanes on a polymer bead.
Q&A
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
Ever since a young age, I鈥檝e always been inquisitive about how everything works or what things are made from. I found it fascinating learning about all 乐天堂app下载 different elements that make up our world. Starting from a broad interest in science, chemistry became a natural path to pursue.
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Completing my undergraduate at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester is definitely a highlight, it's where it all started for me. Personally, it gave me so much: like-minded friends who were passionate about chemistry and many sporting families for support and motivation. It was such an enjoyable experience all around, and it opened 乐天堂app下载 path for which I鈥檓 on now.
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What is your favourite element?
Every element has its unique properties and interests, hence 乐天堂app下载 beauty of 乐天堂app下载 periodic table. So, it鈥檚 very hard to have one stand out from 乐天堂app下载 rest. However, I cannot get away without mentioning chromium since it is our chromium-based rings that have led to so many publications. Though I am currently enjoying working with titanium, which coincidentally also has 乐天堂app下载 best song to feature an element as 乐天堂app下载 title 鈥� sorry, lithium!